LANDFORMS
A landform is a feature on the Earth’s surface that is part of the terrain.
Endogenic forces and exogenic forces can create a lot of landforms.
Mountains, hills, plateaus, and plains are the four major types of landforms.
Minor landforms include buttes, canyons, valleys, and basins.
MOUNTAINS
• Mountains (taller than hill) and hills are natural land formations that rise outwards
the landscape.
• Approx. 27% of the world’s land surface is covered by mountains.
• It is from the mountains that up to 80% of the planet’s fresh surface water come
from.
• According to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), about 12% of the
world’s population lives in the mountains, but over 50% are directly or indirectly
dependent on mountain resources.
• The mountains, on the basis of their mode of formation, can be classified as:
a) Fold Mountains
Mountain ranges mainly consisting of uplifted folded sedimentary rocks are
called Fold Mountains.
They are formed due to the force of compression arising from the endogenic
or internal forces.
Synclines (trough) and anticlines (crest) are part of Fold Mountains.
Eg: The Himalayas(Asia), the Alps in Europe, the Rockies in North America,
the Andes in South America are the most prominent fold mountains of the
world.
Since these mountain ranges were formed during the most recent mountain
building period, they are also known as Young Fold Mountains.
b) Block Mountains
c) Volcanic Mountains/ Accumulated Mountains
d) Residual Mountains/ Relict Mountains
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