Types of Landforms

A volcano is… ▪ An opening in Earth’s surface through which hot rock and ash are forced out.

A canyon is… ▪ A deep, narrow valley with steep sides

A desert is … ▪ A dry environment with few plants and animals

Hills are… ▪ Rounded, raised landforms; not as high as a mountain

An island is… ▪ A body of land completely surrounded by water

Lakes are… ▪ Bodies of water completely surrounded by land

Mountains are… ▪ High landforms with steep sides; higher than a hill

A plain is… ▪ A large area of nearly flat land

An ocean is… ▪ A large body of salt water; oceans cover much of the Earth’s surface

A river is… ▪ A large stream that empties into another body of water

A valley is… ▪ An area of low land between hills or mountains

A peninsula is … ▪ A body of land nearly surrounded by water

Geographic Terms

A Basin is… ▪ A bowl-shaped landform surrounded by higher land

A bay is… ▪ Part of an ocean or lake that extends deeply into the land

A canal is… ▪ A channel built to carry water for irrigation or transportation

The coast is… ▪ The coast is the land along an ocean

A dam is … ▪ A wall built across a river, creating a lake that stores water

A delta is … ▪ Land made of soil left behind as a river drains into a larger body of water

A fault is… ▪ The border between two of the plates that make up Earth’s crust

A glacier is… ▪ A huge sheet of ice that moves slowly across the land

A gulf is… ▪ Part of an ocean that extends into the land; larger than a bay

A harbor is… ▪ A sheltered place along a coast where boats dock safely

A mesa is… ▪ a hill with a flat top; smaller than a plateau

A mountain pass is… ▪ A narrow gap through a mountain range

A mouth is… ▪ The place where a river empties into a larger body

A Plateau is… ▪ A high flat area that rises steeply above the surrounding land

A port is… ▪ A place where ships load and unload goods