Steep coast

A cliff is a part of the coast, in which from the sea to the mainland no gradual transition takes place, but the sea meets abruptly to the steep rising mainland. The height of the land is well above the sea level.

Most cliffs are cliff coasts ( also Abrasionsküsten or coastal erosion ), in which one ablation through the surf leads to a sharp termination of the coast and so the cliff is moved inland. Other emergence forms a cliff are fjords which now lie partly by rising sea levels of glacial valleys abraded under water. In Norway, New Zealand and Alaska, there are fjords, whose nearly vertical walls more than 1000 m above and 300 m below water.

In volcanic islands of the sea can penetrate the wall of the caldera and the volcano chimney is to the cliffs. The best known example is Santorini in the Cyclades group of islands, Greece. The main town of Thira is located on the caldera rim, which is approximately 300 m high above the water and once again continues 200 meters under water.

• Geomorphology
• Coastal Research