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The coast is defined as the part of the land adjoining or near the ocean. A coastline is properly a line on a map indicating the disposition of a coast, but the word is often used to refer to the coast itself. The adjective coastal describes something as being on, near to, or associated with a coast. Look up coast in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...
Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 695 KB) Summary Taken by Swollib in 2005 Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ...
Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 695 KB) Summary Taken by Swollib in 2005 Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ...
The West Coast is one of the administrative regions of New Zealand, located on the west coast of the South Island, and is one of the more remote and most sparsely populated areas of the country. ...
Animated map exhibiting the worlds oceanic waters. ...
Coast is a specific term, and is applied to that part of an island or continent that borders an ocean or its saltwater tributaries. A pelagic coast refers to a coast which fronts the open ocean, as opposed to a more sheltered coast in a gulf or bay. A shore on the other hand, can refer to parts of the land which adjoin any large body of water, including oceans (sea shore) and lakes (lake shore). Similarly, the somewhat related term bank refers to the land alongside or sloping down to a river (river bank) or of a body of water smaller than a lake. Bank is also used in some parts of the world to refer to an artificial ridge of earth intended to retain the water of a river or pond. In other places this may be called a levee. The bay at San Sebastián, Spain A headland is an area of land adjacent to water on three sides. ...
The bay at San Sebastián, Spain A headland is an area of land adjacent to water on three sides. ...
Shore A shore or shoreline is the land at the edge of a large body of water, such as an ocean, sea, or lake. ...
For other uses, see Lake (disambiguation). ...
The bed of this stream is made up of rocks, some very rounded (having had a longer life in the stream) and some not. ...
For other uses, see River (disambiguation). ...
Two people reflected in a fish pond A pond is typically a man made body of water smaller than a lake. ...
A levee, levée (from the feminine past participle of the French verb lever, to raise), floodbank or stopbank is a natural or artificial slope or wall, usually earthen and often parallels the course of a river. ...
While many scientific experts might agree on a common definition of the term "coast", the delineation of the inland extents of a coast differ according to jurisdiction, with many scientific and government authorities in various countries differing for economic and social policy reasons. This is usually because defining lands as part of a coast may be seen to have environmental implications which would prevent development or attach regulations to their use. This article does not cite any references or sources. ...
Environmental importance The coast and its adjacent areas on and off shore is an important part of a local ecosystem as the mixture of fresh water and salt water in estuaries provides many nutrients for marine life. Salt marshes and beaches also support a diversity of plants, animals, and insects crucial to the food chain. A coral reef near the Hawaiian islands is an example of a complex marine ecosystem. ...
For other uses, see Salt (disambiguation). ...
For other meanings, see Estuary (disambiguation) Rio de la Plata estuary An estuary is a semi-enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. ...
This article is about marsh, a type of wetland. ...
For other uses, see Beach (disambiguation). ...
For other uses, see Plant (disambiguation). ...
For other uses, see Animal (disambiguation). ...
Orders Subclass Apterygota Archaeognatha (bristletails) Thysanura (silverfish) Subclass Pterygota Infraclass Paleoptera (Probably paraphyletic) Ephemeroptera (mayflies) Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) Infraclass Neoptera Superorder Exopterygota Grylloblattodea (ice-crawlers) Mantophasmatodea (gladiators) Plecoptera (stoneflies) Embioptera (webspinners) Zoraptera (angel insects) Dermaptera (earwigs) Orthoptera (grasshoppers, etc) Phasmatodea (stick insects) Blattodea (cockroaches) Isoptera (termites) Mantodea (mantids) Psocoptera...
This article does not cite any references or sources. ...
Like the ocean which shapes them, coasts are a dynamic environment with constant change. The earth's natural processes, particularly sea level rise, waves and various weather phenomena, have resulted in the erosion, accretion and reshaping of coasts as well as flooding and creation of continental shelves and drowned river valleys (rias). Sea level measurements from 23 long tide gauge records in geologically stable environments show a rise of around 20 centimeters per century (2 mm/year). ...
Surface waves in water This article is about waves in the most general scientific sense. ...
For the geological process, see Weathering or Erosion. ...
For morphological image processing operations, see Erosion (morphology). ...
Oceanic-continental convergence: The required conditions for plate accretion Accretion, in geology, is a process by which sediment is added to a tectonic plate. ...
Flooding in Amphoe Sena, Ayutthaya Province, Thailand. ...
Sediment Rock Mantle The global continental shelf, highlighted in cyan The continental shelf is the extended perimeter of each continent, which is covered during interglacial periods such as the current epoch by relatively shallow seas (known as shelf seas) and gulfs. ...
Georges River, in the southern suburbs of Sydney (Australia) is a ria, or drowned river valley. ...
Human impacts Coasts also face many environmental challenges relating to human-induced impacts. The human influence on climate change is thought to be a contributing factor of an accelerated trend in sea level rise which threatens coastal habitat as natural systems struggle to adapt faster. Human development of coastal land, particularly for recreational or industrial uses are similarly threatened by sea level rise, but also contribute to aesthetic problems of land use and reduced natural coastal habitat. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2304x1728, 1807 KB) Summary Taken by Keitei at Preston Beach in Marblehead. ...
Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2304x1728, 1807 KB) Summary Taken by Keitei at Preston Beach in Marblehead. ...
This article does not cite any references or sources. ...
Variations in CO2, temperature and dust from the Vostok ice core over the last 450,000 years For current global climate change, see Global warming. ...
Sea level measurements from 23 long tide gauge records in geologically stable environments show a rise of around 20 centimeters per century (2 mm/year). ...
Aesthetics (or esthetics) (from the Greek word αισθητική) is a branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of beauty. ...
Pollution is an ongoing concern along coasts with garbage and industrial debris littering beaches and sometimes entire coasts, requiring government agencies to make frequent use of beach cleaners and other volunteer cleanup efforts. The transportation of petroleum in tankers is a major hazard both for the open ocean and along coasts, particularly when large oil spills occur. Another major hazard for coastal marine life is the large number of small oil spills created by large and small vessels powered by petroleum which flush bilge water directly into the ocean. For other uses, see Waste (disambiguation). ...
For other uses, see Beach (disambiguation). ...
A beach cleaner is a vehicle that drags a sifting device over beach sand to remove rubbish and other foreign matter. ...
Pumpjack pumping an oil well near Lubbock, Texas Ignacy Åukasiewicz - inventor of the refining of kerosene from crude oil. ...
Commercial crude oil supertanker AbQaiq. ...
Subsequent to an Oil Spill An oil spill is the unintentional release of liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment as a result of human activity. ...
The bilge is the compartment at the bottom of the hull of a ship or boat where water collects so that it may be pumped out of the vessel at a later time. ...
Both the terms coast and coastal are often used to describe a geographic location or region. For example, New Zealand's West Coast, or the East and West Coasts of the United States. The West Coast is one of the administrative regions of New Zealand, located on the west coast of the South Island, and is one of the more remote and most sparsely populated areas of the country. ...
Regional definitions vary from source to source. ...
Regional definitions vary from source to source. ...
A large part of the global population inhabits areas near a coast, partly to take advantage of marine resources such as fish, but more importantly to participate in seaborne trade with other nations. Many of the world's major cities that have developed in recent centuries were built on or near good harbours and have large port facilities to take advantage of marine transportation. Jurisdictions which are landlocked and have no coast are often at an economic disadvantage with overseas trade being more difficult; sometimes being forced to go to extravagant measures such as building canals to permit ocean-going vessels to travel inland. A harbor (or harbour) or haven is a place where ships may shelter from the weather or are stored. ...
For other uses, see Port (disambiguation). ...
A landlocked country is one that has no coastline. ...
For other uses, see Canal (disambiguation). ...
Coasts, especially those with beaches and warm water are also an important draw for tourists. In many island nations such as those of the Mediterranean, South Pacific and Caribbean, tourism by those who come to enjoy the coast is central to the economy. Coasts are popular destinations because of recreational activities such as swimming, fishing, surfing, boating, and sunbathing. Growth management can be a challenge for coastal local authorities who often struggle to provide the infrastructure required by new residents seeking seachange lifestyles. For other uses, see Beach (disambiguation). ...
A tourist boat travels the River Seine in Paris, France Tourism can be defined as the act of travel for the purpose of recreation, and the provision of services for this act. ...
An island nation is a country that is wholly confined to an island or islands. ...
Swimmer redirects here. ...
Fishing is the activity of hunting for fish by hooking, trapping, or gathering. ...
For other uses, see Surfing (disambiguation). ...
// Boating, the leisurely activity of traveling by boat typically refers to the recreational use of boats whether power boats, sail boats, or yachts (large vessels), focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, such as fishing or waterskiing. ...
Prism splitting light High Resolution Solar Spectrum Sunlight in the broad sense is the total spectrum of the electromagnetic radiation given off by the Sun. ...
Growth management is a set of techniques used by government to ensure that as the population grows that there are services available to meet their demands. ...
Local governments are administrative offices that are smaller than a state or province. ...
A seachange (or sea change) is an abandonment of city living in favour of a perceived easier life in rural coastal communities. ...
Many tourists and residents also enjoy the salt air by the sea coast which some consider to have health benefits. Coastal weather is heavily influenced by the ocean and while this can sometimes result in dangerous storms such as Nor'easters and hurricanes, the coastal climate is often cooler and more temperate than corresponding inland areas. Consequently tourists from areas experiencing extremely warm and humid weather seek coastal areas for these reasons. Satellite image of the intense noreaster responsible for the North American blizzard of 2006. ...
This article is about weather phenomena. ...
The coast is often a crucial defensive frontier, both for warding off military invaders but also smugglers and illegal migrants. Coastal defenses have thus long been erected in many nations. Most coastal countries also have a navy and some form of coast guard. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Coastal management. ...
The multinational Combined Task Force One Five Zero (CTF-150) The British Grand Fleet, the supreme naval force of World War I A rare occurrence of a 5-country multinational fleet, during Operation Enduring Freedom in the Oman Sea. ...
A coast guard is a national organization responsible for various services at sea. ...
Types of coast An emergent coastline is a coastline which has experienced a fall in sea level, because of either a global sea level change, or local uplift. Emergent coastlines are identifiable by the coastal landforms, which are above the high tide mark, such as raised beaches. Alternatively, a submergent coastline is a coastline which has experienced a rise in sea level, due to a global sea level change, local subsidence, or isostatic rebound. Submergent coastlines are identifiable by their submerged, or "drowned" landforms, such as rias (drowned valleys) and fjords. A landform comprises a geomorphological unit, and is largely defined by its surface form and location in the landscape, as part of the terrain, and as such, is typically an element of topography. ...
Although this raised beach at Rhossili (Wales) is now used for farmland, it provides evidence of a glacioeustatic rise in the land of this area. ...
A road destroyed by subsidence and shear. ...
Post-glacial rebound (sometimes called continental rebound, isostatic rebound or isostatic adjustment) is the rise of land masses that were depressed by the huge weight of ice sheets during the last ice age, through a process known as isostatic depression. ...
Georges River, in the southern suburbs of Sydney (Australia) is a ria, or drowned river valley. ...
Fjord in Sunnmøre, Norway Geirangerfjord, Norway A fjord (or fiord) is a long, narrow estuary with steep sides, made when a glacial valley is filled by rising sea water levels. ...
A concordant coastline is a coastline where bands of different rock types run parallel to the shore. These rock types are usually of alternating resistance, so the coastline forms distinctive landforms, such as coves. A discordant coastline is a type of coastline formed when rock types of alternating resistance run perpendicular to the shore. Discordant coastlines feature distinctive landforms because the rocks are eroded by ocean waves. The less resistant rocks erode faster, creating inlets or bays; the more resistant rocks erode more slowly, remaining as headlands or outcroppings. Resistance can mean one of: electrical resistance antibiotic resistance resistance to a disease (see related subject immunology) a political resistance movement military resistance against foreign occupation geological resistance fluid resistance thermal resistance This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the...
For morphological image processing operations, see Erosion (morphology). ...
Animated map exhibiting the worlds oceanic waters. ...
A WAVES Photographer 3rd Class The WAVES were a World War II era division of the U.S. Navy that consisted entirely of women. ...
Lulworth Cove in Dorset, England (Great Britain) A fjord (Lysefjorden) in Norway An inlet is a body of water, usually seawater, which has characteristics of one or more of the following: a bay a cove an estuary a firth a fjord a geo a sea loch a sea lough a...
The bay at San Sebastián, Spain A headland is an area of land adjacent to water on three sides. ...
The bay at San Sebastián, Spain A headland is an area of land adjacent to water on three sides. ...
Coastal landforms and features
 Coastal landforms. The feature shown here as a bay would, in Britain, be called a cove. That between the cuspate foreland and the tombolo is a British bay. The "Cliff erosion" features erode to form the feature below in the list; [Eg. a Cliff erodes to form a cave, which erodes to become an arch...] Image File history File links Accreting_coast_Image6. ...
Image File history File links Accreting_coast_Image6. ...
Cliff erosion “Precipice†redirects here. ...
For other uses, see Cave (disambiguation). ...
For other uses, see Arch (disambiguation). ...
The Mergui Archipelago The Archipelago Sea, situated between the Gulf of Bothnia and the Gulf of Finland, the largest archipelago in the world by the number of islands. ...
Big Flowerpot, Canada Old Man of Hoy, Scotland Stack near Old Harry Rocks, England A stack is a geological landform consisting of a steep and often vertical column or columns of rock in the sea near a coast. ...
A stump is the remains of an object that has been cut or broken, for example, when a tree has been felled. ...
The bay at San Sebastián, Spain A headland is an area of land adjacent to water on three sides. ...
A peninsula in Croatia A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered on three or more sides by water. ...
The bay at San Sebastián, Spain A headland is an area of land adjacent to water on three sides. ...
The bay at San Sebastián, Spain A headland is an area of land adjacent to water on three sides. ...
The bay at San Sebastián, Spain A headland is an area of land adjacent to water on three sides. ...
Lulworth Cove, Dorset England This article is about the coastal feature. ...
The formation of a wave cut platform A wave cut platform refers to the narrow flat area often seen at the base of a sea cliff caused by the action of the waves. ...
Rivers on the coastline For other meanings, see Estuary (disambiguation) Rio de la Plata estuary An estuary is a semi-enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. ...
Nile River delta, as seen from Earth orbit. ...
Coastal features formed by sediment Look up Shoal in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...
In geography, a bar is a linear shoaling landform feature within a body of water. ...
For other uses, see Beach (disambiguation). ...
A boondock, in geography, is a landform consisting of a slight rise in elevation found in vegetated sandy landscapes, such as Colorados San Luis Valley. ...
Look up Shoal in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...
This article is about sand formations. ...
Mudflats are relatively flat, muddy regions found in intertidal areas. ...
A spit is a deposition landform found off coasts. ...
Surge channel on the West Coast Trail. ...
Tombolo at Stockton Island, Ashland County (Wisconsin). ...
Although this raised beach at Rhossili (Wales) is now used for farmland, it provides evidence of a glacioeustatic rise in the land of this area. ...
Georges River, in the southern suburbs of Sydney (Australia) is a ria, or drowned river valley. ...
Coastal features formed by another feature An Atlantic coastal salt marsh in Connecticut. ...
This mid bay barrier in Narrabeen, a suburb of Sydney (Australia), has blocked what used to be a bay to form a lagoon. ...
Other features on the coast A concordant coastline is a coastline where bands of different rock types run parallel to the shore. ...
It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Concordant coastline. ...
Fjord in Sunnmøre, Norway Geirangerfjord, Norway A fjord (or fiord) is a long, narrow estuary with steep sides, made when a glacial valley is filled by rising sea water levels. ...
An island arc is a type of archipelago formed by plate tectonics as one oceanic tectonic plate subducts under another and produces magma. ...
The machair on Berneray, Outer Hebrides The Scottish Gaelic word machair or machar refers to a fertile low-lying raised beach found on the coasts of Ireland and Scotland, in particular the Outer Hebrides. ...
Coastal processes Attrition means wearing down by friction or grinding and may refer to the following. ...
A current is a movement or flow of fluids, especially water in a river or ocean. ...
Denudation is the geological process which involves the erosion and weathering of landscapes, resulting in the physical lowering of the landscape, by such processes as wind, rain, the sun, etc. ...
It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into sediment. ...
For morphological image processing operations, see Erosion (morphology). ...
A flood (in Old English flod, a word common to Teutonic languages; compare German Flut, Dutch vloed from the same root as is seen in flow, float) is an overflow of water, an expanse of water submerging land, a deluge. ...
Longshore drift (sometimes known as shore drift, LSD or littoral drift) is a geological process by which sediments such as sand or other materials, move along a beach shore. ...
In geology, saltation (from Latin, saltus, leap) refers to a bouncing-like motion when alluvium is dislodged from the streambed, travels in a parabolic path through the stream water, and then impacts back on to the bed. ...
Schematic of sea level (black) and rate of change (blue) over the last 25 kyr There are multiple complex factors may influence sea level change. ...
Isostasy is a term used in Geology to refer to the state of gravitational equilibrium between the Earths lithosphere and asthenosphere such that the tectonic plates float at an elevation which depends on their thickness and density. ...
Sedimentation describes the motion of particles in solutions or suspensions in response to an external force such as gravity, centrifugal force or electric force. ...
Making a saline water solution by dissolving table salt (NaCl) in water This article is about chemical solutions. ...
Sub-aerial processes refer to processes taking place above ground level, with effects on objects on the ground. ...
It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Mixture. ...
This article is about tides in the Earths oceans. ...
Surface waves in water This article is about waves in the most general scientific sense. ...
Weathering is the decomposition of rocks, soils and their minerals through direct contact with the air. ...
Wildlife
Animals Animals living along the coast vary enormously, some live along coasts to nest like puffins, sea turtles and rockhopper penguins. Sea snails and various kinds of barnacles live on the coast and scavenge on food deposited by the sea. Most coastal animals are used to humans in developed areas, such as dolphins and seagulls who eat food thrown for them by tourists. Since the coastal areas are all part of the littoral zone, there is a profusion of marine life found just off-coast. The word Animals when used alone has several possible meanings in the English language. ...
Species Fratercula arctica Fratercula corniculata Fratercula cirrhata The puffin is an auk (or alcid) of the genus Fratercula (Latin: Little Brother - probably a reference to their black and white plumage resembling monastic robes) with a brightly colored beak in the breeding season. ...
Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ...
Binomial name Eudyptes chrysocome Forster,, 1781 The Rockhopper Penguin (Eudyptes chrysocome) is a species of penguin closely related to the Macaroni Penguin. ...
Sea Snail may refer to: Snailfish, a tadpole-like fish Neogastropoda, the marine snails The marine cone snail produces conotoxin, which is under investigation for its pain-relieving properties Category: ...
Superorders Acrothoracica Thoracica Rhizocephala A barnacle is a type of arthropod belonging to infraclass Cirripedia in the subphylum Crustacea and is hence distantly related to crabs and lobsters. ...
Genera See article below. ...
Genera Pagophila Larus Rissa Creagus Xema Rhodostethia Gulls are seabirds in the family Laridae and subfamily Lari. ...
A littoral is the region near the shoreline of a body of fresh or salt water. ...
There are many kinds of seabirds on the coast. Pelicans and cormorants join up with terns and oystercatchers to forage for fish and shellfish on the coast. Seabirds are birds that spend much of their lives, outside the breeding season at least, at sea. ...
For other uses, see Pelican (disambiguation). ...
For other uses, see Cormorant (disambiguation). ...
Genera Sterna (Gelochelidon) (Hydroprogne) (Thalasseus) Chlidonias Phaetusa Anous Procelsterna Gygis Larosterna Terns are seabirds in the family Sternidae, previously considered a subfamily Sterninae of the gull family Laridae. ...
Species Magellanic Oystercatcher Blackish Oystercatcher American Black Oystercatcher American Oystercatcher Canarian Black Oystercatcher African Black Oystercatcher Eurasian Oystercatcher Australian Pies Oystercatcher Chatham Islands Oystercatcher Variable Oystercatcher Sooty Oystercatcher The Oystercatchers are a group of waders; they form the family Haematopodidae, which has a single genus, Haematopus. ...
Plants Coastal areas are famous for their kelp beds. Kelp is a fast growing seaweed that grows up to a metre a day. Corals and anemones are true animals, but live a similar lifestyle as plants do. Insert non-formatted text hereLink title Families Alariaceae Chordaceae Laminariaceae Lessoniaceae Phyllariaceae Pseudochordaceae For other uses, see Kelp (disambiguation). ...
Insert non-formatted text hereLink title Families Alariaceae Chordaceae Laminariaceae Lessoniaceae Phyllariaceae Pseudochordaceae For other uses, see Kelp (disambiguation). ...
Ascophyllum nodosum exposed to the sun in Nova Scotia, Canada Dead Mans Fingers (Codium fragile) off Massachusetts coast For the band, see; Seaweed (band) For the rock musician, see; Seaweed (musician) Seaweeds are any of a large number of marine benthic algae. ...
This article is about the unit of length. ...
Extant Subclasses and Orders Alcyonaria Alcyonacea Helioporacea Zoantharia Antipatharia Corallimorpharia Scleractinia Zoanthidea [1][2] See Anthozoa for details For other uses, see Coral (disambiguation). ...
Species see text Anemone (Anemone) (from the Gr. ...
See also Many stretches of the coastline of East Anglia, England, are prone to high rates of erosion, as illustrated by this collapsed section of the cliffs at Hunstanton, Norfolk. ...
This is a List of countries by length of coastline, in kilometers, based on data for the year 2005 by the CIA World Factbook. ...
Oosterscheldekering sea wall, the Netherlands. ...
For other uses, see Reef (disambiguation). ...
Earth science (also known as geoscience, the geosciences or the Earth Sciences), is an all-embracing term for the sciences related to the planet Earth. ...
Engineering Geology is the application of the science of geology to the understanding of geologic phenomena and the engineering solution of geologic hazards and other geologic problems for society. ...
This article includes a list of works cited but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ...
Surface of the Earth Geomorphology is the study of landforms, including their origin and evolution, and the processes that shape them. ...
How Long Is the Coast of Britain? Statistical Self-Similarity and Fractional Dimension is a paper by mathematician Benoît Mandelbrot, first published in Science in 1967. ...
Land reclamation is either of two distinct practices. ...
Various species of reef fish in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. ...
Marine biology is the study of animal and plant life within saltwater ecosystems. ...
A 1976 United States NOAA chart of part of Puerto Rico A nautical chart is a graphic representation of a maritime area and adjacent coastal regions. ...
Animated map exhibiting the worlds oceanic waters. ...
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