LANDFORMSLANDFORMSOF OUR WORLDOF OUR WORLD

Earth is divided into three layers. The outer layer is called the crust. Beneath the crust lies the mantle. The core is the innermost layer

Earth’s Layers

• The solid features formed on Earth’s crust.• Other features include bodies of water.• Crustal movement and other tectonic activity inside Earth create landforms; mountains, faults, sinks, and volcanos. • Many landforms are shaped by water and wind that carve and erode land surfaces, carrying and depositing soil, sand and other debris.

Landforms

Topographic maps and models are used Topographic maps and models are used to represent landforms and help to represent landforms and help

scientists better understand objects and scientists better understand objects and processes.processes.

LandformsLandformsArchipelago Bay Strait & Can

alCape Channel

Delta Desert Gulf Island Isthmus

Mountain Peninsula Plateau Plain Sound

Swamp Sea Mesa Oasis Valley

Source River Tundra Lake Butte

Canyon Fjord Geyser Lagoon Glacier

Pond Prairie Tributary Volcano Waterfall

Estuary Dune Savanna Reef Marsh

archipelagoarchipelago

ahr-kahr-kuhuh--pelpel--uhuh-goh-gohA group or chain of A group or chain of islands in a large islands in a large body of water body of water

Aegean Islands

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baybay

A bay is a body of A bay is a body of water that is partly water that is partly enclosed by land enclosed by land (and is usually (and is usually smaller than a smaller than a gulf). gulf).

The bay at San Sebastian, Spain.

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buttebutte

A butte is a flat-A butte is a flat-topped rock or hill topped rock or hill formation with formation with steep sides. steep sides.

Butte near Sedona, Arizona.

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canyoncanyon

A canyon is a deep A canyon is a deep valley with very valley with very steep sides - often steep sides - often carved from the carved from the Earth by a river. Earth by a river.

View from the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

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capecape

A cape is a pointed A cape is a pointed piece of land that piece of land that sticks out into a sticks out into a sea, ocean, lake, or sea, ocean, lake, or river. river.

The Cape of Good Hope; looking towards the west, from the coastal cliffs above Cape Point.

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peninsulapeninsula

A peninsula is a LARGER body of A peninsula is a LARGER body of land that is surrounded by water on land that is surrounded by water on three sides three sides

A peninsula in Croatia.

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channelchannel

A channel is a body A channel is a body of water that of water that connects two larger connects two larger bodies of water (like bodies of water (like the English the English Channel). A channel Channel). A channel is also a part of a is also a part of a river or harbor that river or harbor that is is deep enough to deep enough to let ships sail let ships sail through through Satellite view of the English ChannelBack to

Landform Chart

strait and canalstrait and canal

Strait- A Strait- A passageway passageway of water of water connecting connecting two large two large bodies of bodies of water.water.

Canal- A Canal- A constructed constructed channel filled channel filled with water used with water used for navigation, for navigation, irrigation, or irrigation, or drainage. drainage.

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deltadelta

A delta is a low, watery land formed at the A delta is a low, watery land formed at the mouth of a river. It is formed from the silt, mouth of a river. It is formed from the silt, sand and small rocks that flow sand and small rocks that flow downstream in the river and are downstream in the river and are deposited in the delta. A delta is often deposited in the delta. A delta is often (but not always) shaped like a triangle (but not always) shaped like a triangle (hence its name, delta, a Greek letter that (hence its name, delta, a Greek letter that is shaped like a triangle).is shaped like a triangle).

Nile River Delta

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desertdesert

A desert is a very dry area. A desert is a very dry area.

Erg Chebbi, Morocco

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oasisoasis

a fertile or green a fertile or green area in an arid area in an arid region (as a region (as a desert) desert)

The Sahara Desert extends into southern Tunisia and covers about 40 percent of the country’s land area. Camels are still used as a means of transportation in some parts of the desert, such as at this oasis near Dūz

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dunedune

A dune is a hill or a ridge made of A dune is a hill or a ridge made of sand. Dunes are shaped by the wind, sand. Dunes are shaped by the wind, and change all the time and change all the time

Mesquite Flat Dunes in Death Valley National Park

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estuaryestuary

An estuary is where a river meets An estuary is where a river meets the sea or ocean. the sea or ocean.

Rio de la Plata Estuary

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fjordfjord

A fjord is a long, narrow sea inlet A fjord is a long, narrow sea inlet that is bordered by steep cliffs. that is bordered by steep cliffs.

Geirangerfjord in Norway

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geysergeyser

A geyser is a natural hot spring that A geyser is a natural hot spring that occasionally sprays water and steam occasionally sprays water and steam above the ground. above the ground.

Strokkur Geyser, Iceland

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glacierglacier

A glacier is a slowly moving river of A glacier is a slowly moving river of ice. ice.

The Upper Grindelwald Glacier and the Schreckhorn, in Switzerland, showing accumulation and ablation zones

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gulfgulf

A gulf is a part of the ocean (or sea) A gulf is a part of the ocean (or sea) that is partly surrounded by land (it that is partly surrounded by land (it is usually larger than a bay). is usually larger than a bay).

Gulf of Mexico in 3D perspective.

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hillhill

A hill is a raised area or mound of A hill is a raised area or mound of land. land.

The panoramic view from Connors Hill, near Swifts Creek, VictoriaBack to

Landform Chart

islandisland

An island is a piece of land that is An island is a piece of land that is surrounded by water. surrounded by water.

A small island in the Adriatic Sea.

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isthmusisthmus

An isthmus is a narrow strip of land An isthmus is a narrow strip of land connecting two larger landmasses. connecting two larger landmasses. An isthmus has water on two sides. An isthmus has water on two sides.

The Isthmus of Panama connects North and South America.

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lagoonlagoon

A lagoon is a shallow body of water A lagoon is a shallow body of water that is located alongside a coast. that is located alongside a coast.

Nearly half the area of Kiritimati is covered with lagoon, some being freshwater and some seawater. Back to

Landform Chart

lakelake

A lake is a large body of water A lake is a large body of water surrounded by land on all sides. surrounded by land on all sides. Really huge lakes are often called Really huge lakes are often called seas. seas.

One of the many artificial lakes in Arizona at sunset.

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marshmarsh

A marsh is a type of freshwater, A marsh is a type of freshwater, brackish water or saltwater wetland brackish water or saltwater wetland that is found along rivers, pond, that is found along rivers, pond, lakes and coasts. Marsh plants grow lakes and coasts. Marsh plants grow up out of the water. up out of the water.

Freshwater marsh in Florida.

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mesamesa

A mesa is a land formation with a A mesa is a land formation with a flat area on top and steep walls - flat area on top and steep walls - usually occurring in dry areas. usually occurring in dry areas.

Several mesas near Los Alamos, New Mexico

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mountainmountain

A mountain is a very tall high, A mountain is a very tall high, natural place on Earth - higher than natural place on Earth - higher than a hill. The tallest mountain on Earth a hill. The tallest mountain on Earth is Mt. Everest.is Mt. Everest.

Mount Damavand, in winter, Iran

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oceanocean

An ocean is a large body of salt An ocean is a large body of salt water that surrounds a continent. water that surrounds a continent. Oceans cover more the two-thirds of Oceans cover more the two-thirds of the Earth's surface the Earth's surface

Bathymetric map of the Indian Ocean

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plainplain

Plains are flat lands that have only Plains are flat lands that have only small changes in elevation small changes in elevation

Moghan plain, East Azarbaijan Province, Iran

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plateauplateau

A plateau is a large, flat area of land A plateau is a large, flat area of land that is higher than the surrounding that is higher than the surrounding land. land.

Monte Roraima in Venezuela, Brazil and Guyana

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pondpond

A pond is a small body of water A pond is a small body of water surrounded by land. A pond is surrounded by land. A pond is smaller than a lake. smaller than a lake.

A garden pond.

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prairieprairie

A prairie is a wide, relatively flat A prairie is a wide, relatively flat area of land that has grasses and area of land that has grasses and only a few trees. only a few trees.

Konza Prairie in Kansas in spring with herd of bison in distance

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riverriver

A river is a large, flowing body of A river is a large, flowing body of water that usually empties into a sea water that usually empties into a sea or ocean. or ocean.

Mississippi river in New Orleans

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seasea

A sea is a large body of salty water A sea is a large body of salty water that is often connected to an ocean. that is often connected to an ocean. A sea may be partly or completely A sea may be partly or completely surrounded by land. surrounded by land.

Satellite image of the Black Sea

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soundsound

A sound is a wide inlet of the sea or A sound is a wide inlet of the sea or ocean that is parallel to the ocean that is parallel to the coastline; it often separates a coastline; it often separates a coastline from a nearby island coastline from a nearby island

Puget Sound and Mt. Rainier of Washington State, USA

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sourcesource

A source is the beginning of a river. A source is the beginning of a river.

River Wey near it’s source at Farringdon, Hampshire

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swampswamp

A swamp is a type of freshwater A swamp is a type of freshwater wetland that has spongy, muddly wetland that has spongy, muddly land and a lot of water. Many trees land and a lot of water. Many trees and shrubs grow in swamps. and shrubs grow in swamps.

A freshwater swamp in Florida.

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tributarytributary

A tributary is a stream or river that A tributary is a stream or river that flows into a larger river. flows into a larger river.

The Mosel flows into the Rhein at Koblenz.

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tundratundra

A tundra is a cold, treeless area; it is A tundra is a cold, treeless area; it is the coldest biome. the coldest biome.

Arctic tundra on Wrangel Island, Russia.

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valleyvalley

A valley is a low place between A valley is a low place between mountains. mountains.

U-shaped valley in Glacier National Park in Montana, United States.

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volcanovolcano

A volcano is a mountainous vent in A volcano is a mountainous vent in the Earth's crust. When a volcano the Earth's crust. When a volcano erupts, it spews out lava, ashes, and erupts, it spews out lava, ashes, and hot gases from deep inside the hot gases from deep inside the Earth. Earth. Mount St. Helens in May 1980, shortly after the eruption of May 18.Back to

Landform Chart

waterfallwaterfall

When a river falls off steeply, there When a river falls off steeply, there is a waterfall. is a waterfall.

Havasu Falls, near Supai, Arizona, is an example of a plunge waterfall.

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reefreef

Ridge of sand, rock, Ridge of sand, rock, or coral that lies at or coral that lies at or near the surface or near the surface of a sea or ocean.of a sea or ocean.

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Pamalican island with surrounding reef, Sulu Sea, Philippines.

savannasavanna

An area of grassland An area of grassland and scattered trees.and scattered trees.

Acacia savanna south of Fada N'Gourma, Burkina Faso.

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