Landforms
The Grand Canyon
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A steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River through northern Arizona, exposing nearly two billion years of rock strata in its walls and ranking among the deepest river-cut canyons in the world. Its scale and the clarity of its exposed geological layers have made it one of the most studied landforms in North America.
Facts
Area (sq km)Grand Canyon National Park's area, the standard cited extent of the canyon and its rims. Highest Elevation (m)Point Imperial on the North Rim, the canyon's highest point. Maximum Depth (m) Cross-Tradition Connections
Associated With
The Grand Canyon was carved by the Colorado River.
Demonstrates
The canyon walls expose a visible sequence of sedimentary rock layers, a textbook illustration of the rock cycle's sedimentary half.
On Continent
Shaped By
The canyon's depth is the product of sustained fluvial erosion by the Colorado River system over millions of years.
Sources
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