Plateaus
🔹 What is a Plateau?
- A plateau is a landform that rises above the surrounding land but has a flat top.
- Its sides are often steep slopes.
- Like mountains, plateaus can be young (newly formed) or old (millions of years old).
- Height can range from a few hundred metres to several thousand metres.
🌏 Famous Plateaus
- Tibetan Plateau
- Largest and highest plateau in the world.
- Average height = 4,500 m.
- Known as the “Roof of the World.”
- Nearly 2,500 km long → almost the distance from Chandigarh to Kanyakumari.
- Deccan Plateau (India)
- One of the oldest plateaus in the world.
- Formed through volcanic activity millions of years ago.
- Covers central and southern India.
- Chhota Nagpur Plateau (India)
- Rich in iron, coal, manganese → important for industries.
- East African Plateau
- Famous for gold and diamond mining.
💎 Importance of Plateaus
- Called “storehouses of minerals.”
- Many of the world’s largest mines are found here.
- Good for industries, mining, and hydroelectricity projects.
🌱 Plateau Environment
- Very diverse in different parts of the world.
- Soil is often rocky and less fertile → difficult for farming.
- Exception → lava plateaus (formed by volcanoes) → rich black soil → good for cotton, sugarcane, oilseeds.
💦 Famous Waterfalls on Plateaus
Plateaus are homes to some of the most spectacular waterfalls:
- Victoria Falls – Zambezi River, Africa.
- Hundru Falls – Subarnarekha River, Chhota Nagpur Plateau (India).
- Jog Falls – Sharavathi River, Western Ghats (India).
- Nohkalikai Falls – Cherrapunji Plateau, Meghalaya → drops 340 m (Fig. 3.7).
📸 Image Suggestions:
- Map of world’s major plateaus (Tibetan, Deccan, East African).
- Picture of Tibetan Plateau with snow peaks.
- Deccan Plateau landscape (rocky soil + black soil areas).
- Hundru Falls / Jog Falls / Nohkalikai Falls photographs.
- Sketch comparing mountain vs plateau vs plain.