Terrain

Under Relief (Fr. " the Highlighted " ) is the surface shape of the earth, that is, the shape of the terrain. It is caused by the influence of internal ( endogenous ) and external ( exogenous ) forces on the earth.

Endogenous forces

Forces acting from within the Earth ( innenbürtige forces): The earth's crust is made up according to the theory of plate tectonics from a number of larger and smaller plates together that change by magma flows ( convection ) their position and are responsible for mountain building, volcanism and earthquakes. Where plates collide, produce large fold mountains and deep-sea trenches. By compensating movements single mountain parts are lifted blocky to Horsten. Other parts fall off again. This results in ditches and pools.

Exogenous forces

Forces which act on the surface of the earth from the outside ( außenbürtige forces): The rock formations created by endogenous forces are steadily degraded by exogenous forces ( weathering ), eroded (erosion ) and deposited ( sedimentation). External forces are about water, wind, ice, or living things, especially plants. Man, too, has become a relief-forming factor, by performing large-scale landscaping, erosion affected or land reclamation operates

Great Landscapes - relief forms

They are the result of endogenous forces. The crustal parts that protrude above the water surface, subject to the influences of exogenous forces.

• High mountain: over 2000 m mostly towering above the snow line, they have steep and rugged shapes that are mostly of glacial origin. These are young fold mountains of alpidic orogeny. They were created during the last 100 million years and retire from North Africa ( High Atlas ) over southern and central Europe ( Pyrenees, Alps, Carpathians, Balkans), Southwest and South Asia ( Caucasus, Himalayas) to Southeast Asia. Other fold mountains are located in circumpazifischen space, like the Rockies, Andes and Japan.
• Highlands: Landscapes, from an altitude of 1000 m; higher are the highlands of the Andes and Tibet.
• Plateau: flat shape with low relief difference
• Central Mountains: up to 2000 m; often have plateau character or act as cuesta landscapes.
• Mountains and hills: up to 1000 m; have rarely rugged forms; are often threshold mountains and mountain range; originated in the Erdurzeit ( Precambrian) and were formed in the Ice Age.
• Tableland: 500 m; characterized by horizontal storage of the layers; inclined in the Arab panel.
• Plains and lowlands: Areas with little height difference. They are of Mesozoic sediments from the younger ( Mesozoic ) and the Cenozoic ( Cenozoic ) covered.
• Level: areas with very little difference in height - within the lowlands.
• Plain: less than 200 m; Coastal plains and river landscapes