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tepui
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Wide waterfall cascading over rocky cliffs into a river, surrounded by green vegetation and flat-topped mountains in the distance.
Investigate vegetation unique to cloud forests atop tepui and lowland rainforests in Guiana Highlands region
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tepui

geology
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Quick Summary

Wide waterfall cascading over rocky cliffs into a river, surrounded by green vegetation and flat-topped mountains in the distance.
tablelands, southern Venezuela Tablelands called tepuis rise behind Hacha Falls on the Carrao River, in the Guiana Highlands of southeastern Venezuela.

Tepuis are massive, flat-topped mountains with steep sides, primarily found in the Guiana Highlands of Venezuela, Guyana, and Brazil. These geological formations are essentially ancient sandstone plateaus that have been significantly eroded over millions of years.1

The unique geology of tepuis means they are capped with erosion-resistant sandstone, creating distinct ecosystems on their summits, isolated from the surrounding lowlands. This isolation has led to the evolution of unique flora and fauna found nowhere else on Earth. Famous examples include Mount Roraima and Auyán-tepui, the latter being the site of Angel Falls, the world's highest waterfall.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
2 Britannica Sources
  1. plateau
  2. Venezuela - Relief

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