Continental Shelf
WorldPhysical EnvironmentExtent of the world's continental shelves, which are extensions of continents submerged by the oceans
NOAAA world map showing the distribution of continental shelves. The continental shelves extend into the oceans along the margins of the continents.
Key areas with prominent continental shelves shaded in dark blue include the eastern and western coasts of North America, particularly around the Gulf of Alaska, Hudson Bay, and the Gulf of Mexico. The coasts of Europe, including the North Sea and the waters around the United Kingdom. The northern coast of Russia and the Arctic Ocean. The coasts of China, Japan, and Southeast Asia. The northern and eastern coasts of Australia. The coasts of South America, especially around the Gulf of California and the southern tip near Chile and Argentina. The western and southern coasts of Africa, particularly around Angola, Namibia, and South Africa.
Continental Shelf | Wind erosion | Water erosion | Lowest hazard | Low hazard | Moderately low hazard | Moderate hazard | Moderately high hazard | High hazard | Highest hazard | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Northwest Territories | 0.420% | |||||||||
Nunavut | 1.49% | |||||||||
Nova Scotia | 3.29% | |||||||||
Prince Edward Island | 12.7% | |||||||||
New Brunswick | 0.785% | |||||||||
Newfoundland and Labrador | 2.04% | |||||||||
Québec | 0.215% | |||||||||
Saskatchewan | 12.1% | |||||||||
Alberta | 4.93% | |||||||||
Manitoba | 6.10% | |||||||||
Ontario | 2.00% | |||||||||
Alaska | 1.23% | 2.85% | 1.92% | 2.33% | 38.6% | 2.01% | 5.60% | 5.27% | ||
Arizona | 4.22% | 6.30% | 79.1% | 4.42% | ||||||
Utah | 0.308% | 12.7% | 56.8% | 6.12% | 1.39% | |||||
District of Columbia | 100% | |||||||||
Florida | 1.79% | 87.3% | 10.9% | |||||||
Idaho | 3.94% | 2.22% | 24.8% | 28.3% | 9.56% | |||||
New Hampshire | 39.4% | 60.3% | ||||||||
Rhode Island | 5.84% | 93.7% | ||||||||
Vermont | 81.9% | 18.1% | ||||||||
Washington | 0.997% | 36.9% | 25.6% | 38.5% | 19.2% | 5.52% | 10.1% | |||
Wyoming | 6.47% | 2.84% | 5.20% | 20.2% | 63.6% | 8.78% | ||||
Montana | 17.8% | 20.1% | 5.22% | 15.0% | 22.0% | 2.02% | ||||
Maine | 0.686% | 63.3% | 7.54% | |||||||
North Dakota | 95.1% | 0.109% | 98.6% | 1.38% | ||||||
Kentucky | 5.48% | 7.69% | 64.8% | 10.2% | 7.55% | 1.03% | 3.57% | |||
Virginia | 0.705% | 7.05% | 1.50% | 39.8% | 49.9% | 5.34% | ||||
Delaware | 2.06% | 80.2% | 18.7% | |||||||
Mississippi | 21.9% | 46.6% | 33.2% | 16.6% | 3.37% | |||||
West Virginia | 11.5% | 66.8% | 33.2% | |||||||
Nebraska | 0.826% | 52.2% | 33.8% | 2.42% | 1.45% | |||||
Texas | 0.261% | 23.3% | 0.427% | 54.2% | 29.7% | 7.88% | ||||
Missouri | 60.6% | 8.53% | 41.8% | 23.6% | 11.8% | 7.42% | 1.26% | 5.55% | ||
Louisiana | 1.29% | 1.69% | 6.85% | 90.8% | 1.03% | |||||
Hawaii | 57.1% | 7.50% | 6.67% | 9.71% | 4.93% | 52.2% | ||||
North Carolina | 0.611% | 5.87% | 47.3% | 35.4% | 9.17% | 1.38% | ||||
Oregon | 5.56% | 1.50% | 41.7% | 13.0% | 4.40% | 4.75% | ||||
Alabama | 0.101% | 7.26% | 2.82% | 40.6% | 43.3% | 7.23% | ||||
New Mexico | 67.8% | 7.73% | 4.90% | 54.5% | 8.67% | |||||
Kansas | 12.3% | 62.5% | 42.9% | 9.98% | ||||||
Wisconsin | 43.5% | 95.7% | 4.01% | |||||||
British Columbia | 1.05% | 2.06% | ||||||||
New Jersey | 2.40% | 17.9% | 69.2% | 10.9% | ||||||
South Carolina | 22.6% | 58.4% | 8.92% | 2.25% | 7.66% | |||||
Michigan | 1.12% | 74.0% | 24.1% | |||||||
Connecticut | 0.150% | 98.9% | ||||||||
Pennsylvania | 25.9% | 85.9% | 14.1% | |||||||
Colorado | 30.2% | 6.74% | 5.33% | 26.1% | 34.0% | 32.6% | ||||
Nevada | 11.8% | 6.24% | 61.7% | 15.9% | 6.20% | 1.29% | ||||
Massachusetts | 4.75% | 79.0% | 15.4% | |||||||
Georgia | 0.232% | 4.38% | 39.2% | 43.9% | 10.4% | 1.79% | ||||
New York | 0.761% | 31.8% | 35.5% | 13.6% | 7.01% | |||||
Maryland | 2.12% | 5.23% | 87.1% | 10.7% | ||||||
Oklahoma | 29.4% | 17.9% | 43.3% | 42.2% | 13.7% | |||||
Tennessee | 12.6% | 28.9% | 15.6% | 11.5% | 1.92% | 8.15% | ||||
California | 0.133% | 19.7% | 24.3% | 3.21% | 9.22% | 1.48% | 1.10% | 28.4% | ||
Arkansas | 4.12% | 17.3% | 39.7% | 21.2% | 1.93% | 2.11% | 7.50% | |||
South Dakota | 48.9% | 18.4% | 27.5% | 53.6% | 8.87% | |||||
Ohio | 4.56% | 85.3% | 2.10% | 1.52% | ||||||
Indiana | 12.0% | 50.5% | 36.9% | 9.25% | 3.12% | |||||
Minnesota | 9.96% | 35.6% | 99.1% | |||||||
Iowa | 100% | 92.6% | 7.45% | |||||||
Illinois | 84.6% | 52.5% | 18.5% | 13.6% | 11.9% | 1.07% | 1.91% | |||