Canyon Totally Explained

Everything about Canyon totally explained

ť For the song, see CANYON.MID. For the band, see Canyon (band).

A canyon (rarely cañon) or gorge is a deep valley between cliffs often carved from the landscape by a river. Most canyons were formed by a process of long-time erosion from a plateau level. The cliffs form because harder rock strata that are 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 sandstones or granite. Submarine canyons 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's also used in some parts of the United States and Canada. The military derived word defile is occasionally used in England.
   A famous example is the Grand Canyon in Arizona. In the southwestern United States, canyons are important archeologically because of the many cliff-dwellings 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 rivers, because they're unable to easily alter their course. The 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, 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 plateaus (which have a somewhat well-defined rim elevation).
The Yarlung Tsangpo Canyon, along the 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's regarded by many as the world's largest canyon, followed by the Kali Gandaki Gorge in Nepal, Polung Tsangpo Canyon in Tibet, Cotahuasi Canyon (3,535 m deep and the deepest in the Americas), and the Tekezé gorge (2000m+ deep and deepest in Africa). Slot canyons are very narrow canyons, often with smooth walls.

Other well-known canyons

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

Canhão da Nazaré, Portugal

Canyon Guartelá in Tibagi, Brazil

Sumidero Canyon in Chiapas, Mexico

Cataract Gorge in 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

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 located in the Đerdap national park in Serbia

Itaimbezinho in Cambará do Sul, Brazil

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 in California, USA

Vikos Gorge in Greece 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.(External Link

) The 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 Venus has many craters and canyons on its surface. The troughs on the planet are part of a system of canyons that's more than 6 400 km long.

Further Information

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