Scribd
Upload
91 views2 pages

Summary-Major Landforms

Gogogogi

Uploaded by

priyankaatri90481
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
91 views2 pages

Summary-Major Landforms

Gogogogi

Uploaded by

priyankaatri90481
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

CH- MAJOR LANDFORMS OF THE EARTH

SUMMARY

Overview:
 The earth has an infinite variety of landforms. These landforms are a result of two processes.
 The first or the internal process leads to the upliftment and sinking of the earth’s surface at several
places.
 The second, or the external process is the continuous wearing down and rebuilding of the land surface.
The wearing away of the earth’s surface is called erosion. The surface is being lowered by the process of
erosion and rebuilt by the process of deposition. These two processes are carried out by running
water, ice and wind.

Mountains:
 A mountain is any natural elevation of the earth’s surface. It may have a small summit and a broad base.
It is considerably higher than the surrounding area.
 In some mountains, there are permanently frozen rivers of ice. They are called glaciers. Mountains may
be arranged in a line known as range.
 There are three types of mountains- Fold Mountains, Block Mountains and the Volcanic
Mountains.
 The Himalayan Mountains and the Alps are young fold mountains with rugged relief and high conical
peaks. The Aravali range in India is one of the oldest fold mountain systems in the world. The
Appalachians in North America and the Ural mountains in Russia are very old fold mountains.
Block Mountains are created when large areas are broken and displaced vertically. The uplifted blocks are
termed as horsts and the lowered blocks are called graben. The Rhine valley and the Vosges Mountain in
Europe are examples of such mountain systems.
Volcanic mountains are formed due to volcanic activity. Mt.Kilimanjaro in Africa and Mt.Fujiyama in Japan
are examples of such mountains.
Mountains are very useful. They are a storehouse of water. Many rivers have their source in the glaciers in
the mountains. Reservoirs are made and the water is harnessed for the use of people.
Water from the mountains is also used for irrigation and generation of hydro-electricity. The river valleys and
terraces are ideal for cultivation of crops. Mountains have a rich variety of flora and fauna. The forests provide
fuel, fodder, shelter and other products like gum, raisins, etc.

Plateaus:
A plateau is an elevated flat land. It is a flat-topped tableland standing above the surrounding area. A plateau
may have one or more sides with steep slopes. The Deccan plateau in India is one of the oldest plateaus. The
Tibet plateau is the highest plateau in the world.
Plateaus are very useful because they are rich in mineral deposits. As a result, many of the mining areas in the
world are located in the plateau areas. The African plateau is famous for gold and diamond mining. In India
huge reserves of iron, coal and manganese are found in the Chhotanagpur plateau. In the plateau areas, there
may be several waterfalls as the river falls from a great height. The lava plateaus are rich in black soil that are
fertile and good for cultivation. Many plateaus have scenic spots and are of great attraction to tourists.
Plains:
Plains are large stretches of flat land. Some plains are extremely level and others may be slightly rolling and
undulating. Most of the plains are formed by rivers and their tributaries. The rivers flow down the slopes of
mountains and erode them. They carry forward the eroded material. Then they deposit their load consisting of
stones, sand and silt along their courses and in their valleys. It is from these deposits that plains are formed.
Plains are very fertile, which makes it easier for construction of transport purposes. These plains are very
thickly-populated regions of the world. Some of the largest plains made by the rivers are found in Asia and
North America.
Plains are the most useful areas for human habitation. There is great concentration of people as more flat land is
available for building houses, as well as for cultivation. Because of fertile soils, the land is highly productive for
cultivation. In India too, the Indo-Gangetic plains are the most densely populated regions of the country.

Landforms and the People:


Humans have been living on different kinds of landforms in different ways. Life is difficult in mountainous
areas. Plains provide much better conditions. It is easier to grow crops, build a house or a road in a plain than a
mountain. Natural calamities such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, storms and floods cause widespread
destruction. Quite often we use land for wasteful purposes, for example constructing houses on fertile land.
Similarly, we throw garbage on land or in water making them dirty.

You might also like