In geography and geology, a cliff is a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure. Cliffs are formed as erosion landforms due to the processes of erosion and weathering that produce them. Cliffs are common on coasts, in mountainous areas, escarpments and along rivers. Cliffs are usually formed by rock that is resistant to erosion and weathering. Sedimentary rocks are most likely to form sandstone, limestone, chalk, and dolomite. Igneous rocks, such as granite and basalt also often form cliffs.
An escarpment (or scarp) is a type of cliff, formed by the movement of a geologic fault, or a landslide.
Most cliffs have some form of scree slope at their base. In arid areas or under high cliffs, these are generally exposed jumbles of fallen rock. In areas of higher moisture, a soil slope may obscure the talus. Many cliffs also feature tributary waterfalls or rock shelters. Sometimes a cliff peters out at the end of a ridge, with tea tables or other types of rock columns remaining. Coastal erosion may lead to the formation of sea cliffs along a receding coastline.
The Ordnance Survey distinguishes between cliffs (continuous line along the top edge with projections down the face) and outcrops (continuous lines along lower edge).
Read more about Cliff: Large and Famous Cliffs, As Habitat Determinants
Other articles related to "cliff, cliffs":
... Fajã de Entre Poios is a cliff located near Beira in Velas on the north coast of the island of São Jorge between Fajã do Valado and Fajã da Pelada in the Azores ... The cliff basically serves the creation of horses, mainly rescued horses that are used to carry people to Beira, it was the most value for its use ... This cliff features two small stream s and has two and three springs that are permanently headed ...
... help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations Sea Cliff — Neighborhood of San Francisco — Sea Cliff Coordinates 37°47′15.08″N 122°29′22.86″W. 1,366 • Density 2,928/km2 (7,583/sq mi) ZIP Code 94121 Area code(s) 415 Sea Cliff (sometimes spelled Seacliff) is a neighborhood located in northwestern ...
... Cliff landforms provide unique habitat niches to a variety of plants and animals, whose preferences and needs are suited by the vertical geometry of this landform ... of birds have decided affinities for choosing cliff locations for nesting, often driven by the defensibility of these locations as well as absence of ...
... Dias is a remote settlement built on flat ground resulting from ancient landslides at the base of cliffs in the parish of Rosais, municipality of Velas on the island of São Jorge, Azores ... in the micro-climates of the Fajãs at the base of cliffs or surrounding terraces ... by vehicle or ferry but a paved road down the cliff to the east was under construction in 2009 ...
... There is a picturesque cliff-top path between the two villages via Bran Point ... The name derives from the brown colouring of the rock forming the cliffs of the headland, caused in part by residual oil deposits ... is formed from rocks and shingle with exposed cliffs behind ...
Famous quotes containing the word cliff:
“You could not tell, and yet it looked as if
The shore was lucky in being backed by cliff,
The cliff in being backed by continent;
It looked as if a night of dark intent
Was coming, and not only a night, an age.”
—Robert Frost (1874–1963)
“Just under the surface I shall be, all together at first, then separate and drift, through all the earth and perhaps in the end through a cliff into the sea, something of me.”
—Samuel Beckett (1906–1989)
“It looked as if
The shore was lucky in being backed by cliff,
The cliff in being backed by continent;
It looked as if a night of dark intent
Was coming, and not only a night, an age.”
—Robert Frost (1874–1963)