Landforms
Terms
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- largest body of salt water; these cover 3/4 of the earth's surface
- ocean
- an area of land completely surrounded by water
- island
- a cone shaped mountain formed out of rock or ash thrown up from inside the earth, frequently with an opening or depression at the top
- volcano
- a land formation having a flat top and steep rock walls
- mesa
- the direction of a river's flow; toward the mouth of the river
- downstream
- the direction toward a river's source; opposite to the river's flow
- upstream
- the place where a river or stream begins
- source (of a river)
- the highest ridge of land separating river basins
- divide
- a large stream of water flowing through the land into a lake, ocean, or other body of water
- river
- a wide channel connecting two bodies of water or an inlet between the mainland and islands
- sound
- a small part of a body of water that reaches into a coast
- inlet
- an area of hills, plateaus, and mountains
- highland
- narrow valley with steep sides; usually created by erosion
- canyon
- half of the earth usually referred to as eastern or western, northern or southern
- hemisphere
- place where a river empties into a larger body of water; the end of a river
- mouth (of a river)
- a raised part of the earth's surface with sloping sides; old mountain which because of erosion has become rounder and shorter
- hill
- place where running water makes a sheer drop, usually over a cliff
- waterfall
- a large body of slow moving ice which alters the land around it through displacement
- glacier
- an area of land largely enclosed by higher land
- basin
- imaginary lines on a globe or map used to measure distance from the Prime Meridian, lines running from pole to pole
- longitude
- land built up by deposits of sand and silt at the mouth of some rivers
- delta
- low land between hills or mountains
- valley
- a part of a river, generally shallow, where the currents move swiftly over rocks
- rapids
- a narrow waterway connecting two larger bodies of water
- strait
- an area of land that is always soaked with water; low, wet land that supports grass and trees
- swamp
- a lake where water is collected and stored for future use
- reservoir
- a large mass of floating ice that has broken off from a glacier, most of this is underwater
- iceberg
- a large body of water surrounded by land
- lake
- narrow strip of land with water on both sides connecting two larger pieces of land
- isthmus
- piece of land that extends into a body of water and is surrounded on three sides by water
- peninsula
- man-made place along the coastline where ships can load and unload cargo; not a natural harbor
- port
- imaginary lines on a globe or map used to measure distance from the equator; parallel lines running from east to west
- latitude
- dry, barren region usually sandy and without trees, little rainfall or practical use of land unless irrigated
- desert
- a long chain of mountains; a row of connected mountains
- mountain range
- high, rocky land, usually with steep sides and a pointed or rounded top, higher than a hill
- mountain
- an area of low and usually level land
- lowland
- the regular rising and falling of the water of the oceans and waters connected to the ocean
- tide
- the height above sea level
- elevation
- the pattern of weather conditions (temperature, precipitation) over a long period of time
- climate
- a high steep slope of rock or soil
- cliff
- land along the sea or ocean
- coast
- one of the seven largest bodies of land on earth
- continent
- a narrow deep waterway connecting two larger bodies of water; the deepest part of the waterway
- channel
- a wall built across a stream or river to hold back water
- dam
- flat highland area with on steep face; elevated plain
- plateau
- the place where a stream or tributary joins a river
- fork
- a narrow inlet of the sea between high banks or cliffs created by glaciers
- fjord
- a group of many islands
- archipelago
- a large tract of land covered with trees and underbrush; extensive wooded area
- forest
- a large plains region with tall grass
- prairie
- a broad, flat or gently rolling area; usually low in elevation
- plain
- a fracture in the rocks along which there has been movement
- fault
- a fertile place in the desert where there is water and some vegetation
- oasis
- plateau of land surface inot the ocean but underwater
- continental shelf
- a ridge of rock or sand at or near the surface of the water
- reef
- a large body of water, usually salt water, partly or completely surrounded by land
- sea
- part of a body of salt water that reaches into the land; usually smaller than a gulf
- bay
- a sheltered area of water where ships may anchor safely
- harbor
- a river or stream that flows into a larger river or stream
- tributary
- part of a sea or ocean that reaches into land; usually larger than a bay
- gulf
- a man-made waterway connecting two bodies of water and is designed to shorten travel time or irrigation
- canal
- the flow of a stream of water
- current