Geographic Landforms by: Ms. Hilgen

Landforms are natural features of the landscape, natural physical features of the earth's surface, for example, valleys, plateaus, mountains, plains, hills, loess, or glaciers.

archipelago An archipelago is a group or chain of islands clustered together in a sea or ocean.

Atoll: a ring (or partial ring) of coral that forms an island in an ocean or sea.

Badlands: rocky wasteland carved by erosion into intricate. Badlands National Park

Basin: an area of land drained by a river and its tributaries.

Bay: a small area of sea or lake partly enclosed by dry land.

Beach: the sandy or rocky land at the edge of an ocean, sea, or lake.

The Grand Canal, Venice Italy Canal: a man-made channel of water joining lakes or rivers, or connecting them with the sea. The Grand Canal, Venice Italy

Canyon: a deep, steep-sided narrow valley. The Grand Canyon

Cape - a pointed piece of land that sticks out into a sea, ocean, lake, or river. Cape of Good Hope

Cave: a large hole in the ground or in the side of a hill or mountain.

Cliff: A high, steep, or overhanging face of rock.

Coast: land next to the sea.

Coral Reef: an ocean reef made up of coral and other organisms.

Cove: a small, horseshoe-shaped body of water along the coast; the water is surrounded by land formed of soft rock.

Crater: a circular-shaped hollow at the top of a volcano or on the surface of the land.

Delta: a low, watery land formed at the mouth of a river from the silt, sand and small rocks that flow downstream in the river. A delta is often shaped like a triangle.

Desert: a barren land area containing little or no vegetation.

Dune - a hill or a ridge made of sand Dune - a hill or a ridge made of sand. Dunes are shaped by the wind, and change all the time. Great Sand Dunes

Escarpment: a steep cliff.

Fjord - a long, narrow sea inlet that is bordered by steep cliffs.

Geyser - a natural hot spring that occasionally sprays water and steam above the ground.

Glacier: a slowly moving mass of ice.

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

Harbor: an area of water where ships, boats and other watercraft can anchor or dock.

Hill - a raised area or mound of land.

Island: a piece of land completely surrounded by water.

Isthmus: a narrow strip of land that connects two large bodies of water.

Lagoon: a shallow body of water separated from the ocean by reefs or low strips of land.

Lake: a large inland body of water which is larger than a pond.

Marsh: a low, spongy wetland covered with thick, healthy growths of tall grasses and reeds.

Mountain: a very high, natural place on Earth – higher than a hill Mountain: a very high, natural place on Earth – higher than a hill. The tallest mountain on Earth is Mt. Everest.

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

Pampas: an extensive generally grass covered plain.

Peninsula: a piece of land almost completely surrounded by water.

Plain: a large, flat or level area of land.

Plateau: an elevated, mostly level area of land.

Prairie: a temperate grassland with few trees.

River – a large, flowing body of water that usually empties into a sea or ocean.

Sea: a large body of salt water wholly or partly enclosed by land.

Strait: a narrow body of water connecting two larger bodies of water.

Swamp: a marsh with trees…contains more water and deeper water than a marsh.

Tundra: a flat or rolling plain located in the artic regions.

Valley: a long, narrow hollow in the Earth’s surface lying between two higher areas.

Volcano: an opening in the Earth from which hot gases, smoke and molten lava are emitted.                                           

Waterfall: a steep descent of water from a height.