Plateau

For alternate uses of the term, see Plateau (disambiguation).

In geology and earth science, a plateau is an area of highland, usually consisting of relatively flat open country if the uplift was recent in Geologic history. It is formed pretty much the same way as a mesa. Plateaus are formed when land has been uplifted by tectonic activity and then exposed to wind or water erosion.

A highly eroded plateau is called a dissected plateau. These older uplifts have been eroded by creeks and rivers to develop steep relief undistinguishable by the layman from true mountains. Many areas of the Allegheny Plateau and the Cumberland Plateau, which are at the western edge of the Appalachian Mountains of eastern North America, are called "mountains" but are actually a dissected plateau. One can stand on a high "mountain" and note that all the other tops are at the same height, which represents the original plain before uplift.

The Tibetan plateau is one of the most famous examples of this landform, but there are many other notable examples of it from around the world, including:

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