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Landforms Islands •Small landmass completely surrounded by water World's largest island is… Continents •Landmass that measures millions of square km and rises a considerable distance above sea level •7 continents –Asia –Africa –Europe –Australia –North America –South America –Antarctica •The largest landmass on the Earth: Asia, Africa, and Europe •Eurasia: Asia and Europe •2 largest North and South America nd Antartica About twice the size of the US 3 largest landmass Antarctica icecap contains 90% of the Earth’s surface water Coldest place on Earth (-89.2 C) 1 explored in 1901 rd o st Australia •Smallest landmass that is still considered a continent •AKA: “island continent” Topography •Refers to the shape of the Earth’s surface Landscape/Landforms •Physical features of the Earth’s surface found in an area •3 types -mountains -plains -plateaus Elevation •Height above sea level •Varies from place to place •Difference in a regions elevation is called relief US Landforms Mountains •Natural landforms that reach high elevations •Have narrow summits (tops) and steep slopes (sides) •High relief •Height of mt. is its height above sea level •Example: Pike’s Peak in CO rises 2700m above the surrounding land; 4301m above sea level •Some mts are young and some old, form from the folding and breaking of the Earth’s surface or from hot magma that breaks through the Earth’s surface •Individual mountains: usually formed from volcanic activity •Mountain range: roughly parallel series of mts. that have the same general shape and structure •Mountain system: group of mt. ranges •Mountain belt: most mt. ranges/systems are part of an even larger group of mts. •2 major mt. belts in the world –Circum-Pacific –Eurasian-Melanesian Mountain Belt Plains •Flat areas that do not rise far above sea level •Low relief •Difference between highest and lowest point may be less than 100m 2 types: •Coastal plain: •Interior plain: low, flat along a coast, lots of farming due to enriched soil low, flat areas found inland, higher above sea level (than coastal plain) EX: Great Plains: good farming soil and for raising cattle and sheep Plateaus •Broad flat areas that rise more than 600m above sea level •Low relief •Most located inland •Many are dry- almost desert areas
