Terrain
This entry contains a brief description of the topography of a country.
Afghanistan
mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwestAlbania
mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coastAlgeria
mostly high plateau and desert; Atlas Mountains in the far north and Hoggar Mountains in the south; narrow, discontinuous coastal plainAmerican Samoa
five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Atoll, Swains Island)Andorra
rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleysAngola
narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateauAnguilla
flat and low-lying island of coral and limestoneAntarctica
about 99% thick continental ice sheet and 1% barren rock, with average elevations between 2,000 and 4,000 m; mountain ranges up to nearly 5,000 m; ice-free coastal areas include parts of southern Victoria Land, Wilkes Land, the Antarctic Peninsula area, and parts of Ross Island on McMurdo Sound; glaciers form ice shelves along about half of the coastline, and floating ice shelves constitute 11% of the area of the continentAntigua and Barbuda
mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands, with some higher volcanic areasArgentina
rich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat to rolling plateau of Patagonia in south, rugged Andes along western borderArmenia
Armenian Highland with mountains; little forest land; fast flowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valleyAruba
flat with a few hills; scant vegetationAshmore and Cartier Islands
low with sand and coralAustralia
mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeastAustria
mostly mountains (Alps) in the west and south; mostly flat or gently sloping along the eastern and northern marginsAzerbaijan
large, flat Kur-Araz Ovaligi (Kura-Araks Lowland, much of it below sea level) with Great Caucasus Mountains to the north, Qarabag Yaylasi (Karabakh Upland) to the west; Baku lies on Abseron Yasaqligi (Apsheron Peninsula) that juts into Caspian SeaBahamas, The
long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hillsBahrain
mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpmentBangladesh
mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeastBarbados
relatively flat; rises gently to central highland regionBelarus
generally flat with much marshlandBelgium
flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeastBelize
flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in southBenin
mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountainsBermuda
low hills separated by fertile depressionsBhutan
mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savannaBolivia
rugged Andes Mountains with a highland plateau (Altiplano), hills, lowland plains of the Amazon BasinBosnia and Herzegovina
mountains and valleysBotswana
predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwestBouvet Island
volcanic; coast is mostly inaccessibleBrazil
mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills, mountains, and narrow coastal beltBritish Indian Ocean Territory
flat and low coral atolls (most areas do not exceed two m in elevation); sits atop the submarine volcanic Chagos-Laccadive RidgeBritish Virgin Islands
coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hillyBrunei
flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland in westBulgaria
mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeastBurkina Faso
mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in the west and southeast; occupies an extensive plateau with savanna that is grassy in the north and gradually gives way to sparse forests in the southBurma
central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlandsBurundi
hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, some plainsCabo Verde
steep, rugged, rocky, volcanicCambodia
mostly low, flat plains; mountains in southwest and northCameroon
diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in center, mountains in west, plains in northCanada
mostly plains with mountains in west, lowlands in southeastCayman Islands
low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefsCentral African Republic
vast, flat to rolling plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwestChad
broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains in northwest, lowlands in southChile
low coastal mountains, fertile central valley, rugged Andes in eastChina
mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains, deltas, and hills in eastChristmas Island
steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateauClipperton Island
coral atollCocos (Keeling) Islands
flat, low-lying coral atollsColombia
flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains, eastern lowland plains (Llanos)Comoros
volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hillsCongo, Democratic Republic of the
vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in eastCongo, Republic of the
coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basinCook Islands
low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in southCoral Sea Islands
sand and coral reefs and islands (cays)Costa Rica
coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major active volcanoesCote d'Ivoire
mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in northwestCroatia
geographically diverse; flat plains along Hungarian border, low mountains and highlands near Adriatic coastline and islandsCuba
mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains in the southeastCuracao
generally low, hilly terrain
Cyprus
central plain with mountains to north and south; scattered but significant plains along southern coastCzechia
Bohemia in the west consists of rolling plains, hills, and plateaus surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east consists of very hilly countryDenmark
low and flat to gently rolling plainsDjibouti
coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountainsDominica
rugged mountains of volcanic originDominican Republic
rugged highlands and mountains interspersed with fertile valleysEcuador
coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)Egypt
vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and deltaEl Salvador
mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateauEquatorial Guinea
coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanicEritrea
dominated by extension of Ethiopian north-south trending highlands, descending on the east to a coastal desert plain, on the northwest to hilly terrain and on the southwest to flat-to-rolling plainsEstonia
marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the southEswatini
mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plainsEthiopia
high plateau with central mountain range divided by Great Rift ValleyEuropean Union
fairly flat along Baltic and Atlantic coasts; mountainous in the central and southern areasFalkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plainsFaroe Islands
rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of coastFiji
mostly mountains of volcanic originFinland
mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low hillsFrance
metropolitan France: mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west; remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east;
French Guiana: low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains;
Guadeloupe: Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior mountains; Grande-Terre is low limestone formation; most of the seven other islands are volcanic in origin;
Martinique: mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano;
Mayotte: generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks;
Reunion: mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast
French Polynesia
mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefsFrench Southern and Antarctic Lands
Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): a volcanic island with steep coastal cliffs; the center floor of the volcano is a large plateau;
Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): triangular in shape, the island is the top of a volcano, rocky with steep cliffs on the eastern side; has active thermal springs;
Iles Crozet: a large archipelago formed from the Crozet Plateau is divided into two groups of islands;
Iles Kerguelen: the interior of the large island of Ile Kerguelen is composed of high mountains, hills, valleys, and plains with peninsulas stretching off its coasts;
Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): atoll, awash at high tide; shallow (15 m) lagoon;
Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island: low, flat, and sandy;
Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): low, flat, sandy; likely volcanic seamount
Gabon
narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and southGambia, The
flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hillsGaza Strip
flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plainGeorgia
largely mountainous with Great Caucasus Mountains in the north and Lesser Caucasus Mountains in the south; Kolkhet'is Dablobi (Kolkhida Lowland) opens to the Black Sea in the west; Mtkvari River Basin in the east; fertile soils in river valley flood plains and foothills of Kolkhida LowlandGermany
lowlands in north, uplands in center, Bavarian Alps in southGhana
mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central areaGibraltar
a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of GibraltarGreece
mountainous with ranges extending into the sea as peninsulas or chains of islandsGreenland
flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow, mountainous, barren, rocky coastGrenada
volcanic in origin with central mountainsGuam
volcanic origin, surrounded by coral reefs; relatively flat coralline limestone plateau (source of most fresh water), with steep coastal cliffs and narrow coastal plains in north, low hills in center, mountains in southGuatemala
two east-west trending mountain chains divide the country into three regions: the mountainous highlands, the Pacific coast south of mountains, and the vast northern Peten lowlandsGuernsey
mostly flat with low hills in southwestGuinea
generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interiorGuinea-Bissau
mostly low-lying coastal plain with a deeply indented estuarine coastline rising to savanna in east; numerous off-shore islands including the Arquipelago Dos Bijagos consisting of 18 main islands and many small isletsGuyana
mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in southHaiti
mostly rough and mountainousHeard Island and McDonald Islands
Heard Island - 80% ice-covered, bleak and mountainous, dominated by a large massif (Big Ben) and an active volcano (Mawson Peak); McDonald Islands - small and rockyHoly See (Vatican City)
urban; low hillHonduras
mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plainsHong Kong
hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in northHungary
mostly flat to rolling plains; hills and low mountains on the Slovakian borderIceland
mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiordsIndia
upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain along the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in northIndonesia
mostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have interior mountainsIran
rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coastsIraq
mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in south with large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran and TurkeyIreland
mostly flat to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coastIsle of Man
hills in north and south bisected by central valleyIsrael
Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains; Jordan Rift ValleyItaly
mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlandsJamaica
mostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plainJan Mayen
volcanic island, partly covered by glaciersJapan
mostly rugged and mountainousJersey
gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coastJordan
mostly arid desert plateau; a great north-south geological rift along the west of the country is the dominant topographical feature and includes the Jordan River Valley, the Dead Sea, and the Jordanian HighlandsKazakhstan
vast flat steppe extending from the Volga in the west to the Altai Mountains in the east and from the plains of western Siberia in the north to oases and deserts of Central Asia in the southKenya
low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift Valley; fertile plateau in westKiribati
mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefsKorea, North
mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow valleys; wide coastal plains in west, discontinuous in eastKorea, South
mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and southKosovo
flat fluvial basin at an elevation of 400-700 m above sea level surrounded by several high mountain ranges with elevations of 2,000 to 2,500 mKuwait
flat to slightly undulating desert plainKyrgyzstan
peaks of the Tien Shan mountain range and associated valleys and basins encompass the entire countryLaos
mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateausLatvia
low plainLebanon
narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon MountainsLesotho
mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountainsLiberia
mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and low mountains in northeastLibya
mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressionsLiechtenstein
mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western thirdLithuania
lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soilLuxembourg
mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow valleys; uplands to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slope down to Moselle flood plain in the southeastMacau
generally flatMadagascar
narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in centerMalawi
narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some mountainsMalaysia
coastal plains rising to hills and mountainsMaldives
flat coral atolls, with white sandy beaches; sits atop the submarine volcanic Chagos-Laccadive RidgeMali
mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna in south, rugged hills in northeastMalta
mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffsMarshall Islands
low coral limestone and sand islandsMauritania
mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hillsMauritius
small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateauMexico
high, rugged mountains; low coastal plains; high plateaus; desertMicronesia, Federated States of
islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands to low, coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and ChuukMoldova
rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black SeaMonaco
hilly, rugged, rockyMongolia
vast semidesert and desert plains, grassy steppe, mountains in west and southwest; Gobi Desert in south-centralMontenegro
highly indented coastline with narrow coastal plain backed by rugged high limestone mountains and plateausMontserrat
volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowlandMorocco
mountainous northern coast (Rif Mountains) and interior (Atlas Mountains) bordered by large plateaus with intermontane valleys, and fertile coastal plains; the south is mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfacesÂMozambique
mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus in northwest, mountains in westNamibia
mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in eastNauru
sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with phosphate plateau in centerNavassa Island
raised flat to undulating coral and limestone plateau; ringed by vertical white cliffs (9 to 15 m high)Nepal
Tarai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south; central hill region with rugged Himalayas in northNetherlands
mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in southeastNew Caledonia
coastal plains with interior mountainsNew Zealand
predominately mountainous with large coastal plainsNicaragua
extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoesNiger
predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling plains in south; hills in northNigeria
southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains in southeast, plains in northNiue
steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateauNorfolk Island
volcanic island with mostly rolling plainsNorth Macedonia
mountainous with deep basins and valleys; three large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country bisected by the Vardar RiverNorthern Mariana Islands
the southern islands in this north-south trending archipelago are limestone, with fringing coral reefs; the northern islands are volcanic, with active volcanoes on several islandsNorway
glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented by fjords; arctic tundra in northOman
central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and southPakistan
divided into three major geographic areas: the northern highlands, the Indus River plain in the center and east, and the Balochistan Plateau in the south and westPalau
varying topography from the high, mountainous main island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier reefsPanama
interior mostly steep, rugged mountains with dissected, upland plains; coastal plains with rolling hillsPapua New Guinea
mostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rolling foothillsParacel Islands
mostly low and flatParaguay
grassy plains and wooded hills east of Rio Paraguay; Gran Chaco region west of Rio Paraguay mostly low, marshy plain near the river, and dry forest and thorny scrub elsewherePeru
western coastal plain (costa), high and rugged Andes in center (sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva)Philippines
mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal lowlandsPitcairn Islands
rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with cliffsPoland
mostly flat plain; mountains along southern borderPortugal
the west-flowing Tagus River divides the country: the north is mountainous toward the interior, while the south is characterized by rolling plainsPuerto Rico
mostly mountains with coastal plain in north; precipitous mountains to the sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most coastal areasQatar
mostly flat and barren desertRomania
central Transylvanian Basin is separated from the Moldavian Plateau on the east by the Eastern Carpathian Mountains and separated from the Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian AlpsRussia
broad plain with low hills west of Urals; vast coniferous forest and tundra in Siberia; uplands and mountains along southern border regionsRwanda
mostly grassy uplands and hills; relief is mountainous with altitude declining from west to eastSaint Barthelemy
hilly, almost completely surrounded by shallow-water reefs, with plentiful beachesSaint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha
the islands of this group are of volcanic origin associated with the Atlantic Mid-Ocean Ridge
Saint Helena: rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains;
Ascension: surface covered by lava flows and cinder cones of 44 dormant volcanoes; terrain rises to the east;
Tristan da Cunha: sheer cliffs line the coastline of the nearly circular island; the flanks of the central volcanic peak are deeply dissected; narrow coastal plain lies between The Peak and the coastal cliffs
Saint Kitts and Nevis
volcanic with mountainous interiorsSaint Lucia
volcanic and mountainous with broad, fertile valleysSaint Pierre and Miquelon
mostly barren rockSaint Vincent and the Grenadines
volcanic, mountainousSamoa
two main islands (Savaii, Upolu) and several smaller islands and uninhabited islets; narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rugged mountains in interiorSan Marino
rugged mountainsSao Tome and Principe
volcanic, mountainousSaudi Arabia
mostly sandy desertSenegal
generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in southeastSerbia
extremely varied; to the north, rich fertile plains; to the east, limestone ranges and basins; to the southeast, ancient mountains and hillsSeychelles
Mahe Group is volcanic with a narrow coastal strip and rocky, hilly interior; others are relatively flat coral atolls, or elevated reefs; sits atop the submarine Mascarene PlateauSierra Leone
coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland plateau, mountains in eastSingapore
lowlying, gently undulating central plateauSint Maarten
low, hilly terrain, volcanic origin
Slovakia
rugged mountains in the central and northern part and lowlands in the southSlovenia
a short southwestern coastal strip of Karst topography on the Adriatic; an alpine mountain region lies adjacent to Italy and Austria in the north; mixed mountains and valleys with numerous rivers to the eastSolomon Islands
mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atollsSomalia
mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in northSouth Africa
vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plainSouth Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
most of the islands are rugged and mountainous rising steeply from the sea; South Georgia is largely barren with steep, glacier-covered mountains; the South Sandwich Islands are of volcanic origin with some active volcanoesSouth Sudan
plains in the north and center rise to southern highlands along the border with Uganda and Kenya; the White Nile, flowing north out of the uplands of Central Africa, is the major geographic feature of the country; The Sudd (a name derived from floating vegetation that hinders navigation) is a large swampy area of more than 100,000 sq km fed by the waters of the White Nile that dominates the center of the countrySpain
large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills; Pyrenees Mountains in northSpratly Islands
small, flat islands, islets, cays, and reefsSri Lanka
mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interiorSudan
generally flat, featureless plain; desert dominates the northSuriname
mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swampsSvalbard
rugged mountains; much of the upland areas are ice covered; west coast clear of ice about half the year; fjords along west and north coastsSweden
mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in westSwitzerland
mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakesSyria
primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in westTaiwan
eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in westTajikistan
mountainous region dominated by the Alay Mountains in the north and the Pamirs in the southeast; western Fergana Valley in north, Kofirnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwestTanzania
plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north, southThailand
central plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountains elsewhereTimor-Leste
mountainousTogo
gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern plateau; low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshesTokelau
low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoonsTonga
mostly flat islands with limestone bedrock formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic rockTrinidad and Tobago
mostly plains with some hills and low mountainsTunisia
mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges into the SaharaTurkey (Turkiye)
high central plateau (Anatolia); narrow coastal plain; several mountain rangesTurkmenistan
flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes rising to mountains in the south; low mountains along border with Iran; borders Caspian Sea in westTurks and Caicos Islands
low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swampsTuvalu
low-lying and narrow coral atollsUganda
mostly plateau with rim of mountainsUkraine
mostly fertile plains (steppes) and plateaus, with mountains found only in the west (the Carpathians) or in the extreme south of the Crimean PeninsulaUnited Arab Emirates
flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert; mountains in eastUnited Kingdom
mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to rolling plains in east and southeastUnited States
vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low mountains in east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in Alaska; rugged, volcanic topography in HawaiiUnited States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
low and nearly flat sandy coral islands with narrow fringing reefs that have developed at the top of submerged volcanic mountains, which in most cases rise steeply from the ocean floorUruguay
mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowlandUzbekistan
mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad, flat intensely irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya, Syr Darya (Sirdaryo), and Zaravshan; Fergana Valley in east surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral Sea in westVanuatu
mostly mountainous islands of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plainsVenezuela
Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeastVietnam
low, flat delta in south and north; central highlands; hilly, mountainous in far north and northwestVirgin Islands
mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little flat landWake Island
atoll of three low coral islands, Peale, Wake, and Wilkes, built up on an underwater volcano; central lagoon is former crater, islands are part of the rimWallis and Futuna
volcanic origin; low hillsWest Bank
mostly rugged, dissected upland in west, flat plains descending to Jordan River Valley to the eastWorld
tremendous variation of terrain may be found on each of the continents; check the World "Elevation" entry for a compilation of terrain extremes; the world's ocean floors also display extraordinary variation while the ocean surfaces form a dynamic, continuously changing environment; check the "Bathymetry" and "Major surface currents" entries under each of the five ocean entries (Arctic, Atlantic, Indian, Pacific, and Southern) for further information on oceanic environsTen Cave Superlatives: compiled from "Geography - note(s)" under various country entries where more details may be found
largest cave: Son Doong in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Vietnam is the World's largest cave (greatest cross sectional area) and is the largest known cave passage in the world by volume; it currently measures a total of 38.5 million cu m (about 1.35 billion cu ft); it connects to Thung cave (but not yet officially); when recognized, it will add an additional 1.6 million cu m in volume
largest ice cave: the Eisriesenwelt (Ice Giants World) inside the Hochkogel mountain near Werfen, Austria is the World's largest and longest ice cave system at 42 km (26 mi)
longest cave: Mammoth Cave, in west-central Kentucky, is the World's longest known cave system with more than 650 km (405 mi) of surveyed passageways
longest salt cave: the Malham Cave in Mount Sodom in Israel is the World's longest salt cave at 10 km (6 mi); its survey is not complete and its length will undoubtedly increase
longest underwater cave: the Sac Actun cave system in Mexico at 348 km (216 mi) is the longest underwater cave in the World and the second longest cave worldwide
longest lava tube cave: Kazumura Cave on the island of Hawaii is the World's longest and deepest lava tube cave; it has been surveyed at 66 km (41 mi) long and 1,102 m (3,614 ft) deep
deepest cave: Veryovkina Cave in the Caucasus country of Georgia is the World's deepest cave, plunging down 2,212 m (7,257 ft)
deepest underwater cave: the Hranice Abyss in Czechia is the World's deepest surveyed underwater cave at 404 m (1,325 ft); its survey is not complete and it could end up being some 800-1,200 m deep
largest cave chamber: the Miao Room in the Gebihe cave system at China's Ziyun Getu He Chuandong National Park encloses some 10.78 million cu m (380.7 million cu ft) of volume
largest bat cave: Bracken Cave outside of San Antonio, Texas is the World's largest bat cave; it is the summer home to the largest colony of bats in the World; an estimated 20 million Mexican free-tailed bats roost in the cave from March to October making it the World's largest known concentration of mammals
bonus "cave" - the world's largest sinkhole: the Xiaoxhai Tiankeng sinkhole in Chongqing Municipality, China is 660 m deep, with a volume of 130 million cu m