Various Landforms

In Geography, various landforms are the part of the earth’s surface that is made up of various landforms. The hills, mountains, plateaus, and plains are the four main landforms. There are also some small landforms: ravines, valleys, etc. The movement of the plate tectonics in the interior of the earth’s surface also causes a variety of landforms. In addition, land erosion is formed by water and air.

Landforms

Not only do people move in this world, but if you look closely, you can see that a lot of things are moving in the world. Many things are changing day and night. And as a result of this movement, various landforms of earth are being created. Various landforms can be divided into different categories depending on the height and slope. These are as follows –

Major Landforms

• Mountains

Among various landforms of earth, A mountain is a form of land with a steep slope extending over the surface. Its height is more than 2000 feet. Due to the mountain tops, it can be distinguished from other landforms. Climate change can be observed as far as the surface of the earth. As you move higher, the temperature gradually decreases, and the climate cools down. This climate change has made it difficult for people to live here. As a result, human settlement is less noticeable in hilly areas.

There are three categories of mountains. These are discussed below –

i) Fold Mountains: When two tectonic plates collide and a strong friction results in a kind of folding mountain, it is called a fold mountain. According to scientists, such mountains are divided into two categories according to their age: the young and the old. The young folds are at least 10-25 million years old, and the old folds are at least 200 million years old.

ii) Block Mountains: This type of mountain is formed due to cracks in the surface. This type of mountain is formed in a flat area where the rock on one side of a fault rises relative to the other. The raised blocks are called horsts, and the lower blocks are called grabens.

iii) Volcanic Mountains: The type of mountain that is formed by magma rising from the interior of the earth is called a volcanic mountain.

• Hills

Among various landforms, a hilly landform is a raised land with a sloping portion. The hills are higher than the plains. Its height from the flat land is somewhere less than somewhere more. One of the most famous mountains in the world is the seven hills of Rome. The Romans considered this mountain sacred. These seven hills are – Aventino, Campidoglio, Celio, Esquilino, Palatino, Quirinale, and Viminale.

A hill is a fragment of land that rises to the surface. This landform is elevated above the plain area. So, just as the beauty of this landform is amazing, the beauty of the earth can be enjoyed from this landform.

• Plateaus

Plateau is one of the various types of landforms. The Plateau is flat land with steep slopes. In other words, it is a flat land that is elevated above the surrounding area. As the plateau has steep slopes, some places can see flatlands. The height of the plateau can range from a few metres to several thousand metres. Among various landforms in India, the most famous plateau in India is the Deccan Plateau. It is composed mainly of lava and is the source of volcanoes. There are also two plateaus in the African plateau and the Tibetan world. The African plateau is world-famous for gold and diamond mining, and the Tibetan plateau is the highest plateau in the world. Waterfalls can also form from plateau areas. An example of such a plateau is Hundru falls of the Chota Nagpur plateau.

• Plains

Plain is a wide area of flat land, among various landforms. This is another landform of the world. It covers more than one-third of the world. It exists on every continent of the world. Plain landforms are the most fertile landforms in the world. This region is most suitable for human habitation, animal husbandry, and agriculture. Some rivers and their tributaries flow through this plain. The rivers accumulate silt in their course and the valley areas. Resulting in the formation of flat areas. And in all these plains, human settlements can be seen near rivers.

Minor Landforms

Among various landforms, There are hundreds of tiny landforms on earth. These landforms have been formed for millions of years – river erosion, climate change, surface friction, ocean currents, and volcanic eruptions. All these landforms are found in different biomes, and they are always changing.

Some of these small landforms are discussed below –

Desert Landforms

Such landforms are formed by air erosion and structural processes. Examples of desert landforms –

• Barchan – This is a convex dune, which is added to the gentle slope.
• Dune – This is a sandhill.
• Yardang – It is formed by the action of wind erosion and is long and streamlined, etc.

Coastal Landforms

This type of landform can be seen on the coast. These are mainly due to ocean currents, water erosion, collisions of tectonic plates. Volcanoes also form beneath the islands. Examples of coastal landforms –

• Marine Terrace is a flat, slightly curved, and sloping landform.
• Peninsula – This is a piece of land that has water on three sides.
• Sea Cave – This landform is formed by the action of waves at the edge of the sea, etc.

Oceanic Landforms

This type of landform is formed by the collision of volcanoes and tectonic plates under the sea. This type of landform can also be formed due to ocean currents. Examples of oceanic landforms –

• Oceanic Basin – It is located below sea level.
• Oceanic Plateau – It is composed of flat rocks on the continental slope. Oceanic Trench – A long, narrow opening at the bottom of the ocean floor.
• Channel – It is a narrow body of water.
• Submarine Canyon is a steep valley at the bottom of the sea, etc.

Conclusion

A landform is earth’s solid surface, and other planets are formed naturally or artificially. The landforms together form a vast terrain, and their arrangement in the landscape is called topography. Both types of processes occur over a long period. Sometimes it takes thousands or even millions of years for such landforms to form. Landforms can also be formed in the form of mountain ranges at the bottom of the ocean and basins underwater.