Glaciers are categorised into two groups: alpine glaciers and ice sheets. Alpine glaciers (valley glaciers or mountain glaciers) originate from the mountainsides and move downward towards valleys. The Gorner Glacier in Switzerland and the Furtwangler Glacier in Tanzania are some of the examples of alpine glaciers. Ice sheet glaciers have broad domes and spread out from centre in all directions. Their domes are so wide that they cover everything around valleys, plains and even oceans. The largest ice sheet, called the continental glacier, spreads over vast areas. Today, continental glaciers cover most of the Antarctica and the island of Greenland.
Types of Glaciers
