Fjord, or Fiord, a long, narrow and deep inlet of the sea. Fjords indent a mountainous coast and extend far back into the interior. They are bordered by steep, rugged mountain walls that fall to great depths below the water's surface. Fjords were formed during the last Ice Age when glacial ice eroded river valley beds. When the glaciers melted, the ocean levels rose and covered the river valleys.
The fjords of Greenland, Scotland, Chile, Alaska, British Columbia, New Zealand, and particularly Norway are noted for their beauty and grandeur. Geiranger Fjord in Norway is 10 miles (16 km) in length, and the water has a depth of 223 feet (360m).
