A peninsula [1] [2] is a landform that extends from a mainland and is surrounded by water on most sides. [3] [4] [5] Peninsulas exist on all continents. [6] [2] The largest peninsula in the world is the Arabian Peninsula. [7] [8]
The word peninsula derives from Latin paeninsula, from paene 'almost' and insula 'island'. The word entered English in the 16th century. [3]
A peninsula is generally defined as a piece of land surrounded on most sides by water. [5] [9]
A peninsula may be bordered by more than one body of water, and the body of water does not have to be an ocean or a sea. [10] A piece of land on a very tight river bend or one between two rivers is sometimes said to form a peninsula, for example in the New Barbadoes Neck in New Jersey, United States. [5] A peninsula may be connected to the mainland via an isthmus, for example, in the Isthmus of Corinth which connects to the Peloponnese peninsula. [11]
Peninsulas can be formed from continental drift, glacial erosion, glacial meltwater, glacial deposition, marine sediment, marine transgressions, volcanoes, divergent boundaries or river sedimentation. [12] More than one factor may play into the formation of a peninsula. For example, in the case of Florida, continental drift, marine sediment, and marine transgressions were all contributing factors to its shape. [13]
In the case of formation from glaciers (e.g., the Antarctic Peninsula or Cape Cod), peninsulas can be created due to glacial erosion, meltwater or deposition. [14] If erosion formed the peninsula, softer and harder rocks were present, and since the glacier only erodes softer rock, it formed a basin. [14] This may create peninsulas, and occurred for example in the Keweenaw Peninsula. [14]
In the case of formation from meltwater, melting glaciers deposit sediment and form moraines, which act as dams for the meltwater. [14] This may create bodies of water that surround the land, forming peninsulas. [14]
If deposition formed the peninsula, the peninsula was composed of sedimentary rock, which was created from a large deposit of glacial drift. [15] [16] The hill of drift becomes a peninsula if the hill formed near water but was still connected to the mainland, for example during the formation of Cape Cod about 23,000 years ago. [17] [18]
In the case of formation from volcanoes, when a volcano erupts magma near water, it may form a peninsula (e.g., the Alaskan Peninsula). [15] Peninsulas formed from volcanoes are especially common when the volcano erupts near shallow water. [19] Marine sediment may form peninsulas by the creation of limestone. [20] A rift peninsula may form as a result of a divergent boundary in plate tectonics (e.g. the Arabian Peninsula), [21] [22] while a convergent boundary may also form peninsulas (e.g. Gibraltar or the Indian subcontinent). [23] Peninsulas can also form due to sedimentation in rivers. When a river carrying sediment flows into an ocean, the sediment is deposited, forming a delta peninsula. [24]
Marine transgressions (changes in sea level) may form peninsulas, but also may affect existing peninsulas. For example, the water level may change, which causes a peninsula to become an island during high water levels. [25] Similarly, wet weather causing higher water levels make peninsulas appear smaller, while dry weather make them appear larger. [26] Sea level rise from global warming will permanently reduce the size of some peninsulas over time. [27]
Peninsulas are noted for their use as shelter for humans and Neanderthals. [28] The landform is advantageous because it gives hunting access to both land and sea animals. [28]They can also serve as markers of a nation's borders. [29]