What causes a river to develop meanders?
Lateral erosion in flat terrain
Meanders form on the middle and lower courses of a river, where the gradient is gentle and the terrain is relatively flat.
In such areas, the flow can no longer cut downwards effectively, so most of the river's energy is spent eroding sideways. This lateral erosion on the outer (concave) bank, combined with deposition on the inner (convex) bank, gradually exaggerates any small bend until characteristic looping curves — meanders — develop.
High-altitude origin and tectonic uplift create steep, V-shaped valleys (vertical erosion dominates) and ocean currents have no role this far inland. Hence the correct answer is Lateral erosion in flat terrain.
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