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Landforms

A landform is a word that describes a form of land. Each type of landform is defined by its size, shape, location, and what it is made of.

Contents 1 List of landforms 1.1 Slope landforms 1.2 Coastal and oceanic landforms 1.3 Fluvial landforms 1.4 Mountain and glacial landforms 1.5 Volcanic landforms 1.6 Erosion landforms

List of landforms Slope landforms Cliff A cliff is a vertical or very steep natural wall. They are usually formed when erosion takes away soft material, revealing an exposed layer of hard rock. Cliffs are often found by the ocean, on mountains, in canyons, and along rivers. Cliffs are known for forming major geographical features such as waterfalls.

The tallest cliff in Europe, in Norway.: Major cliffs Asia Above Land

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Nanga Parbat, Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, 4600 m Great Trango Towers, Baltoro Muztagh, Northern Areas, Pakistan, 1340 m Various cliffs in the Ak-Su Valley of Kyrgyzstan cliffs are high and steep. Masada, Israel , Dead Sea Europe Above Sea Cape Enniberg, Faroe Islands, 750 m above North Atlantic Croaghaun, Achill Island, Ireland, 668 m above Atlantic Ocean St John's Head (Hoy Orkney Islands Scotland) at 335 m is the most vertical sea cliff in the UK Hangman cliffs, Devon 318 m above Bristol Channel is the highest sea cliff in England Strunjan cliff, Slovenia, 80 m above the Adriatic Sea Above Land Troll Wall, Norway 1100 m above base Miguszowiecki Szczyt north face rises to 1043 m above Morskie Oko lake level, High Tatras,Poland The six great north faces of the Alps (Cima Grande di Lavaredo, Eiger, Grandes Jorasses,Matterhorn, Petit Dru and Piz Badile) North America Mount Thor, Baffin Island, Canada The sheer north face of Polar Sun Spire, in the Sam Ford fjord of Baffin Island, Ketil's west face in Tasermiut, Greenland South America Autana Tepui, Venezuela stands 1,300 m above the forest floor. Auyan Tepui, Venezuela, about 1000 m (location ofAngel Falls) (the falls are 979 m, the highest in the world) Pared de Gocta, Peru, 771 m Fortaleza canyon, Aparados da Serra National Park, Brazil, about 720 m

Angel Falls from Raton, Venezuela.

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Africa Above Sea Kogelberg, Western Cape, South Africa, 1289 m above False Bay, Atlantic Ocean Table Mountain, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa, 1086 m above Atlantic Ocean Risco de Faneque, Gran Canaria-Canary Islands, Spain, 1027 m above Atlantic Ocean Guguy's Cliffs, Gran Canaria-Canary Islands, Spain, 725 m above Atlantic Ocean Above Land Drakensberg Amphitheatre, South Africa 1200 m above base, 5km long. The Tugela Falls, the world's second tallest waterfall, falls 948 m over the edge of the cliff face. Mount Meru, Tanzania Caldera Cliffs, 1500 m. Oceania Above Sea Kalaupapa, Hawaii, 1010 m above Pacific Ocean Hill A hill is a landform that is higher than the surrounding terrain and that is smaller than a mountain. Normally it is not as steep as a mountain. The surface of a hill is much more stable than that of a dune.

Hills Pictures

Panoramic view of Connors Hill in Australia

Some hills are very small like this ant hill Mountain

Mount McKinley in Alaska (USA). A mountain is a natural rise of theEarth's surface that usually has a "summit" (or "top"). It is usually steeperand taller than a hill. Mountains are often thought of as being a hill of over 600 metres (about 2,000 feet), but this thought is not the same in every country. Mountains are important to life on Earth, because most rivers begin in mountains and carry water from the mountains down to the sea. What is a mountain? The highest point of a mountain is called the peak. A mountain's summit is the highest area on the mountain a mountain climber may reach, but a climber cannot reach the peak. [change]Form The forming of a mountain is called orogeny. Mountains are formed when rock layers are pushed from opposite sides, and they push the crust up. A mountain range is a large group of mountains beside each other. There are four ways a mountain may be made: fault fold plutonic volcanic Height The height of a mountain is measured as distance above sea level. The tallness of a mountain is from the center. Tallest mountains The highest mountain in the solar system is the Olympus Mons (27 km) on Mars. The highest mountain in the world is Mount Everest (8,848m)which is in Nepal/Tibet in Asia. (The "tallest" mountain in the world is Mauna Kea, in Hawaii. The "height" of a mountain is measured from sea level, but the "tallness" of a mountain is measured from its base, even if under water.) The highest mountain in North America is Mount McKinley (6,194m) in Alaska in the USA. The highest in South

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America is Aconcagua (6,962m) in Argentina. For Africa, it is Kilimanjaro(5,963m) of Tanzania. In Europe, the highest mountain is in Russia called Elbrus (5,633m).Antarctica's highest mountain is Vinsin Massiff (5,140m). In Oceania, a mountain called Puncak Jaya (5,030m) is the highest there. This particular mountain is in Papua New Guinea / Indonesia. Mountain types There are five main types of mountains: volcanic dome folded plateau fault-block Volcanic mountains Volcanic mountains are mountains that form when molten rock erupts onto the Earth's surface. They can either form on land or in the ocean. The Cascade Range in Washington, Oregon and northern California is made of volcanoes. Dome mountains Dome mountains, like those in the Black Hills of South Dakota and the Adirondack Mountains of New York, are an unusual domish type of mountain that is formed when molten rock rises through the crust and push up the rock layers above it. Folded mountains Folded mountains make up some of the highest mountains in the world. Folded mountains commonly form along boundaries, where 2 continents meet. Some really complex folds can be found in parts of the Andes, Alps, Himalayas, Appalachians, and Russia's Ural Mountains. These long mountain chains also show lots of signs of folding. Plateau mountains Plateau mountains are formed a bit like folded mountains. They are large areas of flat topped rocks that have been lifted high above the crust by continental plates. Most plateaus are found near folded mountains. [change]Fault-block mountains Fault-block mountains are formed when parts of the Earth's crust has been broken off into large block mountains. They are also formed when two blocks of land rise above or fall down leaving its middle part behind, and when magma pushes up by the lava and forces top layers of rock up with it. Domed mountains, although have broken and move up as a 'chunk'. Plain In geography, a plain is a large area of land with no hills or mountains. for farming than plateaus or mountains. List of famous plains: Plains mostly are more suitable

A landscape from the Pannonian Plain - Farm on the Hortobgy, Hungary Australian Plains, Australia Canterbury Plains, New Zealand Great Plains, USA Indo-Gangetic plain, India Kanto plain, Japan Plateau

A plateau A plateau is an area of raised land that is flat on top. The biggest, tallest plateau in the world is the TibetanPlateau. A plateau with a lot of erosion is called a dissected plateau. A plateau that is also a volcano is called a volcanic plateau. Some plateaus are under the ocean, like the Seychelles plateau or the Ontong Java Plateau. Plateaus are often by themselves with no other plateaus around, sometimes standing on top of mountains. Valley

Peveril Castle Dale in England is a V-shaped valley made by a small stream. A valley is a type of landformation. A valley is a long "depression" (or low part) in the land, between two higher parts which might be hills or mountains. Valleys often start as a downward fold between two upward folds in the surface of the Earth. A valley is made deeper by a stream of water or a river as it flows from the high land to the lower land, and into a lake or sea. Some valleys are made by glaciers which are slow-moving rivers of ice. When a valley is made deeper or wider by water or ice, this is called erosion.Wind can also make valleys larger by erosion. A valley has a "head" where it begins in the mountains or hills, "sides" where it rises up on either side, a "floor" which is where the valley is most flat. Some valleys have an "entrance" where the valley opening can be seen between two hills or mountains or cliffs. A place where a valley is very narrow and has high walls is sometimes called a "gorge". (This word "gorge" is sometimes used to mean the "throat" on a human body). Many of the people of the world live in valleys because there is often a river or stream in a valley for fresh water, and there is often good soil in a valley to grow crops. Coastal and oceanic landforms Headlands and bays A headland is an area of land that is surrounded by water on three sides. A bay is a an area of water. It is surrounded by land on three sides. Very often, the land areas are called capes. The water areas are also called gulfs. Headlands are made of hard rock and bays are made of soft rock. It takes the hard rock longer to erode. A bay is a hole in the land next to a sea or lake between two headlands. The waves coming to the shore in a bay are usually constructive waves, and because of this, many of them have a beach. A bay may be metres across, or it could be hundreds of kilometres across. Bays form where weak rocks, such as sands and clays, are eroded, leaving bands of stronger rocks, such as chalk, limestone, or granite, forming a headland, or peninsula. Headlands and bays are formed when there are parallel sections of softer and harder rock perpendicular to the coast. The sea erodes the softer rock faster than the harder rock, forming a bay. The harder rock that is left protruding into the sea is the headland.

Hanauma bay, on the island of Hawaii

The Cape of Good Hope is seen by many as the divider of the Atlantic andIndian Ocean Beach

A beach.

Pichilemu beach. A beach is an area of lakeshore or seashore which is fairly open, slopes smoothly to the water, and is free of trees, large boulders, or anything else which might make walking difficult or impossible. Many beaches are made of sand, but some beaches are made of gravel. Most people enjoy beaches as a place to swim, to work on their tan, or just to relax. The most popular beaches have fine white or light-colored sand and warm water to swim in. Beaches may also be popular because of the excellent opportunities for diving or for seeing marine life. Among the world's most popular and well-known beaches are Aruba (Dutch Caribbean), Long Beach (Canada), Copacabana Beach (Brazil), Hot Water Beach (New Zealand), Megan Bay (St. Thomas), Kailua Beach (Hawaii), Zandvoort Beach (Netherlands) and Bondi Beach (Australia). Over the past years, many beaches have changed their rules about dress, and most countries now havenaturist beaches where clothing is optional or even where clothing is not allowed.

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Sea A sea is a large area of salt water which is part of an ocean, or a large, usually salt water, closedlake (for example, the Caspian Sea and the Dead Sea). People often informally say "sea" for an ocean. List of seas, by ocean [change]Pacific Ocean Bering Sea Gulf of Alaska Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California) Philippine Sea Timor Sea Atlantic Ocean Hudson Bay James Bay Baffin Bay Gulf of St. Lawrence Caribbean Sea Gulf of Mexico Baltic Sea English Channel Mediterranean Sea Adriatic Sea Aegean Sea Black Sea Sea of Azov Ionian Sea Indian Ocean Red Sea Gulf of Aden

Arabian Sea Bay of Bengal ]Arctic Ocean Barents Sea Kara Sea

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Southern Ocean Weddell Sea Gulf St. Vincent Seas which have land around them (these are landlocked) Aral Sea Caspian Sea Dead Sea Peninsula

Peninsula A peninsula is a region of land that sticks out in a body of water. It is also defined as a piece of land with water on three sides. Korea, and most of the U.S. state of Florida, are peninsulas. IfEurasia is considered a continent then the continent of Europe is technically a peninsula. India is also a peninsula. Ocean Earth's oceans (World Ocean)

Atlantic Ocean Arctic Ocean Indian Ocean Pacific Ocean Southern Ocean An ocean is a large area of salt water between continents. Oceans are very big and they join smaller seas together. Together, the oceans are like one "ocean", because all the "oceans" are joined. Oceans (or marine biomes) cover 70% of our planet. [1] The largest ocean is the Pacific Ocean. It covers 1/3 (one third) of the Earth's surface. The smallest ocean is theArctic Ocean. Different water movements separate the Southern Ocean from the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. It is also known as the Antarctic Ocean, because it covers the area around Antarctica. Older maps may not use the names Arctic Ocean and Southern Ocean. The deepest ocean is the Pacific ocean. The deepest point is the Mariana Trench, being about 11,000 metres (36,200 feet)

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deep. The deep ocean is characterized by cold temperatures, high pressure, and complete darkness. Some very unusual organisms live in this part of the ocean. They do not require energy from the sun to survive, because they use chemicals from deep inside the earth. Estuary

Estuaries An estuary is a place near the oceanwhere saltwater mixes with freshwater. An estuary is often found where a riverflows into an ocean. The river suddenly becomes wider and wider and flows slowly to the sea. Estuaries come in all sizes and shapes, each according to its location and climate. They are found mostly where rivers meet the sea and fresh water mixes with salt water. Bays,marshes, swamps, and inlets are all examples of estuaries. A view of an estuary from the air is usually an interesting sight: rivers curve and bend to find their way back to the sea. Estuaries are usually filled with shallow waters and sunlight reaches all levels of the water. Marsh grasses, algae, and oher kinds of plants live in estuaries and provide food for a variety of fish, crabs, oysters, andshrimp.[1] Some estuaries are very large. They may be large ocean bays that have more than one river flowing into them. For example, Chesapeake Bay is a very large estuary, and several different rivers meet the Atlantic Ocean there. Island

A small island An island is a piece of ground that is surrounded bywater. Water is all around an island. Islands are smaller than continents. The largest island in the world is Greenland, unlessAustralia is believed to be an island. Some islands are their own countries. Examples of islands that are their own countries include Cuba,Iceland, and Madagascar. There are many others. Other islands have more than one countries, such asBorneo and Hispaniola.

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Fluvial landforms Landforms that are related to flowing water. Waterfall From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A picture of the Fulmer Falls waterfall in the Childs Recreation Area in the Pocono Mountains A waterfall is where there is a sharp fall of waterfound on a river or stream. The water flows from higher land, then it falls down a big step of rock to lower land where it will continue on its journey. Waterfalls are usually made when a river is young.[1] Many people choose them as sacred spots. The roar from the falling water is very loud and the sound makes beautiful music. Many people think they are one of the most beautiful things in nature.[1] The highest waterfall in the world is Angel Falls inVenezuela where the water falls 979 m (3,212 ft).[2]

Stream

A stream in New York called the Sprout Creek A stream is a natural flow of water moving acrosscountry between banks. It is smaller than a river. Pond

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A small pond A pond is a body of water smaller than a lake. Ponds support a very wide range of wildlife: ducks, turtles,swans, small fish, and frogs can live in a pond. Usually, in most ponds sunlight can reach to bottom. In some cases ponds do not last all year round. This type of pond is called a vernal pond, or ephemeral, seasonal, or temporary wetlands. These types of ponds do not have any fish. Erosion landforms Landforms made by erosion and weathering usually occur in coastal or fluvial areas, and many are listed under those headings. Some other erosion landforms that are not listed in those categories include: Canyon

A canyon is a big crack in the ground. Many canyons are made by rivers and earthquakes. They can be big, like the Grand Canyon, or small. Canyons can be formed by running water which will take sediment ( pieces of the earth ) away and create a trench getting deeper until it forms a canyon.