Canyon 78478 224368414 2008-07-08T15:27:59Z BOTarate 5870361 robot Adding: [[gl:Canón (orografía)]] :''For the song, see [[CANYON.MID]]. For the band, see [[Canyon (band)]].'' [[image:Grand_Canyon.jpg.jpg|right|thumb|[[Grand Canyon]], [[Arizona]]]] [[Image:Noravank_with_cliffs-DCP_0186.JPG|thumb|300px|right|[[Noravank Monastery]] complex and canyon in [[Armenia]].]] A '''canyon''' (rarely '''''cañon''''') or '''gorge''' is a deep valley between [[cliff]]s often carved from the landscape by a [[river]]. Most canyons were formed by a process of long-time [[erosion]] from a [[plateau]] level. The [[cliff]]s form because harder [[rock (geology)|rock]] strata that are [[resistance (geology)|resistant]] to erosion and weathering remain exposed on the valley walls. Canyons are much more common in arid areas than in wetter areas because weathering has a greater effect in arid zones. Canyon walls are often formed of resistant [[sandstone]]s or [[granite]]. [[Submarine canyon]]s are those which form underwater, generally at the mouths of rivers. The word ''canyon'' is Spanish in origin (''cañón''). The word ''canyon'' is generally used in the [[United States]], while the word ''gorge'' is more common in [[Europe]] and [[Oceania]], though it is also used in some parts of the United States and [[Canada]]. The military derived word ''[[defile (geography)|defile]]'' is occasionally used in England. A famous example is the [[Grand Canyon]] in [[Arizona]]. In the southwestern United States, canyons are important [[archeology|archeologically]] because of the many [[cliff-dwelling]]s built there, largely by the earlier inhabitants, [[Ancient Pueblo Peoples]]. Sometimes large rivers run through canyons as the result of gradual geologic uplift. These are called [[entrenched river]]s, because they are unable to easily alter their course. The [[Colorado River (U.S.)|Colorado River]] and the [[Snake River]] in the northwestern [[United States]] are two examples of [[tectonic uplift]]. Canyons often form in areas of [[limestone]] rock. Limestone is to a certain extent soluble, so [[cave]] systems form in the rock. When these collapse a canyon is left, for example in the [[Mendip Hills]] in [[Somerset]] and [[Yorkshire Dales]] in [[Yorkshire]], [[England]]. ==Largest canyons== *[[Grand Canyon]] in [[Arizona]], [[USA]] *[[Copper Canyon]] in [[Chihuahua State|Chihuahua]], [[Mexico]] The definition of "largest canyon" is rather imprecise, as a canyon can be "large" by its depth, length, or the total area of the canyon system. Also the inaccessibility of the major canyons in the [[Himalaya]] contributes to their not being regarded as candidates for the biggest canyon. The definition of "deepest canyon" is similarly imprecise, especially if one includes mountain canyons as well as canyons cut through relatively flat [[plateau]]s (which have a somewhat well-defined rim elevation). The [[Yarlung Tsangpo Canyon]], along the [[Yarlung Tsangpo River (Tibet)|Yarlung Tsangpo River]] in [[Tibet]], [[China]], is regarded by some as the deepest canyon in the world, and is even slightly longer than Grand Canyon. Hence it is regarded by many as the world's largest canyon, followed by the [[Kali Gandaki|Kali Gandaki Gorge]]<ref name="kali_gandaki_deepest">If one measures the depth of a canyon by the difference between the river height and the heights of the highest peaks on either side, the Kali Gandaki Gorge is the world's deepest. The portion of the river between the [[Dhaulagiri]] and [[Annapurna]] massifs is at an elevation of between 1300 metres and 2600 metres, 5500 to 6800 metres lower than the two peaks. See ''Annapurna'' (1:100,000 map), Nepal-Kartenwerk der Arbeitgemeinschaft für vergleichende Hochgebirgsforschung Nr. 9, Nelles Verlag, Munich, 1993. Also see [http://earth.google.com Google Earth].</ref> in [[Nepal]], [[Polung Tsangpo Canyon]] in Tibet, [[Cotahuasi Canyon]] (3,535 m deep and the deepest in the Americas), and the [[Tekezé River|Tekezé gorge]] (2000m+ deep and deepest in Africa).<ref>{{PDFlink| Ethiopia's Water Dilemma http://www.internationalrivers.org/en/africa/world-rivers-review-vol-21-no-4-august-2006-focus-africa]|1.58&nbsp;[[Mebibyte|MiB]]<!-- application/pdf, 1660869 bytes -->}}</ref> [[Slot canyon]]s are very narrow canyons, often with smooth walls. ==Other well-known canyons== [[Image:Gorges of Ak-SHur.jpg|thumb|Gorges of Ak-Shur.]] *[[Avon Gorge]] in [[Bristol]], [[England]] *[[Blyde River Canyon]] in [[Mpumalanga]], [[South Africa]] *[[Black Canyon of the Gunnison]], [[Colorado]], [[USA]] *[[Canyon Fortaleza]] in [[Cambará do Sul]], [[Brazil]] *[[Nazare Canyon |Canhão da Nazaré]], [[Portugal]] *[[Canyon Guartelá]] in [[Tibagi]], [[Brazil]] *[[Sumidero Canyon]] in [[Chiapas]], [[Mexico]] *[[Cataract Gorge]] in [[Launceston, Tasmania|Launceston]], [[Australia]] *[[Cheddar Gorge]] in [[Somerset]], [[England]] *[[Colca Canyon]] along the [[Colca River]] in [[Arequipa]], [[Peru]] one of the deepest canyons in the world with 3269 [[meters]]. *[[Columbia River Gorge]] in the [[Pacific Northwest]] of America. *[[Cotahuasi Canyon]] along the [[Cotahuasi River]] in [[Arequipa]], [[Peru]], the deepest canyon in the world with 3535 [[meters]]. *[[Fish River Canyon]] in [[Namibia]] *[[Glen Nevis]] in [[Lochaber]], [[Scotland]] *[[Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania]] located in the [[Tioga State Forest]] in [[Pennsylvania]], [[USA]] *[[Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone]] located within [[Yellowstone National Park]] in [[Wyoming]], [[USA]] *[[Verdon Gorge|Grand Canyon du Verdon]] in [[Provence]], [[France]] *[[Gorges d'Ardèche]], in [[France]] *[[Gorges du Tarn]] in [[France]] *[[Hells Canyon]] in [[Idaho]] and [[Oregon]], [[USA]] *[[Ironbridge Gorge]] in [[Shropshire]], [[England]] *[[Iron Gate (Danube)|Iron Gate]] located in the [[Đerdap national park]] in [[Serbia]] *[[Itaimbezinho]] in [[Cambará do Sul]], [[Brazil]] *[[Kloof|Kloof Gorge]] in [[Kloof]], [[South Africa]] *[[Komati Gorge]], South Africa *[[Lanner Gorge]], South Africa *[[Malacara]] in Praia Grande, [[Brazil]] *[[Nine Mile Canyon]] in eastern [[Utah]], [[USA]] *[[Palo Duro Canyon]] in [[Texas]], [[USA]] *[[Pankisi Gorge]] in [[Georgia (country)]] *[[Red River Gorge]] in [[Kentucky]], [[USA]] *[[Royal Gorge]] in [[Colorado]], [[USA]] *[[Samaria Gorge]] in [[Crete]], [[Greece]] *[[São Francisco River Canyon]], [[Brazil]] *[[Tara River Canyon]] in [[Montenegro]] *[[Taroko Gorge]] in [[Taiwan]] *[[Three Gorges]] in [[China]] *[[Kings Canyon National Park|Kings Canyon]] in [[California]], [[USA]] *[[Vikos Gorge]] in [[Greece]] *[[Galston Gorge]] in [[NSW]], [[Australia]] Other lesser-known canyon systems include: *[[Black Dragon Canyon]] in [[Utah]], [[USA]] *[[Manawatu Gorge]] in Manawatu, North Island [[New Zealand]] *[[Swaan River]] makes many gorges in [[Pothohar]] plateau [[Pakistan]]. *Four canyons in the [[Nahanni]], [[Canada]], the largest being 19km long and 1.2km deep.[http://www.chrs.ca/Rivers/SouthNahanni/SouthNahanni-F_e.htm] The [[Blue Mountains (Australia)|Blue Mountains]] west of [[Sydney]] in [[New South Wales]], [[Australia]] contain many ==Canyons on other planetary bodies== *[[Valles Marineris]] on [[Mars]] is the largest known canyon in the solar system *[[Ithaca Chasma]] on [[Saturn]]'s moon [[Tethys (moon)|Tethys]] Venus has many craters and canyons on its surface. The troughs on the planet are part of a system of canyons that is more than 6&nbsp;400&nbsp;km long. ==See also== *[[Canyoning]] *[[Earth science]] *[[Geology]] *[[Geomorphology]] *[[Gully]] *[[Landform|List of landforms]] *[[Ravine]] ==Notes== {{reflist}} [[Category:Canyons and gorges| ]] [[bg:Каньон]] [[cs:Kaňon]] [[da:Kløft]] [[de:Canyon]] [[et:Kanjon]] [[es:Cañón (geomorfología)]] [[eo:Kanjono]] [[fr:Canyon]] [[gl:Canón (orografía)]] [[id:Ngarai]] [[it:Gola (geografia)]] [[he:קניון (עמק)]] [[lt:Kanjonas]] [[nl:Kloof]] [[ja:峡谷]] [[no:Canyon]] [[pl:Przełom rzeki]] [[pt:Cânion]] [[ro:Defileu]] [[ru:Каньон]] [[simple:Canyon]] [[fi:Kanjoni]] [[sv:Kanjon]] [[tr:Kanyon]] [[zh:峡谷]]