Plateau: what it is, how it is formed and examples

A plateau is an extensive flat or slightly undulating surface that is located at a considerable altitude above sea level, generally above 500 meters above sea level. Its origin may be due to different geological processes such as tectonic uplift, the erosion of ancient mountains or the emergence of underwater platforms. In many cases, plateaus are ancient mountains that have been eroded by the continuous action of wind, rain and other erosive agents.

Depending on the region of the world, there are various smaller relief features that have characteristics similar to plateaus, although on a smaller scale. These relief forms receive different local names:

• Altiplano or plateau: is a high and extensive plateau, generally located between two or more recent mountain ranges.
• Butte: In the United States and Canada, it refers to a prominent, isolated hill with steep slopes and a small, flat top.
• Chapada: in the Central-West and Northeast of Brazil, it is an elevated rock formation (greater than 600 meters) with a very flat top.

Plateaus can be formed through various geological processes and their origin varies depending on the region and environmental conditions. Below we tell you what the main training mechanisms are:

volcanic formation

The plateaus that are generated by volcanic activity do so through the upwelling of magma from the Earth’s mantle or by the extrusion of lava through cracks in the crust. In the first case, the magma rises and causes the ground to rise, forming large flat surfaces at high altitude. In the second, the lava spreads horizontally over the surface, cools and accumulates in successive layers that build a plateau.

Tectonic formation

Tectonic plateaus originate from the movement of tectonic plates, which generates uplifts of large blocks of the Earth’s crust. They usually have a considerable size and uniform altitudes.

Erosion formation

Some plateaus are formed by the erosion of mountains or high landforms. Wind, water and even glaciers present in cold regions of the planet slowly wear away the terrain until leaving flat surfaces between mountain ranges. This formation process can give rise to dissected plateaus, which are heavily eroded plateaus cut by rivers and broken by deep, narrow valleys.

• Tibet Plateau. Known as “the roof of the world”, the Tibet Plateau is the highest and largest plateau in the world. It is located at the intersection of central, southern and eastern Asia which has an average elevation of 4500 meters.
• Deccan Plateau. The Deccan Plateau is a large plateau that extends across most of south-central India. Its altitude varies between 80 and 750 meters above sea level and it occupies an area of ​​800,000 km².
• Columbia Plateau. It constitutes a broad Pacific plateau in the Northwest of the United States crossed by the Columbia River and located between the Cascade mountain range and the Rocky Mountains.
• Plateaus and lowlands of extra-Andean Central Patagonia. The region of extra-Andean Patagonia from the Colorado River to Tierra del Fuego in Argentina presents a landscape of endless plateaus crowned by sandy gravels and, to a lesser extent, basalts. This type of relief that extends for hundreds of kilometers was originated by river currents produced during the melting of the mountain glaciers.
• Mesa del Centro (Mexican plateau or central Mexican plateau). It is located between the Sierra Madre Occidental and Sierra Madre Oriental of Mexico, covering the territory of the states of San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Aguascalientes, Zacatecas, Jalisco and Querétaro. The majority of the territory consists of an extensive plateau with some isolated mountain ranges, of which the Sierra de Guanajuato and the Sierra Cuatralba stand out.

Below we present the main differences between plateau, plain and mountain:

• Altitude: the plateaus have a moderately high altitude, generally over 500 meters above sea level. The plains, on the other hand, are low plains of very low altitude (less than 200 meters above sea level). Finally, the mountains have great heights (more than 1000 meters above sea level), with steep slopes.
• Origin: plateaus can be generated by tectonic movements, volcanic activity or erosive processes. Plains are usually formed as a result of sedimentation produced by the erosion of the highlands, and the evaporation of lakes. For their part, mountains are born from a process called crustal deformation, which occurs when two parts of the lithosphere collide and cause the slabs to stack on top of others, so that the Earth’s crust rises and deforms gradually.
• Surface: Plateaus have a flat or gently undulating surface, despite their altitude. The plains are also flat, but are at a lower altitude. Mountains, on the other hand, have irregular surfaces, with peaks, valleys, slopes and ravines.

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