Africa is one of the best continents for understanding plateaus. Much of the land rises above nearby coastal plains, basins, deserts, and rift valleys, so the continent is often described as a broad highland surface rather than a land of long, unbroken mountain chains. Its plateaus shape river basins, climates, farming zones, settlement patterns, and regional maps.
The main African plateaus and highlands include the Ethiopian Highlands, the East African Plateau, the Southern African Plateau, the Highveld, the Lesotho Highlands, the Central African Plateau, the Guinea Highlands, the Jos Plateau, the Bié Plateau, the Adamawa Plateau, several Saharan volcanic highlands, and the Central Highlands of Madagascar.
| Plateau or Highland | Main Location | Approximate Elevation | Landform Type | River or Basin Links | Known For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethiopian Highlands | Ethiopia and Eritrea | Often 1,500–3,000 m, with peaks above 4,000 m | Volcanic and tectonic highland cut by the East African Rift | Blue Nile, Awash, Tekeze, Lake Tana | One of Africa’s highest and most rugged plateau regions |
| East African Plateau | Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and nearby areas | Commonly about 900–1,500 m, higher in upland zones | Raised plateau crossed by rifts, lakes, volcanoes, and basins | Lake Victoria, White Nile, Rift Valley lakes, Indian Ocean drainage | Great Lakes, rift valleys, savanna uplands, volcanic cones |
| Southern African Plateau | South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Angola | Often about 1,000–1,800 m | Large interior plateau bordered in places by the Great Escarpment | Orange, Limpopo, Zambezi, Okavango, Kalahari Basin | Veld landscapes, dry basins, escarpments, wide interior highlands |
| Highveld | South Africa, mainly Gauteng, Free State, Mpumalanga, and nearby areas | Roughly 1,200–1,800 m | High grassland plateau within the larger southern interior | Vaal, Orange system, Limpopo tributaries | Open grassland, cooler altitude climate, urban and farming areas |
| Lesotho Highlands and Drakensberg Edge | Lesotho and eastern South Africa | Much of Lesotho sits above 1,400 m; many uplands exceed 2,000 m | Mountainous high plateau and escarpment zone | Orange-Senqu headwaters and Tugela drainage | High-altitude grasslands, basalt cliffs, river headwaters |
| Central African Plateau | DR Congo, Zambia, Angola, and nearby interior regions | Often about 1,000–1,500 m | Raised interior surface around major basins | Congo, Zambezi, Kasai, Lualaba, Luapula | Watershed zones between the Congo and Zambezi systems |
| Guinea Highlands and Fouta Djallon | Guinea and nearby West African countries | Commonly about 900–1,500 m in upland areas | Dissected highland and plateau source region | Niger, Senegal, Gambia, and other West African rivers | Major headwater area in West Africa |
| Jos Plateau | Central Nigeria | Often around 1,200 m, with higher points nearby | Granite and volcanic highland surface | Benue system and local river networks | Cooler upland climate and long-known tin-bearing landscape |
| Bié Plateau | Central Angola | Often about 1,200–1,800 m | Interior plateau and river source region | Cuanza, Cubango, Cunene, Zambezi headwater zones | Important Angolan highland drainage divide |
| Adamawa Plateau | Cameroon, Nigeria, and nearby Central African areas | Often around 1,000–1,500 m | Volcanic and crystalline highland plateau | Benue, Sanaga, Chari-related drainage areas | Watershed between West and Central African river systems |
| Ahaggar, Tibesti, and Aïr Highlands | Central Sahara: Algeria, Chad, Libya, Niger | Varies widely; some peaks exceed 2,000–3,000 m | Volcanic and crystalline desert highlands | Dry valleys, wadis, inland desert basins | High relief inside the Sahara rather than broad green plateaus |
| Central Highlands of Madagascar | Central Madagascar | Often about 800–1,500 m, higher in some uplands | Island highland plateau with older rocks and volcanic areas | Betsiboka, Mangoro, Tsiribihina, and other island rivers | Central divide, rice-growing basins, cooler highland towns |
Geography Note: Africa’s plateaus are not all flat. Many are uplifted surfaces cut by rivers, rift valleys, escarpments, volcanic cones, and basins. On a physical map, the plateau is the broad raised area; the peaks and valleys are features built on or carved into it.
Why Africa Has So Many Plateaus
Africa has large plateau surfaces because much of the continent rests on old, stable crust. Over long geologic time, this crust was lifted, worn down, broken by rifts, covered in places by lava, and cut by rivers. The result is a continent with many raised interior lands rather than one simple chain of mountains.
This is why geography books often divide Africa into high Africa and lower basin regions. The highest broad lands sit mainly in eastern and southern Africa. Lower basins, deserts, and coastal plains sit around or between them.
The pattern is easier to read when three features are seen together:
- Plateaus form the broad raised surfaces.
- Basins hold lower drainage areas such as the Congo Basin, Chad Basin, and Kalahari Basin.
- Escarpments mark steep edges where high land drops toward lower land.
Many African rivers begin on plateau rims or highland divides, then flow down toward large basins, lakes, deserts, or the sea.
Africa as a Plateau Continent
Africa is not flat, but its shape is often plateau-like at continental scale. The coastline has many narrow lowland belts. Behind them, the land often rises to broad interior surfaces. These raised lands may be smooth grassland, broken savanna, rocky tableland, volcanic highland, or deeply dissected river country.
The Great Escarpment in southern Africa shows this pattern well. It forms a long raised rim where the interior plateau drops toward coastal regions. In eastern Africa, the pattern is different: the land is lifted, split by the East African Rift System, and marked by lakes, volcanoes, and high basins.
A plateau can be high without looking like a mountain from nearby ground. A traveler standing on the Highveld, for example, may see open grassland rather than sharp peaks. Yet that surface sits far above sea level and strongly shapes temperature, rainfall, rivers, and farming.
Major African Plateaus and Highlands
Ethiopian Highlands
The Ethiopian Highlands form one of Africa’s highest plateau regions. They cover much of Ethiopia and extend into Eritrea. The land is rugged, deeply cut, and split by the Ethiopian section of the East African Rift.
These highlands are often called the roof of northeast Africa because large areas rise above 1,500 m, while several mountain summits exceed 4,000 m. The surface is not a single flat table. It is a high volcanic and tectonic plateau broken by gorges, escarpments, basins, and volcanic peaks.
The Ethiopian Highlands matter in African geography because they feed major rivers. Lake Tana, located in the highlands, is linked to the Blue Nile. The Blue Nile then flows west and north, joining the White Nile downstream. The highland’s elevation helps create cooler temperatures and seasonal rainfall compared with nearby lowlands.
Important features connected to the Ethiopian Highlands include:
- Lake Tana and the Blue Nile headwater region
- The Simien and Bale highlands
- The Ethiopian Rift Valley
- Deep river gorges and steep escarpments
- Highland farming zones shaped by elevation and rainfall
East African Plateau
The East African Plateau stretches across large parts of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and neighboring regions. It is closely tied to the East African Rift, the Great Lakes, volcanic mountains, and wide savanna landscapes.
This plateau is not one plain surface. It includes uplifted blocks, rift floors, lake basins, volcanic highlands, and raised grasslands. Elevations often sit between about 900 and 1,500 m, while many upland areas are higher.
The plateau helps explain why East Africa has such strong local contrasts. A dry lowland basin may sit near a moist highland. A lake may occupy a rift valley floor, while nearby slopes rise toward volcanic peaks. Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Kenya, Mount Elgon, and the Rwenzori region stand above or beside this broad raised land.
Map Note: On a physical map, East Africa is easier to read by following three linked features: Lake Victoria, the rift valleys, and the raised plateau lands around them. The lakes mark basins; the surrounding highlands mark uplifted ground.
The East African Plateau connects to several major drainage systems. Lake Victoria drains north through the White Nile system. Other rivers flow toward the Indian Ocean, the Rift Valley lakes, or interior basins.
Southern African Plateau
The Southern African Plateau covers a huge interior area across South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Angola, and nearby countries. It includes dry basins, grasslands, savannas, highveld areas, and escarpment edges.
Much of this region sits roughly between 1,000 and 1,800 m, though local elevations vary. The plateau is bordered in several places by the Great Escarpment, a steep landform edge that separates the high interior from lower coastal or near-coastal regions.
This plateau influences some of Africa’s best-known river systems. The Orange-Senqu system drains parts of southern Africa toward the Atlantic. The Limpopo flows through a broad basin toward the Indian Ocean. The Zambezi begins in high interior lands and crosses southern-central Africa before reaching the Indian Ocean.
The Southern African Plateau also includes the Kalahari Basin, where drainage can be internal or seasonal. The Okavango system is a clear example: water flows into an inland delta rather than directly to the sea.
Highveld
The Highveld is a high grassland plateau in South Africa. It covers parts of Gauteng, Free State, Mpumalanga, and nearby areas. Its elevation is commonly about 1,200–1,800 m, making the climate cooler than many lower parts of southern Africa.
The Highveld is not a mountain range. It is a highland grassland surface within the wider southern plateau. Its broad open land, river headwaters, mineral-bearing areas, and urban regions make it one of the most familiar plateau landscapes in southern Africa.
Common map clues for the Highveld include high elevation shading, relatively open interior land, and its position west of the Drakensberg and Great Escarpment zone.
Lesotho Highlands and the Drakensberg Edge
The Lesotho Highlands are among the highest inhabited plateau landscapes in Africa. Lesotho is often described as a high-altitude country because much of its land lies above 1,400 m, with many uplands above 2,000 m.
The Drakensberg forms a dramatic escarpment and mountain edge between Lesotho and eastern South Africa. The area includes basalt-capped highlands, steep valleys, grasslands, and important river headwaters.
The Orange-Senqu River system begins in this high region. Shorter rivers also drop toward the eastern side, where steep relief changes river speed, valley shape, and erosion.
Central African Plateau
The Central African Plateau is less famous than the Ethiopian or East African highlands, but it is vital for reading Africa’s river map. It includes raised interior lands around parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, Angola, and nearby areas.
This plateau region helps separate the Congo Basin from the Zambezi Basin. In simple terms, some water flows north or west toward the Congo system, while other water flows south or southeast toward the Zambezi and related rivers.
The land is often not sharply mountainous. Instead, it works as a broad watershed surface with rolling uplands, forest margins, savanna, river valleys, and basin edges.
Bié Plateau
The Bié Plateau lies in central Angola. It is one of the most important highland source areas in southwestern Africa. Its elevation often falls around 1,200–1,800 m, though local terrain varies.
The plateau helps feed several Angolan river systems, including headwater zones linked with the Cuanza, Cubango, Cunene, and Zambezi systems. This makes it a natural divide between rivers flowing toward different basins and coasts.
Because the Bié Plateau sits inland and high, it affects local climate, farming potential, and river flow. It also shows how a plateau can matter even without the global name recognition of the Ethiopian Highlands or East African Plateau.
Guinea Highlands and Fouta Djallon
The Guinea Highlands, including the Fouta Djallon area, form a raised and dissected highland zone in West Africa. These uplands are sometimes called a water source region because several major rivers begin there.
The Niger, Senegal, and Gambia river systems all connect to this broader upland region. That makes the Guinea Highlands one of the clearest examples of how a plateau or highland can shape life far beyond its own borders.
The landscape includes hills, tablelands, valleys, grassland, wooded areas, and farming zones. Rainfall is higher than in the dry Sahel to the north, and the uplands help organize drainage across West Africa.
Jos Plateau
The Jos Plateau sits in central Nigeria. It is a raised highland surface with an elevation often around 1,200 m. The area is known for its cooler upland climate, rocky scenery, and long history of tin-bearing landscapes.
Geologically, the Jos Plateau includes older basement rocks and volcanic features. Its raised surface affects local weather, drainage, vegetation, and settlement patterns compared with lower surrounding areas.
The Jos Plateau is a useful example because it is not one of Africa’s huge continental-scale plateaus. It is more regional, yet it still shows the same core plateau idea: raised land with a broad surface that changes climate and drainage.
Adamawa Plateau
The Adamawa Plateau stretches across parts of Cameroon and into nearby Nigeria and Central African regions. It forms a raised watershed area between river systems flowing toward West Africa and Central Africa.
This highland is linked with volcanic activity, older crystalline rocks, and elevated grassland. It helps divide drainage toward the Benue, Sanaga, and Chari-related systems. In map terms, it works like a high hinge between several basins.
The Adamawa Plateau also connects with the wider Cameroon highland line, where volcanic mountains and uplands continue toward the Gulf of Guinea.
Saharan Highlands: Ahaggar, Tibesti, and Aïr
The Sahara is usually imagined as low desert, but it also contains highland massifs. The Ahaggar in Algeria, the Tibesti in Chad and Libya, and the Aïr Mountains in Niger are raised desert highlands with volcanic and ancient crystalline rocks.
These are not broad green plateaus like parts of East Africa. They are dry, rocky highlands inside desert basins. Some peaks rise above 2,000 m, and the Tibesti includes some of the highest terrain in the Sahara.
In these regions, water often appears as rare springs, seasonal channels, or dry valleys called wadis. The landform pattern is still plateau-related because high surfaces, volcanic massifs, and eroded uplands stand above surrounding desert plains.
Central Highlands of Madagascar
The Central Highlands of Madagascar form the raised spine of the island. They run through much of central Madagascar and include upland basins, hills, escarpments, rice-growing areas, and cooler towns.
Elevations often sit about 800–1,500 m, with higher mountain areas in parts of the island. The highlands divide rivers that flow toward different coasts. Short, steep rivers often drop toward the eastern side, while longer systems drain westward across wider basins.
Madagascar’s central plateau differs from mainland African plateaus because it sits on an island with its own long geologic and ecological history. Still, it fits the same landform logic: a raised interior surface that shapes climate, rivers, soils, and settlement.
How African Plateaus Formed
African plateaus formed through a mix of old crustal stability, uplift, faulting, volcanism, erosion, and river cutting. No single process explains them all.
Tectonic Uplift
Tectonic uplift raises large blocks of land over long periods. In eastern Africa, uplift is closely tied to rifting. As the crust stretches, some blocks rise while others drop to form rift valleys and lake basins.
This helps explain the East African Plateau, the Ethiopian Highlands, and the high country around the Great Lakes.
Volcanic Activity
Volcanic activity built or covered parts of several African plateaus. The Ethiopian Highlands include thick volcanic rocks in many areas. East Africa also has volcanic cones, lava fields, and high volcanic mountains.
The Saharan highlands, including Tibesti and Ahaggar, also show volcanic history. In those regions, erosion has exposed cones, lava rocks, and hard upland surfaces within the desert.
Escarpment Retreat and Erosion
Erosion does not only wear plateaus down. It also shapes their edges. Rivers, weathering, and slope retreat can leave escarpments, mesas, valleys, and cliffs along plateau margins.
The Great Escarpment in southern Africa is a strong example. It marks the edge of the high interior in many places and helps separate plateau landscapes from lower coastal regions.
Old Basement Rocks and Long Weathering
Much of Africa is underlain by very old rocks. Over long time spans, these rocks were lifted, eroded, and re-shaped into broad surfaces. Later rivers and climate changes cut into them, leaving basins, divides, and dissected plateaus.
This pattern is common in interior Africa, where the land may look gently rolling but still sits far above sea level.
Plateaus, Rivers, and Basins in Africa
Plateaus are central to Africa’s drainage. A river’s path depends on elevation, slope, rock structure, rainfall, and basin edges. Because many African plateaus sit above surrounding lowlands, they often act as river source areas.
| Plateau Region | Main Drainage Role | Examples of Rivers or Basins |
|---|---|---|
| Ethiopian Highlands | Feeds major northeast African river systems | Blue Nile, Tekeze, Awash, Lake Tana basin |
| East African Plateau | Holds lake basins and highland divides | Lake Victoria, White Nile, Rift Valley lakes |
| Southern African Plateau | Feeds rivers flowing to the Atlantic, Indian Ocean, and inland basins | Orange, Limpopo, Zambezi, Okavango |
| Central African Plateau | Separates major interior basins | Congo Basin, Zambezi Basin, Kasai drainage |
| Guinea Highlands | Acts as a West African headwater zone | Niger, Senegal, Gambia |
| Bié Plateau | Divides several Angolan drainage systems | Cuanza, Cubango, Cunene, Zambezi headwaters |
The Congo Basin is a good example of a lower landform surrounded by higher terrain. Rivers flow from plateau rims and uplands into the basin, then join the Congo system. The same idea applies in a different way around the Kalahari Basin, where some water does not reach the sea.
In West Africa, the Guinea Highlands show why a moderate plateau can matter greatly. The land is not as high as Ethiopia or Lesotho, but it sends water into several river systems used across large regions.
Climate and Landscape Patterns on African Plateaus
Elevation changes climate. Higher land is usually cooler than nearby lowlands, even in tropical latitudes. This is why cities and farms on African highlands can have milder temperatures than lower basins at similar latitude.
Plateaus also affect rainfall. When moist air rises over uplands or escarpments, it may cool and release rain. On the other side, descending air may be drier. This can create sharp contrasts between wet slopes, dry basins, grasslands, forests, and semi-arid zones.
Common Plateau Landscapes in Africa
- Highland grassland: common on the Highveld, Lesotho uplands, and parts of East Africa.
- Volcanic highland: seen in Ethiopia, East Africa, Cameroon, and Saharan volcanic massifs.
- Dissected plateau: a raised surface cut by rivers, valleys, and gorges.
- Desert highland: raised rocky terrain inside arid zones, such as Tibesti and Ahaggar.
- Island highland plateau: seen in Madagascar’s central uplands.
African plateau climates are not all cool, wet, or dry. The result depends on elevation, latitude, wind direction, nearby seas, rift valleys, mountain rims, and distance from moist air sources.
Elevation Note: A plateau near the equator can still feel mild if it sits high enough. This is why elevation often matters as much as latitude when reading African highland climates.
Plateau vs Highland vs Mountain in Africa
The words plateau, highland, and mountain often overlap in African geography. They are related, but they do not mean the same thing.
| Term | Meaning | African Example | Easy Way to Remember |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plateau | A broad raised land surface, often fairly level at large scale | East African Plateau, Southern African Plateau | High land with width |
| Highland | A raised region that may include plateaus, hills, mountains, and valleys | Ethiopian Highlands, Guinea Highlands | General name for high country |
| Mountain | A steep, high landform with strong local relief | Mount Kenya, Kilimanjaro, Emi Koussi | High land with steep rise |
| Basin | A lower area where water or sediment collects | Congo Basin, Chad Basin, Kalahari Basin | Low land that receives drainage |
| Escarpment | A steep edge where land drops from a higher surface | Great Escarpment, Drakensberg edge | The step down from high land |
A plateau can contain mountains. A highland can contain plateaus. A mountain range can rise along the edge of a plateau. The terms depend on scale.
For example, the Ethiopian Highlands include plateau surfaces, river gorges, volcanic rocks, and mountain peaks. The East African Plateau includes rift valleys and major volcanic mountains. The Southern African Plateau includes grasslands, basins, and escarpments.
How to Read African Plateaus on a Map
A physical map of Africa becomes clearer when plateaus are read as raised surfaces rather than isolated names. Color shading, contour lines, river direction, and escarpment edges all help.
Look for Broad Raised Areas
Plateaus usually appear as wide regions of higher elevation. They may not have sharp peaks everywhere. On maps, the East African Plateau and Southern African Plateau often appear as large high areas rather than thin mountain belts.
Follow River Direction
Rivers reveal slope. If several rivers flow away from a region in different directions, that region may be a plateau divide or highland source area. The Guinea Highlands, Bié Plateau, and Ethiopian Highlands all show this pattern.
Notice Basins Around the Plateaus
Many African plateaus border basins. The Congo Basin is surrounded by higher lands. The Kalahari Basin sits within the southern interior. The Chad Basin lies near Saharan and Sahelian highland margins.
Watch for Rift Valleys
In East Africa, rift valleys cut through raised land. A rift floor may sit lower than the plateau around it, even though the wider region is still high compared with many coastal plains.
Major African Plateaus by Region
Northeast Africa
Northeast Africa is dominated by the Ethiopian Highlands and nearby Eritrean highlands. This region connects high elevation, volcanic rocks, rift valleys, and river headwaters. It is one of the clearest examples of how uplift can shape both climate and drainage.
The Blue Nile link gives the Ethiopian Highlands a role far beyond Ethiopia. Rainfall and runoff from the highlands feed a river system that crosses several landscapes before reaching the lower Nile valley.
East Africa
East Africa includes the East African Plateau, the Great Lakes region, volcanic mountains, rift valleys, and highland basins. Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi all include plateau or highland landscapes.
This region is map-rich because major features sit close together: Lake Victoria, the Rift Valley lakes, volcanic peaks, raised savannas, and cooler upland zones.
Southern Africa
Southern Africa has one of the largest plateau systems on the continent. The interior plateau covers wide areas and is bordered in places by the Great Escarpment. The Highveld, Drakensberg edge, Lesotho Highlands, Kalahari Basin, and Zambezi headwater zones are all part of this broader plateau geography.
Because of elevation, the interior can have cooler nights and different rainfall patterns than lower coastal areas. Rivers often begin in highland or plateau areas before crossing dry basins, grasslands, or escarpments.
West Africa
West Africa has fewer very high plateaus than eastern Africa, but its uplands are still important. The Guinea Highlands and Fouta Djallon area feed major river systems. The Jos Plateau in Nigeria forms a distinct raised landscape in the central part of the country.
These plateaus show that height alone is not the only measure of geographic value. A moderate highland can shape drainage, farming, settlement, and local climate over a large surrounding region.
Central Africa
Central Africa includes basin-and-plateau geography. The Congo Basin is the low central feature, while surrounding uplands and plateau rims guide water into it. The Central African Plateau and Adamawa Plateau help divide drainage between river systems.
In this region, plateaus often appear as watershed surfaces rather than sharp mountain walls. Their role is best seen by following rivers and basin boundaries.
North Africa and the Sahara
North Africa includes desert plateaus and highland massifs. The Ahaggar, Tibesti, and Aïr regions rise above surrounding Sahara landscapes. They are drier and rockier than the green highlands of Ethiopia or East Africa, but they still form raised landforms with strong local relief.
These highlands affect local water, routes, soils, and desert landforms. They also show that plateaus can exist in very dry climates.
Madagascar
Madagascar’s Central Highlands form an island plateau system. The raised interior divides rivers flowing toward the east and west coasts. It also creates cooler upland climates compared with many coastal areas.
The island setting makes this plateau different from mainland African examples. Still, the same map-reading rule applies: raised interior land changes drainage, climate, soils, and settlement.
Common Misconceptions About African Plateaus
All African Plateaus Are Not Flat
A plateau may have a broad raised surface, but that surface can be cut by valleys, cliffs, gorges, volcanic cones, and escarpments. The Ethiopian Highlands are a good example: they are plateau-like at large scale but rugged on the ground.
A Plateau Is Not Always Higher Than a Mountain
A mountain peak may rise above a plateau. The plateau is the wider raised surface; the mountain is the steeper high point. Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya rise above East African highland terrain, but they are not the whole plateau.
Deserts Can Have Plateaus and Highlands
The Sahara includes raised rocky highlands and volcanic massifs. A plateau does not need to be green, wet, or farmed. It only needs to be a raised land surface with enough breadth to read as a landform region.
Basins and Plateaus Often Work Together
A basin is lower; a plateau is higher. In Africa, they often sit side by side. The Congo Basin, Chad Basin, and Kalahari Basin make more sense when read with nearby plateau rims and highland divides.
Why African Plateaus Matter in Geography
African plateaus matter because they organize the continent’s physical geography. They guide rivers, separate basins, affect rainfall, create cooler highland climates, and form natural corridors or barriers.
They also help explain why nearby places can feel very different. A low hot basin, a cool highland town, a wet escarpment slope, and a dry interior plateau may sit within the same broad region.
The most useful way to understand African plateaus is to connect four ideas:
- Elevation: How high is the land above sea level?
- Shape: Is the surface broad, rugged, dissected, or edged by escarpments?
- Drainage: Which rivers or basins does it feed?
- Climate: How does height change temperature, rainfall, and vegetation?
Once those four ideas are clear, the major African plateaus become easier to compare.
Mini FAQ
What are the major plateaus in Africa?
The major African plateau and highland regions include the Ethiopian Highlands, East African Plateau, Southern African Plateau, Highveld, Lesotho Highlands, Central African Plateau, Guinea Highlands, Jos Plateau, Bié Plateau, Adamawa Plateau, Saharan highlands such as Ahaggar and Tibesti, and the Central Highlands of Madagascar.
Why is Africa often called a plateau continent?
Africa is often called a plateau continent because large parts of its interior sit above nearby coastal plains and basins. The continent has many broad raised surfaces, escarpments, highlands, and basin rims rather than one long continuous mountain chain.
Which is the highest major plateau region in Africa?
The Ethiopian Highlands are among the highest major plateau regions in Africa. Large areas rise above 1,500 m, and several peaks exceed 4,000 m. The Lesotho Highlands are also very high, with much of Lesotho lying above 1,400 m.
How do African plateaus affect rivers?
African plateaus affect rivers by acting as source areas and drainage divides. Rivers often begin on highlands or plateau rims, then flow down toward basins, lakes, deserts, or the sea. Examples include the Blue Nile from the Ethiopian Highlands and several West African rivers linked to the Guinea Highlands.
Are highlands and plateaus the same thing?
They are related but not identical. A plateau is a broad raised land surface. A highland is a wider term for elevated country that may include plateaus, mountains, hills, valleys, and escarpments.
Do African plateaus have the same climate everywhere?
No. African plateau climates vary by elevation, latitude, rainfall, wind direction, nearby seas, and surrounding landforms. Some plateaus are cool and moist, some are dry and rocky, and others are warm savanna uplands.