THE EARTH’S RELIEF
CONTINENTS AND OCEANS
On the Earth’s crust there are emerged and
submerged lands:
• Continents occupy 30% of the land surface
and are surrounded by oceans and seas. There
are six continents: Asia, America, Africa,
Antarctica, Europe and Australia.
• Most of the emerged land is in the northern
hemisphere.
CONTINENTS AND OCEANS
• Oceans are large masses of salt water. There
are five oceans: The Pacific Ocean, The
Atlantic Ocean, The Indian Ocean, The Arctic
Ocean and the Southern Ocean.
• Most oceans are in the southern hemisphere.
LAND RELIEF
• The Earth’s surface isn’t flat, there
are mountains, plains, plateaux,
valleys, etc.
• The relief of the continents is very
diversed.
• The relief is the result of the internal
forces of the Earth(plate movements,
volcanoes, earthquakes, etc.) and
external agents (wind, rain,
temperature, rivers, waves, ice... and
human-beings).
VOLCANOES AND EARTHQUAKES
• The movement of tectonic plates can produce
volcanoes and earthquakes.
EARTHQUAKES AND TSUNAMIS
MAIN FORMS OF COASTAL RELIEF
LANDFORMS
• The main forms of land relief.
• Definitions and pictures.
Plain
A plain is
a flat area on
the Earth’s
surface.
Plateau
A plateau is
a flat area
higher than
the land
around it.
Hill
A hill is
a small
elevation
in the
Earth's
surface
Mountain
A mountain is
a place on the
Earth’s
surface that is
much higher
than the land
around it.
Valley
A valley is
a lowland area
between
higher lands
such as
mountains.
Canyon
A canyon is
a deep
valley
with very
steep sides
Peninsula
A peninsula
is a body of
land that is
surrounded
by water on
three sides
Island
An island is
a land mass
that is
completely
surrounded
by water
Archipielago
An archipielago
(or
archipelago) is
a group or
chain of islands
together in a
sea or ocean.
Coast
A coast is
the area
where the
ocean
touches
the land.
Lake
A lake is a
body of
water that
is
completely
surrounded
by land.
River A river is a
large
natural
stream of
water
emptying
into an
ocean,
lake, or
other body
of water.
Cape
A cape is
a pointed
piece of
land that
sticks out
into a sea
Gulf A gulf is a
part of the
ocean that
is partly
surrounded
by land (it
is usually
larger than
a bay).
Bay
A bay is
a body of
water that is
partly
enclosed by
land (and is
usually
smaller than
a gulf).
Strait or channel
A strait is
a narrow
body of
water that
connects two
larger bodies
of water
Continents oceans & landforms

Continents oceans & landforms