🔹 What are Mountains?
Mountains are natural elevations of the Earth’s surface rising steeply above the surrounding area, usually with a height of more than 600 meters.
🔹 Types of Mountains
1. Fold Mountains
- Formed by compression of Earth’s crust due to plate collision
- Explained by Plate Tectonics
Examples:
- Himalayas
- Alps
2. Block Mountains
- Formed due to faulting
- Uplifted blocks are called Horsts
- Down-dropped blocks are called Grabens
Example:
- Black Forest
3. Volcanic Mountains
- Formed due to volcanic activity
Example:
- Mount Kilimanjaro
4. Residual (Erosional) Mountains
- Formed by erosion of existing mountains
Example:
- Aravalli Range
🔹 Importance of Mountains
- Source of rivers (e.g., Ganga River)
- Climate barriers (rainfall patterns)
- Rich in forests and biodiversity
- Tourism and adventure activities
🔹 Distribution of Mountains
- Found along plate boundaries
- Major mountain belts:
- Circum-Pacific Belt
- Alpine-Himalayan Belt
🏞️ PLATEAUS
🔹 What are Plateaus?
Plateaus are flat-topped elevated areas that rise sharply above the surrounding land.
🔹 Types of Plateaus
1. Intermontane Plateau
- Located between mountains
Example:
- Tibetan Plateau
2. Volcanic Plateau
- Formed by lava flows
Example:
- Deccan Plateau
3. Piedmont Plateau
- Formed at the base of mountains
Example:
- Malwa Plateau
4. Continental Plateau
- Cover large areas of continents
🔹 Importance of Plateaus
- Rich in minerals (coal, iron, etc.)
- Ideal for power generation (hydel + thermal)
- Agriculture in some regions
- Grazing lands
🔹 Characteristics of Plateaus
- Flat or gently rolling surface
- Steep sides
- Less populated in many areas
🌾 PLAINS
🔹 What are Plains?
Plains are large areas of flat or gently sloping land, usually at low elevation.
🔹 Types of Plains
1. Structural Plains
- Formed by uplift of land
2. Erosional Plains
- Formed by erosion of highlands
3. Depositional Plains
- Formed by deposition of sediments by rivers
Example:
- Indo-Gangetic Plain
🔹 Importance of Plains
- Highly fertile land (agriculture)
- Dense population
- Development of transport and industries
- Major civilizations developed here
🔹 Characteristics of Plains
- Level surface
- Fertile soil
- Well-developed transport network
🔁 Difference Between Mountains, Plateaus & Plains
| Feature | Mountains | Plateaus | Plains |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevation | Very high | High but flat | Low |
| Surface | Rugged | Flat top | Flat |
| Population | Sparse | Moderate | Dense |
| Economic Activity | Tourism, forestry | Mining | Agriculture |
- These three landforms are major physical features of the Earth.
- They are formed by internal forces (like tectonics) and external forces (like erosion and deposition).
- Each landform plays a crucial role in human life, economy, and environment.