Vital articles is a list of subjects for which Wikipedia should have corresponding high-quality articles. It serves as a centralized watchlist to track the status of Wikipedia's most essential articles. This is one of the sub-lists of the fifty thousand article Vital articles/Level 5 and is currently under construction.
Article in the Vital list have their assessment labelled as:
- Featured articles
- Former featured articles
- A-class articles
- Good articles
- Delisted good articles
- Failed good article nominees
- B-class articles
- C-class articles
- Start-class articles
- Stub-class articles
- List-class articles
- Unassessed articles
The progress bar is auto-updated via category count, and the symbols and article counts are updated daily by User:cewbot. Please read the FAQ before modifying the article list.
Total articles: 1,046/1,200
For specific geographical objects see Geography
Earth science basics (173/175 articles)
General (44 articles)
- Earth science (Level 3)
- Biogeochemical cycle
- Environment
- Figure of the Earth
- Gaia hypothesis
- History of Earth (Level 3)
- Natural disaster (Level 4)
- Natural resource (Level 4)
- Planetary boundaries
Biomes (49 articles)
General (13 articles)
Forests (17 articles)
Grasslands (9 articles)
- Grassland (Level 3)
- Llanos
- Meadow (Level 4)
- Montane grasslands and shrublands
- Prairie (Level 4)
- Savanna (Level 4)
- Steppe (Level 4)
- Temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands
- Tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands
Wetlands (10 articles)
- Wetland (Level 4)
- Bog (Level 4)
- Fen
- Flooded grasslands and savannas
- Mangrove (Level 4)
- Marsh (Level 4)
- Mire
- Riparian zone
- Salt marsh
- Swamp (Level 4)
Climatology (67 articles)
General (5 articles)
- Climatology (Level 4)
- Climate system
- El Niño–Southern Oscillation (Level 4)
- Köppen climate classification (Level 4)
- Microclimate
Climates (15 articles)
- Climate (Level 2)
- Alpine climate
- Desert climate
- Polar climate
- Semi-arid climate
- Subarctic climate
- Temperate climate (Level 4)
- Tropical climate (Level 4)
Climate change (47 articles)
- Climate change (Level 3)
- Climate change in Africa
- Climate change in Antarctica
- Climate change in the Caribbean
- Climate change denial
- Climate change in Europe
- Climate change feedback
- Climate change and fisheries
- Climate change in the Middle East and North Africa
- Climate change mitigation
- Climate change in South Asia
- Climate change vulnerability
- Climate variability and change (Level 4)
- Deforestation and climate change
- Economics of climate change
- Effects of climate change
- Greenhouse effect (Level 4)
- Greenhouse gas
- Greenhouse gas emissions
- Politics of climate change
- Solar activity and climate
Seasons (13 articles)
Air (130/150 articles)
Atmosphere (24 articles)
General (11 articles)
- Atmosphere of Earth (Level 3)
- Air mass (Level 4)
- Atmospheric pressure (Level 4)
- Atmospheric science (Level 4)
- Ozone depletion (Level 4)
Atmospheric optics (13 articles)
- Aurora (Level 4)
- Glory
- Halo
- Haze
- Heiligenschein
- Light pillar
- Mirage (Level 4)
- Rainbow (Level 4)
- Sky (Level 4)
- Sun dog
- Sunlight
Meteorology (106 articles)
General (12 articles)
- Meteorology (Level 4)
- Weather (Level 3)
- Weather front (Level 4)
- Weather forecasting (Level 4)
- Humidity (Level 4)
- Low-pressure area (Level 4)
- Indian summer
Clouds (23 articles)
- Cloud (Level 3)
- Cirrus cloud (Level 4)
- Cumulonimbus cloud (Level 4)
- Cumulus cloud (Level 4)
- Fog (Level 4)
- Mist
- Diamond dust
- Funnel cloud
- Cirrostratus cloud
- Nimbostratus cloud
- Fractus cloud
- Stratus cloud
- Altostratus cloud
- Stratocumulus cloud
- Altocumulus cloud
- Cirrocumulus cloud
- Noctilucent cloud
- Polar stratospheric cloud
Precipitation (14 articles)
- Precipitation (Level 4)
- Rain (Level 3)
- Snow (Level 3)
- Hail (Level 4)
- Dew (Level 4)
- Frost (Level 4)
- Ice pellets
- Rain and snow mixed
- Graupel
- Drizzle
- Cloudburst
- Rain shadow
Atmospheric circulation (7 articles)
- Atmospheric circulation (Level 4)
- Anticyclone (Level 4)
- Cyclone (Level 4)
- Extratropical cyclone (Level 4)
- Hadley cell (Level 4)
- Polar vortex (Level 4)
- Walker circulation (Level 4)
Storms (37 articles)
- Storm (Level 4)
- Winter storm
- Whirlwind
- Tropical cyclone (Level 3)
- Dust storm (Level 4)
- Atmospheric electricity
- Geomagnetic storm
- St. Elmo's fire
Winds (13 articles)
Geology (547/575 articles)
General (11 articles)
Geochemistry (14 articles)
- Geochemistry
- Isotope geochemistry
- Geochemical cycle
- Igneous differentiation
- Trace element
- Biogeochemistry
- Metamorphic reaction
- Recrystallization
Geophysics (60 articles)
- Geophysics (Level 4)
- Computational geophysics
- Earth's internal heat budget
- Earth's magnetic field (Level 4)
- Forensic geophysics
- Geodesy (Level 4)
- Geodynamics
- Geomathematics
- Geophysical fluid dynamics
- Geothermal gradient
- Gravimetry
- Isostasy
- Mantle convection
- Near-surface geophysics
- Soil liquefaction
- Theory of tides
Seismology (32 articles)
- Seismology (Level 4)
- Seismic wave
- Seismic intensity scales
- Seismic magnitude scales
- Seismic refraction
- Seismic tomography
- Seismic zone
- Shadow zone
- Elastic-rebound theory
- Earthquake (Level 3)
- Ground motion
Historical geology (90 articles)
Basics (3 articles)
Geochronology (13 articles)
- Geochronology (Level 4)
- Absolute dating
- Relative dating
- Detrital zircon geochronology
- Monazite geochronology
- Paleomagnetism
- Thermochronology
Paleoclimate (4 articles)
Events (21 articles)
- Late Heavy Bombardment
- Great Oxidation Event (Level 4)
- Snowball Earth
- Cambrian explosion (Level 4)
- Late Ordovician mass extinction (Level 4)
- Andean-Saharan glaciation
- Late Devonian extinction (Level 4)
- Late Paleozoic icehouse
- Permian–Triassic extinction event (Level 4)
- Triassic–Jurassic extinction event (Level 4)
- Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event (Level 4)
- Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum
- Quaternary glaciation
- Last Glacial Period
- Quaternary extinction event
Paleogeography (16 articles)
- Paleocontinent
- Supercontinent
- Iapetus Ocean
- Paleo-Tethys Ocean
- Panthalassa
- Rheic Ocean
- Tethys Ocean
- Western Interior Seaway
Geological timescale (33 articles)
- Geologic time scale (Level 4)
- Precambrian (Level 4)
- Phanerozoic (Level 4)
Terrestrial geology (372 articles)
General (1 article)
Geologic features (21 articles)
- Algoman orogeny
- Andean orogeny
- Belt Supergroup
- Central Asian Orogenic Belt
- Columbia River Basalt Group
- Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary
- Deccan Traps
- Diapir
- Dike
- Geology of the Appalachians
- Geology of the Himalayas
- Hawaii hotspot
- Hydrothermal vent
- Laramide orogeny
- Siberian Traps
- Sill
- Slave Craton
- Slickenside
- Terra Australis Orogen
- Yellowstone hotspot
Minerals (92 articles)
- Mineral (Level 3)
- Mineralogy (Level 4)
- Carbonate mineral
- Earth pigment
- Gemstone (Level 4)
- Halide mineral
- Mineral physics
- Native element mineral
- Oxide mineral
- Phosphate mineral
- Silicate mineral
- Sulfate mineral
- Sulfide mineral
Petrology (63 articles)
- Petrology (Level 4)
- Rock (Level 3)
- Bowen's reaction series
- Igneous rock (Level 4)
- Metamorphic rock (Level 4)
- Sedimentary rock (Level 4)
- Meteorite (Level 4)
- Porosity
Sedimentology (43 articles)
- Sediment (Level 4)
- Grain size
- Pelagic sediment
- Till
- Alluvium
- Deposition
- Diagenesis
- Sedimentary basin (Level 4)
- Sediment transport
- Aggradation
- Degradation
- Bioturbation
- Cementation
- Sedimentary structures
- Graded bedding
- Lamination
- Bed
- Roundness
- Regolith
- Paleosol
- Loess
Soil science (26 articles)
- Soil science (Level 4)
- Detritus
- Downhill creep
- Edaphology
- Humus
- Soil (Level 3)
- Soil chemistry
- Soil classification
- Soil fertility (Level 4)
- Soil formation (Level 4)
- Soil health
- Soil horizon
- Soil morphology
- Soil physics
- Pedology
- Pedosphere (Level 4)
- Plant litter
- Tilth
Stratigraphy (29 articles)
- Stratigraphy (Level 4)
- Stratigraphic unit (Level 4)
- Greenstone belt
- Stratum
- Marine regression
- Marine transgression
- Basement
- Contact
- Law of superposition
- Facies
- Stratigraphic section
- System
- Biozone
- List of index fossils
- Sequence
- Parasequence
- Type locality
- Cratonic sequence
- Past sea level
Structural geology (23 articles)
- Structural geology
- Boudinage
- Ductility
- Fabric
- Fold (Level 4)
- Fracture
- Horst and graben
- Shear zone
- Strike and dip
- Structural basin
Tectonics (54 articles)
- Plate tectonics (Level 3)
- Continental drift
- Continent (Level 3)
- Continental shelf (Level 4)
- Continental margin
- Continental rise
- Abyssal plain (Level 4)
- Divergent boundary
- Transform fault
- Convergent boundary
- Passive margin
- Décollement
- Lithosphere (Level 4)
- Upper mantle (Earth)
- Lower mantle (Earth)
- Asthenosphere
- Shield
- Triple junction
- Geologic province
- Transition zone (Earth)
- Core–mantle boundary
Tectonic plates (14 articles)
- African Plate
- Arabian Plate
- Antarctic Plate
- Caribbean Plate
- Cocos Plate
- Eurasian Plate
- Indo-Australian Plate
- Nazca Plate
- North American Plate
- Pacific Plate
- Philippine Sea Plate
- South American Plate
- Farallon Plate
Volcanology (20 articles)
Geomorphology (113/150 articles)
General (8 articles)
Landforms (105 articles)
General (14 articles)
- Landform (Level 4)
- Land (Level 2)
- Highland
- Upland and lowland
- Hill (Level 4)
- Valley (Level 4)
- Plateau (Level 4)
- Plain (Level 4)
- Depression
- Escarpment
Aeolian landforms (2 articles)
Artificial landforms (3 articles)
Caves (10 articles)
Fluvial landforms (15 articles)
- River morphology
- Alluvial fan (Level 4)
- Canyon (Level 4)
- Floodplain (Level 4)
- Meander (Level 4)
- Rapids (Level 4)
- Waterfall (Level 4)
- Bar
- Promontory
- Stream bed
- River valley
- Cut bank
Glacial landforms (7 articles)
- Glacial landform (Level 4)
- Cirque
- Esker
- Fjord (Level 4)
- Moraine (Level 4)
- Post-glacial rebound
- U-shaped valley
Montane landforms (9 articles)
Oceanic and coastal landforms (32 articles)
- Oceanic basin
- Archipelago (Level 4)
- Bay (Level 4)
- Beach (Level 4)
- Coast (Level 4)
- Coral reef (Level 4)
- Headland
- Lagoon (Level 4)
- Peninsula (Level 4)
- Island (Level 3)
- Seamount (Level 4)
- Mudflat
- Isthmus
- Sea cave
- Shoal
- Shore
- Stack
Other erosional landforms (6 articles)
Volcanic landforms (7 articles)
Water (84/150 articles)
General (6 articles)
- Aquatic ecosystem
- Cryosphere (Level 4)
- Eutrophication
- Flood (Level 3)
- Hydrosphere (Level 4)
- Whirlpool
Oceanography (25 articles)
- Oceanography (Level 4)
- Marine chemistry
- Marine habitats
- Marine ecosystem
- Marine life
- Ocean (Level 4)
- Ocean dynamics
- Sea (Level 2)
- Seabed (Level 4)
- Sea level (Level 4)
- Seawater
- Tide (Level 4)
- Tsunami (Level 4)
- Turbidity current
- Wind wave
Glaciology (10 articles)
- Glaciology
- Basal sliding
- Crevasse
- Glacier (Level 3)
- Iceberg (Level 4)
- Ice sheet (Level 4)
- Ice shelf (Level 4)
- Methane clathrate
- Permafrost (Level 4)
- Sea ice (Level 4)
Hydrology (43 articles)