Q1.
A plateau is a landform that rises up from the surrounding land and has a more or less flat surface; some of its sides are often steep slopes.
Answer
Unpacking this definition: a plateau is sometimes called a ‘tableland’, and the name explains the shape — like a table, it is raised and it is flat on top.
| Landform | Height | Top surface | Sides |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plain | Low | Flat | No real edge |
| Plateau | Raised above the land around | More or less flat | Often steep slopes |
| Mountain | High | Peaked, not flat | Steep on all sides |
Indian examples from this chapter: the Deccan Plateau between the Western and Eastern Ghats, the whole triangular Peninsular Plateau of central and southern India, and the Meghalaya Plateau that carries the Garo, Khasi and Jaintia hills.
Why the steep sides matter: when a river runs off the flat top and reaches a steep edge, it falls — which is why plateaus are full of waterfalls, such as Jog Falls in Fig. 1.1. That falling water is turned into hydroelectricity.