Landforms in the United States  
 
   
    This is the Gulf of Mexico. It borders more than one state, so just label the gulf on your map.

A gulf is part of a body of salt water (for example, an ocean) that reaches into land.		  
   
 
   
    This is the Bay of Galveston.
It is in Texas.

A bay is part of a body of salt water  that reaches into the  land. It is smaller than a gulf.		  
   
 
   
  This is a cove in La Jolla, California.

A cove is a small horseshoe shaped body of salt water along the coast. It is smaller than a bay.		    
   
 
   
    This is Black Mesa in Arizona. It's really a plateau, and not a mesa at all.

A plateau (pronounced pla-toe)is a large, flat area of land. It is higher than the land around it.		  
   
 
   
  This is Look Out Point in Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado.
It is a Mesa.

A mesa (pronounced may-sa)is a broad, flat-topped elevation with one or more cliff-like sides. It is smaller than a plateau.		    
   
 
   
    This is the East and West Mitten Buttes in Monument Valley National Park, Utah.

A butte (pronounced bute) is a flat-topped rock or hill formation with steep sides. It is smaller than a mesa.		  
   
 
   
  This is Mount McKinley in Alaska.

A mountain is high, rocky land that has steep sides and a pointed or rounded top.		    
   
 
   
    This is the Grand Tetons in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming. It is a mountain range.

A mountain range is a group of mountains.		  
   
 
   
  This is Timms Hill in Wisconsin.

A hill is a raised area, or mound, of land. It is smaller than a mountain.		    
   
 
   
    This is Sky Valley in New Hampshire.

A valley is a low place between mountains or hills, often having a river or stream.		  
   
 
   
  This is the Grand Canyon in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona.

A canyon is a deep valley with very steep sides - often carved from the earth by a river.		    
   
 
  More Landform Definitions

cape - a pointed piece of land that sticks out into a body of water.

peninsula - a land formation surrounded on three sides by water.

isthmus - a narrow strip of land, like a bridge, connecting two larger strips of land

island - a piece of land that is surrounded by water.

archipelago - a group or chain of islands.		  
 

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