This page lists 33 geological features that start with K, running from “Karst” to “Kuiseb Canyon.” The list covers glacial landforms, volcanoes, mountains, canyons, waterfalls and even a deep drill hole. Geologists use these features to read Earth’s history, while travelers, hikers and photographers visit many of them for their scenery.
Geological features are the natural landforms and rock structures that shape the surface of our planet. Some are famous worldwide, like “Mount Kilimanjaro,” while others are quieter, like the “Kola Superdeep Borehole,” which reached more than 40,000 feet into the crust.
Below you’ll find the table with the feature, region, characteristics and description for each entry.
Feature: The name of each landform, volcano, mountain or rock structure, so you can quickly find the one you want to learn about.
Region: The country or area where you can find the feature, which helps you plan a visit or compare places around the world.
Characteristics: A short summary of what makes the feature stand out, such as its shape, height, age or type of rock.
Description: A plain explanation of how the feature formed and why it matters, giving you the key facts without technical jargon.
Geological features
| Feature | Region | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Karst | Worldwide (e.g., Slovenia, southern China, Florida) | Dissolved limestone landscape with caves and sinkholes |
| Kame | Glaciated regions of North America and Europe | Mound of sand and gravel left by glacial meltwater |
| Kame terrace | Glaciated valleys of North America and northern Europe | Flat-topped ridge along a valley side |
| Kettle | Glaciated regions such as Wisconsin and Scandinavia | Bowl-shaped depression left by buried ice |
| Kettle lake | Minnesota, Wisconsin, Canada, northern Europe | Small, round, often deep lake |
| Karren | Limestone regions such as the Burren in Ireland | Grooved and fluted limestone surface |
| Kipuka | Hawaii | Island of older land surrounded by lava |
| Klippe | Alps, Appalachians, Scottish Highlands | Isolated remnant of a thrust sheet |
| Kimberlite pipe | South Africa, Siberia, Canada | Vertical volcanic conduit, diamond-bearing |
| Komatiite | Canada, Australia, South Africa | Very old, magnesium-rich volcanic rock |
| Kīlauea | Hawaii, USA | Active shield volcano, frequent eruptions |
| Krakatoa | Sunda Strait, Indonesia | Volcanic island, caldera |
| Mount Kilimanjaro | Tanzania | Dormant stratovolcano, highest peak in Africa |
| Klyuchevskaya Sopka | Kamchatka, Russia | Highest active volcano in Eurasia |
| Kamchatka Peninsula | Russia | Volcanic region, over 150 volcanoes |
| Karakoram | Pakistan, India, China | Mountain range with massive glaciers |
| Kunlun Mountains | China | Long mountain system on the Tibetan Plateau |
| Kelud | Java, Indonesia | Active stratovolcano with crater lake |
| Katla | Iceland | Subglacial volcano under Mýrdalsjökull ice cap |
| Krafla | Iceland | Caldera and geothermal field |
| Kerid | Iceland | Volcanic crater lake with red walls |
| Kata Tjuta | Northern Territory, Australia | Domed conglomerate rock formations |
| Karijini gorges | Western Australia | Deep, banded iron-rich canyons |
| Kings Canyon | Northern Territory, Australia | Sandstone canyon with 330-foot walls |
| Kjeragbolten | Rogaland, Norway | Boulder wedged in a mountain crevasse |
| Kaieteur Falls | Guyana | Single-drop waterfall over sandstone |
| Kimberley plateau | Western Australia | Ancient sandstone plateau with gorges |
| Kebnekaise | Lapland, Sweden | Highest mountain in Sweden |
| Kverkfjöll | Iceland | Volcanic massif with ice caves |
| Kangchenjunga | Nepal, India | Third-highest mountain in the world |
| Kola Superdeep Borehole | Kola Peninsula, Russia | Deepest hole drilled into the crust |
| Kalahari Basin | Southern Africa | Large sand-filled basin |
| Kuiseb Canyon | Namibia | Dry riverbed canyon at desert edge |
Descriptions
Karst
A landscape shaped by water slowly dissolving soluble rock such as limestone. It is known for sinkholes, caves, underground rivers and disappearing streams.
Kame
A small hill or mound of sand and gravel deposited by meltwater flowing through or off a melting glacier. Kames often appear in clusters.
Kame terrace
A flat-topped ledge of sand and gravel laid down between a glacier and the valley wall. It remains after the ice melts away.
Kettle
A hollow formed when a block of ice left by a retreating glacier melted. Many kettles fill with water and become small ponds.
Kettle lake
A lake that fills a kettle depression. These lakes often have no streams flowing in or out and can be surprisingly deep.
Karren
Furrows, channels and sharp ridges etched into bare limestone by rainwater. Fields of karren make a rugged, rocky pavement.
Kipuka
An area of land spared when a lava flow surrounds it. These patches often hold older vegetation and are valuable to ecologists.
Klippe
A block of rock pushed over younger rock by tectonic forces. Erosion later strips away the surrounding sheet and leaves it isolated.
Kimberlite pipe
A carrot-shaped column of volcanic rock that carries material from deep in the Earth to the surface. Kimberlite pipes are the main primary source of diamonds.
Komatiite
An ultramafic volcanic rock that formed from extremely hot lava, mostly more than 2.5 billion years ago. It offers clues to the early Earth.
Kīlauea
One of the world’s most active volcanoes, on the southeast side of Hawaii’s Big Island. Its fluid lava flows have repeatedly reshaped the coastline.
Krakatoa
A volcanic island whose 1883 eruption was among the deadliest in recorded history. The blast was heard thousands of miles away. A new cone, Anak Krakatau, later grew in the caldera.
Mount Kilimanjaro
A freestanding volcano rising to about 19,341 feet. It has three volcanic cones and a shrinking cap of glaciers near the equator.
Klyuchevskaya Sopka
A large, steep stratovolcano about 15,584 feet high. It erupts often and sits among a cluster of volcanoes on the Kamchatka Peninsula.
Kamchatka Peninsula
A far-eastern Russian peninsula on the Pacific Ring of Fire. It holds one of the densest concentrations of active volcanoes anywhere, along with geysers and hot springs.
Karakoram
A rugged range containing K2, the second-highest mountain on Earth. It is among the most heavily glaciated areas outside the polar regions.
Kunlun Mountains
One of the longest mountain chains in Asia, stretching over 1,800 miles. It forms the northern edge of the Tibetan Plateau.
Kelud
A volcano in East Java known for explosive eruptions and deadly mudflows called lahars. Its crater has held a lake that is drained to reduce the danger.
Katla
A large Icelandic volcano buried beneath a glacier. Eruptions melt ice quickly and can cause major glacial floods.
Krafla
A volcanic system in northern Iceland with a large caldera and a crater lake called Víti. Its heat is harnessed for geothermal power.
Kerid
A crater lake about 180 feet deep and 890 feet wide. Its walls are red volcanic rock, and the water is a striking blue-green.
Kata Tjuta
A group of 36 large rock domes, also called the Olgas, that rise from the desert. The rock is a mix of pebbles and boulders cemented together.
Karijini gorges
A set of gorges cut into ancient layered rock in Karijini National Park. The rock is billions of years old and colored by iron.
Kings Canyon
A canyon in Watarrka National Park with sheer cliffs and a plateau of weathered sandstone domes known as the Lost City.
Kjeragbolten
A glacial erratic boulder lodged between two cliff faces above a fjord. It hangs about 3,200 feet over the water.
Kaieteur Falls
One of the world’s most powerful single-drop waterfalls, plunging about 741 feet over a sandstone cliff. It sits in a remote rainforest setting.
Kimberley plateau
A rugged region of old rock formations, river gorges and sandstone cliffs. Some of its rocks are around 1.8 billion years old.
Kebnekaise
A mountain of about 6,877 feet in the Scandinavian range, with two summits and several glaciers.
Kverkfjöll
A volcanic mountain range under the edge of Vatnajökull glacier. Geothermal heat carves ice caves and hot rivers beneath the ice.
Kangchenjunga
A massif in the Himalayas reaching about 28,169 feet, with five peaks. It sits on the border between Nepal and the Indian state of Sikkim.
Kola Superdeep Borehole
A scientific drill hole that reached more than 40,000 feet down. It revealed unexpected water and very hot rock deep in the crust.
Kalahari Basin
A broad, shallow depression covered by red sands in Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. It is semi-arid and holds ancient dune fields.
Kuiseb Canyon
A canyon cut by the Kuiseb River, which acts as a natural barrier between the Namib’s sand dunes and the gravel plains to the north.