MOUNTAINS (LANDFORMS OF THE EARTH )

Mountain ......

 A mountain is any natural elevation of the earth

surface. The mountains may have a small summit and

a broad base. It is considerably higher than the

surrounding area. Some mountains are even higher

than the clouds. As you go higher, the climate becomes

colder.

In some mountains, there are permanently frozen

rivers of ice. They are called glaciers. There are some

mountains you cannot see as they are under the sea.

Because of harsh climate, less people live in the

mountain areas. Since the slopes are steep, less land

is available for farming.

Mountains may be arranged in a line known as

range. Many mountain systems consist of a series of

parallel ranges extending over hundreds of kilometres.

The Himalayas, the Alps and the Andes are mountain

ranges of Asia, Europe and South America, respectively

(Figure 5.1). Mountains vary in their heights and

shape.

There are three types of mountains- Fold

Mountains, Block Mountains and the Volcanic

Mountains. The Himalayan Mountains and the Alps

are young fold mountains with rugged relief and high

conical peaks. The Aravali range in India is one of the

oldest fold mountain systems in the world. The range

has considerably worn down due to the processes of

erosion.The Appalachians in North America and the

Ural mountains in Russia  have rounded

features and low elevation. They are very old fold

mountains.

Block Mountains are

created when large areas are

broken and displaced

vertically. The uplifted blocks

are termed as horsts and the

lowered blocks are called

graben. The Rhine valley

and the Vosges mountain in

Europe are examples of such

mountain systems. Locate

them on the world map in

the atlas and find out some

more examples of this type

of landforms.

Volcanic mountains are

formed due to volcanic

activity. Mt.Kilimanjaro in Africa and Mt.Fujiyama

in Japan are examples of such mountains.

Mountains are very useful. The mountains are a

storehouse of water. Many rivers have their source in

the glaciers in the mountains. Reservoirs are made

and the water is harnessed for the use of people. Water

from the mountains is also used for irrigation and

generation of hydro-electricity. The river valleys and

terraces are ideal for cultivation of crops. Mountains

have a rich variety of flora and fauna. The forests

provide fuel, fodder, shelter and other products like

gum, raisins, etc. Mountains provide an idyllic site

for tourists. They visit the mountains for their scenic

beauty. Several sports like paragliding, hang gliding,

river rafting and skiing are popular in the mountains.

Can you name some places in the Himalayas

associated with these sports?