A steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River through northern Arizona, exposing nearly two billion years of rock strata in its walls and ranking among the deepest river-cut canyons in the world. Its scale and the clarity of its exposed geological layers have made it one of the most studied landforms in North America.
Facts
Area (sq km)Grand Canyon National Park's area, the standard cited extent of the canyon and its rims. Highest Elevation (m)Point Imperial on the North Rim, the canyon's highest point. Maximum Depth (m) Connections
Associated With
The Grand Canyon was carved by the Colorado River.
Source Encyclopaedia Britannica
Source Grand Canyon (Wikipedia)
Demonstrates
The canyon walls expose a visible sequence of sedimentary rock layers, a textbook illustration of the rock cycle's sedimentary half.
Source British Geological Survey
Shaped By
The canyon's depth is the product of sustained fluvial erosion by the Colorado River system over millions of years.
Source British Geological Survey
Sources
1. United States Geological Survey
United States Geological SurveyGeology of Grand Canyon National Park (USGS)
This incredible formation was carved over millions of years by the Colorado River.
- On Continent: North America
View the Source 2. Grand Canyon (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationInfobox coordinates
36.3°N 112.75°W
Associated With: United States, Lead
The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in Arizona, United States.
View the Source Wikidata: The Grand Canyon
Wikidata Q118841, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source British Geological Survey
British Geological Survey- Shaped By: Erosion
- Demonstrates: Rock Cycle
View the Source Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.Associated With: Colorado RiverView the Source Reader Challenges (0)
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