Page 331 - New Medley 5 Semester 1

Plateaus

A plateau also rises suddenly from the

surrounding areas, but has a flat top. It

has steep sides and they are deeply cut by
rivers and streams. Generally, the plateaus
are found near mountains or surrounded

by mountains. Most of the plateaus are

very large and spread out over hundreds
of kilometres. Canyon

The height of a plateau is about 500 metres. Plateaus are found in every

continent and cover about one-third of the Earth’s surface. The Deccan
Plateau of India is vast in size and the Plateau of Tibet is surrounded by

mountains on all sides. Some plateaus have deep canyons. Due to high
altitude, they have a cool climate.

The plateaus are very useful for us.

? ? Some old plateaus are rich in minerals, such as iron, copper, silver,
gold, mica, coal and precious stones.

? ? Plateaus in tropical areas are good for growing crops.

? ? The waterfalls provide suitable sites for producing hydroelectricity.

? ? Some plateaus have rich grasslands which are used for rearing cattle
and sheep.

? ? The natural landscape attracts tourists from all over the world.

Plains

Plains are generally low and flat areas on the surface of the Earth. These
are also called lowlands. They spread over thousands of square kilometres.

Some plain areas are absolutely level, while some have gentle sloping

land. The plain areas are generally less than 200 metres in height, but
the slope is very gentle.

Most of the plain areas in the world are formed by rivers. The Northern

Plains of India have been formed by the Ganga river and its many
tributaries. Rivers generally bring pebbles, sand and silt with them from

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