What is the cape and dune?

The word "cape" is found in the logbook of anytraveler. Columbus, Vasco da Gama, Magellan and other navigators of different times carefully examined the capes from afar, reached them, rounded and left on land to explore the terrain. What is the cape in geography?

Description

What is the cape? This is part of the land (mountain, arrow, lapta), outstanding sharp end in the sea, river, lake. More often it is composed of the same rocks as the continent, but can have the character of sediment. Cape is formed due to erosion processes (destruction of rocks and soils by water). The protrusions soften the energy of waves directed to the main land, while gradually changing their form, sometimes becoming a cave or arch.

Sometimes the ledges are so large that they resemble a partsushi, washed on three sides by the water. For example, the Crimean riddle Cape Meganom is also called a mountainous peninsula on the peninsula, since it is composed of several capes. Apparently, for resemblance to the respiratory organ acting on the face, the inhabitants of the former European part of the Soviet Union, the Far East and Siberians call the cape a "nose".

Extreme points of Russia

What is the cape, where are the most famousthe extreme protrusions of the continents, what are they famous for? About this you can write a lot, because all the capes are difficult even to list: Green, Almadi, Horn, Nordkin, Piai, Cabo Branco, Frouord, Byron, Dezhneva, Chelyuskin - everyone has their own interesting story.

For example, Cape Dezhnev - the extreme easternthe mainland point of Eurasia, was first achieved in 1648 by the expedition of Semyon Dezhnev. It is proved that America is not connected with Eurasia, and the northern seas around Siberia will bring people from Europe to China. Before the cape received the name of the Russian traveler Dezhnev, he was called the "Great Chukchi nose".

Cape Chelyuskin (Taimyr peninsula) is the most northernthe point of Eurasia. It was opened by the expedition of the Russian polar explorer Semyon Chelyuskin in 1742. Prior to the assignment of the current name was the Eastern North. In 1919, the Norwegian polar explorer Rual Amundsen visited here. Thinking that he would perish, the forwarder decided to hide the information obtained in the voyage on the cape. To do this, built a guri (a pyramid of stones).

Cape of Good Hope

What is the Cape of Good Hope? This "wedge", which for a long time was considered the southern tip of Africa. But it turned out that this is not so. In 155 kilometers to the south-east of it is Cape Agulh, which is that extreme point. But in the textbooks of geography much more and more often they describe the Cape of Good Hope. It is believed that it is the south-western outskirts of Africa (although there is an opinion that the right to be so named belongs to the Cape Point protrusion).

In any case, the opening of the Portuguesenavigator Bartolomeu Dias, made in 1488, can not be overestimated. With the Cape of Good Hope the world has come a new trade route to India, one that goes around the African continent.

It is noteworthy that Dyash found himself at the cape in spite oftheir original plans. The terrible storms disoriented the ship. Impressed by the experience, the discoverer wanted to name his discovery Cape Storm. But the King of Portugal, João II, felt that this might hamper the further development of the sea route to India, and decided, though better, the cape bears the name of the Good Hope.

Movement of sand

Let's talk about land, for example, about sandyhills and dunes. This positive form of relief is formed under the influence of winds. The windward side is a low hill with a steepness of up to 15 degrees. Leeward, in turn, reaches 35 degrees. If the dune stands alone, it looks like a sickle whose edges are like horns.

However, in sand deserts, single hills -a rarity, mostly merged chains. The slope of each is the same as that of a single one. The edges of the dune grow into greenery and are fixed. A powerful loose part continues to move. Unlike these sandy "travelers", the dunes are located in a convex part to the wind, they are moving not the middle, but the edges.

Dunes often occupy the territory of sandy beaches indifferent soil and vegetation zones. They move in the direction of the water at a speed of up to 20 meters per year, falling asleep roads, fields. To stop them, you need strengthening work.

Now you know what the dune and cape are and do not confuse them with other geographical concepts and terms.