Introduction to Landforms by IQ https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3 Year 8 Geography - Types of Landforms en-us 2017-09-01 04:11:37 UTC 2025-12-15 16:38:14 UTC hello@padlet.com MOUNTAINS iliseva_qalovaki https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184133748 2017-09-01 04:13:09 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184133748 VALLEYS iliseva_qalovaki https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184133755 2017-09-01 04:13:19 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184133755 PENINSULA iliseva_qalovaki https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184133764 2017-09-01 04:13:27 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184133764 ISTHMUS iliseva_qalovaki https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184133774 2017-09-01 04:13:39 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184133774 CANYON iliseva_qalovaki https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184133811 2017-09-01 04:14:07 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184133811 PLAIN iliseva_qalovaki https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184133818 2017-09-01 04:14:14 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184133818 PLATEAU iliseva_qalovaki https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184133820 2017-09-01 04:14:19 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184133820 ISLAND iliseva_qalovaki https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184133837 2017-09-01 04:14:30 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184133837 LAKE iliseva_qalovaki https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184133841 2017-09-01 04:14:35 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184133841 OCEANS iliseva_qalovaki https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184133845 2017-09-01 04:14:43 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184133845 DESERT iliseva_qalovaki https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184133851 2017-09-01 04:14:50 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184133851 RIVER iliseva_qalovaki https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184133861 2017-09-01 04:15:00 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184133861 lakes https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184134774 A lake is an area of variable size filled with water, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land, apart from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake.

]]> 2017-09-01 04:28:36 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184134774 Rivers https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184134797 a large natural stream of water flowing in a channel to the sea, a lake, or another river. ]]> 2017-09-01 04:28:51 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184134797 Plateau https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184134810 a plateau is a high plain that consists of mainly flat surfaces and is raised above other ]]> 2017-09-01 04:29:05 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184134810 Plain https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184134830 A landmass that is flat and covers many kilometres. It does not change much in elevation within a common area. There are different types of plains such as prairies, grasslands and steppes.]]> 2017-09-01 04:29:26 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184134830 Isthmus - Stephane and Darcy https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184134832 A strip of land between oceans on either side.]]> 2017-09-01 04:29:27 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184134832 ake josh https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184134833 A lake is an area of variable size filled with water]]> 2017-09-01 04:29:28 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184134833 RIVER - Abbie https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184134836 A large natural stream of water flowing in a channel to the sea, a lake, or another river.
A large quantity of a flowing substance.
A natural stream of water of fairly large size flowing in a definite course or channel or series of diverging and converging channels.
The longest river in the world is the Amazon River - it is 6,992 km long.]]> 2017-09-01 04:29:29 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184134836 River https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184134862 A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river.]]> 2017-09-01 04:29:42 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184134862 Island https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184134906 a piece of land surrounded by water

]]> 2017-09-01 04:30:06 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184134906 Plains- Smule https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184134926 a plain is a flat, sweeping landmass that generally does not change much in elevation
Usually occur at the bottoms of valleys or at the door steps of mountains
An example is the Nullabor plain in Australia]]> 2017-09-01 04:30:28 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184134926 Oceans https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184134929 A very large expanse of sea. The oceans are divided geographically. Ocean water was a gas until earths temperature reached 212 degrees Fahrenheit. it rained until the basins filled with water which are now our oceans

]]> 2017-09-01 04:30:31 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184134929 CANYON https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184134943 A canyon or gorge is a deep cleft between escarpments or cliffs resulting from weathering and the erosive activity of a river over geologic timescales

]]> 2017-09-01 04:30:46 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184134943 Valley https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135000 low area in between hills often with a river running through it.

famous valleys such as clare valley, huan valley and much more.
valleys are usually v-shaped]]> 2017-09-01 04:31:26 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135000 CANYO https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135018

a deep gorge, typically one with a river flowing through it, as found in North America.

]]> 2017-09-01 04:31:36 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135018 Jacob - River https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135041 Rivers are made from the mountains and then the water goes through the rocks and makes rivers.

]]> 2017-09-01 04:31:50 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135041 Desert- Adrian https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135056 A desert is a biome with very little rainfall. Deserts cover about 20% of the earth. There are 4 major types of deserts; hot and dry, semiarid, coastal and cold. ]]> 2017-09-01 04:31:58 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135056 Mountains https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135084 A large natural elevation of the earth's surface rising abruptly from the surrounding level; a large steep hill.
The tallest mountain in the world is Mount Everest standing at 8,848 m ]]> 2017-09-01 04:32:19 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135084 Mountains https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135099 natural elevation of the earth]]> 2017-09-01 04:32:28 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135099 Mountain - Angus https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135105 a large natural elevation of the earth's surface rising abruptly from the surrounding level

]]> 2017-09-01 04:32:30 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135105 Plains https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135107 Plain is a flat sweeping ]]> 2017-09-01 04:32:33 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135107 lakes https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135137
Natural lakes are generally found in mountainous areas, rift zones, and areas with ongoing glaciation. Other lakes are found in endorheic basins or along the courses of mature rivers. In some parts of the world there are many lakes because of chaotic drainage patterns left over from the last Ice Age. All lakes are temporary over geologic time scales, as they will slowly fill in with sediments or spill out of the basin containing them.

Many lakes are artificial and are constructed for industrial or agricultural use, for hydro-electric power generation or domestic water supply, or for aesthetic or recreational purposes or even for other activities.

]]> 2017-09-01 04:32:48 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135137 Mountain - Ella https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135139 Mountains is a large natural height that is a rise above the normal land elevation. ]]> 2017-09-01 04:32:49 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135139 Canyon https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135213 a deep cleft or resulting from weathering and erosion.

]]> 2017-09-01 04:33:45 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135213 https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135236 2017-09-01 04:34:00 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135236 Structural plains are relatively undisturbed horizontal surfaces of the Earth. They are structurally depressed areas of the world that make up some of the most extensive natural lowlands on the Earth's surface. https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135237 the different type of plains]]> 2017-09-01 04:34:02 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135237 Mountain - Angus https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135296 2017-09-01 04:34:40 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135296 mountain https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135322

]]> 2017-09-01 04:34:48 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135322 River https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135337

]]> 2017-09-01 04:34:55 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135337 https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135340 In geology and earth science, a plateau, also called a high plain or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting of relatively flat terrain that is raised significantly above the surrounding]]> 2017-09-01 04:34:57 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135340 https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135343

Structural plains are relatively undisturbed horizontal surfaces of the Earth. They are structurally depressed areas of the world that make up some of the most extensive natural lowlands on the Earth's surface.^[6]

Erosional plains have been leveled by various agents of denudation such as running water, rivers, wind and glacier which wear out the rugged surface and smoothens them. Plain resulting from the action of these agents of denudation are called peneplains (almost plain) while plains formed from wind action are called pediplains.^[7]

Depositional plains formed by the deposition of materials brought by various agents of transportation such as rivers, wind, waves, and glaciers. Their fertility and economic relevance depend greatly on the types of sediments that are laid down.

]]> 2017-09-01 04:34:58 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135343 CANYON https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135358 a gorge or ravine, usually formed by the down cutting down of a river in a dry area where there is a unsufficient]]> 2017-09-01 04:35:08 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135358 Plataeau https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135373 In geology and earth science, a plateau, also called a high plain or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting of relatively flat terrain that is raised significantly above the surrounding]]> 2017-09-01 04:35:19 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135373 https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135407

]]> 2017-09-01 04:35:40 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135407 toy story https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135429 2017-09-01 04:36:01 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135429 River https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135441 Types of rivers:
-The hydrologic cycle
- Permanent rivers
-Periodic rivers]]> 2017-09-01 04:36:09 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135441 MAX https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135458 Plain is a large area of Space where everything is all the material is flat]]> 2017-09-01 04:36:15 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135458 zombies https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135485 2017-09-01 04:36:33 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135485 https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135490

]]> 2017-09-01 04:36:37 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135490 lakes https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135494
The word lake comes from Middle English lake ("lake, pond, waterway"), from Old English lacu ("pond, pool, stream"), from Proto-Germanic*lakō ("pond, ditch, slow moving stream"), from the Proto-Indo-European root *leǵ- ("to leak, drain"). Cognates include Dutch laak ("lake, pond, ditch"), Middle Low German lāke ("water pooled in a riverbed, puddle") as in: de:Moorlake, de:Wolfslake, de:Butterlake, German Lache("pool, puddle"), and Icelandic lækur ("slow flowing stream"). Also related are the English words leak and leach.

There is considerable uncertainty about defining the difference between lakes and ponds, and no current internationally accepted definition of either term across scientific disciplines or political boundaries exists.^[4] For example, limnologists have defined lakes as water bodies which are simply a larger version of a pond, which can have wave action on the shoreline or where wind-induced turbulence plays a major role in mixing the water column. None of these definitions completely excludes ponds and all are difficult to measure. For this reason, simple size-based definitions are increasingly used to separate ponds and lakes. One definition of lake is a body of water of 2 hectares (5 acres) or more in area;^[5]^:331^[6] however, others^[^who?^] have defined lakes as waterbodies of 5 hectares (12 acres) and above,^[^{citation needed}^] or 8 hectares (20 acres) and above ^[7] (see also the definition of "pond"). Charles Elton, one of the founders of ecology, regarded lakes as waterbodies of 40 hectares (99 acres) or more.^[8] The term lake is also used to describe a feature such as Lake Eyre, which is a dry basin most of the time but may become filled under seasonal conditions of heavy rainfall. In common usage, many lakes bear names ending with the word pond, and a lesser number of names ending with lake are in quasi-technical fact, ponds. One textbook illustrates this point with the following: "In Newfoundland, for example, almost every lake is called a pond, whereas in Wisconsin, almost every pond is called a lake."^[9]

]]> 2017-09-01 04:36:41 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135494 https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135554 2017-09-01 04:37:23 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135554 https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135558 2017-09-01 04:37:25 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135558 https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135597 2017-09-01 04:37:47 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135597 https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135611 2017-09-01 04:37:49 UTC https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135611 https://padlet.com/iliseva_qalovaki/pk6jk8rvgbl3/wish/184135631

Plateau

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other uses, see Plateau (disambiguation).

| This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages)This article needs additional citations for verification. (June 2010)This article needs attention from an expert on the subject. (May 2017)In geology and earth science, a plateau ( /pləˈtoʊ/, /plæˈtoʊ/ or /ˈplætoʊ/; plural plateaus or plateaux^[1]^[2]), also called a high plain or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting of relatively flat terrain that is raised significantly above the surrounding area, often with one or more sides with steep slopes. Plateaus can be formed by a number of processes, including upwelling of volcanic magma, extrusion of lava, and erosion by water and glaciers.Plateaus are classified according to their surrounding environment as intermontane, Piedmont, or continental. Plateaus are found on every continent, with Asia hosting the largest and highest: the Tibetan Plateau.Contents

Formation[edit]

Plateaux can be formed by a number of processes, including upwelling of volcanic magma, extrusion of lava, and erosion by water and glaciers.

Volcanic[edit]

Main article: volcanic plateau

Volcanic plateaus are produced by volcanic activity. The Columbia Plateau in the northwestern United States is an example. They may be formed by upwelling of volcanic magma or extrusion of lava.

The underlining mechanism in forming plateaus from upwelling starts when magma rises from the mantle, causing the ground to swell upward. In this way, large, flat areas of rock are uplifted to form a plateau. For plateaus formed by extrusion, the rock is built up from lava spreading outward from cracks and weak areas in the crust.

Erosive[edit]

Plateaus can also be formed by the erosional processes of glaciers on mountain ranges, leaving them sitting between the mountain ranges. Water can also erode mountains and other landforms down into plateaus. Dissected plateaus are highly eroded plateaus cut by rivers and broken by deep narrow valleys. Computer modeling studies suggest that high plateaus may also be partially a result from the feedback between tectonic deformation and dry climatic conditions created at the lee side of growing orogens.^[3]

Classification[edit]

Plateaux are classified according to their surrounding environment.

Intermontane plateaus are the highest in the world, bordered by mountains. The Tibetan Plateau is one such plateau.
Piedmont plateaus are bordered on one side by mountains and on the other by a plain or a sea. The Piedmont Plateau of the Eastern United States between the Appalachian Mountains and the Atlantic Coastal Plain is an example.
Continental plateaus are bordered on all sides by plains or oceans, forming away from the mountains. An example of a continental plateau is the Antarctic Plateauor Polar Plateau in East Antarctica.

Large plateaus[edit]

Asia[edit]

The largest and highest plateau in the world is the Tibetan Plateau, sometimes metaphorically described as the "roof of the world", which is still being formed by the collisions of the Indo-Australian and Eurasian tectonic plates. The Tibetan plateau covers approximately 2,500,000 km² (970,000 sq mi), at about 5,000 m (16,000 ft) above sea level. The plateau is sufficiently high enough to reverse the Hadley cell convection cycles and to drive the monsoons of India towards the south.

The second-highest plateau is the Deosai Plateau of the Deosai National Park (also known as Deoasai Plains) at an average elevation of 4,114 m (13,497 ft). It is located in the Astore and Skardu districts of Gilgit-Baltistan, in northern Pakistan. Deosai means 'the land of giants'. The park protects an area of 3,000 km²(1,200 sq mi). It is known for its rich flora and fauna of the Karakoram-West Tibetan Plateau alpine steppe ecoregion. In spring it is covered by sweeps of wildflowers and a wide variety of butterflies. The highest point in Deosai is Deosai Lake, or Sheosar Lake from the Shina language meaning "Blind lake" (Sheo – Blind, Sar – lake) near the Chilim Valley. The lake lies at an elevation of 4,142 m (13,589 ft), one of the highest lakes in the world, and is 2.3 km (1.4 mi) long, 1.8 km (1.1 mi) wide, and 40 m (130 ft) deep on average.

Hardangervidda, the largest plateau in Europe

Bogotá, Colombia is located in a high plateau, over 8,600 ft (2,600 m) high

Some other major plateaus in Asia are: Armenian Highlands (~400,000 km² (150,000 sq mi), elevation 900–2,100 metres (3,000–6,900 ft)), Iranian plateau (~3,700,000 km² (1,400,000 sq mi), elevation 300–1,500 metres (980–4,920 ft)), Anatolian Plateau, Mongolian Plateau (~2,600,000 km² (1,000,000 sq mi), elevation 1,000–1,500 metres (3,300–4,900 ft)), and the Deccan Plateau (~1,900,000 km² (730,000 sq mi), elevation 300–600 metres (980–1,970 ft)).

Antarctica[edit]

Another very large plateau is the icy Antarctic Plateau, which is sometimes referred to as the Polar Plateau, home to the geographic South Pole and the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, which covers most of East Antarctica where there are no known mountains but rather 3,000 m (9,800 ft) high of superficial ice and which spreads very slowly toward the surrounding coastline through enormous glaciers. This polar ice cap is so massive that the echolocation sound measurements of ice thickness have shown that large parts of the Antarctic "dry land" surface have been pressed below sea level. Thus, if that same ice cap were suddenly removed, the large areas of the frozen white continent would be flooded by the surrounding Antarctic Ocean or Southern Ocean. On the other hand, were the ice cap melts away too gradually, the surface of the land beneath it would gradually rebound away through isostasy from the center of the Earth and that same land would ultimately rise above sea level.

North America[edit]

A large plateau in North America is the Colorado Plateau, which covers about 337,000 km² (130,000 sq mi) in Colorado, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico.^[4]

In northern Arizona and southern Utah the Colorado Plateau is bisected by the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon. How this came to be is that over 10 million years ago, a river was already there, though not necessarily on exactly the same course. Then, subterranean geological forces caused the land in that part of North America to gradually rise by about a centimeter per year for millions of years. An unusual balance occurred: the river that would become the Colorado River was able to erode into the crust of the Earth at a nearly equal rate to the uplift of the plateau. Now, millions of years later, the North Rim of the Grand Canyon is at an elevation of about 2,450 m (8,040 ft) above sea level, and the South Rim of the Grand Canyon is about 2,150 m (7,050 ft) above sea level. At its deepest, the Colorado River is about 1,830 m (6,000 ft) below the level of the North Rim.

Another high altitude plateau in North America is the Mexican Plateau. With an area of 601,882 km² (232,388 sq mi) and average height of 1,825 m, it is the home of more than 70 million people.

South America[edit]

Main article: Tepui

A tepui ( /ˈtɛpwi/), or tepuy (Spanish: [teˈpui]), is a table-top mountain or mesa found in the Guiana Highlands of South America, especially in Venezuela and western Guyana. The word tepui means "house of the gods" in the native tongue of the Pemon, the indigenous people who inhabit the Gran Sabana.

Tepuis can be considered minute plateaus and tend to be found as isolated entities rather than in connected ranges, which makes them the host of a unique array of endemic plant and animal species. Some of the most outstanding tepuis are Neblina, Autana, Auyantepui and Mount Roraima. They are typically composed of sheer blocks of Precambrian quartz arenite sandstone that rise abruptly from the jungle, giving rise to spectacular natural scenery. Auyantepui is the source of Angel Falls, the world's tallest waterfall.

The Colombian capital city of Bogota sits on an Andean plateau known as the Altiplano Cundiboyacense roughly the size of Switzerland. Averaging a height of 2,600 metres above sea level, this northern Andean plateau is situated in the country's eastern range and is divided into three main flat regions; the Bogotá savanna, the valleys of Ubaté and Chiquinquirá, and the valleys of Duitama and Sogamoso.

Road to the ALMA’s Operations Support Facility and then on further to the Chajnantor Plateau at 5000 meters above sea level.^[5]

The parallel Sierra of Andes delimit one of the world highest plateaux: the Altiplano, (Spanish for "high plain"), Andean Plateau or Bolivian Plateau. It lies in west-central South America, where the Andes are at their widest, is the most extensive area of high plateau on Earth outside of Tibet. The bulk of the Altiplano lies within Bolivian and Peruvian territory while its southern parts lie in Chile and Argentina. The Altiplano plateau hosts several cities like Puno, Oruro, Potosí, Cuzco and La Paz, the administrative seat of Bolivia. Northeastern Altiplano is more humid than the Southwestern, the latter of which hosts several salares, or salt flats, due to its aridity. At the Bolivia-Peru border lies Lake Titicaca, the largest lake in South America.

Africa[edit]

The highest African plateau is the Ethiopian Highlands which cover the central part of Ethiopia. It forms the largest continuous area of its altitude in the continent, with little of its surface falling below 1500 m (4,921 ft), while the summits reach heights of up to 4550 m (14,928 ft). It is sometimes called the Roof of Africa due to its height and large area.

Another example is the Highveld which is the portion of the South African inland plateau which has an altitude above approximately 1500 m, but below 2100 m, thus excluding the Lesotho mountain regions. It is home to some of largest South-African urban agglomerations.

Oceania[edit]

The Western Plateau, part of the Australian Shield, is an ancient craton covering much of the continent's southwest, an area of some 700,000 square kilometres. It has an average elevation of between 305 and 460 m.

The North Island Volcanic Plateau is an area of high land occupying much of the centre of the North Island of New Zealand, with volcanoes, lava plateaus, and crater lakes, the most notable of which is the country's largest lake, Lake Taupo. The plateau stretches approximately 100 km east to west and 130 km north to south. The majority of the plateau is more than 600 m above sea level.

Plateau

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other uses, see Plateau (disambiguation).

Formation[edit]

Plateaux can be formed by a number of processes, including upwelling of volcanic magma, extrusion of lava, and erosion by water and glaciers.

Volcanic[edit]

Main article: volcanic plateau

Volcanic plateaus are produced by volcanic activity. The Columbia Plateau in the northwestern United States is an example. They may be formed by upwelling of volcanic magma or extrusion of lava.

Erosive[edit]

Classification[edit]

Plateaux are classified according to their surrounding environment.

Intermontane plateaus are the highest in the world, bordered by mountains. The Tibetan Plateau is one such plateau.
Piedmont plateaus are bordered on one side by mountains and on the other by a plain or a sea. The Piedmont Plateau of the Eastern United States between the Appalachian Mountains and the Atlantic Coastal Plain is an example.
Continental plateaus are bordered on all sides by plains or oceans, forming away from the mountains. An example of a continental plateau is the Antarctic Plateauor Polar Plateau in East Antarctica.

Large plateaus[edit]

Asia[edit]

Hardangervidda, the largest plateau in Europe

Bogotá, Colombia is located in a high plateau, over 8,600 ft (2,600 m) high

Antarctica[edit]

North America[edit]

A large plateau in North America is the Colorado Plateau, which covers about 337,000 km² (130,000 sq mi) in Colorado, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico.^[4]

Another high altitude plateau in North America is the Mexican Plateau. With an area of 601,882 km² (232,388 sq mi) and average height of 1,825 m, it is the home of more than 70 million people.

South America[edit]

Main article: Tepui

Road to the ALMA’s Operations Support Facility and then on further to the Chajnantor Plateau at 5000 meters above sea level.^[5]

Africa[edit]

Oceania[edit]

Plateau

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other uses, see Plateau (disambiguation).

Formation[edit]

Plateaux can be formed by a number of processes, including upwelling of volcanic magma, extrusion of lava, and erosion by water and glaciers.

Volcanic[edit]

Main article: volcanic plateau

Volcanic plateaus are produced by volcanic activity. The Columbia Plateau in the northwestern United States is an example. They may be formed by upwelling of volcanic magma or extrusion of lava.

Erosive[edit]

Classification[edit]

Plateaux are classified according to their surrounding environment.

Intermontane plateaus are the highest in the world, bordered by mountains. The Tibetan Plateau is one such plateau.
Piedmont plateaus are bordered on one side by mountains and on the other by a plain or a sea. The Piedmont Plateau of the Eastern United States between the Appalachian Mountains and the Atlantic Coastal Plain is an example.
Continental plateaus are bordered on all sides by plains or oceans, forming away from the mountains. An example of a continental plateau is the Antarctic Plateauor Polar Plateau in East Antarctica.

Large plateaus[edit]

Asia[edit]

Hardangervidda, the largest plateau in Europe

Bogotá, Colombia is located in a high plateau, over 8,600 ft (2,600 m) high

Antarctica[edit]

North America[edit]

A large plateau in North America is the Colorado Plateau, which covers about 337,000 km² (130,000 sq mi) in Colorado, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico.^[4]

Another high altitude plateau in North America is the Mexican Plateau. With an area of 601,882 km² (232,388 sq mi) and average height of 1,825 m, it is the home of more than 70 million people.

South America[edit]

Main article: Tepui

Road to the ALMA’s Operations Support Facility and then on further to the Chajnantor Plateau at 5000 meters above sea level.^[5]

Africa[edit]

Oceania[edit]