14/10/2026
🌍 Major Landforms –
Landforms are the natural physical features of the Earth's surface. They vary in shape, size, elevation, and formation.
1. Mountain
A mountain is a high area of land rising prominently above the surrounding land.
Examples: Himalayas, Andes, Rocky Mountains.
2. Hill
A hill is a raised area of land, generally lower than a mountain. Hills often have rounded or gently sloping tops.
Examples: Aravalli Hills, Nilgiri Hills.
Note: There is no universally accepted height limit separating hills from mountains.
3. Plateau
A plateau is an elevated area of land with a relatively flat or gently rolling surface, often with steep sides.
Examples: Deccan Plateau (India), Tibetan Plateau, Brazilian Plateau.
4. Plain
A plain is a large area of relatively flat or gently rolling land. Plains may contain grasslands, forests, agricultural fields, and settlements.
Examples: Indo-Gangetic Plain, Great Plains of North America.
5. Valley
A valley is a low area of land between hills or mountains. It often contains a river or stream.
Examples: Kashmir Valley, Kathmandu Valley.
6. Coast
A coast is the zone where land meets or borders a sea or ocean.
Examples: The western coast of India, the eastern coast of India.
7. Desert
A desert is a region that receives very little precipitation. Deserts may be hot or cold and can have sandy, rocky, or gravel-covered surfaces.
Examples: Sahara Desert, Thar Desert, Gobi Desert.
8. Island
An island is an area of land completely surrounded by water.
Examples: Greenland, Madagascar, Sri Lanka.
9. Peninsula
A peninsula is an area of land surrounded by water on most sides but connected to a larger landmass.
Examples: Indian Peninsula, Arabian Peninsula, Iberian Peninsula.
10. Lake
A lake is a body of water surrounded by land. Lakes may contain freshwater or saline water and may be natural or artificial.
Examples: Lake Superior, Lake Victoria, Chilika Lake.
11. River
A river is a natural flowing body of water that usually flows towards another river, a lake, a sea, an ocean, or an inland basin.
Examples: Ganga, Nile, Amazon.
12. Canyon
A canyon is a deep, narrow valley with steep sides, often formed by river erosion over a long period.
Examples: Grand Canyon (USA), Fish River Canyon (Namibia).
📚 Quick Revision Table
Landform Main Characteristic Example
Mountain. High land rising above its surroundings Himalayas
Hill Raised land, generally lower than a mountain Aravalli Hills
Plateau Elevated land with a relatively flat surface Deccan Plateau
Plain Relatively flat or gently rolling land Indo-Gangetic Plain
Valley Low land between hills or mountains Kashmir Valley
Coast Zone where land meets the sea or ocean Western Coast of India
Desert Region with very low precipitation Sahara Desert
Island Land completely surrounded by water Madagascar
Peninsula Land surrounded by water on most sides Indian Peninsula
Lake Body of water surrounded by land Lake Victoria
River Natural flowing body of water Amazon River
Canyon Deep valley with steep sides Grand Canyon
⭐ Important Exam Point
Mountains, hills, plateaus, and plains are commonly studied as major landforms. Valleys and canyons are also important landforms, while coasts, islands, and peninsulas describe other physical features of the Earth's surface. Deserts are regions defined primarily by their low precipitation, and lakes and rivers are water features.
