Morphostructure

those subdivisions of the relief of the earth’s surface in whose formation endogenic processes predominated during the prolonged interaction of endogenic and exogenic forces. The morphological differences of morphostructures result from dissimilar structure and differences in the geological history of particular parts of the crust. The largest (planetary) morphostructures (“geotectures” in the terminology of I. P. Gerasimov) correspond to the largest structural elements of the earth’s crust (continents and ocean basins, transition zones).

The planetary morphostructure is divided into smaller morphostructures (individual elevations, mountain ranges, massifs, basins) that match the tectonic structures corresponding to them.