white cliffs of Dover

cliffs, England, United Kingdom

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 16, 2026

Quick Summary

The White Cliffs of Dover are iconic natural landmarks located in Dover, southeastern England, on the Strait of Dover. Composed of soft chalk, these striking white cliffs face the English Channel and are the closest point of England to France. Historically, this area was a vital crossing point and has seen significant events, including naval battles and evacuations during wartime. The cliffs are a symbol of England's coastline and are gradually receding due to erosion.123

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

3 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Strait of Dover
The white cliffs on the British side, composed of soft chalk, are receding because of erosion. Although the strait is one of the world’s busiest seaways, a strict system of traffic lanes and navigation information became mandatory only in 1977.
Read More
The white cliffs on the British side, composed of soft chalk, are receding because of erosion. Although the strait is one of the world’s busiest seaways, a strict system of traffic lanes and navigation information became mandatory only in 1977.
Read More