Landforms of the Earth, Definition, Types, Benefits

Landforms are natural or human-made features on the Earth’s surface that make up the terrain. They can be large, like continents and oceans, or small, like hills and rivers. Landforms can also be found underwater, such as mid-ocean ridges and ocean basins.  Check out Landforms of the Earth, Definition, Types, Benefits in this article.

What are Landforms

A landform is small to a medium-sized area of the earth’s surface, and landscapes are collections of Connected landforms. Each landform is distinct in terms of its physical dimensions, composition, and shape due to the operation of specific geomorphic forces (s). The majority of geomorphic processes and agents move slowly, and as a result, the outcomes take a While to manifest. Each landform has a beginning and once developed, it can change in size, shape, and character slowly or quickly due to  ongoing geomorphic processes and agents.

Read about: Coastal Landforms

Landforms Definition

Landforms are natural physical features of the Earth’s surface that have distinct shapes and characteristics. These features are formed by various geological processes, including erosion, sedimentation, volcanic activity, and tectonic movements. Landforms can vary greatly in size and complexity, from small features like hills and valleys to large structures like mountain ranges and plateaus. Some common examples of landforms include:

• Mountains: Elevated areas with significant height and steep slopes, often formed by tectonic forces or volcanic activity.
• Valleys: Low areas between hills or mountains, typically formed by river erosion.
• Plateaus: Flat, elevated areas that have been uplifted by tectonic activity.
• Hills: Raised areas of land with rounded tops, smaller and less steep than mountains.
• Plains: Large, flat, or gently rolling areas of land, often formed by sediment deposition.
• Deserts: Arid regions with sparse vegetation, characterized by sand dunes, rocky plateaus, or barren plains.
• Rivers: Flowing bodies of water that move across the land, carving out valleys and shaping the landscape.
• Lakes: Bodies of water surrounded by land, formed by tectonic activity, glacial processes, or volcanic activity.
• Canyons: Deep, narrow valleys with steep sides, often carved by river erosion.
• Deltas: Landforms created at the mouths of rivers, where sediment is deposited as the river flows into a larger body of water.

Types of Landforms of Earth

The surface of the ground is uneven; certain parts can be rough, while others might be smooth. There is limitless diversity of landforms on the planet.

Internal Process: The Internal Process causes the earth’s surface to rise and fall.

External Process: The land surface is continually being worn down and rebuilt by two processes, which are  Erosion and deposition  landforms can be categorised into the following groups based on slope and height.

• Mountains
• Plains
• Plateaus

Mountains Landforms

A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth’s crust that often has steep sides and exposed bedrock to a significant degree. A mountain is larger than a hill and differs from a plateau in that it normally rises at least 300 metres (1000 feet) above the surrounding terrain. It also typically has a smaller peak area. Most mountains are found in mountain ranges, while a handful are isolated summits.

Fold mountains: When two or more of the tectonic plates of Earth are forced together, fold mountains are formed. Rocks and debris are bent and rolled into rocky cliffs, hills, peaks, and entire mountainous regions at these interacting, compressing limits. Fold mountains and continental crust are frequently linked. Example: Himalayas, Alps

Block Mountains: Block mountains are created when the central block across two normal faults moves higher. Horst is another name for the block that is thrown up. Although the block mountain’s submission area has a smooth surface, the side elevations are exceedingly steep. Examples: Rhine valley, Vosges (Europe).

Volcanic Mountains: Volcanic mountains occur as a result of volcanic Eruption on the Earth’s surface.

Through the fractures on the Earth’s surface, the magma inside the planet emerges as lava. This repeatedly cools down to create volcanic mountains. Example: Mount Kilimanjaro (Africa), Mount Fujiyama (Japan).

Mountain Landforms Benefits

Many rivers have their beginnings in the glaciers in the mountains, which act as reservoirs for water. Reservoirs are used to collect and store water for human consumption. Water from the highlands is required for both hydroelectricity production and irrigation. Many different types of flora and animals can be found in mountains. Food, shelter, fuel, and other items like raisins, gum, etc. are all available in the woodlands. The mountains offer tranquilly to visitors.

Plains Landforms

The most significant landforms on earth’s surface are plains. A plain is a low-lying, relatively flat land surface with a gradual slope and little local relief. Plains make up approximately 55% of the earth’s land area. The majority of the plain was created by the deposition of river sediments. In addition to rivers, the wind, shifting glaciers, and tectonic activity have also contributed to the formation of some plains.

Examples: Asia and North America are where you can find the greatest plains created by rivers.

The Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers in India and the Yangtze in China create broad plains throughout Asia.

Plains Landforms Benefits

Plains are crucial for agriculture because they sustain grasslands that offer ideal grazing for cattle or because they contain deep, fertile soils that can be mechanised to produce crops where they were deposited as sediments. The Indo-Gangetic plains of India have the highest population densities.

Plateau Landforms

A plateau is a flat section of a highland that is raised abruptly just above the surrounding area on at least one side. Geology and physical geography refer to it as a tableland or a high plain. There will frequently be a side or sides with steep hills.

Examples: One of the oldest plateaus is in India’s Deccan region. Australia’s Western Plateau, Kenya’s East African Plateau, Tibet’s Tibetan Plateau, the world’s tallest plateau, etc.

Plateau Landforms Benefits

Because they contain a wealth of minerals that are utilised as raw materials by numerous businesses, plateaus are particularly beneficial. It gives us food supplies and the basic resources we need for our enterprises. The lava plateaus have abundant, productive black soil. Numerous plateaus are a major draw for tourists.

Formation of Landforms

• Tectonic Processes
• Erosion and Weathering
• Glacial Activity

Unique Landforms Around the World

• The Himalayan Mountains
• The Grand Canyon
• The Sahara Desert

Landforms UPSC

Landforms are features on the Earth’s surface that make up the terrain, such as mountains, valleys, plains or plateaux. They also include coastal features, such as peninsulas or bays, and underwater features, such as ocean basins and mid-ocean ridges.

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