What is Beach?
[[File:Man o'war cove near lulworth dorset arp.jpg|thumb|A [[sand]] and [[shingle beach|shingle]] beach in [[Dorset]], [[England]]]] [[File:Cannes beach 1980 2.jpg|thumb|A tourist beach in [[Cannes]], [[France]]]] [[File:Iguana on the beach at Tortuga Bay Galapagos photo by Alvaro Sevilla Design.JPG|thumb|[[Marine iguana]], ''Amblyrhynchus cristatus'', on the beach at Tortuga Bay on Santa Cruz Island, [[Galapagos]]]] A '''beach''' is a [[landform]] along the [[coast]] of an [[ocean]], [[sea]], [[lake]], or [[river]]. It usually consists of loose particles, such as [[sand]], [[gravel]], [[shingle beach|shingle]], or [[pebble]]s. The particles of a beach are sometimes biological in origin, such as [[mollusc]] [[shell (zoology)|shells]] or bits of [[coral]] and sometimes bits of [[igneous rock]], but the most common mineral in beaches is [[quartz]]. Beaches are natural landing and launching places for [[boat]]s, and [[landing craft]] are specially made for beaches. People often use beaches for [[recreation]]. They [[swimming|swim]], bask in the sun, or just relax. The most popular beaches have fine white or light-colored sand and warm water to swim in. Beaches are also used for [[diving]] or for seeing [[marine life]]. Among the world's most popular and well-known beaches are [[Aruba]] (Dutch Caribbean), Long Beach ([[Canada]]), Copacabana Beach ([[Brazil]]), Hot Water Beach ([[New Zealand]]), Megan Bay ([[St. Thomas]]), Kailua Beach ([[Hawaii]]), Zandvoort Beach ([[Netherlands]]), Jeffreys Bay ([[South Africa]]), Bondi Beach ([[Australia]]) and [[Lake Como beaches]] (Italy). Taking holidays on the beach is something of a British cultural export. Early [[railways]] in the 19th century took people to places they had never seen before. This [[tourism]] was made possible by the [[industrial revolution]]. Whole [[seaside resort]] towns grew to support visitors, where before there were just villages. Vacations at the sea became common all over the world.<ref>[http://www.history.ac.uk/ihr/Focus/Sea/articles/walton.ht