A steppe is a dry and grassy belt of grassland. It is located in temperate climatic regions of the Earth, which lie between the tropics and the polar regions. They are also called mid-latitude grasslands. The two main types of grasses which are found in this area are cropland and pasture. These are short grasses, […]
Savanna is a type of flat grassland in tropical and subtropical regions, bordering tropical rainforests. However, certain dry savannas are present on the borders of some deserts as well. These grasslands are generally warm and they have dry climatic conditions. They are characterised by brushy and coarse grasses with a few small or dispersed trees
Grasslands are the open and flat plains on the Earth where grass is the most dominating flora. The grasslands present in the Southern hemisphere get more rainfall than those in the Northern hemisphere. Hence the grass in the Southern hemisphere grows more than 2 metres in height and its roots extend several feet into the
Plains are one of the most widespread landforms of the Earth. They are primarily classified on the basis of the process of formation. The three main types of plains are: structural plains, depositional plains and erosional plains. Erosion is a natural process that creates or destroys the landforms of the Earth. The common erosion agents
A valley is a relatively flat, low land lying between ranges of hills and mountains on the Earth’s surface. Valleys are generally formed by erosion caused by rivers or glaciers. They can be classified on the basis of shape or origin. On the basis of shape, they can be categorised as: V-shape and U-shape. And
The Playa del Amor or the ‘Hidden Beach’ is a beach located near Puerto Vallarta, in Mexico. The Playa del Amor does not look like it belongs to this planet. Literally a hidden beach, it looks like something out of a fantasy novel. While the white sandy beach with the blue Pacific waters rushing in
Krishna’s Butterball is the name given to a unique rock formation located in Mahabalipuram, India. A gigantic granite boulder, 5 metres high and 6 metres wide, weighing approximately 250 tons, Krishna’s Butterball is not just any rock formation. This gravity-defying boulder sits on a short incline and has been in the same place for more
Lake Kaindy is a unique lake located to the southeast of the city of Almaty, in Kazakhstan. 400 metres in length and 30 metres deep in certain areas, Lake Kaindy literally means, ‘Birch tree lake’, because of the numerous dried-out submerged trunks of birch trees that rise out of its surface. The lake was created
Glaciers are categorised into two groups: alpine glaciers and ice sheets. Alpine glaciers (valley glaciers or mountain glaciers) originate from the mountainsides and move downward towards valleys. The Gorner Glacier in Switzerland and the Furtwangler Glacier in Tanzania are some of the examples of alpine glaciers. Ice sheet glaciers have broad domes and spread out
The Hornocal Mountains or as they are locally known, ‘Serranias del Hornocal’, are located 25 km from Humahuaca, in Argentina. These mountains have such vivid colouring that it leaves anyone spellbound. The inverted ‘v-shaped’ patterns in bright red, purple, orange and yellow colours are a result of the limestone formation known as Yacoraite. Unlike other
The Abandoned Salt Fields in Crimea, located in Ukraine, are majestic. The Salt Fields with unpleasant smells wafting from the salty lagoons are often the reason why the place is known as ‘Rotten Sea’. However, once you move past the smell, the sight before you is truly staggering. These incredible fields are stunning blood red
Glaciers are large masses of snow. These are formed when snow remains at one location for a very long time and turns into ice. They have ability to move, hence are called ‘rivers of ice’. The term ‘glacier’ originated from the French word glace (glah-SAY), which means ice. At present, they occupy about 10% of
Rio Celeste or the Blue River is an incredible waterfall located in the Tenorio Volcano National Park, in Costa Rica. A waterfall straight out of a fairytale, Rio Celeste has often left all those who set their eyes on it to stand dumbfounded. After an intense trek through the National Park, one is rewarded with
Chefchaouen is a unique city located in the Ref Mountains in northwest Morocco. The beautiful city of Chefchaouen was founded in 1471, initially as a small fortress that still exists till date. But what is most striking about the city are the numerous buildings and structures that are painted blue. Famously known as ‘Morocco’s Blue
Chalfont St. Giles is a village and also a civil parish located in southeast Buckingham, in England. Known for its terrain, the area was named Chalfont meaning ‘Chalk spring’ because of the water-carrying capacity of the land. The village is a part of a group of villages known collectively as ‘The Chalfonts’. The quaint village