Major Plateaus of the World: 150 Regions, Locations and Types

Major Plateaus of the World: 150 Plateau Regions

The list below sets a practical boundary for a world plateau reference page. It includes major plateaus, highlands, tablelands, shield uplands, ice-covered plateaus, and several large undersea plateaus that are important in physical geography. The submarine entries include volcanic oceanic plateaus and submerged continental regions; submerged volcanic plateaus and their geological origins are examined separately.

What Counts as a Plateau?

A plateau is an elevated landform with a broad surface. It may rise sharply above surrounding land on one side or several sides, often through an escarpment, mountain front, cliff line, or deeply cut valley.

The surface can be gently rolling, dry, volcanic, icy, grassy, forested, or carved by rivers. The landform is still a plateau if it keeps a wide raised surface rather than forming a narrow ridge or isolated mountain.

Basic Features of a Plateau

• Elevation: A plateau sits higher than nearby terrain, but its height can range from a few hundred meters to more than 4,000 meters.
• Broad surface: It spreads across a wide area instead of rising as one pointed summit.
• Edges: Many plateaus have steep sides, escarpments, mountain rims, or deeply cut river valleys.
• Relief: The top may look fairly level from a distance, even when canyons, hills, or basins cut into it.
• Formation: Plateaus can form through tectonic uplift, lava flows, crustal thickening, erosion, or a mix of these processes.

Why Plateaus Matter in Geography

Plateaus affect how water moves, where rivers begin, how climates differ from lowlands, and where people build roads, farms, towns, and reservoirs. In many regions, a plateau acts as a river divide, sending water toward different basins.

They also help explain why two nearby places can feel very different. A lowland may be warm and humid, while the plateau above it is cooler, windier, and drier.

Main Types of Plateaus

World plateaus are often grouped by how they formed and where they sit. These categories overlap, but they help make large landforms easier to distinguish.

Selected Major Plateaus Explained

The best-known plateaus are not only large. They also connect to major rivers, mountain systems, climate zones, and regional landscapes. The examples below add short explanations for several of the best-known entries in the 150-region list.

Tibetan Plateau

The Tibetan Plateau is widely described as Earth’s highest large plateau and one of its most extensive named plateaus. It covers a vast area of Central and East Asia, mainly across western China, and connects with the Himalaya, Karakoram, Kunlun, and other high mountain systems. Its mapped extent is examined alongside other broad highland regions in comparisons of plateau regions by geographic extent.

Its average elevation is commonly given at about 4,500 meters, though local heights vary widely. High-elevation plateau comparisons distinguish the overall plateau surface from isolated summits and mountain ranges. The plateau formed mainly through the collision and uplift linked to the Indian and Eurasian plates, which also helped raise the Himalayan region.

Its cold, dry, highland climate shapes grasslands, permafrost areas, glaciers, salt lakes, and wide basins. It is also one of Asia’s great river source regions, connected with the headwaters or upper basins of rivers such as the Yellow, Yangtze, Mekong, Salween, Brahmaputra, and Indus systems.

Altiplano of the Central Andes

The Altiplano, also called the Andean Plateau, sits high in the central Andes of South America. It spans large parts of Bolivia and Peru, with margins reaching into northern Chile and northwestern Argentina.

Many parts of the Altiplano sit around 3,300 to 3,800 meters above sea level. It lies between major Andean ranges, which makes it an intermontane plateau with high basins, salt flats, volcanic fields, and lakes.

Lake Titicaca sits on the northern part of this high plateau region. Farther south, dry basins and salt flats, including Salar de Uyuni, show how limited drainage, high elevation, and arid climate can work together.

Colorado Plateau

The Colorado Plateau covers a large part of the southwestern United States, especially the Four Corners region of Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico. It is one of the clearest examples of a dissected plateau.

Its surface stands high, often between about 1,500 and 3,000 meters, but rivers have cut deeply into the rock layers. The Colorado River and its tributaries carved canyons, cliffs, mesas, buttes, and stair-step landscapes across the region.

The Grand Canyon is the most famous landform cut into this plateau system. The plateau itself is broader than the canyon, and that difference matters: the canyon is a river-cut feature, while the plateau is the raised landmass that the river cuts through.

Deccan Plateau

The Deccan Plateau covers much of peninsular India, south of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It is bounded in broad terms by the Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats, and the older upland blocks of central and southern India.

Many parts sit between about 300 and 900 meters above sea level. The northwestern Deccan is linked with the Deccan Traps, a huge volcanic province built from ancient lava flows. These basaltic rocks helped form dark, fertile soils in several areas.

The plateau affects major river systems, including the Godavari, Krishna, and Kaveri. Some rivers flow eastward across the plateau toward the Bay of Bengal, while others drain toward the Arabian Sea or nearby basins.

Ethiopian Highlands

The Ethiopian Highlands form one of Africa’s highest and most rugged plateau regions. Much of the highland area stands above 1,500 meters, with peaks and uplands rising far higher in some places.

This plateau region was shaped by uplift, volcanism, and rifting. The land is cut by deep valleys and bordered by steep escarpments, especially near the East African Rift system.

The highlands help feed the Blue Nile system, which begins from Lake Tana and cuts through deep valleys before flowing toward Sudan. The contrast between cool uplands and lower dry areas is one reason this region stands out on climate and elevation maps.

East African Plateau

The East African Plateau stretches across parts of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and nearby regions. It is a broad raised area broken by rift valleys, volcanic mountains, lakes, and high basins.

Large areas sit around 1,000 to 1,500 meters, though elevation changes from place to place. The plateau is closely linked with the East African Rift, where crustal stretching, volcanic activity, and uplift have shaped the land.

Lake Victoria lies within this wider highland setting, while rift lakes such as Tanganyika and Malawi occupy deep troughs along rift zones. This makes East Africa a good example of how a plateau can contain basins, lakes, escarpments, and volcanic peaks.

Brazilian Highlands

The Brazilian Highlands cover a broad part of eastern, central, and southern Brazil. They are not one flat table. They include old uplands, escarpments, plateaus, ridges, river valleys, and worn shield landscapes.

Many areas range from about 300 to 1,200 meters, though some ridges and uplands rise higher. The region helps divide drainage toward major river systems, including the Paraná and São Francisco basins.

The eastern edge includes steep slopes and uplands near the Atlantic side of Brazil. Farther inland, the surface becomes a mix of rolling highlands, plateaus, and basins.

Guiana Highlands

The Guiana Highlands sit in northern South America, across parts of Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, and northern Brazil. The region is known for old rocks, forested uplands, and flat-topped mountains called tepuis.

Tepuis are not the same as one continuous plateau, but they show a related tableland form. Many have steep sides and flat summits, created by long erosion of resistant rock layers.

The Guiana Highlands help divide drainage between the Orinoco, Amazon, and Atlantic-facing river systems. Their landscape shows how ancient rock surfaces can be lifted, worn down, and cut into isolated tablelands.

Central Siberian Plateau

The Central Siberian Plateau lies between the Yenisei and Lena river systems in northern Asia. It is a vast, cold interior plateau with broad uplands, river valleys, forests, tundra margins, and basaltic rock areas.

Much of it is moderate in elevation compared with the Tibetan Plateau, often around several hundred meters high, though local terrain varies. Its climate is strongly continental, with long cold seasons and large temperature ranges.

Major rivers and tributaries cut through the region, including branches linked with the Yenisei and Lena basins. This makes river valleys a main way to identify the plateau on a map.

Iranian Plateau

The Iranian Plateau covers a large highland region across Iran and nearby parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan. It sits between major mountain belts, including the Zagros, Alborz, Kopet Dag, and ranges toward the Hindu Kush region.

Many parts are dry, high, and basin-like. Elevations often range from about 900 to 1,500 meters, with higher mountain rims around the plateau.

The landscape includes interior deserts, salt flats, enclosed basins, and mountain-fed drainage. Many streams do not reach the sea; instead, they end in desert basins or seasonal lakes.

Anatolian Plateau

The Anatolian Plateau occupies much of central Türkiye. It sits between the Pontic Mountains to the north and the Taurus Mountains to the south, with higher terrain toward eastern Anatolia.

Large parts of central Anatolia are around 900 to 1,500 meters above sea level. The region includes dry basins, steppe landscapes, volcanic cones, salt lakes, and river valleys.

The Kızılırmak and Sakarya systems drain important parts of the plateau. Closed basins, including the area around Lake Tuz, show how dry climate and internal drainage shape parts of central Anatolia.

Mexican Plateau

The Mexican Plateau lies between the Sierra Madre Occidental and Sierra Madre Oriental. It covers much of northern and central Mexico and includes basins, volcanic areas, and high interior plains.

Elevation varies widely, but many areas stand roughly between 1,000 and 2,500 meters. The southern part is generally higher and more closely linked with volcanic belts and central highland basins.

This plateau helps explain why large inland cities can sit at high elevation while coastal lowlands remain much warmer. It is a clear example of how elevation changes climate within the same country.

Columbia Plateau

The Columbia Plateau lies in the northwestern United States, mainly across parts of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. It is a volcanic plateau built largely from repeated basalt lava flows.

The Columbia and Snake rivers cut through the region, creating valleys, canyons, and flood-carved features. Its surface shows how lava sheets can create a broad plateau, then rivers and later erosion reshape it.

Western Plateau of Australia

The Western Plateau covers much of Australia’s interior and western landmass. It is an old, broad, worn-down plateau on ancient continental crust.

It is not as high as the Tibetan Plateau or Altiplano. Many areas are low to moderate in elevation, but the land remains a raised, ancient surface compared with surrounding coastal plains and basins.

Dry climate, desert landscapes, rocky uplands, and long-eroded surfaces are common. This plateau shows that a major plateau does not need extreme height to occupy a large part of a continent.

Antarctic Plateau

The Antarctic Plateau, also known as the Polar Plateau or East Antarctic Plateau, is different from most other examples because its surface is dominated by thick ice. It lies across the high interior of East Antarctica and includes some of the coldest, driest conditions on Earth.

Large areas of the ice surface stand above 3,000 meters. In landform terms, it is often discussed as a high polar plateau, but the elevation of the ice surface should not be confused with the elevation of the buried bedrock beneath it.

Its climate is a polar desert: very cold, very dry, and shaped by elevation, ice, and distance from the ocean.

Major Plateaus by Continent

Every continent has plateau regions, but they do not all look alike. Some are high and relatively young in geological terms. Others are ancient, worn, and lower in elevation.

How Plateaus Form

Plateaus form when large areas of land are raised, built, or left standing above nearby terrain. The process can take millions of years, and many plateaus have more than one origin.

Tectonic Uplift

Tectonic uplift raises wide blocks of crust. This can happen near colliding plates, rift zones, or broad crustal movements. The Tibetan Plateau is a well-known high example, while parts of East Africa show uplift linked with rifting.

Volcanic Lava Flows

Some plateaus form when lava spreads across wide areas in repeated flows. Over time, stacked basalt layers create a raised surface. The Deccan Plateau and Columbia Plateau both show this pattern.

Crustal Thickening Between Mountains

Intermontane plateaus can sit between mountain ranges where the crust has been shortened and thickened, producing high surfaces and basins. The Altiplano and Tibetan Plateau show how tectonic deformation can raise broad regions between mountain belts.

Erosion and Dissection

Rivers, wind, ice, and weathering do not only wear plateaus down. They also reveal their structure. A raised surface may become easier to identify after rivers cut valleys, canyons, and escarpments into it.

How Plateaus Shape Rivers and Basins

Plateaus often form elevated parts of drainage systems. Rain, snowmelt, springs, and groundwater move through or from the raised terrain toward lower land. This makes many plateaus important to river basins.

On a high plateau, water may follow several paths:

• It can cut deep valleys through the plateau edge.
• It can drain into a closed basin and end in a lake, salt flat, or dry pan.
• It can start as a mountain-fed stream and grow into a major river downstream.
• It can erode soft rock layers faster than hard layers, creating cliffs, benches, and mesas.

The Tibetan Plateau is tied to several major Asian river systems. The Colorado Plateau is cut by the Colorado River and its tributaries. The Deccan Plateau helps feed east-flowing and west-flowing Indian rivers. The Ethiopian Highlands feed the Blue Nile system.

Drainage patterns help distinguish plateaus from surrounding terrain. Rivers may flow outward from raised areas, cross plateau surfaces, or drain into enclosed interior basins.

Closed Basins on Plateaus

Not all plateau water reaches the sea. In dry regions, rivers may flow into enclosed basins. There, water can evaporate and leave salts behind.

This pattern appears in parts of the Altiplano, Iranian Plateau, Anatolian Plateau, and Mexican Plateau. It explains why many plateau interiors have salt lakes, playas, marshy basins, or dry lake beds.

Climate Patterns on Large Plateaus

Elevation changes climate. A plateau can be cooler than nearby lowlands because air temperature generally decreases with height in the lower atmosphere. Height is only one part of the climatic setting.

Plateau climate also depends on latitude, ocean distance, wind direction, mountain barriers, and surface shape. This is why a high plateau in Tibet, a dry plateau in Iran, and an old plateau in Australia experience different conditions.

Common Plateau Climate Patterns

• Highland cold: Very high plateaus often have cold nights, strong sunlight, and short growing seasons.
• Dry interiors: Plateaus behind mountain ranges may receive less moisture because mountains block or redirect humid air.
• Sharp daily range: Dry plateau air can warm rapidly by day and cool quickly at night.
• Orographic effects: Plateau rims and nearby mountains can force air upward, creating wetter slopes and drier interiors.
• Steppe and grassland zones: Many plateau interiors support grasses, shrubs, and open landscapes rather than dense forest.

Climate can create marked contrasts between plateaus and nearby lowlands. Changes in elevation may affect temperature, vegetation, agriculture, and snow cover over relatively short horizontal distances.

How Plateaus Differ From Similar Landforms

Plateaus are often confused with mountains, plains, mesas, basins, and highlands. The differences depend on landform shape, elevation, scale, and surrounding terrain. Many landscapes blend one form into another.

Distinguishing a Plateau Surface

A plateau is a broad raised land surface. It may be cut, tilted, volcanic, dry, icy, or grassy. Regional relief and the relationship to neighboring terrain help distinguish it from an ordinary plain, narrow ridge, or isolated mountain.

Identifying Plateaus on Physical Maps

A physical map can show plateau terrain even when the word plateau is not printed. Elevation, slope, drainage patterns, and landform edges provide evidence of raised surfaces.

Topographic Indicators of Plateau Terrain

1. Broad elevation zones: Physical maps commonly use hypsometric colors to represent higher and lower terrain. The color scheme depends on the map legend.
2. Steep margins: Escarpments, cliffs, or mountain fronts may mark a plateau edge.
3. Drainage patterns: Rivers may begin on plateaus, cross elevated terrain, or cut deep valleys into their margins.
4. Enclosed basins: Dry plateau interiors may contain salt lakes, playas, or rivers that do not reach the sea.
5. Relative elevation: A plateau is identified partly by its position above adjacent plains, basins, or other lower areas.

Geographic names also provide context. Terms such as plateau, highlands, tableland, altiplano, meseta, upland, and shield often occur in raised landscapes. They are not exact synonyms, so the landform classification should be checked against the terrain itself.

World Plateau Examples by Landscape Pattern

Plateaus can also be grouped by their visible terrain characteristics. This separates high mountain-framed surfaces from old shield regions, volcanic tablelands, and landscapes dissected by rivers.