INI

Types of Landforms - INI

Landform classification is a system that categorizes the relief and shape of Earth's surface by morphology, formation process, and scale. Various landforms such as mountains, plains, basins, valleys, lakes, wetlands, dunes, and glaciers are formed by endogenic processes (crustal movement, volcanic activity) and exogenic processes (weathering, erosion, deposition). The Geospatial Information Authority of Japan classifies landforms into natural and artificial types, organized in three hierarchical levels: detailed, regional, and broad-area versions.

landform geography geology geomorphology GSI physical geography

[item.mountain-range]
code=01
slug=mountain-range
name=Mountain Range
description=A large-scale landform consisting of continuous mountains.
category=Mountainous Terrain
formationProcess=Crustal Movement (Endogenic Process)

[item.plain]
code=02
slug=plain
name=Plain
description=A vast, flat landform with minimal relief.
category=Lowland
formationProcess=Deposition (Exogenic Process)

[item.basin]
code=03
slug=basin
name=Basin
description=A depression-like landform surrounded by mountains or hills.
category=Depression
formationProcess=Crustal Movement and Erosion (Endogenic and Exogenic Processes)

[item.valley]
code=04
slug=valley
name=Valley
description=A valley landform formed by river erosion through mountains or hills.
category=Valley Landform
formationProcess=Fluvial and Glacial Erosion (Exogenic Process)

[item.lake]
code=05
slug=lake
name=Lake
description=A natural body of water surrounded by land.
category=Water Body
formationProcess=Structural, Volcanic, Glacial, and Depositional Processes

[item.wetland]
code=06
slug=wetland
name=Wetland
description=Lowland with high groundwater levels, constantly saturated with water.
category=Back Marsh and Wetland
formationProcess=Poor Drainage and Depositional Processes

[item.dune]
code=07
slug=dune
name=Dune
description=A landform formed by wind-deposited sand accumulation.
category=Sandbar and Dune
formationProcess=Aeolian Process (Exogenic Process)

[item.glacier]
code=08
slug=glacier
name=Glacier
description=A massive body of ice formed by compacted snow.
category=Glacial Landform
formationProcess=Glacial Process (Climatic Process)