Types of Mountain : Formation, Characteristics, Diagram

Types of Mountain: Mountain formation refers to the geological processes and events that lead to the creation and development of mountains. Mountains are large landforms characterized by high elevation and often rugged terrain. There are many mechanisms and geological forces that contribute to mountain formation.

In this article, We have covered the types of mountains in Geography and how Mountains are formed with Examples and diagrams.

Let’s dive right in.

Types of Mountain

Types of Mountains in India

Here are the example of Volcanic Mountains, Fold Mountains, Block Mountains, Residual Mountains and Dome Mountains present in India as mentioned below.

Types Of The Mountains in India	Name Of The Mountains
Volcanic Mountains	The Barren Island in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is India’s only active volcano.
Fold Mountains	The Himalayan Range is a prime example of fold mountains.
Block Mountains	The Vindhya Range is an example of block mountains in India.
Residual Mountains	The Aravalli Range is an example of residual mountains.
Dome Mountains	The Nilgiri Hills in the southern part of India.

Types of Mountains

Mountains are formed by the movements of tectonic movements or volcanism. Depending upon the various internal and external activities of the Earth’s crust, there are five types of mountains as mentioned here:

1. Volcanic Mountains

The volcanic mountains form by the magma that erupts from the Earth’s core. The molten rocks go upward. It pushes the surface and forms a volcano. Lava and molten rocks create a layer during this time. Gradually this layer became cold as a cone-shaped structure as a volcanic mountain.

Volcanic Mountains

Example: Mount St. Helens in North America, Mount Kea and Mount Loa in Hawaii, Pico Teide in the Canary Islands and Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines.

Here are some characteristics of these mountains as mentioned below:

• It is a result of so many volcanic materials, like lava, ash, and molten rocks.
• They are conical in shape. The shape can be varied based on the type of eruption and materials.
• Volcanic mountains develop in the subduction zones. It is the place where tectonic plates collide together.
• Basalt, andesite, and rhyolite are common types of rocks found in these mountains.

2. Folded Mountains

Folded mountains are the highest-rising mountains on our planet. These are the most common types of mountains present on the Earth. As per the age, folded mountains are two types. Young folded mountains are 10 to 20 million years old. On the other side, old folded mountains are 25 million years old.

Folded Mountains

Examples: The Himalayas in Asia, The Alps in Europe, The Urals in Russia, The Rocky Mountains in North America and, The Andes in South America.

Here are some characteristics of these mountains as mentioned below:

• Folded mountains form when two or multiple tectonic plates collide together.
• The folded mountain formation happens due to orogeny that takes millions of years.
• The continental collision zones are the regions where the tectonic plates collide.
• The inward plate pushes the upward one and for that force, the rocks fold in the shape of mountains.
• Folded mountains are generally formed by sedimentary rocks.
• These mountains are high but narrow.

3. Block Mountains

Block Mountains are the direct result of the tectonic plate movements. The movement of tectonic plates pushes the rock up and down. The blocks have different names that participate in this movement. Upward block is known as horst and downward rock is graben. There are two types of block mountains. Lifted block mountains have two steep slopes whereas tilted block mountains have gentle slopes on one side only.

Block Mountains

Examples: The Harz Mountains in Germany and The Sierra Nevada Mountains in North America.

Here are some characteristics of these mountains as mentioned below:

• These mountains form at the broken and separated part of the Earth’s crust.
• Rock blocks move up and down to create summits and valleys.
• This type of mountain creation causes earthquakes.
• The slopes are rear and steep from the front side.

4. Dome Mountains

Dome mountains are not involved with the tectonic movements. In this mountain formation, the molten rocks or magma try to make its way to the surface but can not form a volcano. As a result, it became just like a hump as a mountain. Example: The Weald in southeast England and The Black Hills of South Dakota.

Dome Mountains

Here are some characteristics of these mountains as mentioned below:

• No tectonic movement is involved with this type of mountain formation.
• These mountains have very steep slopes.
• These mountains do not contain any sharp peaks.
• The upper layer of the dome mountains wares down by erosion due to water and airflow.

5. Residual Mountains

Residual mountains or erosional mountains are the result of the erosion and weathering of existing rock formations. These mountains are distinct in shape and feature, based on the erosional processes. Example: The Scottish Highlands, Scandanavian Mountains, and the landmass of the Balkan Peninsula.

Residual Mountains

Here are some characteristics of these mountains as mentioned below:

• No tectonic or volcanic force works in this process.
• These mountains have gentle slopes with a rounded dome.
• Ridges, plateaus, valleys, and exposed rock are the features of these mountains.

Major Mountain Ranges in India

A mountain range is a series of mountains that are the same in structure, formation, and alignment. Here, we have mentioned the major mountain ranges of India.

Major Mountain Ranges – India
Mountain Range	Location
Himalayas	Jammu and Kashmir Himachal Pradesh Uttarakhand Sikkim Arunachal Pradesh
Western Ghats	Western coast of India Maharashtra Goa Karnataka Kerala Tamil Nadu
Eastern Ghats	Odisha Andhra Pradesh Tamil Nadu Karnataka
Aravalli Range	Rajasthan Haryana Delhi
Vindhya Range	Madhya Pradesh Uttar Pradesh Chhattisgarh
Satpura Range	Madhya Pradesh Maharashtra
Nilgiri Hills	Tamil Nadu Karnataka Kerala
Anaimalai Hills	Tamil Nadu Kerala
Zanskar Range	Ladakh Jammu and Kashmir
Garhwal Himalayas	Uttarakhand
Pir Panjal Range	Jammu and Kashmir

Read More:

• Continental Drift Theory: Definition, Evidence, Limitations
• Tectonic Plates: Theory, Movement and Map

Interesting Facts About Mountains

Here are some imtresting facts about mountain as mentioned below:

• Mt. Everest is the tallest in the world.
• The Mid Atlantic Ridge is the longest underwater range in world.
• The Appalachian is the oldest mountain in the world.
• Mount Kilimanjaro (Africa) and Mount Fuji (Japan) are the volcanic in nature.
• Mount Everest is also known as open sky graveyard. There are so many people who are sleeping in peace there. Example: “Green Boots” and “Sleeping beauty”.

FAQs on Types of Mountain Formation

What are the different types of mountain formation?

Volcanic Mountains, Fold Mountains, Block Mountains, Residual Mountains and Dome Mountains are the different types of mountain formation.

What is the formation of mountains?

Mountains form where two continental plates collide.

What are the three main processes of mountain formation?

Volcanism, horizontal crustal shortening are the three main processes of mountain formation.

Which type of mountain is Aravali?

The Aravalli Range is a type of mountain known as “Fold Mountains.” Fold mountains are formed primarily by the folding of Earth’s crust due to tectonic plate movements, specifically when two continental plates collide.

What is the most common type of mountain formation?

Fold mountains are considered as the most common type of mountain formation.

Which is the oldest mountain in India?

The Aravali range is the oldest mountain in India.