In geology, a massif ( or ) is a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by geologic fault, faults or Lithospheric flexure, flexures. In the Plate tectonics, movement of the crust, a massif tends to retain its internal structure while being displaced as a whole. The term also refers to a group of mountains formed by such a structure. In mountaineering and climbing literature, a massif is frequently used to denote the main mass of an individual mountain. The massif is a smaller structural unit of the crust than a tectonic plate, and is considered the fourth-largest driving force in geomorphology. The word is taken from French language, French (in which the word also means "massive"), where it is used to refer a large mountain mass or compact group of connected mountains forming an independent portion of a range. One of the most notable European examples of a massif is the Massif Central of the Auvergne (province), Auvergne region of France. The Cydonia (region of Mars), Face on Mars is an example of an extraterrestrial massif. Massifs may also form underwater, as with the Atlantis Massif.

List of massifs

Africa

* Adrar des Ifoghas – Mali *Aïr Mountains, Aïr Massif – Niger *Benna Massif – Guinea *Bongo Massif – Central African Republic *Ennedi Plateau – Chad *Kilimanjaro Massif – border of Kenya and Tanzania *Oban Massif – Nigeria *Marojejy National Park, Marojejy Massif – Madagascar *Mulanje Massif – Malawi *Virunga Massif – border shared by Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo *Waterberg Biosphere – South Africa

Algeria

* Collo Massif – Algeria *Edough Massif *Khachna Massif

Antarctica

*Borg Massif *Craddock Massif *Cumpston Massif *Vinson Massif *Otway Massif

Asia

*Annapurna – Nepal *Chu Pong Massif – Vietnam *Dhaulagiri – Nepal *Gasherbrum – China-Pakistan *Kangchenjunga – Nepal–India *Knuckles Mountain Range, Knuckles Massif – Sri Lanka *Kondyor Massif – Russia *Köýtendag Range, Kugitangtau Ridge – Turkmenistan *Logar ultrabasite massif – Afghanistan *Mount Ararat – Turkey *Mount Everest massif (including Lhotse) – border of Nepal and Tibet (China) *Mount Kinabalu – Malaysia *Mount Tomuraushi (Daisetsuzan), Mount Tomuraushi – Japan * – Pakistan

India

* Bundelkhand – India * Nun Kun *Panchchuli *Shillong

Iran

* Dena – Iran * Hazaran – Iran *Kheru-Naru (Chekel) – Iran *Kholeno – Iran *Mount Damavand – Iran * – Iran *Takht-e Suleyman Massif – Iran *Zard-Kuh – Iran

Europe

*Aarmassif - Switzerland *Ardennes Massif – France/Belgium/Luxembourg *Areskutan, Åreskutan – Sweden * – Austria *Bohemian Massif – Czech Republic *Ceahlău Massif – Romania *Saint-Gotthard Massif, Gotthard Massif – Switzerland *Hesperian Massif - Iberian Peninsula *Jungfrau Massif – Switzerland *Mangerton Mountain – Ireland *Montgris – Spain * – Spain *Mont Blanc massif – Italy/France/Switzerland *Rhenish Massif - Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and France * - Rhodope Mountains, Rhodope Massif – Bulgaria/Greece *Troodos Mountains, Troodos – Cyprus *Untersberg – Germany/Austria * Massif – Bulgaria

France

* Alpilles *Aravis Range *Armorican Massif *Bauges Massif *Beaufortain Massif *Belledonne massif *Bornes Massif *Massif des Calanques, Calanques Massif *Massif des Cerces, Cerces Massif *Chablais Alps, Chablais Massif *Chartreuse Massif *Dévoluy Massif *Massif des Écrins *Jura Mountains *Lauzière massif * * *Massif de l'Esterel * *Monte Cinto massif *Taillefer Massif *Queyras Massif *Vanoise Massif *Vercors Plateau *Vosges Mountains

Italy

* ' * Monte Grappa, Grappa Massif * ' * ' * Monte Ermada * Sila Massif * Speikboden (South Tyrol) Kazakhstan *' *Kokshetau Massif *Mount Ku *Myrzhyk *'

United Kingdom

* Ben Nevis massif * Cornubian Massif * Long Mynd * Snowdon Massif

North America

Canada

* Laurentian Mountains, Laurentian Massif – Quebec * – Quebec *Mount Logan – Yukon British Columbia * Mount Cayley – British Columbia * Level Mountain *Mount Edziza *Mount Meager massif *Mount Septimus

United States

* Adirondack Mountains, Adirondack Massif – New York (state), New York * Denali – Alaska * Mount Juneau – Alaska *Mount Katahdin - Maine *Mount Le Conte (Tennessee), Mount Le Conte – Tennessee *Mount Shuksan – Washington (state), Washington *Mount Timpanogos - Utah *Teton Range – Wyoming

Oceania

*Big Ben (Heard Island), Big Ben – Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Heard Island *Ahipara Gumfields (New Zealand), Ahipara Gumfields – New Zealand

Caribbean

*Massif de la Hotte – Haiti *Valle Nuevo Massif – Dominican Republic

South America

*Brasilia Massif – Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay. *Neblina massif, Neblina Massif – Venezuela–Brazil border *Colombian Massif – Colombia *North Patagonian Massif – Argentina *Deseado Massif – Argentina

Submerged

*Atlantis Massif – part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge in the North Atlantic Ocean *Tamu Massif — the largest volcano on Earth

References

{{reflist Landforms Mountains