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A beach is a landform along a coast where loose sediment—sand, gravel, shingle, or pebbles—accumulates due to the action of waves, tides, and currents. Beaches exist along oceans, seas, and even large lakes.

How beaches form

• Erosion: Waves break down rock and coral over time into smaller particles.
• Deposition: Currents and waves carry sediment and deposit it along the shore.
• Longshore drift: Waves hitting the coast at an angle move sand along the shoreline, constantly reshaping beaches.
• Rivers also contribute by carrying sediment from inland areas down to the coast.