Coast

image:Coast8876.jpg
A coastal image featured on a United States postal stamp.

A coast is that part of an island or continent that borders an ocean, gulf, sea, or large lake. In geology and physical geography, the coast extends inland from the shoreline. The terms coast and coastal refer to the condition of being located on or near a coast. For example, Los Angeles is a coastal city; California, Oregon, and Washington are on the West Coast.

Table of contents

1 Coastal topics

1.1 Types of coast
1.2 Coastal landforms & features
1.3 Processes

2 Related topics & articles

Coastal topics

Coastal topics provides links to Wikipedia articles on coastal features as well as features and subjects that influence the coast (for example waves, coral reefs) that technically are part of the adjacent marine or lacustrine environment.

Coastal defenses
Coastal management

Types of coast

emergent coastline - coast has risen or sea level has fallen from previous level.
submergent coastline - coast has fallen or sea level has risen from previous level.
concordant coastline - rock bands run parallel to shore.
discordant coastline - rock bands run perpendicular to shore.

Coastal landforms & features

arch -- archipelago
bar -- barrier island -- bay -- beach -- boondock
cape -- cave -- cliff -- cove
delta -- dune system
estuary
fjord
gulf
headland
island -- island arc
lagoon
mud flat
peninsula
raised beach -- ria
salt marsh -- sea -- spit -- stack -- stump
tombolo
wave cut cliff -- wave cut notch -- wave cut platform

Processes

attrition
currentss
denudation -- deposition
erosion
flooding
saltation -- sea level change (eustatic -- isostatic) -- sedimentation -- sediment transportation -- solution -- sub-aerial processes -- suspention
tides
waves -- weathering