A coastal image featured on a United States postal stamp.

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 or having to do with a coast. Sea Coast. ... This 1974 stamp from Japan depicts a Class 8620 steam locomotive. ... Ocean (from Okeanos, a Greek god of sea and water; Greek ωκεανός) covers almost three quarters (71%) of the surface of the Earth, and nearly half of the worlds marine waters are over 3000 m deep. ...

Coast is a very specific term and is only 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. A gulf or bay is a part of a lake or ocean that extends so that it is surrounded by land on three sides. ... The bay at San Sebastián, Spain A headland is an area of land adjacent to water on three sides. ... A shore, also shoreline, is the edge of a large body of water. ... A lake is a body of water surrounded by land. ... The bed of this stream is made up of rocks, some very rounded (having had a longer life in the stream) and some not. ... The Murray River in Australia. ... A pond is a 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 embankment or dike, usually earthen, which 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. In law, jurisdiction refers to the aspect of a any unique legal authority as being localized within boundaries. ...

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. In ecology, an ecosystem is a naturally occurring assemblage of organisms (plant, animal and other living organisms—also referred to as a biotic community or biocoenosis) living together with their environment (or biotope), functioning as a loose unit. ... In chemistry, salt is a term used for ionic compounds composed of positively charged cations and negatively charged anions, so that the product is neutral and without a net charge. ... Estuaries and coastal waters are among the most productive ecosystems on Earth, providing numerous ecological, economic, cultural, and aesthetic benefits and services. ... In geography, a marsh is a type of wetland, featuring grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, and other herbaceous plants (possibly with low-growing woody plants) in a context of shallow water. ... 90 mile beach Australia A beach or strand is a geological formation consisting of loose rock particles such as sand, shingle, cobble, or even shell along the shoreline of a body of water. ... Divisions Land plants (embryophytes) Non-vascular plants (bryophytes) Hepaticophyta - liverworts Anthocerotophyta - hornworts Bryophyta - mosses Vascular plants (tracheophytes) Lycopodiophyta - clubmosses Equisetophyta - horsetails Pteridophyta - true ferns Psilotophyta - whisk ferns Ophioglossophyta - adderstongues Seed plants (spermatophytes) †Pteridospermatophyta - seed ferns Pinophyta - conifers Cycadophyta - cycads Ginkgophyta - ginkgo Gnetophyta - gnetae Magnoliophyta - flowering plants Adiantum pedatum (a fern... Phyla Porifera (sponges) Ctenophora (comb jellies) Cnidaria Placozoa Subregnum Bilateria  Acoelomorpha  Orthonectida  Rhombozoa  Myxozoa  Superphylum Deuterostomia     Chordata (vertebrates, etc. ... Classes & Orders Subclass: Apterygota Orders Archaeognatha (Bristletails) Thysanura (Silverfish) Monura - extinct Subclass: Pterygota Orders Ephemeroptera (mayflies) Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) Diaphanopteroidea - extinct Palaeodictyoptera - extinct Megasecoptera - extinct Archodonata - extinct Infraclass: Neoptera Orders Blattodea (cockroaches) Isoptera (termites) Mantodea (mantids) Dermaptera (earwigs) Plecoptera (stoneflies) Orthoptera (grasshoppers, etc) Phasmatodea (walking sticks) Embioptera (webspinners) Zoraptera... Food chains and food webs or food networks describe the feeding relationships between species in a biotic community. ...

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). Measurement of recent sea level rise from 23 long tide gauge records in geologically stable environments Changes in sea level since the end of the last glacial episode Sea level rise is an increase in sea level. ... A wave is a disturbance that propagates, carrying energy. ... Composite satellite image showing the progress of a hurricane weather system approaching the East Coast of the United States Weather comprises all the various phenomena that occur in the atmosphere of a planet. ... Look up Erosion on Wiktionary, the free dictionary Severe soil erosion in a wheat field near Washington State University, USA. Erosion is the displacement of solids (soil, mud, rock, and so forth) by the agents of wind, water, ice, movement in response to gravity, or living organisms (in the case... Look up Flood on Wiktionary, the free dictionary 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. ... 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. ... Port Hacking, 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. Variations in CO2, temperature and dust from the Vostok ice core over the last 400 000 years The term climate change is used to refer to changes in the Earths global climate or regional climates. ... Measurement of recent sea level rise from 23 long tide gauge records in geologically stable environments Changes in sea level since the end of the last glacial episode Sea level rise is an increase in sea level. ... 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. 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. Waste inside a rubbish bin Waste is unwanted or undesired material left over after the completion of a process. ... 90 mile beach Australia A beach or strand is a geological formation consisting of loose rock particles such as sand, shingle, cobble, or even shell along the shoreline of a body of water. ... Nodding donkey pumping an oil well near Sarnia, Ontario, 2001 Petroleum (from Greek petra – rock and oleum – oil), crude oil, sometimes colloquially called black gold, is a thick, dark brown or greenish liquid. ... Tanker - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Volunteers cleaning up the aftermath of the Prestige oil spill An oil spill is the release of oil (generally, petroleum) into the natural environment, usually the ocean. ... The Bilge is a term for the compartment at the bottom of a vessel (ocean liner, yacht, sailboat, cruiser. ...

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. ... The East Coast, Eastern Seaboard, or Atlantic Seaboard are terms referencing the easternmost coastal states in the United States of America. ... In general, the term West Coast is a nickname for the coastal states of the Western United States, comprising California, Oregon and Washington, and sometimes Alaska and Hawaii (see Pacific States). ...

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. ... Seaport, a painting by Claude Lorrain, 1638 A port is a facility at the edge of an ocean, river, or lake for receiving ships and transferring cargo and persons to them. ... A landlocked country is one that has no coastline. ... The Canal du Midi in Toulouse, France Canals are man-made waterways, usually connecting existing lakes, rivers, or oceans. ...

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 sun bathing. 90 mile beach Australia A beach or strand is a geological formation consisting of loose rock particles such as sand, shingle, cobble, or even shell along the shoreline of a body of water. ... 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. ... Swimming is the method by which living creatures move themselves through water in a method not involving simply walking on the bottom. ... Fishing is the activity of hunting for fish. ... Surfing outside Kaneohe Bay, Hawai‘i. ... Boating is the activity of traveling by boat. ... Sunlight is also the trade name of the worlds first packaged, branded laundry soap producted by Lever Brothers. ...

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. Noreaster is a colloquial term for a storm whose winds come from the northeast, especially in the coastal areas of the northeastern United States. ... This article is about weather phenomena. ...

The coast, especially for isolated nations such as Japan, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada or the United States 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. Coastal defenses are objects and engineering techniques used to defend coasts against erosion and flooding. ... U.S. Navy supercarrier USS Nimitz on November 3, 2003. ... Canadian Coast Guard ship and helicopter A coast guard is an organization devoted to saving the lives of shipwrecked mariners or people in danger at sea. ...

Types of coast

• emergent coastline - coast has risen or sea level has fallen from previous level.
• submergent coastline - coast has fallen or sea level has risen from previous level.
• concordant coastline - rock bands run parallel to shore.
• discordant coastline - rock bands run perpendicular to shore.

In earth science an emergent coastline is a coastline which has experienced a fall in sea level, either due to a global sea level change, or due to local uplift. ... In earth science a submergent coastline is a coastline which has experienced a rise in sea level, either due to a global sea level change, or local subsidence. ... A concordant coastline is a coastline where bands of different rock types run parallel to the shore. ... A discordant coastline is a type of coastline formed when rock types of alternating resistance run perpendicular to the shore. ...

See also

Coastal landforms & 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. Tombolo is not a British term.

• arch — archipelago
• bar — barrier island — bay — beach — boondock
• cape — cave — cliff — cove
• delta — dune system
• estuary
• fjord
• gulf
• headland
• island — island arc
• lagoon
• mud flat
• peninsula
• raised beach — ria
• salt marsh — sea — spit — stack — stump
• tombolo
• wave cut cliff — wave cut notch — wave cut platform
• How long is a coastline?

A landform comprises a geomorphological unit. ... Coastal and oceanic landforms. ... A typical arch An arch is a curved structure capable of spanning a space while supporting significant weight (e. ... An archipelago is a landform which consists of a chain or cluster of islands. ... In geography, a bar is a linear shoaling landform feature within a body of water. ... In geography, a bar is a linear shoaling landform feature within a body of water. ... The bay at San Sebastián, Spain A headland is an area of land adjacent to water on three sides. ... 90 mile beach Australia A beach or strand is a geological formation consisting of loose rock particles such as sand, shingle, cobble, or even shell along the shoreline of a body of water. ... A boondock is a slight rise in elevation found in vegetated sandy landscapes such as Colorados San Luis Valley. ... The bay at San Sebastián, Spain A headland is an area of land adjacent to water on three sides. ... Alternate meanings: Cave (disambiguation) The outside world viewed from a cave A cave is a natural underground void large enough for an adult human to enter. ... Cliffs on the banks of the River Severn, near Bristol, England In geography, a cliff is a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure. ... Lulworth Cove, Dorset England This article is about the coastal feature, for details of the megalithic monument see Cove (standing stones) A cove is a coastal landform. ... Nile River delta, as seen from Earth orbit. ... Mesquite Flat Dunes in Death Valley National Park In physical geography, a dune is a hill of sand built by eolian (wind-related) processes. ... Estuaries and coastal waters are among the most productive ecosystems on Earth, providing numerous ecological, economic, cultural, and aesthetic benefits and services. ... Sognefjorden, Norway A fjord (sometimes written fiord, notably in New Zealand English) is a glacially overdeepened valley, usually narrow and steep-sided, extending below sea level and filled with salt water. ... A gulf or bay is a part of a lake or ocean that extends so that it is surrounded by land on three sides. ... The bay at San Sebastián, Spain A headland is an area of land adjacent to water on three sides. ... An island arc is a type of archipelago formed by plate tectonics as one oceanic tectonic plate subducts under another and produces magma. ... A lagoon is a body of comparatively shallow salt water separated from the deeper sea by a shallow or exposed sandbank, coral reef, or similar feature. ... Mudflats are relatively flat, muddy regions found in intertidal areas. ... Peninsula A peninsula is a geographical formation consisting of an extension of land from a larger body, surrounded by water on three sides. ... A Raised beach is an emergent coastal landform. ... Port Hacking, in the southern suburbs of Sydney (Australia) is a ria, or drowned river valley. ... This article is about marsh, a type of wetland. ... Sunset at sea Look up Sea on Wiktionary, the free dictionary Look up maritime in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... In geography, a spit is a deposition landform found off coasts. ... 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. ... Tombolo at Stockton Island, Ashland County, WI A tombolo in Puget Sound A tombolo is a deposition landform such as a spit or bar which forms an isthmus between an island or offshore rock and a mainland shore, or between two islands or offshore rocks. ... Categories: Stub | Landforms ... Lewis Fry Richardson (October 11, 1881 - September 30, 1953) was a mathematician, physicist and psychologist. ...

Processes

• attrition
• currents
• denudation — deposition
• erosion
• flooding
• longshore drift
• saltation — sea level change (eustatic — isostatic) — sedimentation — sediment transportation — solution — sub-aerial processes — suspension
• tides
• waves — weathering

This page is a candidate to be moved to Wiktionary. ... 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. ... Deposition, also known as sedimentation, is the geological process whereby material is added to a landform. ... Look up Erosion on Wiktionary, the free dictionary Severe soil erosion in a wheat field near Washington State University, USA. Erosion is the displacement of solids (soil, mud, rock, and so forth) by the agents of wind, water, ice, movement in response to gravity, or living organisms (in the case... 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. ... Cheese is good. ... Saltation is usually used as a biology term to describe a sudden change in the appearance of a species. ... 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. ... Sediment is any particulate matter that can be transported by fluid flow and which eventually is deposited as a layer of solid particles on the bed or bottom of a body of water or other liquid. ... Dissolving table salt in water In chemistry, a solution is a homogeneous mixture of one or more substances (the solutes) dissolved in another substance (the solvent). ... Flour suspended in water In chemistry, a suspension is a dispersion (mixture) in which a finely-divided species is combined with another species, with the former being so finely divided and mixed that it doesnt rapidly settle out. ... The tide is the regular rising and falling of the oceans surface caused by changes in gravitational forces external to the Earth. ... A wave is a disturbance that propagates, carrying energy. ... Weathering is the process of decomposition and/or disintegration of rocks in situ, that is, in place. ...

Related topics & articles

• Coral reefs
• Earth science
• Geography — Geology — Geomorphology
• How Long Is the Coast of Britain? Statistical Self-Similarity and Fractional Dimension
• Marine biology
• Ocean
• geography
• Coastal management

A reef surrounding an islet. ... 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. ... Geology (from Greek γη- (ge-, the earth) and λογος (logos, word, reason)) is the science and study of the Earth, its composition, structure, physical properties, history, and the processes that shape it. ... 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. ... Marine biology is the study of animal and plant life within waterbound ecosystems. ... Ocean (from Okeanos, a Greek god of sea and water; Greek ωκεανός) covers almost three quarters (71%) of the surface of the Earth, and nearly half of the worlds marine waters are over 3000 m deep. ... It has been suggested that Groynes be merged into this article or section. ...

Famous coasts

• Gold Coast (Ghana)
• Grain Coast (Liberia)
• Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
• Slave Coast (Benin)
• Skeleton Coast of Namibia
• Barbary Coast in the Maghreb, the coastal plain of North Africa
• Gold Coast, Australia
• Gold Coast, Florida and "Gold Coast" of Long Island, among other luxurious "Gold Coast" marine resorts
• Italian Riviera - Italy
• Jurassic Coast (England)
• West Coast, New Zealand
• East Coast of the United States
• West Coast of the United States
• Costa Brava and Costa del Sol, the Mediterranean coasts of Spain
• Côte d'Azur, the French Riviera of France
• Adriatic Coast of Croatia and neighbouring countries
• The North Slope of coastal Alaska