This page lists 56 geological features that start with E, from “Earthquake” to “Ekati Kimberlite Pipes”. The list covers mountains, volcanoes, deserts, caves, rocks, minerals and parts of the geologic time scale. It is useful for students, travelers, rock collectors and anyone curious about how Earth works and where its most striking places are.
Geological features are the natural landforms, rocks, minerals and processes that shape the planet’s surface and interior. They range from tiny crystals to entire mountain ranges. Mount Everest, for example, is still rising by a few millimeters each year as India pushes into Asia.
Below you’ll find the table with the feature name, region, characteristics and description for each entry.
Feature: The name of each geological feature, listed alphabetically, so you can quickly find a specific landform, rock, mineral or process you want to learn about.
Region: Where in the world you can find the feature, from a single country to worldwide, which helps you plan a visit or place it on a map.
Characteristics: A short summary of what makes the feature stand out, such as its size, shape or origin, so you can compare entries at a glance.
Description: A plain-language explanation of what the feature is, how it forms and why it matters, giving you the key facts without technical jargon.
Geological features
| Feature | Region | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Earthquake | Worldwide, especially plate boundaries | Sudden ground shaking from fault movement |
| Epicenter | Worldwide | Surface point above an earthquake’s origin |
| Erosion | Worldwide | Gradual wearing away of rock and soil |
| Esker | Glaciated regions such as Canada, Scandinavia and Ireland | Long, winding ridge of sand and gravel |
| Estuary | Coastlines worldwide | Where a river meets the sea, brackish water |
| Escarpment | Worldwide | Long, steep slope or cliff |
| Eruption | Volcanic regions worldwide | Release of lava, ash and gas |
| Erratic | Glaciated regions | Boulder carried far from its source |
| Extrusive Rock | Volcanic regions worldwide | Formed from cooled lava at the surface |
| Epicontinental Sea | Ancient continental interiors | Shallow sea over a continent |
| Eolian Deposit | Deserts and coastlines | Sediment laid down by wind |
| Eolian Dune | Deserts and coastal areas | Wind-built sand mound |
| Exfoliation Dome | Yosemite (USA), Brazil, Australia | Smooth, rounded rock peak that sheds layers |
| Exfoliation | Worldwide | Rock peeling away in curved sheets |
| Erg | Sahara (Africa), Arabian Peninsula | Vast sea of windblown sand |
| Erg Chebbi | Morocco | Giant dunes up to about 500 feet |
| Erg Chigaga | Morocco | Remote dune field |
| Erebus, Mount | Antarctica | Active volcano with a persistent lava lake |
| Etna, Mount | Sicily, Italy | Europe’s tallest active volcano |
| Elbrus, Mount | Caucasus, Russia | Highest peak in Europe at about 18,510 feet |
| Everest, Mount | Nepal and China (Tibet) | Highest mountain on Earth at about 29,032 feet |
| Eiger | Bernese Alps, Switzerland | Steep limestone peak with a famous north face |
| Erta Ale | Afar Region, Ethiopia | Shield volcano with a long-lived lava lake |
| Ebeko | Kuril Islands, Russia | Active stratovolcano |
| El Chichón | Chiapas, Mexico | Explosive volcano with a crater lake |
| El Capitan | Yosemite, California, USA | 3,000-foot granite monolith |
| El Misti | Arequipa, Peru | Symmetrical stratovolcano |
| El Teide | Tenerife, Canary Islands | Third-tallest volcano on Earth from its ocean base |
| Ellesmere Island | Nunavut, Canada | Mountainous Arctic island |
| Eifel Volcanic Field | Germany | Maar lakes and extinct volcanoes |
| Ennedi Plateau | Chad | Sandstone arches and canyons |
| Ennedi Arch | Chad | Natural sandstone arch |
| Erupting Geyser | Iceland, USA, New Zealand | Periodic jet of hot water and steam |
| Echo Cave | Worldwide | Cave with strong sound reflection |
| Eisriesenwelt | Austria | World’s largest ice cave |
| Ellison’s Cave | Georgia, USA | Deep vertical cave system |
| Ear of the Dragon Rock | Worldwide | Eroded rock formation |
| Eocene Formation | Worldwide | Rock layers from 56 to 34 million years ago |
| Eon | Geologic time scale | Largest division of geologic time |
| Era | Geologic time scale | Major division of geologic time |
| Epoch | Geologic time scale | Subdivision of a geologic period |
| Evaporite | Dry basins and seas worldwide | Rock formed as water evaporates |
| Emerald | Colombia, Zambia, Brazil | Green variety of beryl |
| Epidote | Worldwide | Green silicate mineral |
| Enstatite | Worldwide, meteorites | Magnesium-rich pyroxene mineral |
| Eclogite | Mountain belts worldwide | Dense, high-pressure metamorphic rock |
| Epicentral Zone | Worldwide | Area around earthquake epicenter |
| East African Rift | East Africa | Continental rift splitting the continent |
| East Pacific Rise | Eastern Pacific Ocean | Fast-spreading mid-ocean ridge |
| Emperor Seamounts | North Pacific Ocean | Chain of undersea volcanoes |
| Eyjafjallajökull | Iceland | Ice-capped volcano |
| Everglades | Florida, USA | Flat limestone wetland |
| Edwards Plateau | Texas, USA | Limestone plateau with caves and springs |
| Elephant Rocks | Missouri, USA | Giant rounded granite boulders |
| Enchanted Rock | Texas, USA | Huge pink granite dome |
| Ekati Kimberlite Pipes | Northwest Territories, Canada | Diamond-bearing volcanic pipes |
Descriptions
Earthquake
Shaking of the ground caused by a sudden release of stress along a fault. Most occur near plate boundaries such as the Pacific Ring of Fire.
Epicenter
The point on Earth’s surface directly above where an earthquake begins underground. It is usually where shaking is strongest.
Erosion
The process by which wind, water, ice and gravity wear away rock and soil and carry it elsewhere. It shapes valleys, coastlines and canyons over time.
Esker
A snaking ridge of sand and gravel left behind by a stream that flowed in a tunnel beneath a glacier. Eskers can stretch for many miles.
Estuary
A partly enclosed coastal area where fresh river water mixes with salty seawater. Estuaries are rich habitats and often shaped by tides.
Escarpment
A long, steep slope that separates two areas of different elevation, often formed by faulting or erosion. The Niagara Escarpment is a well-known example.
Eruption
The release of molten rock, ash and gas from a volcano. Eruptions range from gentle lava flows to explosive blasts.
Erratic
A rock that was carried by a glacier and dropped far from where it originated. Erratics often look out of place in the surrounding landscape.
Extrusive Rock
Igneous rock that forms when lava cools quickly on Earth’s surface. Basalt and rhyolite are common examples.
Epicontinental Sea
A shallow sea that covers part of a continent’s interior. The Western Interior Seaway of North America was one in the Cretaceous.
Eolian Deposit
Sand or dust carried and deposited by wind. Dunes and loess are typical eolian deposits.
Eolian Dune
A hill of sand piled up by the wind. Dunes slowly migrate as wind moves grains up one side and over the crest.
Exfoliation Dome
A rounded rock dome formed as outer sheets of rock peel away as pressure is released. Half Dome and Sugarloaf Mountain are examples.
Exfoliation
A weathering process in which curved layers of rock flake off the surface. It often happens when buried rock is exposed and expands.
Erg
A large area of desert covered in wind-blown sand dunes. The Sahara contains several, such as Erg Chebbi in Morocco.
Erg Chebbi
A dune field in the Moroccan Sahara with some of the tallest dunes in the region. It is a popular spot for camel treks.
Erg Chigaga
A large, remote field of Saharan sand dunes in southern Morocco. It stretches for many miles and is harder to reach than Erg Chebbi.
Erebus, Mount
The southernmost active volcano on Earth, on Ross Island. It has a long-lived lava lake in its summit crater.
Etna, Mount
A very active stratovolcano on the east coast of Sicily. It erupts often and stands about 10,900 feet high.
Elbrus, Mount
A dormant volcano with twin summits, usually counted as Europe’s highest mountain. It is covered by glaciers.
Everest, Mount
The tallest mountain above sea level, in the Himalayas. It continues to rise slightly as India pushes into Asia.
Eiger
A mountain of about 13,000 feet in the Swiss Alps. Its sheer north face is among the most famous climbing challenges.
Erta Ale
A basaltic volcano in the Danakil Depression with one of the few persistent lava lakes in the world.
Ebeko
A frequently erupting volcano on Paramushir Island. It regularly sends ash plumes into the sky.
El Chichón
A volcano whose 1982 eruption was among Mexico’s deadliest. It now holds an acidic crater lake.
El Capitan
A huge granite cliff in Yosemite Valley, about 3,000 feet from base to summit. It is a famous destination for rock climbers.
El Misti
A cone-shaped volcano of about 19,100 feet that overlooks the city of Arequipa. It is considered active.
El Teide
A large volcano of about 12,200 feet, the highest peak in Spain. It sits inside an older caldera.
Ellesmere Island
A large Arctic island with ice caps, glaciers and rugged mountains. It is one of the northernmost lands on Earth.
Eifel Volcanic Field
A volcanic region in western Germany with many maar craters, some filled with lakes. Its youngest eruptions occurred around 11,000 years ago.
Ennedi Plateau
A sandstone plateau in the Sahara with natural arches, rock formations and ancient rock art. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Ennedi Arch
One of many large natural arches carved by wind and water in the Ennedi Plateau. Aloba Arch is among the largest in the world.
Erupting Geyser
A hot spring that periodically shoots water and steam into the air. Heated groundwater under pressure drives the eruption.
Echo Cave
A cave whose walls and chambers reflect sound clearly. Several caves around the world carry the name because of their echoes.
Eisriesenwelt
A cave system in the Austrian Alps stretching over 26 miles, with the first mile or so covered in ice formations.
Ellison’s Cave
A cave on Pigeon Mountain featuring Fantastic Pit, one of the deepest drops in the contiguous United States.
Ear of the Dragon Rock
Wind and water erosion often carve odd rock shapes, which people sometimes name for their resemblance to animals or body parts.
Eocene Formation
Layers of rock deposited during the Eocene epoch. They often contain fossils of early whales, horses and primates.
Eon
The longest unit of geologic time, spanning hundreds of millions to billions of years. Earth’s history is split into four eons.
Era
A division of geologic time smaller than an eon, such as the Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic.
Epoch
A unit of geologic time shorter than a period. The Eocene and Holocene are two examples.
Evaporite
A sedimentary rock such as salt or gypsum that forms when mineral-rich water evaporates and leaves minerals behind.
Emerald
A bright green gemstone colored by traces of chromium or vanadium. It forms in veins and metamorphic rocks.
Epidote
A common yellow-green mineral found in metamorphic and igneous rocks. It often forms attractive crystals.
Enstatite
A rock-forming mineral found in volcanic rocks and many meteorites. It is a major component of Earth’s upper mantle.
Eclogite
A rock made of green and red minerals that forms at great depth under high pressure. It marks places where oceanic crust sank deep into Earth.
Epicentral Zone
The region closest to an earthquake’s epicenter, where shaking and damage are usually greatest.
East African Rift
A long zone where Africa is slowly pulling apart. It contains volcanoes, deep lakes and steep valley walls.
East Pacific Rise
An underwater ridge where the Pacific plate moves away from other plates. It has some of the fastest seafloor spreading rates on Earth.
Emperor Seamounts
A line of ancient volcanic seamounts extending north from the Hawaiian chain. They record the movement of the Pacific plate.
Eyjafjallajökull
A volcano under a glacier whose 2010 eruption sent ash across Europe and disrupted air travel for days.
Everglades
A broad, shallow wetland on flat limestone bedrock. Slow-moving water flows across it in a wide river of grass.
Edwards Plateau
A large limestone upland in central Texas with many caverns, springs and canyons.
Elephant Rocks
Large granite boulders lined up like elephants, weathered from 1.5 billion-year-old rock.
Enchanted Rock
A large dome of pink granite in the Texas Hill Country, known for creaking and groaning sounds as it cools at night.
Ekati Kimberlite Pipes
Narrow vertical pipes of volcanic rock that brought diamonds up from deep in Earth to the surface.