Discover Amazing Landforms Around the World

You will discover the amazing landforms that make up our world! Earth's surface has many different shapes and features called landforms. These include tall continents and oceans, flat areas, deep cuts in the ground, and much more. Learning about major world landforms helps you understand the beautiful and diverse planet we live on.

Landforms are the natural shapes and features you see on Earth's surface. You can find landforms everywhere around you! Some landforms are very tall, like mountains that reach into the clouds. Others are flat and wide, like plains where farmers grow crops.

When you look at physical maps, you can see different landforms marked with colors and symbols. Understanding map elements helps you identify these amazing features of our world.

Mountains are the tallest landforms on Earth. You can recognize mountains by their pointed tops that often have snow. Mountain ranges like the Rocky Mountains stretch across many miles.

Hills are smaller than mountains but still rise above the land around them. You might see hills in your neighborhood or when you travel with your family.

Volcanoes are special mountains with openings where hot melted rock can come out. They create amazing landforms that change over time.

Plains are large, flat areas of land that stretch for many miles. You can see far across plains because there are no tall landforms blocking your view. Many farms are built on plains.

Valleys are low areas of land between mountains or hills. Rivers often flow through valleys, and people sometimes build towns there because they're protected from strong winds.

Oceans are the largest bodies of water on Earth. They contain salt water and separate the continents. When you look at a globe, you see oceans as the big blue areas.

Rivers are moving water that flows across the land. Lakes are bodies of water surrounded by land on all sides. You can swim and fish in many lakes.

Beaches are where land meets water. You can feel sand between your toes and collect seashells at beaches.

Islands are land completely surrounded by water. You need a boat or bridge to reach an island. Islands can be very small or very large.

Peninsulas are land that sticks out into the water but stays connected to the mainland. Florida is a famous peninsula.

Canyons are deep cuts in the earth with steep sides. The Grand Canyon is a famous canyon carved by a river over millions of years.

Deserts are very dry places that get little rainfall. Some deserts have sand dunes, while others have rocky ground.

Mountain: A very tall landform with a pointed top that rises high above the surrounding land, often with snow at the peak.

Valley: A low area of land between mountains or hills where rivers often flow and people sometimes build towns.

Island: Land that is completely surrounded by water on all sides, requiring a boat or bridge to reach.

Plain: A large, flat area of land that stretches for miles with few trees, often used for farming.

Ocean: The largest body of salt water on Earth that separates continents and appears as blue areas on maps.

Desert: A very dry landform that gets little rainfall and can have sand dunes or rocky ground.

River: Moving water that flows across land in a channel, often carving through valleys and canyons.

Hill: A raised area of land that is smaller than a mountain and easier to climb.

Lake: A body of water that is surrounded by land on all sides where people can swim and fish.

Canyon: A deep, narrow cut in the land with steep sides, often carved by rivers over long periods of time.

Beach: The area where land meets water, usually covered with sand where you can find seashells.

Volcano: A mountain-like landform with an opening where hot melted rock called lava can come out.

Peninsula: Land that sticks out into the water but remains connected to the mainland on one side.

You can practice identifying landforms by looking at pictures, maps, and globes. Try to spot different landforms when you travel with your family or look out the window.

Use map keys and symbols to find landforms on maps. Practice using simple cardinal directions to describe where landforms are located.

Before learning about major world landforms, you learned about local geography in your community. You also practiced using compass roses to find directions on maps.

Understanding landforms connects to many other topics you'll study, including climate regions and natural resources classification.

Learning about major world landforms connects to many other geography topics. You'll use your knowledge of political maps and scale and distance to better understand where landforms are located.

Understanding geographic grids helps you find specific landforms on maps. This knowledge prepares you for learning about physical regions and state features in more advanced geography studies.