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How deep is the outer edge of a typical continental shelf?
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continental shelf
The broad, gentle pitch of the continental shelf gives way to the relatively steep continental slope. The more gradual transition to the abyssal plain is a sediment-filled region called the continental rise. The continental shelf, slope, and rise are collectively called the continental margin.
The outer edge of a typical continental shelf is marked by a feature known as the shelf break, where the seafloor begins to transition into the much steeper continental slope.12
While the depth of this transition can vary significantly—ranging from as shallow as 20 metres (65 feet) to as deep as 550 metres (1,800 feet)—the worldwide average depth of the shelf break is 133 metres (about 436 feet). Historically, the boundary has often been approximated at the 200-metre (100-fathom) depth contour, though a depth of 170 metres (about 560 feet) is considered a closer approximation for many locations.13