<p>First let's define the terms:</p>

<p>Peninsula: A headland or promontory surrounded by water but connected to the mainland by a neck or isthmus. <a href="https://www.wiley.com/en-us/The+Dictionary+of+Physical+Geography%2C+3rd+Edition-p-9781118687437" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Source</a>.</p>

<p>This <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/peninsula/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">definition</a> is similar to the aforementioned and provide a few examples, underlining that the size (scale) is not an important criteria characterizing peninsulas. For example Baja California (Mexico) is 143000 km^2 in surface. Gaspésie (Québec, Eastern Canada) is 30000+ km^2. The Korean peninsula is more than 200000 km^2. Peninsulas can be of any size in surface if it meet the above definition. Normal usage of this term target large headlands surrounded by water but does not disqualify similar but smaller landforms even if unusual.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/cape/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Cape</a>: A marked change or discontinuity in trend of the coastline. This change is often a high point of land extending in the water, possibly because the rock formation at the extrusion is harder or more resistant to erosion than the surrounding coastline system. A cape or many capes can be featured on a peninsula (but typically not the other way around). Normally, cape are smaller than peninsulas. Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) and the North Cape (Norway) are examples of capes. </p>

<p><strong>Differentiation:</strong></p>

<p>The <strong>Cape</strong> need to be a feature of the coastline, such as a discontinuity, or a point of land extruding from the coastline toward the deep sea. The coastline can be an island or a big mass of land and the cape a single feature along the coastline. The scale to consider here is the coastline, and the cape being one out of the ordinary extruding component of the coastline.</p>

<p>The <strong>Peninsula</strong> definition is loose unlike the cape definition. By typical usage peninsulas are much wider and longer than any capes.</p>

<p>Like many of the concepts in geography, terms and definitions are open to debate or interchangeable, so I would not say there is a precise threshold separating capes from peninsulas. But I am pretty sure, using the existing definitions, that I can properly name those landforms most of the time when I see it.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-24T13:46:15.393Z
2019-05-24T13:46:15.393Z
marsisalie
<p>I know that Peninsula is much larger than a cape, but is there a definite way to differentiate them? I.e. by area- if the total area is larger than 30 sqkm, any headland is classified as peninsula..</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-24T14:14:18.520Z
From an Earth Science standpoint, there is no distinction. It's an entirely nominal thing: The person who names it calls it what they like.
Spencer
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-24T17:22:14.800Z
This probably is more about geography than earth science
Fred
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2019-05-24T17:39:42.250Z
@Fred Geography **is** Earth Science. This is a question for EL&U.
Spencer
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-24T19:00:01.283Z
@Spencer I don't agree that there is no distinction since it is not the same thing even if it is not clear how (typical of geography). And I don't agree someone on EL&U will likely have the credentials to properly discuss the differences unlike many on ES to answer the question. Further - googling 'Peninsula' vs 'Cape' provide several Q&A - some are OK answers, other less, thus the relevance for here. I will propose reopen.
marsisalie
<geology><geography><geomorphology>
Peninsula vs Cape
David
# Peninsula vs Cape

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-05-24)

I know that Peninsula is much larger than a cape, but is there a definite way to differentiate them? I.e. by area- if the total area is larger than 30 sqkm, any headland is classified as peninsula..

**Tags:** geology, geography, geomorphology

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: From an Earth Science standpoint, there is no distinction. It's an entirely nominal thing: The person who names it calls it what they like.  
> **username_2**: This probably is more about geography than earth science  
> **username_1**: @username_2 Geography **is** Earth Science. This is a question for EL&U.  
> **username_3**: @username_1 I don't agree that there is no distinction since it is not the same thing even if it is not clear how (typical of geography). And I don't agree someone on EL&U will likely have the credentials to properly discuss the differences unlike many on ES to answer the question. Further - googling 'Peninsula' vs 'Cape' provide several Q&A - some are OK answers, other less, thus the relevance for here. I will propose reopen.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2019-05-24. Score: 4

First let's define the terms:

Peninsula: A headland or promontory surrounded by water but connected to the mainland by a neck or isthmus. [Source](https://www.wiley.com/en-us/The+Dictionary+of+Physical+Geography%2C+3rd+Edition-p-9781118687437).

This [definition](https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/peninsula/) is similar to the aforementioned and provide a few examples, underlining that the size (scale) is not an important criteria characterizing peninsulas. For example Baja California (Mexico) is 143000 km^2 in surface. Gaspésie (Québec, Eastern Canada) is 30000+ km^2. The Korean peninsula is more than 200000 km^2. Peninsulas can be of any size in surface if it meet the above definition. Normal usage of this term target large headlands surrounded by water but does not disqualify similar but smaller landforms even if unusual.

[Cape](https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/cape/): A marked change or discontinuity in trend of the coastline. This change is often a high point of land extending in the water, possibly because the rock formation at the extrusion is harder or more resistant to erosion than the surrounding coastline system. A cape or many capes can be featured on a peninsula (but typically not the other way around). Normally, cape are smaller than peninsulas. Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) and the North Cape (Norway) are examples of capes.

**Differentiation:**

The **Cape** need to be a feature of the coastline, such as a discontinuity, or a point of land extruding from the coastline toward the deep sea. The coastline can be an island or a big mass of land and the cape a single feature along the coastline. The scale to consider here is the coastline, and the cape being one out of the ordinary extruding component of the coastline.

The **Peninsula** definition is loose unlike the cape definition. By typical usage peninsulas are much wider and longer than any capes.

Like many of the concepts in geography, terms and definitions are open to debate or interchangeable, so I would not say there is a precise threshold separating capes from peninsulas. But I am pretty sure, using the existing definitions, that I can properly name those landforms most of the time when I see it.


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