Discover Earth's Amazing Landforms and Natural Features

Earth's surface is covered with many different landforms that make our planet exciting and unique. You can find towering mountains, wide flat plains, deep valleys, and icy glaciers all across Canada and the world. Learning about these features helps you understand Geographic Features and how the land around you was shaped over millions of years.

Landforms are natural features of Earth's surface. Some landforms are enormous, like mountain ranges that stretch for hundreds of kilometres. Others, like hills and valleys, are smaller and easier to spot on a walk through your neighbourhood.

Mountain: A mountain is the tallest type of landform you can see. Mountains have steep slopes and high peaks that rise far above the surrounding land. The Rocky Mountains in western Canada are a great example, with peaks reaching over 3,000 metres high.

Valley: A valley is a low area of land that sits between higher ground like mountains or hills. Valleys are often carved out by rivers or glaciers over a very long time.

Plain: A plain is a large area of flat or gently rolling land. Plains are great for farming because they are so wide and flat. The Canadian Prairies are a famous example of plains where wheat and canola grow.

Plateau: A plateau is a high, flat area of land. It is different from a mountain because the top is wide and flat instead of pointed.

Canyon: A canyon is a deep valley with very steep walls. Rivers carve canyons slowly over thousands of years by cutting through rock.

Peninsula: A peninsula is a piece of land that sticks out into water but stays connected to the main land on one side. Florida in the United States is a well-known example.

Island: An island is a piece of land that is completely surrounded by water. You need a boat or plane to reach an island.

Hill: A hill is a raised area of land that is smaller and easier to climb than a mountain. Hills have gentle slopes compared to mountains.

Delta: A delta is a triangle-shaped landform made from soil and sediment that rivers carry and deposit at the mouth of a river where it meets the ocean.

Glacier: A glacier is a huge, slow-moving river of ice. Glaciers are so heavy that they carve and shape the land beneath them as they move. Long ago, glaciers shaped much of Canada's landscape.

Fjord: A fjord is a deep, narrow waterway with steep cliffs on both sides. Glaciers carved out fjords, and when the ice melted, ocean water filled the valleys. You can find fjords on Canada's West Coast.

Tundra: The tundra is a cold, flat, treeless region found in Canada's far north. It is too cold for trees to grow, so the land is covered with small plants, moss, and snow.

Canada has several important landform regions that you should know. The Canadian Shield covers much of northern and central Canada. It is made up of ancient rock formed billions of years ago, and glaciers smoothed and scraped it long ago, leaving behind thousands of lakes.

The Canadian Prairies are wide, flat plains that stretch across Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. These plains have fertile soil perfect for growing crops. The Rocky Mountains rise dramatically in western Canada with peaks over 3,000 metres high. The Arctic Tundra in Canada's far north is a cold, flat, treeless region where only small plants and moss survive.

You can also explore fjords on Canada's West Coast, where glaciers carved deep valleys that filled with ocean water, creating steep cliffs and narrow waterways. Changing Landscapes explains how these regions were shaped over time by powerful natural forces.

Landforms do not appear overnight. Natural Processes like glaciers, rivers, and wind slowly shape Earth's surface over millions of years. Glaciers carved out fjords, valleys, and the rocky landscape of the Canadian Shield. Rivers cut deep canyons and build deltas where they meet the ocean.

Niagara Falls is a famous example of a natural landform created by glaciers during the last Ice Age. It sits on the border between Ontario, Canada, and New York, United States, and drops more than 165 feet. Understanding how these forces work helps you see why landforms look the way they do today.

You can practice identifying landforms by looking at maps and photographs of Canada's regions. Try matching each landform to its description for example, can you tell the difference between a plateau and a plain? Both are flat, but a plateau is high up while a plain is at a lower elevation.

You can also use Understanding Maps and Using Geography Tools to locate landforms like the Canadian Shield, Rocky Mountains, and Arctic Tundra on a map of Canada. Practising with real maps helps you connect landform names to actual places.

Before exploring Earth's features, you may have already learned about Regional Characteristics, which describes how different areas of Canada have unique features. You may also know about Parks and Conservation, Community Environmental Effects, and Environmental Protection, which show why protecting these landforms matters.

All of this knowledge builds a strong foundation for understanding Earth's features and how humans interact with the land around them.

Once you understand Earth's landforms, you are ready to explore topics that connect closely to this one. Oceans and Waters explores the bodies of water that surround and interact with landforms like peninsulas, islands, and fjords. Ecosystems shows you how plants and animals live within different landform regions, from tundra to plains.

World Climates connects to landforms because mountains, plains, and tundra all have different weather patterns. Natural Resources explains how landforms like the Canadian Shield and Prairies provide important resources for people. You can also learn about Sustainable Environmental Protection Practices to discover how you can help protect these natural features.

Geographic Areas builds on your knowledge of landforms by grouping regions with similar features together. Finally, this topic prepares you for Geographic Zones, where you will explore how Earth is divided into zones based on climate and landforms.