Plateau

In geology and earth science, a plateau (alternatively spelt in a false French spelling pl?teau, the real spelling in French being plateau) is an area of highland, usually consisting of relatively flat open country if the uplift was recent in geologic history. Plateaus (or pl?teaux), like mesas and buttes, are formed when land has been uplifted by tectonic activity and then eroded by wind or water. Flat-topped, sheer-sided plateaus, like the tepuis of Guiana, are formed when a section of land is uplifted that is topped with a layer of particularly resistant rock, and underlain by softer rock.

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Plateau is also used to describe undersea geologic formations. Some undersea plateaus, like the Seychelles plateau, are fragments of continental crust that lie separate from continents; they are analogous to continental shelves, but without the continents. Some, like the Seychelles, have peaks that rise from the sea as islands; others rest entirely below the surface. Other undersea plateaus were formed by outpourings of flood basalts, and were never associated with continents; the vast Ontong Jaya Plateau of the western Pacific is an example of such.

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Geology: Geology (from Greek γη- (ge-, "the earth") and λογος (logos, "word", "reason")) is the science and study of the Earth, its composition, structure, physical properties, history, and the processes that shape it. It is one of the Earth sciences....

Earth science: Earth science (also known as geoscience, the geosciences or the Earth Sciences), is an all-embracing term for the sciences related to the planet Earth. It is arguably a special case in planetary science, being the only known life-bearing planet. There are both reductionist and holistic approaches to...

French: French can refer to more than one article:...

Plateau related Images and Photos (experimental)

Wadela Plateau	Sahara Djado-Plateau	Colorado Plateau 2011 Wall Calendar	Colorado Plateau 2012 Wall Calendar
Late Autumn of Plateau Dyed to Autumn Tint of Larch	Sandstone Rock Formations Colorado Plateau Arizona Usa	Grand Canyon: Geologic Map of the Southern Kaibab Plateau (Part IV South-East) c.1882	Slot Canyons of the Colorado Plateau Upper Antelope Canyon Arizona USA
Three Pyramids on the Limestone Plateau at Giza 4th Dynasty Old Kingdom	High Angle View of a Plateau Gros Morne National Park Newfoundland and Labrador Canada	Dragon's Blood Tree Endemic to Island Diksam Plateau Central Socotra Island Yemen	Smoke Rises from a Drilling Rig on the Roan Plateau