Massif (Redirected from Mountain massif)

A massif in Ukraine.

A massif (/mæˈsiːf/ or /ˈmæsɪf/) is simply a principal mountain mass, for example, a compact portion of a mountain range, containing one or more summits (See for example, France's Massif Central.). In mountaineering literature, a massif is frequently used to denote the main mass of an individual mountain.

As a purely scientific term in geology, however, a "massif" is separately and more specifically defined as a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by faults or flexures. In the movement of the crust, a massif tends to retain its internal structure while being displaced as a whole. A massif is a smaller structural unit than a tectonic plate, and is considered the fourth-largest driving force in geomorphology.

The word "massif" is taken from French (in which the word also means "massive"), where it is used to refer to a large mountain mass or compact group of connected mountains forming an independent portion of a range. The Face on Mars is an example of an extraterrestrial massif. Massifs may also form underwater, as with the Atlantis Massif.

List of massifs

Africa

Algeria

Antarctica

Asia

India

Iran

Kazakhstan

Europe

Aerial view of Mont Blanc massif, an example of a massif and also the highest summit in the Alps.
Panorama of Pirin Mountain massif, Bulgaria
Gran Sasso d'Italia massif seen from an airplane. Part of the Apennine Mountains, it is located in the Abruzzo region of Italy.

France

Italy

United Kingdom

North America

Canada

British Columbia

United States

Oceania

Caribbean

South America

Submerged


This page was last updated at 2023-10-24 03:57 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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