Malpaís (landform)

Malpaís, in the Southwestern United States, Spain, Mexico, and other Spanish-speaking regions, are rough and barren landscapes that consist of relict and largely uneroded lava fields exhibiting recognizable lava flows, volcanic cones, and other volcanic landforms.

While the term describes many xeric places, it is strongly associated with Spanish-speaking countries and the Southwestern United States, where Spanish settlers named this landform.

The word 'malpaís' in Spanish translates to "badland," and this describes the area as being extremely rough and difficult to traverse and unusable for crops.

The geology of malpaís terrain is bare to thin layers of soil over lava with sparse vegetation.

The collapsed tubes, sinkholes, and jagged ʻaʻā surfaces are what make malpaís terrain so difficult to navigate and cultivate, thereby earning their name.