LANDFORMS

Landforms: features that
make up the Earth's
surface.
Archipelago

ahr-kuh-pel-uh-goh
A group or
chain of
islands in a
large body of
water
Aegean Sea
Bay
A
body of
water that is
partly
enclosed by
land (and is
usually smaller
than a gulf).
The bay at San Sebastian, Spain.
Canyon
A
deep valley
with very
steep sides often carved
from the
Earth by a
river.
View from the North
Rim of the Grand
Canyon.
Desert
A
very dry area with very little
precipitation and vegetation.
The Sahara
Desert
Dune
 A hill or a ridge made of sand.
Dunes are shaped by the wind and
frequently change shape.
Mesquite Flat Dunes
in Death Valley
National Park
Gulf
A
part of the ocean (or sea) that
is partly surrounded by land (it
is usually larger than a bay).
Gulf of Mexico in
3D perspective.
Island
A
piece of land that is
surrounded by water.
Coral Island,
Philippines
Isthmus
A
narrow strip of land connecting two
larger landmasses. An isthmus has
water on two sides.
The Isthmus of
Panama connects
North and South
America.
Lake

A large body of water surrounded by land on all
sides. Extremely large lakes are often called seas.
Lake in Slovenia
Mountain
A
natural elevation of the
earth’s surface- much, much
taller than a hill.
Mt. Everest
A
Ocean
large body of salt water that
surrounds a continent. Oceans
cover more the two-thirds of
the Earth's surface.
Peninsula
 Land
that is surrounded by
water on three sides.
The state of Florida
Plain
 Flat
lands that have only small
changes in elevation.
A
Plateau
large, flat area of land that is
higher than the surrounding
land.
The Nez
Perce Native
American
Reservation,
Idaho
River
A
large, flowing body of water
that usually empties into a sea or
ocean.
Sea
A
large body of salty water that
is often connected to an ocean.
A sea may be partly or
completely surrounded by land.
A
Valley
low place between mountains.