Coastal landforms, any of the relief features present along any coast, such as cliffs, beaches, and dunes. Coastal landforms are the result of a combination of processes, sediments, and the geology of the coast itself. Learn more about the different types of coastal landforms in this article.

Coastal landforms - Cliffs, Beaches, Coves: There are two major types of coastal morphology: one is dominated by erosion and the other by deposition. They exhibit distinctly different landforms, though each type may contain some features of the other.

Coastal landforms - Dunes, Beaches, Cliffs: Immediately landward of the beach are commonly found large, linear accumulations of sand known as dunes. (For coverage of dunes in arid and semiarid regions, see sand dune.)

coastal landform erosion. In coastal landforms: Sea arches. Another spectacular type of erosional landform is the sea arch, which forms as the result of different rates of erosion typically due to the varied resistance of bedrock. These archways may have an arcuate or rectangular shape, with the opening extending below water… Read More ...

The role of tides in molding coastal landforms is twofold: (1) tidal currents transport large quantities of sediment and may erode bedrock, and (2) the rise and fall of the tide distributes wave energy across a shore zone by changing the depth of water and the position of the shoreline.

ria, funnel-shaped estuary that occurs at a river mouth and is formed by the submergence of the lower portion of the river valley. Generally occurring along a rugged coast perpendicular to a mountain chain, many rias were formed by the rise in sea level after the melting of the vast continental glaciers. Rias are commonly very irregular and may have several branching tributaries; they usually ...

Coastal landforms can be classified into two broad categories based on the way that they form. Erosional landforms result from wearing away of the land, while depositional landforms result from an accumulation of sediment.

Coastal lagoons are widely distributed throughout the world and have been estimated to constitute about 13 percent of the total world coastline. Lagoons are more common on coasts with moderate to low tidal ranges; for example, they occur widely on low coasts of the southern… Read More

There are several specific landforms representative of coastal environments that are common to each of the three major categories described above. Especially prominent among these are beaches and dunes. They are the primary landforms on barrier islands, strand-plain coasts, and many deltas, particularly the wave-dominated variety. Beaches

In addition to Wareham, the only other town of consequence is the isolated coastal resort of Swanage on the southeastern tip of the peninsula. Purbeck marble, quarried from the hills inland of Swanage, was once used in the construction of many famous churches in England.