Essential Definitions of Earth’s Major Geographical Features
Understanding the terminology used to describe the Earth’s surface is fundamental to geography. Below is a comprehensive list of key landforms, water bodies, and terrestrial features, along with their precise definitions.
Landforms and Terrestrial Features
Mountain
A large natural elevation of the earth’s surface.
Hill
A naturally raised area of land, smaller than a mountain.
Valley
A low area of land between hills or mountains.
Plain
A large area of flat land.
Plateau
An area of relatively level high ground.
Cliff
A steep rock face, especially at the edge of the sea or a river.
Canyon
A deep gorge, typically one with a river flowing through it.
Forest
A large area covered chiefly with trees and undergrowth.
Desert
A dry, barren area of land with little rainfall.
Dune
A mound or ridge of sand formed by the wind.
Glacier
A large mass of ice moving slowly down a slope or valley.
Ravine
A small, narrow, steep-sided valley.
Volcano
An opening in the earth’s crust that allows molten rock and gases to escape.
Foothill
A low hill at the base of a mountain.
Gorge
A narrow valley between hills or mountains, typically with steep rocky walls.
Highlands
An area of high or mountainous land.
Lowlands
Land at low elevation, usually flat.
Hillside
The side of a hill.
Pasture
Land covered with grass for grazing livestock.
Woodland
Land covered with trees, less dense than a forest.
Water Bodies and Coastal Features
Coast
The land next to the sea or ocean.
Beach
A sandy or pebbly shore by the edge of the sea.
River
A large natural stream of water flowing in a channel.
Lake
A large body of water surrounded by land.
Waterfall
A place where water flows over a vertical drop.
Swamp
A wetland area with standing water and trees.
Meadow
A field of grassland often filled with wildflowers.
Marsh
A wetland dominated by herbaceous plants.
Archipelago
A group or chain of islands.
Bay
A broad inlet of the sea where the land curves inward.
Peninsula
A piece of land almost surrounded by water or projecting into a body of water.
Watercourse
A channel through which water flows, such as a river or stream.
Swell
A gentle, rolling movement of the sea.
Fjord
A long, deep, narrow body of water between high cliffs, often formed by glaciers.
Spanish Terminology for Geographical Features
Below are the Spanish equivalents for the terms defined above, useful for bilingual reference or study.
- Mountain → Montaña
- Hill → Colina / Cerro
- Valley → Valle
- Plain → Llanura
- Plateau → Meseta
- Cliff → Acantilado
- Canyon → Cañón
- Forest → Bosque
- Desert → Desierto
- Coast → Costa
- Beach → Playa
- River → Río
- Lake → Lago
- Waterfall → Cascada / Catarata
- Swamp → Pantano
- Meadow → Prado / Pradera
- Marsh → Marisma / Ciénaga
- Dune → Duna
- Glacier → Glaciar
- Ravine → Barranco / Quebrada
- Volcano → Volcán
- Foothill → Ladera / Falda de montaña
- Archipelago → Archipiélago
- Bay → Bahía
- Peninsula → Península
- Gorge → Desfiladero
- Watercourse → Curso de agua / Cauce
- Highlands → Tierras altas / Altiplano
- Lowlands → Tierras bajas / Bajura
- Hillside → Ladera de una colina
- Pasture → Pastizal / Pradera para ganado
- Woodland → Bosquecillo / Zona boscosa
- Swell → Oleaje (suave)
- Fjord → Fiordo