Fiords are the drowned glaciated valleys. They are a long, narrow or broadly curved valleys filled with sea water. They are, in some cases, as much as 2000 to 3000 meters deep.
They are bounded by steep mountain slopes of great height. Fiords have developed as a result of submergence of pre-existing glacially over-deepened valleys due to a rising sea level after the melting of the Pleistocene ice-sheets.
In many cases the floor of a fiord lies well below the sea level. The glacial origin of a fiord is confirmed by the polished and striated, over-steepened walls, hanging valleys, and other peculiar topography.
In some cases, the floors of these fiords are nearly 30 meters below sea level. Coastlines with notable fiords comprise those of Norway, Greenland, Chile, Alaska, British Columbia, and South Island of New Zealand.
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Fiords bring relatively warm water deep inland which has moderating effect on winter temperatures. This effect is noticeable in the Norwegian coastal areas.
Besides, most fiords are basins with a rock threshold towards the sea, which does not allow the cold deep-ocean water to enter into the basin. This keeps the fiord water warm. The economic importance of fiords cannot be underestimated.
Besides providing abundant fish, they provide sheltered shipping lanes and make the access to the coastal areas easier. Some of the fiords with their visual appeal attract large number of tourists.