Continental shelf

The true edge of a continent is not its coastline, but its continental shelf. Continental shelves continue underwater, and eventually, drop off into the deeper parts of the oceans.

This diagram shows the depths of different regions of the sea floor. The continental shelf is the relatively shallow seabed that extends from the coast. The continental slope is the steeply descending seabed between the continental shelf and the deep sea ...

Continental Shelf definition: A submerged border of a continent that slopes gradually and extends to a point of steeper descent to the ocean bottom.

If you are looking for information about the continental shelf, we have it covered for you here. Along with some interesting facts, there is a detailed diagram of the shelf that will make it easier for you to understand this component of the Earth's continental crust.

Oceanography: The study of Earth’s oceans. The Ocean Floor Oceanography: The study of Earth’s oceans. 1. Continental Margin Abyssal Plain 2. Deep-Ocean Basin 7. Rift Valley 3. Continental Shelf 8. Mid-Ocean Ridges 4. Continental Slope Ocean Trench 5. Continental Rise Seamount

continental shelf, a broad, relatively shallow submarine terrace of continental crust forming the edge of a continental landmass. The geology of continental shelves is often similar to that of the adjacent exposed portion of the continent, and most shelves have a gently rolling topography called ridge and swale. Continental shelves make up about 8 percent of the entire area covered by oceans. A continental shelf typically extends from the coast to depths of 100–200 metres (330–660 feet). It…

Continental Shelf: A shallow, gently sloping area of the ocean floor, at the edge of a continent.

Earth is the only one of the eight planets in the solar system that is known to have an appreciable amount of water on its surface. About 71 percent of Earth’s surface is…

The map labels North Sea continental shelf features.

Russia has scored an important scientific point in its quest to declare vast swaths of the Arctic as part of its extended continental shelf in the rapidly melting northern ocean, according to Russian officials. The United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf has declared that t