Physical CharacteristicsPhysical Characteristics

Land FormationsLand Formations

MOUNTAINS

PLAINS HILLS

PLATEAUS

Identifiable by their steep slopes and their

peak or summit.

Major mountain ranges include:Major mountain ranges include:Himalaya Mts. (Asia – Between Nepal and Tibet)

Andes Mts. (South America – on the western coast)

Rocky Mts. (North America – Canada to New Mexico)

Pyrenees Mts. (Europe – Between Spain and France)

Alps (Europe – South central Europe)

Apennines (Europe – Italy)

Ural Mts. (Asia – Russia; separates Europe from Asia)

Atlas Mts. (Africa – from Morocco to Tunisia)

Appalachian Mts. (North America – Eastern U.S.)

The Himalayas(Rooftop of the World)

Matterhorn

Peak

Steep Slopes

                                 

Highest point in the Rockies is Mt. McKinley (20,320 ft.) in the Alaska Range.

More rounded than mountains, generally lower and with less

relief.

ROUNDED TOPS

GENTLE SLOPES

Flat

or

gently rolling lands.

Plains can be coastal or interior.

Coastal Plains

Interior PlainsNotice anything

missing?

Heavily grassy plains (and plateaus) are known as prairies. Most are

found west of the Mississippi River.

Usually called a “tableland,” plateaus are higher than the land to one side and lower than the land to the other. The steep side begins with a cliff. It is an in-between land that separates mountains from plains.

CANYON

BUTTEMESA

ARCHIPELAGOVALLEY

CONTINENTAL SHELF

ISTHMUS

An isolated hill with a flat top and steep sides.

Flat-topped, elevated area that is bigger than a butte but smaller than a plateau.

Deep, narrow

valley with steep sides, and usually

a river running

through it.

A depression in the earth’s

surface, usually

between hills or mountains.

A group of islands situated closely together. Example: Japan

The underwater

extension of a continent. It’s

beneath the surface of the

water.

A narrow piece of

land that connects two large

land masses and

separates two bodies of water.

Class Work-HomeworkClass Work-Homework• On Your Own: Draw an imaginary island. On this

island, illustrate at the different landforms we discussed in class. Be sure to label each landform and give its characteristics.

• Use all 11 types of landforms. Descriptions and characteristics are provided for all 11.

• Use 8 types of landforms. Descriptions and characteristics are provided for all 8.

• Use 6 types of landforms. Descriptions and characteristics are provided for all 6.