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Landforms and Regions

Mountainhigh, rocky land, usually with steep sides and a

pointed or rounded top, higher than a hill

Fault Mountain

Mountains that form when

faults or cracks in the earth's

crust force some materials or

blocks of rock up and others

down.

The earth's crust fractures (pulls

apart). It breaks up into blocks

or chunks. Sometimes these

blocks of rock move up and

down, as they move apart and

blocks of rock end up being

stacked on one another.

Fold MountainMountains formed when

two plates collide head on,

and their edges crumbled,

much the same way as a

piece of paper folds when

pushed together.

VolcanoA mountainous vent in the

earths crust. When a volcano erupts it spews out

hot lava, ashes, and hot gasses from deep inside the

earth.

PlateauA large, flat area of land that is higher

than the surrounding land.

Mesa A land formation having a relatively flat top and steep rock walls.

Butte

A small area

of land with

steep sides

and a flat

top.

Valley

A low place between

mountains

A valley formed by flowing water, usually V shaped.

River Valley

A valley that has been carved out by the movement of a glacier, usually in the shape of a U.

GlacierValley

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A deep valley with very steep sides, often carved from the Earth

by a river.

Canyon

A narrow valley between hills or

mountains, typically with steep rocky walls and a stream running

through it.

Gorge

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A raised part of the earth's surface with

sloping sides; old mountain which

because of erosion has become rounder and

shorter.

Hill

An area of hills, plateaus, and

mountains.

highlands

Dividethe highest ridge of land separating river basins

PassA low place through

mountains that allows for passage of people,

cars, etc.

Peak

The pointed top of a mountain

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a fracture in the rocks along which there has been movement

fault

Basin an area of land largely enclosed by

higher land.

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

Cliffa high, steep slope of

rock or soil

Oceans

Sea a large body of water, usually salt water, partly

or completely surrounded by land

Strait

A narrow body of water that connects two

larger bodies of water.

Channela narrow deep waterway connecting two larger

bodies of water; the deepest part of the waterway.

Gulf

part of a sea or ocean that reaches

into land; usually larger than a bay

Lake

A large body of

water surrounded

by land

River

A large, flowing body of water that usually

empties into a sea or ocean.

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land built up by deposits of sand and silt at the mouth of some rivers

delta

mouth (of a river)place where a river empties into a larger body of

water; the end of a river

Wetlands

• An area of land that is often wet

• The soil is often low in oxygen.

• Areas include swamps, sloughs, fens, bogs, marshes, etc.

An area of low-lying land that is

waterlogged at all times, usually grasses and reeds grow in a

marsh

Marsh

SwampA type of freshwater wetland that has spongy, muddy land and a lot of water.

Many trees and shrubs grow in swamps.

Bog

Wet, muddy ground,

composed mainly of

decaying plant

material

TidewaterAreas that are directly effected by the tides of

the oceans. Some marshes, swamps, and rocky areas along the

coast are included.

Pond

A small body of water

surrounded by land, Usually

smaller than a lake.

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an area of land completely surrounded by water

island

Peninsula

A body of land that is surrounded by water on three

sides.

Capea curved or hooked piece of land

extending into a body of water

Isthmusnarrow strip of land with water on both sides connecting

two larger pieces of land

Fjord

a narrow inlet of the sea between high banks or cliffs created by glaciers

Glacier

A slowly moving river of ice.

Harbor

a sheltered area of water where ships may

anchor safely

Iceberga large mass of floating ice that has broken off from a

glacier, most of this is underwater

Sound

A wide inlet of the sea or ocean that is parallel to the

coastline. It often separates a coastline from

a nearby island.

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a group of many islands archipelago

Inleta small part of a body of water that reaches into a coast

Reefa ridge of rock or sand at or near the surface of the water

Reservoir a lake where water is collected and stored for future use

TributarySometimes called a

branch. A stream or river that flows into

a larger river.

Rapidsa part of a river, generally shallow, where the currents

move swiftly over rocks

WaterfallWhen water in a river

suddenly falls off over a steep place.

Bay

part of a body of salt water that reaches into the land; usually smaller than a gulf

Coastland along the sea or ocean

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plateau of land surface into the ocean but underwater

continental shelf

Types of grasslands are found around the world. Grass is the most common plant, usually located between forests and deserts.

Prairies – North America

Pampas – South America

Steppes - Europe

Savannas - Africa

Grasslands

Savanna

Regions of tall grasses with a few trees. Wet and dry

seasons

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A very dry area

Desert

Scrubland

Land area with desert like conditions, few plants, and

hills

PlainsFlat lands that have only small changes

in elevation.

Prairie

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

Tundra

A cold, treeless area, usually found at high elevations or at the

poles.

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a large tract of land covered with trees and underbrush extensive wooded area

Forest

Forest populated by cone-bearing

evergreen trees; mostly found in

northern latitudesConiferous Forest

forest in a temperate region, characterized

by trees that drop their leaves annually

Temperate Forest

A tropical forest, usually of tall, densely growing, broad-leaved evergreen trees in an area of high

annual rainfall.

Rain Forest