What is a fjord?
A fjord is a long, narrow, deep inlet of the sea between steep cliffs, carved by glaciers during ice ages and later flooded by the ocean.
During ice ages, huge glaciers moved down valleys toward the sea, carving them deeper and wider into a U shape. When the ice melted and sea levels rose, seawater flooded these valleys, creating fjords. Many fjords are deeper in the middle than at their mouths, because the glacier deposited rock at its front.
Norway is famous for its fjords. Sognefjord, more than 200 kilometers long and about 1,300 meters deep, is the longest and deepest in the country. Fjords are also found in Greenland, Iceland, Chile, New Zealand, Alaska and Canada. Milford Sound in New Zealand is actually a fjord, despite its name.
Visiting fjords
Fjords are popular for cruises, kayaking and hiking, with waterfalls cascading down their steep walls. Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord in Norway are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The word fjord comes from Norwegian and is related to the English words ford and ferry.
Did You Know?
Scoresby Sund in eastern Greenland is often called the world's largest fjord system, stretching about 350 kilometers inland.