A promontory is a raised mass of land that projects into a lowland or a body of water (in which case it is a peninsula ). Most promontories either are formed from a hard ridge of rock that has resisted the erosive forces that have removed the softer rock to the sides of it, or are the high ground that remains between two river valleys where they form a confluence . One type of promontory is a headland , or head.
7-550: Located at the edge of a landmass , promontories offer a natural defense against enemies, as they are often surrounded by water and difficult to access. Many ancient and modern forts and castles have been built on promontories for this reason. One of the most famous examples of promontory forts is the Citadel of Namur in Belgium. Located at the confluence of the Meuse and Sambre rivers,
14-481: A single contiguous land connection, the connected continents may be viewed as a single landmass. Earth 's largest landmasses are (starting with largest): Continental landmasses are not usually classified as islands despite being completely surrounded by water. However, because the definition of continent varies between geographers, the Americas are sometimes defined as two separate continents while mainland Australia
21-528: Is another example of a promontory fort. Located on a small promontory, the town was part of the Ajuran Sultanate 's domain during the Middle Ages and was strategically located to defend against potential invaders. This article about geography terminology is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Landmass A landmass , or land mass , is a large region or area of land that
28-458: Is in one piece and not noticeably broken up by oceans . The term is often used to refer to lands surrounded by an ocean or sea , such as a continent or a large island . In the field of geology , a landmass is a defined section of continental crust extending above sea level . Continents are often thought of as distinct landmasses and may include any islands that are part of the associated continental shelf . When multiple continents form
35-410: Is sometimes defined as an island as well as a continent. Nevertheless, for the purposes of this list, mainland Australia along with the other major landmasses have been listed as continental landmasses for comparison. The figures are approximations and are for the four major continental landmasses only. The artificial Panama and Suez canals are disregarded, as they are not natural waters that separate
42-565: The citadel has been a prime fortified location since the 10th century . The surrounding rivers act as a natural moat, making it difficult for enemies to access the fort. Another example of a promontory fort is Fort Pitt , which was built by the English during the American Revolution on the site of the former Fort Duquesne , which belonged to the French during the French and Indian War. The fort
49-559: Was located at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers, providing an additional layer of defense. The surrounding area eventually became the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania . In Ireland , many promontory forts were built by the ancient Celts for defense against invaders. These forts were often located on isolated peninsulas or headlands and were difficult to access, making them ideal for defending against enemy attacks. The ancient town of Ras Bar Balla in southern Somalia
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