221 Facts About Earth

Mountains and hills are the elevated landforms. There are several similarities and dissimilarities between mountains and hills: ♦ Unlike mountains, hills are less steep and do not have very high elevations. However, both mountain and hill have a definite peak each, which is its highest point. ♦ Mountains are mostly rocky, whereas hills can be […]

Adelei Penguins, the sliding and diving birds, are the main inhabitants of the Antarctic. They cannot run or walk very fast, but they slide well on smooth ice surface on their bellies and can travel a long distance like this. Their wings are in form of flippers that help them to swim in the icy

The climate of the Antarctic is so harsh that it is not suitable for dense vegetation. Plants found in this region are non-woody and simple like algae, mosses, liverworts, lichens and microscopic fungi. There are a few types of insects such as mites and spring tails that feed on the Antarctic plants. The animals have

Antarctica, the coldest, driest and windiest continent, is an ice-covered region with several small associated islands. This continent is mostly glaciated. The tiny ice crystals that form in the Antarctic region are purely water. There is no salt in it. So, the frozen glaciers and icebergs are pure water. This means the more the ice

Polar lands are known for their extreme weather conditions. This extreme condition is characterised by long, cold winters and short, cool summers. The average temperature ranges from 0º C (summer) to –40º C (winter) in Arctic region and in Antarctic region; it ranges from –28º C (summer) to –60º C (winter). These extreme low temperature

Polar lands are the areas of the Earth that surround the North and the South Pole. These are the frigid zones of the Earth where the temperature remains way below 0°C throughout the year. The polar region surrounding the North Pole is called the Arctic. It includes the Arctic Ocean and northern areas of Europe,

Biomes are large ecological areas on the Earth, with similar climatic conditions, animals and plant communities. In other words, a biome is a group of several ecosystems present in a particular region. For example, an aquatic biome (water-based biome present in freshwater or sea or ocean) can contain ecosystems such as coral reefs and kelp

Plateaus are high tablelands that have broad and flat tops. These highlands rise sharply above the surrounding area on at least one side. These tablelands are present in every continent. Approximately 40% of total land surface of the Earth is made up of plateaus. The average height of a plateau may range from a few

Mountains are the highest landforms on the Earth that rise above the surrounding plain area. Their elevation is at least 300 metres or more above the sea level. They are made from huge rocks and stones. The uppermost projected pointed part is known as a peak or summit. Mountains are generally arranged in a line

Landform is a geographical feature on the Earth’s surface. There are four major and four minor landforms. Major: mountain, hill, plateau and plain. Minor: butte (single hill), canyon (deep, narrow valley with steep sides), valley (depression in the Earth between hills), and basin (a dip or depression in the surface of the land or ocean

Heat waves arise when there is an abnormal rise in temperature for a longer duration accompanied with increased level of humidity. These waves are mostly experienced in the months of May-June in the Northern hemisphere. If heat waves continue for a longer duration, they can cause health problems and even death. In the region of

Dust storm, also known as sand storm, is a strong and violent form of wind arising mostly during the summer season in dry regions of the Earth. The violent wind carries light-weight, dry and fine particles of clay, dust and other materials to long distances. The minimum speed of wind is about 14 km per

A tornado is a narrow column of high speed air that spins from the cloud towards the ground. It is violent in nature and generally occurs in the spring season. Tornadoes develop before thunderstorm. During a tornado, wind changes its direction at a very high speed. An elevated cone is formed in the atmosphere. The

A large rotating storm with high wind speed (at least 119 km per hour) in the tropical regions over warm water is called a hurricane or tropical cyclone. Tropical cyclone is the scientific name of hurricane. The main reason behind the occurrence of this cyclone is replacement of warm air mass by a mass of

Thunderstorm develops when tiny particles of ice and water present in the clouds collide with great force. Thunder is an unusual sound occurring during a thunderstorm. This collision causes a series of sudden electrical discharges. These discharges result in sudden flashes of light and trembling sound waves, commonly known as thunder and lightning. Lightning is