Natural Geographical features
OCEANS, SEAS, RIVERS AND MOUNTAINS
OCEANS
OCEANS OF THE WORLD
An OCEAN (from ancient Greek meaning the “sea of
classical antiquity”) is a massive body of saline water that
composes much of a Earth’s hydrosphere.
World Oceans. These are, the Pacific, Atlantic,
Indian and Arctic Oceans.
The oceans cover approximately 71% of Earth's surface and
90% of the Earth's biosphere and contains 97% of Earth's
water.
As the world ocean is the principal component of Earth's
hydrosphere, it is integral to all known life, forms part of
the carbon cycle, and influences climate and weather
patterns.
OCEANS OF THE WORLD
Though generally described as several separate oceans,
these waters comprise one global, interconnected body of
salt water. This concept of a continuous body of water with
relatively free interchange among its parts is of
fundamental Importance.
OCEANS OF THE WORLD
Ocean currents and weather
Ocean currents greatly affect Earth's climate by
transferring heat from the tropics to the polar regions
and transferring warm or cold air and precipitation to
coastal regions. Winds may carry them inland.
It is often stated that this air and moisture and heat
circulation is the primary reason that the climate of
Western Europe is so temperate.
The Antarctic Circumpolar Current encircles the
European continent, influencing the area's climate and
connecting currents in several oceans.
One of the most dramatic forms of weather occurs over
the oceans: also called "typhoons" and "hurricanes"
depending upon where the system forms.
OCEANS OF THE WORLD
Ocean currents and weather
An ocean current is a continuous, directed movement of sea water
generated by forces acting upon the water such as breaking
waves, wind, temperature and others, while tides are caused by the
gravitational pull of the Sun and Moon.
Ocean currents flow for great distances, and together, create the
global conveyer belt which plays a dominant role in determining the
climate of many of the Earth’s regions. More specifically, ocean
currents influence the temperature of the regions through which
they travel. For example, warm currents traveling along more
temperate coasts increase the temperature of the area by warming
the sea breezes that blow over them. Perhaps the most striking
example is the Gulf Stream, which makes northwest Europe much
more temperate than any other region at the same latitude.
THE OCEAN NEVER RESTS.
CURRENTS, WAVES AND TIDES ALL MOVE AND MIX
THE OCEAN WATERS.
OCEANS OF THE WORLD
Ocean currents and weather
SEAS OF THE WORLD
Oceans are fringed by smaller, adjoining bodies of water
such as seas, gulfs, bays and straits.
The word ”SEA” is often used interchangeably with
"ocean" in American English but, strictly speaking, a sea is
a body of saline water (generally a division of the world
ocean) partly or fully enclosed by land.
SEAS OF THE WORLD
The South China Sea is a
marginal sea that is part of
the Pacific Ocean., encompassing
an area from the Karimata and
Malacca Straits to the Strait of
Taiwan.
The sea carries tremendous
strategic importance; one-third
of the world's shipping passes
through it. It contains lucrative
fisheries that are crucial for the
food security of millions in
Southeast Asia.
It is located, South of China, East
of Vietnam and West of
Philippines.
SEAS OF THE WORLD
SEAS OF THE WORLD
THE RED SEA
It is so named because of a type of
algae found in its water. When these
blooms of algae die, they appear to
turn the blue-green water of the sea
to a reddish-brown.
It is one of the saltiest and warmest
sea of the world with a rich and diverse
ecosystem. It is one of the favourite
place for divers and snorkeling because
of the abundance of marine life (fish and
corals)
SEAS OF THE WORLD
THE DEAD SEA
This is the lowest point on Earth at
1241 feet below sea level. It is a majestic
and mysterious looking landlocked salt
water lake between Jordan and Israel.
Its hypersaline water allows people to
float very easily.
The incredible mineral content in the
water is known to improve various
skin conditions. The Dead Sea mud is
used in many beauty and cosmetic
applications.
RIVERS
The Amazon River in South America, is the largest river by
discharge Volume of water in the world
and according to some the
longest in length.
Two rivers situated in Peru are
its most distant tributaries.
The Amazon enters Brazil with
only one fifth of the flow it finally
discharges into the Atlantic Ocean.
.
RIVERS
The confluence of the tributaries
with the Amazon at the largest
city on the river in Brazil, Manaus,
is called the meeting of the
Waters, by the locals.
The Amazon represents 20% of
the total river water discharge
into the ocean.
Its drainage basin is the largest in
the world.
RIVERS
The Nile, which is 6,853 km (4,258 miles) long, is an
"international" river as its drainage basin covers eleven
countries, Namely, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, the
Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea,
South Sudan, Sudan and Egypt.
The Nile has two major tributaries, the White
Nile and Blue Nile. The White Nile is longer and rises in
the Great Lakes region of central Africa, with the most
distant source still undetermined but located in either
Rwanda or Burundi. It flows north through Tanzania,
Lake Victoria, Uganda and South Sudan. The Blue Nile
begins at Lake Tana in Ethiopia and flows into Sudan.
RIVERS
The two rivers (the white
Nile and the blue Nile)
meet just north of the
Sudanese capital
of Khartoum.
The Nile ends in a large
delta that flows into
the Mediterranean Sea.
RIVERS
The Danube Europe’s second longest river, after the Volga River. It is
located in Central and Eastern Europe.
It flows through 10 countries,
more than any other river in the
world. Originating in Germany,
the Danube flows southeast for
2,860 km, passing through or
touching the border of Austria,
Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia,
Serbia, Romania Bulgaria,
Moldova and Ukraine before
emptying into the Black Sea.
Its drainage basin extends into
nine more countries.
FJORDS - Geirenger fjord - Norway
Geologically, a fjord or fiord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs,
created by glacial erosion.
There are many fjords
on the coasts of Alaska,
British Columbia,
Chile, Greenland,
Iceland, New Zealand,
Norway, Newfoundland
and
Scotland.
FJORDS
Milford Sound is a fiord or fjord in the south west
of New Zealand’s South Island.
It is acclaimed as New Zealand's most famous tourist
destination.
LAGOONS
A lagoon is a shallow body of water
separated from a larger body of water
by barrier islands or reefs. Lagoons
are commonly divided into coastal
lagoons and atoll lagoons.
Lagoons are common coastal features
around many parts of the world.
Lagoons can also be man-made and
used for waste water treatment, for
e.g. aerated lagoons and anaerobic
lagoons.
Aitutaki – Cook Islands
Aitutaki is famous for its turquoise central lagoon. Until now it has been spared
by mass tourism. Noteworthy also are an old church (the oldest in the Cook
Islands) and some gigantic Banyan trees.
Tapuaetai (One Foot Island), a small islet in the south-east of the lagoon, is often
said to be the most important attraction. It is regarded as providing the visitor with
the best views of the Aitutaki lagoon and, depending on the tide, one is able to
walk on a sandbank a decent distance away from Tapuaetai.
Louisiana - Bayou
In usage in the United
States, a bayou is a body
of water typically found in a
flat, low-lying area, and
can be either an extremely
slow-moving stream or
river, or a marshy lake or
wetland. The term bayou
can also refer to a creek
whose current reverses
daily due to tides and which
contains brackish water.
Bayous are commonly
found in the southern
United States. Louisiana
and Texas being famous
for them.
GEYSERS
Geysers and hot springs are natural features resulting when ground
water is heated by geothermal forces and brought to the surface. They
provide a spectacular sight of boiling water eruptions, vivid colors and
strange formations.
Fly Geyser - Nevada
Lady Knox Geyser – Rotorua, New Zealand
MOUNTAINS OF THE WORLD
If we were to measure by peak height above sea level then
starting with Mount Everest all 25 of the tallest
mountains in the world would be in the Himalayas. The
problem with doing that, however, is that the dividing
line between a mountain with multiple peaks and
separate mountains is not always clear. For this reason a
better measurement to use is called “topographic
prominence” (basically how much the mountain sticks
out from the surrounding landscape). So, while Mount
Kilimanjaro’s peak is not as far away from sea level as
any number of peaks in the Himalayas, the difference
between its base and its peak is much greater.
MOUNTAINS OF THE WORLD
K2 is the second-highest
mountain on Earth, after
Mount Everest and is located
on the border of Pakistan and
China. It is also known as the
Savage Mountain due to the
difficulty of ascent and the
second-highest fatality rate
among the “eight
thousanders” for those who
climb it. For every four people
who have reached the summit,
one has died trying. Unlike
Annapurna, the mountain
with the highest fatality-to-
summit rate, K2 has never
been climbed in winter.
MOUNTAINS OF THE WORLD
Mount Rainier is a massive stratovolcano located 54 miles
(87 km) southeast of Seattle in the state of Washington,
United States. It is the most topographically prominent
mountain in the contiguous United States and the Cascade
Volcanic Arc, with a summit elevation of 14,411 ft (4,392 m).
MOUNTAINS OF THE WORLD
Kilimanjaro, is a dormant volcanic mountain in
Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania. It is the
tallest mountain in Africa at 5,895 metres or 19,341
feet above sea level.
MOUNTAINS OF THE WORLD
Mount McKinley, or Denali (Koyukon Athabaskan for “The
High One”), in Alaska, is the tallest mountain peak in the
United States and in North America, with a summit
elevation of 20,320 feet (6,194 m) above sea level.
MOUNTAINS OF THE WORLD
Mount Everest or
Qomolangma is the
highest mountain in
the world, with a peak
at 8,848 meters
(29,029 ft) above sea
level. It is also the
tallest mountain in the
world from base to
peak.
The international
border between China
and Nepal runs across
the precise summit
point.
MOUNTAINS OF THE WORLD – Mt. Everest
