Why this matters now
First-order landforms and geomorphic processes/agents are foundational prelims geography — underpinning rivers, glaciers, deserts and coastal topics.
Mountains, plateaus and plains
- Mountains — fold (Himalayas, Alps), block/fault (Vosges), volcanic (Fuji) and residual;
- Plateaus — elevated flatlands: intermontane (Tibet), volcanic (Deccan), continental;
- Plains — low, flat land formed mainly by deposition (the fertile Indo-Gangetic plain) — the most densely settled.
Geomorphic processes
Landforms result from endogenic forces (internal — tectonics, vulcanism, building up relief) and exogenic forces (external — wearing down relief). Exogenic action includes weathering (in-situ breakdown: physical, chemical, biological), mass movement, and erosion, transport and deposition by various agents.
Agents of gradation
The main agents and their landforms: rivers (fluvial) — V-valleys, meanders, deltas; glaciers — U-valleys, moraines, cirques; wind (aeolian) — dunes, mushroom rocks (deserts); groundwater — karst (caves, stalactites); sea waves — cliffs, beaches, spits. Each creates distinct erosional and depositional features.
UPSC angle
Know mountain types (fold/block/volcanic), plateaus and plains, endogenic vs exogenic forces, weathering types, and agent-landform pairs (river/glacier/wind/groundwater/sea).
Frequently asked questions
What are the major (first-order) landforms?
Mountains, plateaus and plains.
What is the difference between endogenic and exogenic forces?
Endogenic forces act from within (tectonics, vulcanism) and build up relief; exogenic forces act from outside (weathering, erosion) and wear it down.
What is weathering?
The in-situ breakdown of rocks by physical, chemical or biological processes, without large-scale movement.
What landforms do glaciers create?
U-shaped valleys, cirques, moraines and other glacial erosional and depositional features.