Summary
Highlights
Landforms are natural geographical or physical features of the Earth, such as mountains, hills, valleys, plateaus, and plains. They are formed through both external and internal processes.
External processes, like wind and rain, shape the Earth's surface through erosion and deposition of sediments. Internal processes, such as plate tectonics and volcanic eruptions, occur within the Earth's surface due to extreme heat in the core, causing uplifting or sinking of land.
Mountains are landforms higher and steeper than their surroundings, generally over 2,000 feet. They are categorized into three types: fold mountains (formed by colliding tectonic plates), block mountains (formed when large areas are broken and vertically displaced), and volcanic mountains (formed by magma flowing up from the mantle).
Plains are low-relief areas that are flat or gently rolling, forming most of Earth's surface. They are highly fertile and suitable for human habitation and agriculture. Plains can be formed by the sedimentation of eroded soil from hills and mountains or by deposited lava flows.
A plateau is a flat, elevated landform that rises sharply above the surrounding area on at least one side. They cover a third of Earth's land and are divided into dissected plateaus (formed by upward movement in the Earth's crust) and volcanic plateaus (formed by numerous small volcanic eruptions).
Deserts are dry lands with little or no vegetation due to lack of rainfall. The atmospheric air is arid, and daytime temperatures are high. Desertification, the process by which fertile land becomes desert, is primarily caused by human activities such as overgrazing, deforestation, overcultivation, and poor irrigation practices.
The largest plateau in the world is the Tibetan Plateau, located in Central Asia, covering 2.5 million square kilometers. Landforms can also exist underwater, such as mountain ranges and basins, with the Mariana Trench being the deepest landform on Earth, located in the South Pacific Ocean.