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A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. It often has a distinct summit, and is usually applied to peaks which are above elevation compared to the relative landmass, though not as prominent as Mountain. Hills fall under the category of .
Geographers historically regarded mountains as hills greater than above sea level. In contrast, have tended to regard mountains as peaks above sea level. The Oxford English Dictionary also suggests a limit of and WhittowWhittow, John (1984). Dictionary of Physical Geography. London: Penguin, 2004, p. 352. . states "Some authorities regard eminences above as mountains, those below being referred to as hills." Today, a mountain is usually defined in the UK and Ireland as any summit at least high, mountain at dictionary.reference.com. Accessed on 3 February 2013.Wilson, Peter (2001). "Listing the Irish hills and mountains" in Irish Geography, Vol 34(1), University of Ulster, Coleraine, p. 89. while the UK government's Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 defined mountainous areas (for the purposes of open access legislation) as areas above . What is a "Mountain"? Mynydd Graig Goch and all that… at Metric Views. Accessed on 3 February 2013. Some definitions include a topographical prominence requirement, typically or . 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 or more tall. Any similar landform lower than this height was considered a hill. The United States Geological Survey, however, has concluded that these terms do not in fact have technical definitions in the US.
The Great Soviet Encyclopedia defined "hill" as an upland with a relative height of up to . Hill at the Great Soviet Encyclopedia.
A hillock is a small hill. Other words include knoll and (in Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England) its variant, knowe. Knowe, Random House Dictionary at dictionary.com Artificial hills may be referred to by a variety of technical names, including mound and tumulus.
Hills may form through Geomorphology phenomena: Geologic fault, erosion of larger landforms such as mountains and movement and deposition of sediment by (notably and or by erosion exposing solid rock which then weathers down into a hill). The rounded peaks of hills results from the diffusion movement of soil and regolith covering the hill, a process known as downhill creep.
Various names may be used to describe types of hills, based on appearance and method of formation. Many such names originated in one geographical region to describe a type of hill formation particular to that region, though the names are often adopted by and used in a wider geographical context. These include:
Some settlements, particularly in the Middle East, are located on artificial hills consisting of debris (particularly Mudbrick) that has accumulated over many generations. Such a location is known as a "tell".Wilkinson, T.J. Archaeological landscapes of the near east. Tucson: U of Arizona P, 2003, 226.
In Northern Europe, many ancient monuments are sited in heaps. Some of these are defensive structures (such as the Hillfort of the Iron Age), but others appear to have hardly any significance. In Britain, many churches at the tops of hills are thought to have been built on the sites of earlier pagan holy places. The Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. has followed this tradition and was built on the highest hill in that city.
Some cities' hills are culturally significant in their foundation, defense, and history. In addition to Rome, hills have played a prominent role in the history of San Francisco, with its hills being central to the city's fog and civil engineering projects today famous as tourist attractions such as the cable cars and Lombard Street.
Because of their strategic and tactical values, hills have been the site of many notable battles, such as the Battle of Alesia in 52 BC and the first recorded military conflict in Scotland, the Battle of Mons Graupius in AD 83. Modern era conflicts include the 1775 Battle of Bunker Hill (which was actually fought on Breed's Hill) in the American War of Independence; and Cemetery Hill and Culp's Hill in the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg, the turning point of the American Civil War. The Battle of San Juan Hill in the 1898 Spanish–American War won the Americans control of Santiago de Cuba but only after suffering from heavy casualties inflicted by a much smaller force entrenched on the hill top.
Battles for the possession of high ground have often resulted in heavy casualties to both sides, such as the 1969 Battle of Hamburger Hill during the Vietnam War, the Battle of Stalingrad and Battle of Peleliu during World War II, and the 1969 Kargil War between India and Pakistan.
The Great Wall of China is an enduring example of hilltop fortification. It was built on hilltops to help defend against invaders from the north, such as Mongols.
Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake is an annual event in the West Country of England which involves rolling a wheel of cheese down a hill. Contestants stand at the top and chase the wheel of cheese to the bottom. The winner, the one who catches the cheese, gets to keep the wheel of cheese as a prize.
Cross country running courses may include hills which can add diversity and challenge to those courses.
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