There are several types of beaches found along the coasts of the United States. Common to Northern California and Oregon is the narrow stretch of sand bounded by rolling surf and a rocky cliff mainland. These beaches are located where waves break upon a coast of hard bedrock with little available sediment. Numerous beaches on the Atlantic Coast are of the spit type, such as New York's Coney Island where a narrow shoal extends seaward. This type of beach is created by wave action over a lengthy period.
Beaches are a major attraction for coastal living.
About two-thirds of the world's population lives within a narrow coastal belt that extends landward from the ocean's edge. In the United States, many large cities are located near or on an ocean shoreline or alongside one of the Great Lakes.