MCQs on Plateaus, Plains and Deserts for UPSC and State PSC exams

Plateaus are tablelands rising abruptly from surrounding areas, formed by uplift, lava flows, or erosion, with relatively flat summit and steep escarpments.

It is a stable ancient shield, part of Gondwana land, formed by uplift and erosion over billions of years, making it a continental plateau.

Situated between Himalayas and Kunlun, formed by collision, highest and largest plateau in world (avg 4,500 m), called Roof of the World.

Massive volcanic eruptions 66 million years ago at Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary created step-like basalt layers covering 500,000 sq km.

General slope is eastward, hence most peninsular rivers (Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri) flow east to Bay of Bengal.

North of Vindhyas, composed of basalt, drained by Chambal and Betwa, known for black cotton soil.

Located in Jharkhand, called Ruhr of India, composed of Gondwana rocks, rich in minerals.

Composed of ancient rocks like Peninsular, detached by downfaulting filled by Ganga-Brahmaputra sediments.

Part of Central Highlands, composed of granite and gneiss, drought-prone, undulating terrain.

Drained by Son River, part of Central Highlands, forested.

Southern part of Deccan, undulating, divided into Malnad (hilly) and Maidan (plain).

In Telangana state, composed of granites and gneisses, drained by Godavari and Krishna.

Surrounded by Rocky Mountains, dissected by Colorado River forming Grand Canyon.

Arid plateau in southern South America, rain shadow of Andes.

Most extensive plains like Indo-Gangetic are alluvial, formed by sediment deposition over millions of years.

Formed by Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra systems, world’s largest alluvial tract, highly fertile.

At Shiwalik foothills, coarse sediments cause underground flow, important for groundwater recharge.

Where streams re-emerge, creating wetlands, once dense forest, now agricultural.

Above flood level, contains kankar, less fertile than Khadar.

Low-lying floodplains, highly fertile, supports intensive agriculture.

Based on river systems, each with distinct characteristics.

Doabs between rivers, highly irrigated, granary of India.

Divided into Upper, Middle, Lower, supports densest population.

Narrow valley in Assam, braided river, fertile silt deposition.

e.g., North China Plain, highly fertile, yellow soil.

Formed by Huang He and Yangtze, with wind-blown loess deposits.

Extensive temperate grasslands, fertile, wheat belt.

Fertile alluvial plains, important for cattle ranching and wheat.

Stretch from Ukraine to Mongolia, continental climate.

e.g., Eastern Coastal Plain of India formed by delta deposition and uplift.

Formed by Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri deltas, fertile.

Submerged coast, estuaries, no large deltas due to steep slope.

Aridity leads to sparse vegetation, extreme temperatures, specialized adaptations.

Also called Great Indian Desert, covers Rajasthan, arid, formed by rain shadow and continental location.

Highly arid, with shifting dunes (barchans), only Luni river seasonal.

High summer temperatures up to 50°C, cold winters, thorny vegetation.

In Trans-Himalayas, arid, high altitude, receives <10 cm precipitation, mainly snow.

Located in rain shadow of Himalayas, sparse vegetation, permafrost.

9.2 million sq km, trade winds and subtropical high pressure cause aridity.

Coastal desert, rain shadow of Andes and cold Humboldt current, some areas no rain for decades.

Covers Arabian Peninsula, includes Rub’ al Khali (Empty Quarter).

Temperate desert, winter temperatures -40°C, rain shadow of Himalayas.

Semi-arid sandy savanna, not true desert, supports wildlife.

Largest desert in Australia, arid interior.

Multiple factors create aridity.

e.g., Ladakh (Himalayas), Patagonia (Andes), Thar partly due to Aravallis.

e.g., Gobi, Taklamakan, due to distance from sea.

e.g., Atacama (Humboldt), Namib (Benguela), cooling air reduces precipitation.

Hadley cell subsidence creates Sahara, Arabian, Thar, Australian deserts.

Seasonally flooded, becomes salt flat in dry season, white desert.

Extends 800 km, 400 km wide.

Formed by unidirectional winds, migrate with wind.

Yellow River cuts through, highly erodible, causes floods.

Renewed fertility supports intensive agriculture feeding 40% of India.

Easy transport, agriculture, urbanization favor plains.

Chota Nagpur, Deccan have iron, coal, manganese, bauxite.

Ideal for cotton, retains moisture.

Due to mineral wealth and industries.

Mawsynram and Cherrapunji >11,000 mm, despite being plateau.

Heating in summer creates low pressure drawing monsoon, acts as water tower.

Uplifted plateau dissected by river erosion.

Intermontane plateau between Pontic and Taurus mountains.

Arid, high elevation, continental climate.

Central Iberian plateau, continental climate.

Ancient sandstone plateau, mineral rich.

e.g., northern USA, Canada, formed by meltwater deposits.

Formed by rivers from Southern Alps, fertile agricultural land.

Temperate grasslands, fertile mollisols.

Converted to wheat and corn belt.

e.g., Serengeti, support wildlife migration.

e.g., cactus, thorny shrubs, deep roots.

e.g., camel, fennec fox, kangaroo rat conserve water.

Support date palms, settlements in Sahara, Thar.

Dependent on wells and tanks.

Barley, peas grown in summer.

Called Third Pole, stores glaciers.

Steep cliffs facing Arabian Sea.

Eroded by east-flowing rivers, lower elevation.

In Jharkhand, average 600 m, laterite soils.

Part of Chota Nagpur, coal fields.

Rich in iron ore, forested.

In Meghalaya, cooler climate.

Part of Karnataka plateau, ancient mining.

Fertile, called American bottomlands.

World’s largest river basin, dense rainforest.

Ob, Yenisei, Lena rivers flow north.

Treeless, arid, largest limestone plain.

Second highest plateau after Tibet, 3,650 m, contains Lake Titicaca.

Source of Blue Nile, called Roof of Africa.

Formed by basalt floods, similar to Deccan.

Cold semi-arid, strong winds.

Cold desert, surrounded by mountains, Silk Route passed north.

Oldest desert, fog supports life.

Contains Death Valley, hottest place on Earth.

Rain shadow of Sierra Nevada.

Thar expanding, Sahel region example.

UNCCD efforts for afforestation.

e.g., Jog Falls on Sharavathi from Karnataka Plateau.

Second highest plunge waterfall in India, 253 m.

Jharkhand, 98 m fall.