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"Hills" redirects here. For other uses, see Hills (disambiguation).

A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. It often has a distinct summit, although in areas with scarp/dip topography a hill may refer to a particular section of flat terrain without a massive summit (e.g. Box Hill, Surrey). Various terms for the slope or incline of a hill include the Scots language term brae.

The panoramic view from Connors Hill, near Swifts Creek, Victoria


A Khulan (Mongolian Wild Ass) on a hill in the Gobi of Mongolia at sunset.
Hills in Tuscany, Italy

The distinction between a hill and a mountain is unclear and largely subjective, but a hill is generally somewhat lower and less steep than a mountain. In the United Kingdom geographers historically regarded mountains as hills greater than 1,000 feet (300 m) above sea level, which formed the basis of the plot of the 1995 film The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain. In contrast, hillwalkers have tended to regard mountains as peaks 2,000 feet (610 m) above sea level: the Oxford English Dictionary also suggests a limit of 2,000 feet (610 m) and Whittow[1] states "Some authorities regard eminences above 600 m (2,000 ft) as mountains, those below being referred to as hills." This has led to Cavanal Hill in Poteau, Oklahoma, receive billing as the "World's Tallest Hill" due to its height of 1,999 feet (609 m). Usually a high mountain is made up of bare rock at the peak, while hills and lower mountains are generally covered with soil and vegetation.

Today, a mountain is usually defined in the UK and Ireland as any summit at least 2,000 feet (or 610 metres) high,[2][3][4][5][6] whilst the official UK government's definition of a mountain is a summit of 600 metres or higher.[7] Some definitions include a topographical prominence requirement, typically 100 feet (30 m) or 500 feet (152 m).[4] In practice, mountains in Scotland are frequently referred to as "hills" no matter what their height, as reflected in names such as the Cuillin Hills and the Torridon Hills. In Wales, the distinction is more a term of land use and appearance and has nothing to do with height. For a while, the US defined a mountain as being 1,000 feet (304.8 m) or more tall. Any similar landform lower than this height was considered a hill. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) concludes that these terms do not have technical definitions in the US.[8]



Hills of the Judean Desert

Hills may form through geomorphic phenomena: faulting, erosion of larger landforms, such as mountains and movement and deposition of sediment by glaciers (e.g. moraines and drumlins or by erosion exposing solid rock which then weathers down into a hill.) The rounded peaks of hills results from the diffusive movement of soil and regolith covering the hill, a process known as downhill creep.



Historical significance[edit]

Clouds over hills in Steptoe, Washington

Many settlements were originally built on hills, either to avoid or curb floods, particularly if they were near a large body of water, or for defence, since they offer a good view of the surrounding land and require would-be attackers to fight uphill. For example, Ancient Rome was built on seven hills, protecting it from invaders.


Military significance[edit]




Sports and games[edit]

Hillwalkers on Beinn Dearg, Scotland
An example of a golf course in England that has hills




Largest man-made[edit]

Main article: Mound


See also[edit]


  1. ^ Whittow, John (1984). Dictionary of Physical Geography. London: Penguin, 1984, p. 352. ISBN 0-14-051094-X.
  3. ^ "Survey turns hill into a mountain". BBC News. 18 Sep 2008. Retrieved 3 Feb 2013. 
  4. ^ a b "A Mountain is a Mountain - isn't it?". www.go4awalk.com. Retrieved 3 Feb 2013. 
  5. ^ mountain at dictionary.reference.com. Accessed on 3 Feb 2013.
  7. ^ What is a “Mountain”? Mynydd Graig Goch and all that… at Metric Views. Accessed on 3 Feb 2013.
  8. ^ "What is the Difference Between a Mountain and a Hill?". www.wisegeek.com. Retrieved 3 Feb 2013. 
  9. ^ Knowe, Random House Dictionary at dictionary.com
  10. ^ "Blackstrap Provincial Park". Government of Saskatchewan. Retrieved 19 Feb 2011. 
  11. ^ "The Very Large Telescope". Telescopes and Instruments. ESO. Retrieved 10 Aug 2011. 

External links[edit]