South America’s major plateau regions sit between three large landform systems: the long Andean mountain belt in the west, the old highlands of the north and east, and the broad lowland basins of the Amazon, Orinoco, Paraná-Paraguay, and Patagonia. The continent has no single “South American Plateau.” Instead, it has several raised regions with different origins, elevations, climates, rocks, rivers, and map patterns.
The main plateau regions include the Brazilian Highlands, the Guiana Highlands, the Altiplano-Puna Plateau, and the Patagonian Plateau. Smaller or related plateau landscapes also appear in areas such as the Mato Grosso Plateau, the Atacama Plateau, tepui tablelands, volcanic mesas, and high Andean basins.
| Plateau Region | Main Location | Countries or Regions | Approximate Elevation | Landform Type | Known For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brazilian Highlands | Eastern, central, and southeastern South America | Mainly Brazil, with related upland edges near Paraguay and Argentina | Often around 900–1,000 m on average, with higher ridges near the coast and interior | Old eroded plateau and low mountain region | River headwaters, escarpments, rolling uplands, mineral-rich terrain, major cities |
| Guiana Highlands | Northern South America, between the Orinoco and Amazon basins | Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, northern Brazil, southeastern Colombia | Mostly lower plateau country, with isolated high tepuis rising much higher | Ancient shield plateau with table mountains and forested uplands | Tepuis, waterfalls, old rocks, rainforest, savanna patches |
| Altiplano-Puna Plateau | Central Andes | Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina | Commonly about 3,300–4,000 m in many basins | High intermontane plateau between Andean ranges | Lake Titicaca, salt flats, cold highland basins, volcanic landscapes |
| Patagonian Plateau | Southern South America, mostly east of the Andes | Mainly Argentina, with related Patagonian landscapes near Chile | Terraces and tablelands from low coastal levels to higher inland plateaus, locally up to about 1,500 m | Stepped tableland, basalt plateau, dry plateau plain | Wind-shaped steppe, basalt mesas, dry basins, river valleys |
| Atacama Plateau / Puna de Atacama | Dry high Andes south of the Altiplano | Northern Chile and northwestern Argentina | Often about 3,300–4,000 m | Cold desert tableland and high volcanic plateau | Salt flats, volcanic cones, dry basins, high desert climate |
Map Note: South America’s plateaus are easier to read on a physical map when they are grouped by position: Andean high plateaus in the west, ancient shield highlands in the north and east, and dry stepped tablelands in the south.
Where South America’s Plateaus Sit on the Map
South America has a strong west-to-east landform pattern. The Andes rise along the Pacific edge. East of the Andes, large river basins spread across lower ground. Farther north and east, old highlands form broad raised surfaces.
This pattern helps explain why the continent’s plateaus do not look alike.
- The western plateau belt includes the Altiplano, Puna, and Atacama-related high plateaus inside or beside the Andes.
- The northern plateau belt includes the Guiana Highlands, with old shield rocks, forested uplands, savannas, and isolated tepuis.
- The eastern plateau belt includes the Brazilian Highlands, a large eroded upland region that shapes much of Brazil’s drainage and settlement geography.
- The southern plateau belt includes the Patagonian Plateau, a dry stepped landscape east of the Andes.
The lowlands between these raised areas matter too. The Amazon Basin separates the Guiana Highlands from the Brazilian Highlands. The Paraná-Paraguay system lies between uplands and plains farther south. Patagonia sits downwind of the Andes, where dry air, basalt surfaces, and river valleys create a different plateau setting.
Brazilian Highlands
The Brazilian Highlands, also called the Brazilian Plateau in many geography sources, cover a large part of eastern, central, and southeastern Brazil. They are not one flat slab. They include rolling uplands, dissected plateaus, escarpments, ridges, valleys, and low mountain ranges.
This is one of the largest plateau regions in South America. It sits mostly south and east of the Amazon Basin and reaches toward the Atlantic side of Brazil.
Location and Main Areas
The Brazilian Highlands are strongest across states such as Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Goiás, Mato Grosso, Bahia, and nearby interior regions. The uplands include several named zones, including the Central Plateau around Brasília, the Atlantic-facing highlands, and interior plateau surfaces linked with the Cerrado biome.
On a map, the Brazilian Highlands form a broad raised mass between the Amazon lowlands to the north and the Paraná-Paraguay basin system to the south and southwest.
Elevation and Shape
Many parts of the Brazilian Highlands sit around 900–1,000 meters above sea level, though the elevation changes from place to place. Some coastal and interior ridges rise higher, while plateau edges and river valleys cut down into the surface.
The land often looks like a broken upland rather than a smooth table. A traveler moving across it may pass through rounded hills, flat-topped surfaces, steep escarpments, and river-cut valleys in the same region.
How the Brazilian Highlands Formed
The Brazilian Highlands are tied to very old crystalline rocks of the South American shield. Over long periods, weathering and erosion wore these rocks into broad uplands. Later uplift, river incision, and coastal escarpment development helped shape the present surface.
The result is an eroded plateau region, not a young volcanic cone field and not a fresh mountain chain. Its shape comes from old rocks, long denudation, drainage cutting, and uneven uplift.
Rivers and Basins
The Brazilian Highlands help feed several major river systems. The São Francisco River rises in the highlands and flows through eastern Brazil. Other upland rivers drain toward the Paraná-Paraguay system, the Atlantic coast, or interior basins.
This makes the region important for map reading. Many rivers begin on raised ground and then cut away from the plateau toward lower basins.
Geography Note: A plateau does not need to be perfectly flat. The Brazilian Highlands show why: a plateau can be broad and raised while still having valleys, ridges, cliffs, and rolling hills.
Climate and Landscape
The Brazilian Highlands cross several climate zones. Interior areas include tropical savanna landscapes, especially in the Cerrado. Southeastern highlands have cooler upland conditions than nearby lowlands, while Atlantic-facing slopes can receive more moisture.
Elevation changes the feel of the region. Even within tropical latitudes, higher ground can bring milder temperatures, different vegetation, and stronger river incision.
Guiana Highlands
The Guiana Highlands occupy northern South America between the Orinoco River system and the Amazon Basin. They cover parts of Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, northern Brazil, and southeastern Colombia.
This region is often described as a plateau and low-mountain area. It is famous for old rocks, rainforest, savanna pockets, deep river valleys, and flat-topped table mountains called tepuis.
Location Between Two Great River Basins
The Guiana Highlands sit north of the Amazon and south of the Orinoco. This position gives the region a clear role in continental drainage. Rivers flow north toward the Orinoco, east toward the Atlantic, or south toward the Amazon system.
The highlands also help separate the wetter Amazon lowlands from northern savanna and river-basin landscapes.
Tepuis and Table Mountains
The most recognizable landforms in the Guiana Highlands are tepuis. These are steep-sided table mountains, often built from resistant sandstone and quartzite. Their flat tops and cliff edges make them look like isolated islands of high ground above forests and savannas.
Mount Roraima, near the border area of Venezuela, Guyana, and Brazil, is one of the best-known examples. Other tepuis rise across the region in different shapes and sizes.
How the Guiana Highlands Formed
The Guiana Highlands are part of the ancient Guiana Shield. Their rocks are very old compared with the young Andes. Over time, erosion cut into the shield, leaving uplands, valleys, residual hills, and tepui tablelands.
In simple terms, this region is an ancient eroded plateau landscape. It was not built by one recent event. It was shaped by deep time, resistant rock layers, rainfall, rivers, and long erosion.
Climate and Vegetation
Much of the Guiana Highlands is humid and heavily forested, though savannas and open upland areas appear in some parts. Rainfall, elevation, and rock type create sharp local differences. A tepui summit can have a different plant community from the surrounding lowland forest.
This is one reason the region has a strong place in physical geography. It links geology, climate, drainage, and isolated landform surfaces in a small map area.
Altiplano-Puna Plateau
The Altiplano-Puna Plateau is the high plateau region of the Central Andes. It stretches across parts of Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina. It is one of the highest broad plateau systems on Earth and one of South America’s clearest examples of an intermontane plateau.
The Altiplano is often linked with Peru and Bolivia, especially around Lake Titicaca. The Puna extends farther south into Bolivia, Chile, and northwestern Argentina, with drier basins, volcanic fields, and salt flats.
Location Within the Andes
The Altiplano-Puna sits between major Andean ranges. It is not outside the mountains; it is held inside them. That makes it different from the Brazilian and Guiana highlands, which are old shield uplands far from the active Andean margin.
The plateau runs roughly north-south through the Central Andes. Its western side is linked with volcanic ranges and dry Pacific-facing regions. Its eastern side meets higher ranges, valleys, and slopes that descend toward Amazonian and interior basins.
Elevation and High-Altitude Basins
Large parts of the Altiplano-Puna sit around 3,300–4,000 meters above sea level. Lake Titicaca lies on the northern Altiplano at high elevation, while farther south, basins contain salt flats such as Uyuni and Coipasa.
This height shapes everything: air pressure, temperature, farming limits, settlement patterns, water storage, and the way rivers and lakes behave.
How the Altiplano-Puna Formed
The Altiplano-Puna formed through Andean tectonic processes. As oceanic crust moved beneath the South American Plate, the Andes rose. Crustal shortening, thickening, volcanism, and basin formation helped create a wide raised zone between mountain ranges.
It is best understood as a high intermontane plateau. Its surface is broad compared with the peaks around it, but it still belongs to the Andean mountain system.
Climate, Lakes, and Salt Flats
The climate is generally cold for its latitude because of elevation. Many parts are dry, especially toward the south and west. The landscape includes grasslands, volcanic cones, dry basins, lakes, wetlands, and salt flats.
Lake Titicaca is the most famous water body on the Altiplano. Farther south, closed basins collect water and minerals, leaving salt flats where evaporation is strong and drainage has no easy route to the sea.
Elevation Note: The Altiplano-Puna is high enough that climate and human life change sharply. A place can sit in the tropics by latitude but feel cold, dry, and windswept because it stands several thousand meters above sea level.
Patagonian Plateau
The Patagonian Plateau lies in southern South America, mostly east of the Andes in Argentina. It is a broad region of dry tablelands, stepped terraces, basaltic plateaus, river valleys, and wind-shaped open land.
It differs strongly from the humid Guiana Highlands and the tropical Brazilian Highlands. Patagonia is shaped by distance from warm moisture sources, the rain-shadow effect of the Andes, cold winds, and wide open surfaces.
Location East of the Andes
The Patagonian Plateau spreads across southern Argentina from the Andean foothills toward the Atlantic. It includes a series of inland plateaus, coastal terraces, dry plains, and river-cut valleys.
The Andes form a high barrier to the west. Moist air from the Pacific drops much of its rain on the Chilean side and Andean slopes. East of the mountains, the Patagonian tablelands are much drier.
Elevation and Stepped Terrain
Patagonia does not form one smooth high plain. Its surfaces rise and fall in steps. Coastal areas may be low, while inland terraces and tablelands rise toward the Andes. Some tableland areas reach roughly 1,000–1,500 meters, with local variation.
Many valleys cut across the plateau from west to east. These valleys guide rivers toward the Atlantic and break the surface into benches, mesas, and escarpment-like edges.
Volcanic and Erosional Features
Basalt sheets cover parts of Patagonia. These hard volcanic rocks can protect plateau surfaces from erosion, leaving mesas and tablelands when softer surrounding rocks wear away.
Wind, rivers, frost action, and slope processes continue to reshape the land. This gives the Patagonian Plateau its mix of broad surfaces and sharp valley breaks.
Climate and Human Use
The region is generally dry and windy, with steppe vegetation across large areas. Rivers from the Andes provide more reliable water than the dry plateau surface itself.
Human settlement often follows valleys, river corridors, road routes, and sheltered areas. Sheep ranching, small towns, energy resources, and transport lines are all tied to the plateau’s wide spaces and limited water.
Atacama Plateau and Dry Andean Tablelands
The Atacama Plateau, often linked with the southern Altiplano or Puna de Atacama, sits in the dry high Andes of northern Chile and northwestern Argentina. It is a cold desert plateau with salt flats, volcanic cones, dry basins, and high passes.
This region helps connect the Altiplano-Puna system with the desert landscapes along the Pacific side of South America.
Why It Is Treated Separately
The Atacama Plateau is often discussed as part of the wider Andean plateau zone, but it has a drier character than the northern Altiplano around Lake Titicaca. Its basins are strongly affected by aridity, evaporation, and volcanic terrain.
On a map, it appears as a high dry tableland between the main Andean ranges and the Atacama Desert side of the continent.
Typical Landforms
- Salt flats and closed basins
- Volcanic cones and lava fields
- High desert plains
- Dry valleys and alluvial fans
- Mountain-rimmed basins with little surface drainage
Water is often scarce at the surface, but the land holds strong evidence of past and present evaporation. This is why salt flats are such a visible part of the region.
How South America’s Plateaus Formed
South America’s plateaus formed through different processes. The continent includes old shield plateaus, uplifted and eroded highlands, volcanic tablelands, and high basins formed inside a mountain belt.
| Process | What It Does | South American Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Ancient Shield Erosion | Wears down old crystalline or sedimentary rocks into broad uplands, residual hills, and tablelands. | Guiana Highlands, parts of the Brazilian Highlands |
| Tectonic Uplift | Raises large crustal areas, allowing rivers to cut valleys into higher ground. | Brazilian Highlands, Andean plateau zones |
| Crustal Shortening and Thickening | Builds high intermontane plateaus between mountain ranges. | Altiplano-Puna Plateau |
| Volcanic Lava Flows | Creates hard rock sheets that can protect plateau surfaces and leave mesas. | Patagonian basalt plateaus, Puna and Atacama volcanic areas |
| River Incision | Cuts valleys, canyons, gorges, and drainage routes into raised surfaces. | Brazilian Highlands, Guiana Highlands, Patagonia |
The same plateau can show more than one process. For example, an old upland may later be lifted, cut by rivers, and capped in places by harder rocks. That mix is common in real landscapes.
Rivers and Basins Connected to South American Plateaus
Plateaus shape water movement because they provide elevation. Water leaves raised ground through valleys, springs, wetlands, gorges, and long river channels.
In South America, plateau drainage connects with some of the continent’s largest basins.
Amazon Basin
The Amazon Basin sits between the Guiana Highlands to the north and the Brazilian Highlands to the south. Many tributaries flow from these uplands toward the lowland basin.
This makes the Amazon not only a lowland river system but also a receiver of water and sediment from surrounding plateau edges.
Orinoco Basin
The Orinoco Basin is closely linked with the Guiana Highlands. Rivers flow from the highlands into northern South America’s lowlands, helping shape savannas, wetlands, and forested river corridors.
São Francisco Basin
The São Francisco River rises in the Brazilian Highlands and flows through eastern Brazil. Its course shows how a plateau river can link uplands, dry interior areas, reservoirs, and lower valleys.
Paraná-Paraguay Basin
The Paraná-Paraguay system receives water from upland areas in Brazil and surrounding regions. Plateau edges, interior slopes, and river valleys help guide flow toward the south.
Patagonian Rivers
Patagonian rivers often begin in or near the Andes and cut eastward across the plateau toward the Atlantic. These rivers create valleys that break the dry tableland surface and provide lines of water through a wind-shaped landscape.
Climate Patterns Across South America’s Plateaus
Elevation matters, but latitude, wind direction, ocean influence, and nearby mountains also matter. That is why South America’s plateaus range from humid forested uplands to cold dry basins and windy steppe.
| Plateau Region | Main Climate Influence | Typical Landscape Result |
|---|---|---|
| Brazilian Highlands | Tropical latitude, elevation, interior distance, and Atlantic-facing slopes | Savanna, forest patches, upland farms, river valleys, cooler highlands |
| Guiana Highlands | Humid tropical air, rainforest cover, local elevation, and tepui isolation | Rainforest, savanna patches, waterfalls, table mountains |
| Altiplano-Puna | Very high elevation, Andean basins, dry interior conditions | Cold grassland, salt flats, lakes, wetlands, volcanic highlands |
| Atacama Plateau | High elevation, desert margin, rain shadow, strong evaporation | Cold desert, salt basins, dry valleys, volcanic cones |
| Patagonian Plateau | Andean rain shadow, strong winds, southern latitude | Dry steppe, basalt mesas, river corridors, open tablelands |
A useful rule: high elevation cools a place, but it does not decide rainfall by itself. Rainfall depends more on air movement, mountains, and distance from moisture sources.
How South American Plateaus Differ from Mountains, Plains, and Basins
South America’s plateaus are often confused with nearby mountains, plains, and basins. The confusion is understandable because many plateau regions include hills, valleys, ridges, and basins inside them.
Plateau vs Mountain Range
A plateau is a raised area with a broad surface. A mountain range is dominated by higher relief, sharp peaks, steep slopes, and strong vertical change.
The Altiplano-Puna shows the link well. It is a plateau inside the Andes, but it is not the same landform as the surrounding Andean ranges.
Plateau vs Plain
A plain is generally lower and flatter. A plateau is also broad, but it sits higher than nearby land. The Pampas are plains; the Brazilian Highlands are raised uplands with plateau surfaces and ridges.
Plateau vs Basin
A basin is a lower area that collects water, sediment, or both. A plateau can contain basins, especially in high mountain settings. The Altiplano has lake basins and salt-flat basins within a larger raised plateau region.
Plateau vs Highland
The words overlap. Highland is a broader term for raised terrain, including hills, mountains, and plateaus. Plateau is more specific because it points to a raised area with a wide surface and relatively lower relief than a mountain chain.
Major Plateau Regions by Country
South America’s plateau regions cross political borders. A country-based view helps readers connect map names with real regions.
Brazil
Brazil contains the largest share of the Brazilian Highlands and part of the Guiana Highlands in the north. The country also includes interior plateau areas linked with the Cerrado and Central Plateau.
Brasília sits on the Central Plateau, while many major southeastern cities lie within or near highland terrain.
Venezuela
Venezuela includes a large part of the Guiana Highlands. Tepuis, waterfalls, forested uplands, and savanna areas are important features in the southeast.
Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana
These territories are strongly connected with the Guiana Highlands, except for their lower Atlantic coastal plains. Inland areas include forested plateau landscapes, rivers, and shield uplands.
Bolivia
Bolivia contains a central part of the Altiplano, including high basins, Lake Titicaca’s eastern side, salt flats, and Andean plateau settlements.
Peru
Southern Peru connects with the northern Altiplano around Lake Titicaca. The country also has many high Andean basins and upland surfaces, though not all are broad plateaus in the same sense as the Altiplano.
Chile
Northern Chile includes high dry plateau landscapes tied to the Puna and Atacama Plateau. The land is marked by desert basins, salt flats, volcanic ranges, and high passes.
Argentina
Argentina contains the Puna in the northwest and the Patagonian Plateau in the south. These two plateau regions are very different: one is a high dry Andean plateau, and the other is a broad wind-shaped tableland east of the Andes.
Best-Known Plateau Landscapes in South America
Several plateau landscapes stand out because they show a landform type clearly.
- Lake Titicaca Basin: A high Altiplano basin between Peru and Bolivia, with one of the best-known high-elevation lakes on Earth.
- Salar de Uyuni: A salt flat on the Bolivian Altiplano, formed in a high closed basin where evaporation leaves minerals behind.
- Mount Roraima Area: A tepui landscape in the Guiana Highlands with steep sides and a broad summit surface.
- Central Plateau of Brazil: An interior upland region linked with Brasília, Cerrado landscapes, and major drainage divides.
- Patagonian Mesetas: Stepped tablelands and basalt surfaces across southern Argentina.
- Puna de Atacama: A dry high plateau region with salt basins, volcanoes, and cold desert conditions.
Common Mix-Ups About South American Plateaus
“The Andes Are a Plateau”
The Andes are a mountain system, but they contain high plateaus and basins. The Altiplano-Puna is the best example. It is a plateau within the Andean belt, not a name for the whole Andes.
“The Amazon Is a Plateau”
The Amazon is mainly a lowland basin, not a plateau. It receives water and sediment from nearby uplands, including the Guiana and Brazilian highlands.
“The Brazilian Highlands Are Only Mountains”
The Brazilian Highlands include ridges and low mountain ranges, but much of the region is better understood as a broad eroded upland and plateau system.
“Patagonia Is Only a Desert”
Patagonia includes dry steppe and desert-like areas, but landform-wise it also includes tablelands, terraces, basalt plateaus, river valleys, and Andean margins.
“All Plateaus Are Flat”
Plateaus are raised and broad, but they can be deeply cut by rivers. Many South American plateaus have escarpments, gorges, ridges, basins, and uneven surfaces.
Simple Map-Reading Rules for South American Plateaus
South America’s plateau regions become easier to identify with a few map-reading habits.
- Find the Andes first. High plateaus inside the Andes belong to the Altiplano-Puna and related dry Andean tablelands.
- Look north of the Amazon. The Guiana Highlands sit between the Amazon and Orinoco systems.
- Look south and east of the Amazon. The Brazilian Highlands form a broad raised region across much of Brazil.
- Move to southern Argentina. The Patagonian Plateau spreads east of the Andes toward the Atlantic.
- Check river direction. Plateaus often act as headwater zones or drainage divides.
This method works because the continent’s plateaus are tied closely to rivers and basins. Raised ground sends water outward; low basins gather it.
Why South America’s Plateaus Matter in Geography
South America’s plateaus help explain the continent’s rivers, climates, vegetation zones, farms, cities, transport routes, and natural resources. They are not empty high ground. They shape how regions connect.
The Brazilian Highlands influence settlement and river systems in Brazil. The Guiana Highlands guide northern drainage and hold isolated tableland landscapes. The Altiplano-Puna affects highland life, lakes, salt flats, and Andean routes. The Patagonian Plateau controls much of southern Argentina’s dry open terrain and river corridors.
Together, these regions show that plateaus are not one landform repeated in different places. In South America, each major plateau tells a different story of rock age, uplift, erosion, climate, drainage, and human use.
Mini FAQ
What are the major plateaus in South America?
The major plateau regions in South America are the Brazilian Highlands, the Guiana Highlands, the Altiplano-Puna Plateau, and the Patagonian Plateau. Related plateau landscapes include the Atacama Plateau, Mato Grosso Plateau, tepui tablelands, and volcanic mesas in Patagonia.
Is the Altiplano the same as the Andes?
No. The Andes are a long mountain system along western South America. The Altiplano is a high plateau region within the Central Andes, mainly linked with Peru and Bolivia, and connected southward with the Puna.
Which South American plateau is the highest?
The Altiplano-Puna Plateau is the highest major plateau region in South America. Many parts sit around 3,300–4,000 meters above sea level, much higher than the Brazilian Highlands, Guiana Highlands, or Patagonian Plateau.
Are the Brazilian Highlands a plateau or mountains?
The Brazilian Highlands are best described as a broad eroded plateau and highland region. They include low mountain ranges, ridges, escarpments, valleys, and rolling uplands, so they are not a single flat plain.
Why are the Guiana Highlands famous?
The Guiana Highlands are famous for ancient rocks, rainforest, rivers, waterfalls, and tepuis. Tepuis are steep-sided table mountains that rise above surrounding forests and savannas.
Why is the Patagonian Plateau so dry?
The Patagonian Plateau is dry mainly because it lies east of the Andes. The Andes block much of the Pacific moisture, creating a rain-shadow effect across large parts of Patagonia.
How do plateaus affect rivers in South America?
Plateaus affect rivers by providing raised ground where water begins to flow. Rivers and tributaries leave highlands, cut valleys, and move toward larger basins such as the Amazon, Orinoco, São Francisco, Paraná-Paraguay, and Atlantic-draining Patagonian systems.