How Fjords Are Formed: Glacial Carving and Sea Flooding

Fjords are long, narrow inlets with steep cliffs created by glacial erosion. The process:

1. A glacier forms in a mountain valley.
2. It carves a deep, U-shaped valley through abrasion and plucking.
3. The glacier retreats (melts back).
4. The sea floods the valley, creating a fjord.

Key factors: ice volume, retreat rate, valley shape, rock type, climate. Famous fjord regions: Norway, Chile, New Zealand, Alaska, Canada, Greenland. Fjords provide sheltered harbors, rich fisheries, and stunning tourism destinations.