Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How are plateaus different from mountain ranges?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
continental landform
Davis's proposed landscape-development states. The morphology shown is not actually time-indicative. For example, A could be a gully system in soft sediment or a canyon such as the Royal Gorge in Colorado, which is millions of years old. The ridge-ravine topography of B would normally develop under humid conditions, but the river meandering on alluvium indicates a prior or extraneous non-humid aggrading mechanism. The riverine plain of C implies a complex history of planation and aggradation in a current fluvial mode.
While plateaus and mountain ranges are both elevated landforms, they are distinguished primarily by their surface relief and topography.
A plateau is an extensive upland area characterized by low relative relief and a remarkably flat surface, even when situated at high altitudes. In contrast, mountains are defined by their prominence above surrounding terrain, typically exhibiting steep slopes, confined summits, and significant local relief.123
Key differences include:
- Topography: Mountains are usually found in elongated chains or belts featuring ridges and valleys. Plateaus are defined by their broad, flat horizons, though they may be interrupted by deep canyons or, in some cases, contain smaller mountain ranges within their boundaries.312
- Geologic Structure: While both can be formed by volcanism, crustal shortening, or thermal expansion, plateaus often result from processes that uplift a surface while maintaining its flatness, such as the heating of the lithosphere. Mountain ranges are typically the result of intense deformation, folding, and faulting that create high-relief, rugged terrain.45
It is important to note that these features can coexist; for example, the Altiplano is a high plateau integrated within the Andes mountain belt.13