Major Landforms and their Features: A Geography Lesson

Introduction

Did you know that the Earth is made up of several major landforms? These landforms play a huge role in the geography of our planet. In this blog post, we will discuss these major landforms and their features. We will also take a look at some examples of each type of landform. So, without further ado, let’s get started!

Major Landmarks and their features

If you are appearing for PSC or any other competitive exam, you need to understand major landforms and their features.

Let’s first get into what are the major landforms of the Earth. Major landforms of the Earth can be classified into the following categories:

-Continental Landforms: These include mountains, plateaus, plains, and hills.

-Oceanic Landforms: These include the continental shelf, the continental slope, the abyssal plain, and the mid-ocean ridge.

Now that we know the major landforms, let’s take a look at their features.

Features of landforms are as follows:

-Mountain: A mountain is a large natural elevation of the Earth’s surface rising abruptly from the surrounding land with local relief of at least 300 meters. The summit of a mountain is its highest point, and the term also refers to such a high point on a feature other than a mountain, such as a hill or an oceanic peak.

-Hill: A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. It is usually less elevated than a mountain but higher than a plateau or plain. The summit of a hill is its highest point.

-Plateau: A plateau, also called a tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting of relatively flat terrain, rising sharply above the surrounding land on all sides. The highlands of a plateau are called its uplands, while the lowlands are its valleys.

-Valley: A valley is a low area of land between two hills or mountains, often with a river running through it.

Continental shelf: The continental shelf is the gently sloping, submerged surface of a continent that extends beyond the continental margin, or perimeter. It typically slopes downward from about 200 meters below present sea level to the abyssal plain, a depth of about 4000 meters.

Continental slope: The continental slope is the steep underwater edge of the continental shelf. It extends from the continental shelf to the abyssal plain and typically descends at a rate of about two meters per kilometre.

Abyssal plain: The abyssal plain is a flat, featureless expanse of the ocean floor that extends from the continental margin to the abyssal hills, a depth of about 6000 meters.

Mid-ocean ridge: The mid-ocean ridge is a long, underwater mountain chain that forms the boundary between two tectonic plates. It is the longest mountain chain on Earth, extending about 65,000 kilometres from Iceland in the north to New Zealand in the south.

Name the major landforms of the Earth

Now that we know the major landforms and their features, let’s put it all together and name the major landforms of the Earth.

The Himalayas:

The Himalayas are a mountain range in Asia that includes the world’s highest mountains, including Mount Everest.

The Rocky Mountains:

The Rocky Mountains are a mountain range that extends from the Canadian province of British Columbia to the US state of New Mexico.

The Andes:

The Andes are a mountain range that extends along the western coast of South America.

The Alps:

The Alps are a mountain range that extends across central Europe.

The Appalachian Mountains:

The Appalachian Mountains are a mountain range that extends from the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador to the US state of Alabama.

The African Rift Valley:

The African Rift Valley is a long, narrow valley that extends for about 4000 kilometres from the Red Sea to Mozambique.

The Sahara Desert:

The Sahara Desert is a large desert that covers much of northern Africa.

The Ganges Plain:

The Ganges Plain is a large, flat area of the Indian subcontinent that lies along the banks of the Ganges and Brahmaputra.

The Great Plains of North America:

The Great Plains of North America are a large, flat area of the United States and Canada that extends from the Rocky Mountains to the Appalachian Mountains.

The Australian Plateau:

The Australian Plateau is a large, flat area of Australia that includes the country’s highest point, Mount Kosciuszko.

The Tibetan Plateau:

The Tibetan Plateau is a high plateau in central Asia that includes the world’s highest peak, Mount Everest.

The Brazilian Highlands:

The Brazilian Highlands are a high, rugged plateau that extends across most of Brazil.

Conclusion paragraph:

The six major landforms we’ve discussed are all incredibly diverse in their features and present endless opportunities for learning and exploration. Whether you’re a geography student or just interested in the world around you, these landforms provide a fascinating glimpse into how our planet has been shaped over time. We hope you’ve enjoyed this lesson on landforms and that it has inspired you to learn more about the amazing features that make up our earth. What is your favourite landform? Tell us about it in the comments below!