An Inselberg is an isolated hill, knob, ridge, or small mountain that rises abruptly from a gently sloping or virtually level surrounding plain. The word is of German origin and means "island mountain".

Formation of inselbergs

Inselbergs are typically formed in tropical areas. Volcanic or other processes may give rise to a body of rock resistant to erosion inside rock which is more susceptible to erosion such as sandstone. When the less resistant rock is eroded away to form a plain, the more resistant rock is left behind as an isolated mountain. The name was originally coined to describe the abundant such features found in Southern Africa.

Examples of inselbergs

Notable inselbergs include Sugar Loaf Mountain in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Uluru and Kata Tjuta in Australia, Stone Mountain, Georgia, USA, and the Mulanje Massif in Malawi.