Glaciers can be classified into two main groups - alpine and continental - dependant on where and how they form. These types can then be divided into different types within the subcategories and are explained below:
Alpine Glaciers
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Alpine glaciers form in high-altitude regions on crests and slopes of mountains.They often develop in a valley and flow downhill due to gravity. In high altitudes, examples of such glaciers can be found in the Himalayas, Andes, Rocky mountains and on a few mountain tops in East Africa and Mexico.
Alpine glaciers can further be classified into 4 different types:
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Continental Glaciers
An expansive, continuous mass of ice, considerably larger than an alpine glacier is known as a continental glacier.
There are three primary subtypes:
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