abyssal plain: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Photos

Diagram showing the physiographic divisions of the continental margin, including labeled features such as coastal plain, shoreline, continental shelf, continental slope, continental rise, submarine canyon, and abyssal plain.

Diagram showing the transition from land to deep ocean, with labeled features including coastal plain, shoreline, continental shelf, continental slope, submarine canyon, seamounts, continental rise, and abyssal plain, illustrating the structure of the continental margin.

See All Images and Interactives →

Topics

abyssal zone Harbors and sea works iceberg ocean current coral reef oceanic ridge gulf deep-sea trench submarine canyon bay submarine fracture zone