A landscape is the visible features of an area of land, including its landforms such as mountains, hills, rivers, lakes, and seas, as well as living elements like vegetation and human-made features like buildings, roads, and other structures. It is often considered in terms of its aesthetic appearance and how natural and human elements integrate to form a distinctive environment
. More broadly, landscape is understood as the reciprocal relationship between humans, non-humans, their place, and their environment. It is shaped by both natural processes and human activities, reflecting a living synthesis of people and place that contributes to local and national identity. This makes landscape not just a physical space but also a cultural and social experience, carrying history and meaning
. The European Landscape Convention defines landscape as "an area, as perceived by people, whose character is the result of the action and interaction of natural and/or human factors," emphasizing that landscapes include everything people see, hear, and experience in an area, whether urban or rural
. In summary, landscape encompasses:
- Physical landforms and natural features (mountains, rivers, vegetation)
- Human-made elements (buildings, roads, land use)
- The dynamic interaction between nature and human culture
- The aesthetic, cultural, social, and ecological character of a place
It is both a tangible environment and an experiential, perceptual concept shaped by human interaction with the land.
