"(specific name) Dale". Clough is a word in common use in northern England for a narrow valley with steep sides. Gill is used to describe a ravine containing a mountain stream in Cumbria and the Pennines. The term combe (also encountered as coombe) is widespread in southern England and describes a short valley set into a hillside. Other terms for small valleys such as hope, dean, slade, slack and bottom are commonly encountered in place-names in various parts of England but are no longer in general use as synonyms for valley. The term vale is used in England and Wales to describe a wide river valley, usually with a particularly wide flood plain or flat valley bottom. In Southern England, vales commonly occur between the outcrops of different relatively erosion-resistant rock formations, where less resistant rock, often claystone has been eroded. An example is the Vale of White Horse in Oxfordshire. Human settlement Some of the first human complex societies originated in river valleys, such as that of the Nile, Tigris-Euphrates, Indus, Ganges, Yangtze, Yellow River, Mississippi, and arguably the Amazon. In prehistory, the rivers were used as a source of fresh water and food (fish and game), as well as a place to wash and a sewer. The proximity of water moderated temperature extremes and provided a source for irrigation, stimulating the development of agriculture. Most of the first civilizations developed from these river valley communities. Siting of settlements within valleys is influenced by many factors, including the need to avoid flooding and the location of river crossing points. Notable examples Africa Albertine Rift East African Rift Ethiopian Rift Valley Great Rift Valley Nile Valley (Egypt/Sudan/Ethiopia/Uganda) Nugaal Valley (Somalia) Umba Valley (Tanzania) Valley of the Kings (Egypt) Asia List of valleys in India List of valleys in Pakistan Beqaa Valley (Lebanon) Emin Valley (Kazakhstan) Ihlara, Turkey Dang Valley (Western Nepal) Jordan Rift Valley (Jordan - Israel) Jordan Valley Kathmandu (Nepal) Klang Valley (Malaysia) Mahaweli (Sri Lanka) Panjshir Valley (Afghanistan) Valleys of China Baligou Valley Emin Valley Heizhu Valley Insukati Valley Jiuzhaigou Valley Mutou Valley Oceania Barossa Valley (Australia) Bulolo Valley (Papua New Guinea) Capertee Valley (Australia) Hunter Region (Australia) Hutt Valley (New Zealand) Macarthur, New South Wales (Australia) Markham Valley (Papua New Guinea) Cagayan Valley (Philippines) Strath Taieri (New Zealand) Europe Dalen, Telemark (Telemark, Norway) Bergensdalen (Vestland, Norway) Danube Valley (Eastern Europe) Glen Coe (Scotland, United Kingdom) Great Glen