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In geography and geology, a cliff is a vertical or nearly vertical ledge of rock. Cliffs are formed as erosion land forms as a result of weathering and erosion processes. Cliffs are common off the coast, in mountainous areas, on slopes and along on rivers. Cliffs are usually formed of rocks that are resistant to weathering and erosion. Sedimentary rocks that are most likely to form cliffs include sandstone, limestone, chalk, and dolomite. Igneous rocks such as granite and basalt also often form cliffs.
A slope (or ledge) is a cliff formed by a geological fault or landslide or differential erosion of layers of rocks of different hardness.
Most of the cliffs have a kind of talus slope at the base. In arid regions or under high cliffs, they are usually exposed to clumps of collapsed rock. In areas with high soil moisture, a soil slope may obscure the talus. Many cliffs also have tributaries of waterfalls or rock shelters. Sometimes a cliffs peeps out at the end of the ridge, leaving behind rocks or other types of rock columns. Coastal erosion can lead to the formation of sea cliffs along the retreating coastline.
Ordnance Survey distinguishes between cliffs (a continuous line along the upper edge with ledges down the face) and outcrops (straight lines along the lower edge). Given that the cliff does not have to be strictly vertical, it may be unclear whether a slope is a cliff or not and which part of a particular slope is considered cliff. For example, given a truly vertical rock wall above a very steep slope, only the rock wall or a combination of both can be considered. Therefore, cliff lists are inherently vague.
Some of the giant cliffs on Earth have been discovered underwater. For example, on the ridge located inside the Kermadec trench, you can find a drop of 8000 m above a span of 4,250 m.
The tallest, very steep, non-vertical cliffs in the world are the Rupal Face of Nanga Parbat and the southeast face of the Gyal Peri, both of which rise approximately 4,600 meters, or 15,000 feet, above their base. According to other sources, the tallest cliff globally, about 1,340 meters high, is the east face of Great Trango in the Karakoram mountains in northern Pakistan. A rather strict notion of cliff is used here since figure 1340 m refers to an almost vertical head on a wall of two stacked pillars; the addition of a very steep approach resulted in an overall drop from the cliff of the East Face precipice to the nearby Dunge Glacier to nearly 2,000 meters.
The tallest sea cliffs in the world also depend on the definition of “cliff” used. The Guinness Book of Records indicates that this is Kalaupapa, Hawaii, at an altitude of 1010 m.