A plateau represents an elevated plain, located more than 500m above sea level and which, due to its pronounced relief, is called a plateau. This type of geological formation originates in two ways: as a result of the erosion of the ground which acts leaving the area isolated and elevated or by tectonic forces.
Plateaus are combinations between a plain and a mountain, which generally arise with the movement of tectonic plates, allowing the elevation of the surface and the change of relief. On the other hand, there is erosion, which over time has modified the mountainous surfaces, transforming them into what is known today as a plateau.
The plateau can be on land and in the sea. They differ from the mountains in the part of the summit, since the plateaus have a partially flat top. The surrounding climate will depend on the altitude of the plateau, generally it tends to be dry and arid.
These formations, depending on the region where it is located, receive different names, some of them are:
Altiplano, is a kind of plateau that lies between a chain mountainous.
Chapada is one that has a prominent height and a small flat part at the top. This type of plateau is very common in the center-west and northeast of Brazil.
Butte, are high solitary hills, which are distinguished by presenting very steep slopes and having a small plain at the top. They are very common in Canada and the United States.
As for the oceanic plateaus, they are represented by a wide and partially flat submarine surface that has an altitude higher than the level of the seabed.
The highest plateaus in the world are: the Andean Altiplano with an altitude of 3000m, is located in the eastern part of the Andes. The Tibetan plateau which has an altitude of more than 4000m and is located in the northern part of the Himalayas. In Spain the central plateau is located with an altitude of 600m, this plateau is surrounded by a mountain range that separates it from the coast area.
