LandformsOf the United States

What are landforms?•Landforms are the natural shapes or features of the earth.

•There are many different types of landforms found on the earth.

Bay

• Part of an ocean or lake, partially enclosed by land

Canyon

• Narrow, deep valley with steep sides

Cape

Cape

• Pointed piece of land extending into an ocean or lake

Cliff

• The steep, almost vertical edge of a hill, mountain, or plain

Delta

• Triangular area of land formed from deposits at the mouth of a river

Desert

• Dry area where few plants grow

Glacier

• A Large Ice Mass that moves slowly down a mountain or over land.

Gulf

• A large area of a sea or ocean partially enclosed by land

Harbor

• Sheltered area of water, deep enough for docking ships

Island

• Body of land surrounded by water

Lake

• Water that has land all around it.

Marsh

• Soft, wet, low-lying, grassy land – transition from water to land

Mountains

• Natural Elevation of the Earths surface, larger than a hill

Ocean

• The largest bodies of water on earth, great expanse of salt water.

Oasis

• Spot of fertile land in a desert fed by a spring

Plain

• A flat area on Earth’s surface.

Plateau

• Broad, flat area of land higher than the surrounding land

Peninsula

• A narrow stretch of land surrounded on three sides by water.

Prairie

• Large, level area of grassland with few or no trees.

River

• A long flowing body of water.

Sea

• Relatively large body of water either part of an ocean that is partially surrounded by land or completely landlocked.

Strait

• Narrow strip of water connecting two large bodies of water

Steppe

• Wide, treeless plain

Swamp

• Area of land that is saturated by water

Valley

• Low land between hills or mountains

Volcano

• Opening in the earth through which gasses and lava escape