What is a Plateau?

Plateaus are landforms with a flat top, and are elevated around thousands of feet above the surface area. At least one side of such landforms should be steep. The plateaus can also be termed as either tablelands or flat-topped mountains.

Those which have eroded over time are referred to as dissected plateaus, and the ones that are formed due to volcanic activities are called volcanic plateaus. These landforms can be found all over the world (about 45% of the entire surface area).

The upliftment action taking place on the Earth's surface may form plateaus. This can happen when the magma below the surface starts rising but it does not find an opening for an eruption. Thus, a particular section of the surface is raised, thus forming a plateau.

Sometimes, if the magma erupts, it spread out, and then start forming one layer on top of another; years later a plateau is formed.

Erosion is another cause of formation of this type of landform. Due to constant exposure to wind and water for years, mountains and glaciers or other high landforms have been reduced to plateaus.

These landforms can be classified into 3 distinct categories, depending upon their surrounding area:

• Intermontane plateaus, which are the highest ones, and are surrounded by mountains.
• Piedmont plateaus are the ones, which has a sea or low-lying areas situated on one side, and mountains on the other side.

• Continental plateaus are surrounded by only low lying areas and/or seas but not mountains. These plateaus are formed away from the mountains.

• Tibetan Plateau (largest plateau in the world; often called the 'Roof of the World')
• Antarctic Plateau (second largest)
• Andean Plateau (South America; 3^rd largest plateau)

• Colorado Plateau (Arizona, North America)
• Deccan Plateau (India)
• Transylvanian Plateau (Europe)
• Hardangervidda (Europe)
• Central Siberian Plateau (Russia)
• Western Plateau (Australia)