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continental shelf Definition

continental shelf

noun

a submerged shelf of land that begins at a continental shoreline, slopes downward gradually at an angle of about 0.1° for a variable distance, and ends at the top of a much steeper downward slope (continental slope) at an angle of about 3° to 6° until it reaches the ocean floor: at the outer edge of the shelf the depth of the ocean is usually between about 90 m (300 ft) and 180 m (600 ft)

continental shelf Usage Examples

Preposition: off

  • coast: PHYSICAL FEATURES The islands lie on the shallow continental shelf off the south-eastern coast of New Zealand.

Converse of object

  • link: This area includes the Russian Far East, Alaska, the Canadian Cordillera, linking continental shelves, and adjacent oceans.