Russian lowlands. Mountains and plains mountains highlands lowlands level

one of the largest plains on our planet (second largest after the Amazon Plain in Western America). It is located in the eastern part. Since most of it is within the borders Russian Federation, sometimes called Russian. In the northwestern part it is limited by the mountains of Scandinavia, in the southwestern part - by other mountains central Europe, in the southeast - , and in the East - . From the north, the Russian Plain is washed by waters and, and from the south by, and.

The length of the plain from north to south is more than 2.5 thousand kilometers, and from west to east - 1 thousand kilometers. Almost the entire length of the East European Plain is dominated by gently sloping plains. Within the territory of the East European Plain, most and most major cities countries. It was here that many centuries ago it was formed Russian state, which later became the largest country in the world by its territory. A significant part is also concentrated here natural resources Russia.

The East European Plain almost completely coincides with the East European Platform. This circumstance explains its flat terrain, as well as the absence of significant natural phenomena, associated with movement ( , ). Small hilly areas within the East European Plain arose as a result of faults and other complex tectonic processes. The height of some hills and plateaus reaches 600-1000 meters. In ancient times, the shield of the East European Platform was at the center of glaciation, as evidenced by some landforms.

The East European Plain. Satellite view

On the territory of the Russian Plain, platform deposits lie almost horizontally, making up lowlands and hills that form the surface topography. Where the folded foundation protrudes to the surface, hills and ridges are formed (for example, the Timan Ridge). On average, the height of the Russian Plain is about 170 meters above sea level. The lowest areas are on the Caspian coast (its level is approximately 30 meters below the level).

Glaciation left its mark on the formation of the relief of the East European Plain. This impact was most pronounced in the northern part of the plain. As a result of the passage of the glacier through this territory, many arose (, Pskovskoe, Beloe and others). These are the consequences of one of the most recent glaciers. In the southern, southeastern and eastern parts, which were subject to glaciations in more early period, their consequences are smoothed out by processes. As a result of this, a number of hills (Smolensk-Moscow, Borisoglebskaya, Danilevskaya and others) and lake-glacial lowlands (Caspian, Pechora) were formed.

Even further south is a zone of hills and lowlands, elongated in the meridional direction. Among the hills one can note Priazovskaya, Central Russian, and Volga. Here they also alternate with plains: Meshcherskaya, Oksko-Donskaya, Ulyanovskaya and others.

Even further south are the coastal lowlands, which in ancient times were partially submerged under sea level. Flat terrain here it was partially corrected by water erosion and other processes, as a result of which the Black Sea and Caspian lowlands were formed.

As a result of the passage of the glacier through the territory of the East European Plain, valleys were formed, tectonic depressions expanded, and even some rocks were polished. Another example of the influence of a glacier is the winding deep peninsulas. When the glacier retreated, not only lakes formed, but also concave sandy depressions appeared. This happened as a result of deposition large quantity sand material. Thus, over many millennia, the multifaceted relief of the East European Plain was formed.

Russian Plain

On the East European Plain there are almost all types of natural zones found in Russia. Off the coast in

Main article: Plain

flat plains

If a piece of land has a flat surface, then it is said to be flat plain(Fig. 64). An example of a flat plain is certain sections of the West Siberian Lowland. There are few flat plains on the globe.

rolling plains

Lowlands

Hills

Plateau

There are plains whose surface is located at an altitude of more than 500 m from ocean level. Such plains are called plateaus. Thus, the vast plain between the Yenisei and Lena rivers is called the Central Siberian Plateau. There are many plateaus in southern Asia, Africa and Australia. Material from the site http://wikiwhat.ru

Plains by external processes

Pictures (photos, drawings)

• Log is high or low

• Which of the Russian plains has the flatter surface?

• The plain is hilly and flat in Russia

• What types of plains are there in appearance?

• Plains below 200 m above sea level

Questions for this article:

Left a reply Ser012005

1. PLAINS - the most common type of relief earth's surface. On land, plains occupy about 20% of the area, the most extensive of which are confined to platforms and plates. -All plains are characterized by small variations in elevation and slight slopes (slopes reach 5°). By absolute altitude The following plains are distinguished:
- lowlands - their absolute height is from 0 to 200 m (Amazonian);
- elevations - from 200 to 500 m above ocean level (Central Russian);
- mountainous, or plateaus - over 500 m above ocean level (Central Siberian Plateau);
- plains lying below ocean level are called depressions (Caspian).

2. By general character The surfaces of the plain are horizontal, convex, concave, flat, and hilly.

and point 3. Based on the origin of the plains, the following types are distinguished:

Marine accumulative (see.

Accumulation). Such, for example, is the West Siberian Lowland with its sedimentary cover of young marine strata;

Continental accumulative. They were formed as follows: at the foot of the mountains, the products of destruction carried away from them by streams of water are deposited rocks.

Such plains have a slight slope to sea level. These most often include regional lowlands;

River accumulative. They are formed due to the deposition and accumulation of loose rocks brought by the river (Amazonian);

Abrasion plains (see Abrasion). They arose as a result of the destruction of coastlines by wave action of the sea.

The largest plains in Russia: names, map, borders, climate and photos

These plains arise the faster the weaker the rocks, the more frequent the waves, the stronger the winds;

Structural plains. They have a very complex origin. In the distant past they were mountainous countries. Over millions of years the mountains eroded external forces, sometimes to the stage of almost plains (peneplains), then as a result tectonic movements V earth's crust cracks and faults appeared, along which magma poured onto the surface; it, like armor, covered the previous unevenness of the relief, while its own surface remained flat or stepped as a result of the outpouring of traps.

These are structural plains.
(taken from the Internet)

Plains, their classification. Division of plains by absolute height. Landforms associated with continental glaciation.

Plain- this is an area of ​​land or seabed that has a slight fluctuation in heights (up to 200 m) and a slight slope (up to 5º).

They are found at different altitudes, including at the bottom of the oceans. Distinctive feature plains - a clear, open horizon line, straight or wavy, depending on the surface topography.

Another feature is that the plains are the main territories inhabited by people.

Since the plains cover a vast territory, almost all natural areas. For example, the East European Plain includes tundra, taiga, mixed and deciduous forests, steppes and semi-deserts. Most of the Amazonian lowland is occupied by jungles, and on the plains of Australia there are semi-deserts and savannas.

Types of plains

In geography, plains are divided according to several criteria.

According to absolute height, they are distinguished:

low-lying. The height above sea level does not exceed 200m. A striking example is the West Siberian Plain.

Exalted- with a height difference from 200 to 500 m above sea level. For example, the Central Russian Plain.

Nagornye plains whose level is measured at elevations of over 500 m. For example, the Iranian Plateau.

depressions - highest point located below sea level.

Example - Caspian lowland.

Separately allocate underwater plains, which include the bottom of basins, shelves and abyssal areas.

By origin, plains are :

Accumulative (sea, river and continental) - formed as a result of the influence of rivers, ebbs and flows. Their surface is covered with alluvial sediments, and in the sea - with marine, river and glacial sediments. Of the sea, we can cite the West Siberian Lowland as an example, and of the river, the Amazon. Among continental plains, marginal lowlands that have a slight slope towards the sea are classified as accumulative plains.

Abrasion- are formed as a result of the impact of surf on land.

In areas where they dominate strong winds, rough seas are frequent, and the coastline is formed of weak rocks, this type of plains is more often formed.

Structural- the most complex in origin.

In place of such plains, mountains once rose. As a result of volcanic activity and earthquakes, the mountains were destroyed. The magma flowing from cracks and splits bound the surface of the land like armor, hiding all the unevenness of the relief.

Ozernye- formed on the site of dry lakes.

Such plains are usually small in area and are often bordered by coastal ramparts and ledges. An example of a lake plain is Jalanash and Kegen in Kazakhstan.

3. Based on the type of relief, plains are distinguished:

flat or horizontal– Great Chinese and West Siberian Plains.

wavy- are formed under the influence of water and water-glacial flows.

For example, the Central Russian Upland

hilly- the relief contains individual hills, hills, and ravines. Example - East European Plain.

stepped- are formed under the influence internal forces Earth.

Example - Central Siberian Plateau

concave- These include the plains of intermountain depressions. For example, the Tsaidam Basin.

Also distinguished ridge and ridge plains. But in nature it is most often found mixed type . For example, the Pribelsky ridge-undulating plain in Bashkortostan.

The land surface was repeatedly subjected to continental glaciation.
During the era of maximum glaciation, glaciers covered more than 30% of the land area.

The main centers of glaciation in Eurasia were on the Scandinavian Peninsula, Novaya Zemlya, the Urals and Taimyr. In North America, the centers of glaciation were the Cordillera, Labrador, and the area west of Hudson Bay (Keewatin Center).
In the relief of the plains, traces are most clearly expressed last glaciation(ended 10 thousand years ago): Valdaisky- on the Russian Plain, Wurmsky- in the Alps, Wisconsin- in North America.

The moving glacier changed the topography of the underlying surface. The degree of its impact was different and depended on the rocks that made up the surface, on its topography, and on the thickness of the glacier.

The glacier smoothed out the surface, composed of soft rocks, destroying sharp protrusions. He destroyed fissured rocks, breaking off and carrying away pieces of them. Freezing into the moving glacier from below, these pieces contributed to the destruction of the surface.

Encountering hills composed of hard rocks along the way, the glacier polished (sometimes to a mirror shine) the slope facing its movement.

Frozen pieces of hard rock left scars, scratches, and created complex glacial shading. The direction of glacier scars can be used to judge the direction of glacier movement. On the opposite slope, the glacier broke out pieces of rock, destroying the slope. As a result, the hills acquired a characteristic streamlined shape "mutton foreheads". Their length varies from several meters to several hundred meters, the height reaches 50 m. Clusters of “ram’s foreheads” form a relief of curly rocks, well expressed, for example, in Karelia, on the Kola Peninsula, in the Caucasus, on the Taimyr Peninsula, and also in Canada and Scotland.
At the edge of the melting glacier it was deposited moraine.

If the end of the glacier, due to melting, was delayed at a certain boundary, and the glacier continued to supply sediments, ridges and numerous hills arose terminal moraines. Moraine ridges on the plain often formed near protrusions of subglacial bedrock relief.

Ridges of terminal moraines reach a length of hundreds of kilometers at a height of up to 70 m. When advancing, the glacier moves in front of itself the terminal moraine and loose sediments deposited by it, creating pressure moraine- wide asymmetrical ridges (steep slope facing the glacier).

Many scientists believe that most terminal moraine ridges were created by glacier pressure.
When a glacier body melts, the moraine contained in it is projected onto the underlying surface, greatly softening its unevenness and creating a relief main moraine. This relief, which is a flat or hilly plain with swamps and lakes, is characteristic of areas of ancient continental glaciation.
In the area of ​​the main moraine you can see drumlins- oblong hills, elongated in the direction of glacier movement.

The slope facing the moving glacier is steep. The length of drumlins ranges from 400 to 1000 m, width - from 150 to 200 m, height - from 10 to 40 m. On the territory of Russia, drumlins exist in Estonia, on the Kola Peninsula, in Karelia and in some other places. They are also found in Ireland and North America.
The flow of water that occurs as the glacier melts washes away and carries away mineral particles, depositing them where the flow rate slows down.

When deposits accumulate melt water arise thick layers of loose sediment, differing from moraine in the sorting of the material.

Landforms created by meltwater flows as a result of erosion, and as a result of sediment accumulation, are very diverse.
Ancient drainage valleys melted glacial waters - wide (from 3 to 25 km) hollows stretching along the edge of the glacier and crossing pre-glacial river valleys and their watersheds.

Deposits from glacial waters filled these depressions. Modern rivers partially use them and often flow in disproportionately wide valleys.
Kama- rounded or oblong hills with flat tops and gentle slopes, externally resembling moraine hills. Their height is 6-12 m (rarely up to 30 m). The depressions between the hills are occupied by swamps and lakes.

Kames are located near the glacier boundary, on its inner side, and usually form groups, creating a characteristic kame relief.
Kamas, unlike moraine hills, are composed of roughly sorted material. The diverse composition of these sediments and the thin clays found especially among them suggest that they accumulated in small lakes that arose on the surface of the glacier.

Ozy- ridges resembling railway embankments. The length of the eskers is measured in tens of kilometers (30-40 km), the width is in tens (less often hundreds) of meters, the height is very different: from 5 to 60 m. The slopes are usually symmetrical and steep (up to 40°).
The eskers extend regardless of the modern terrain, often crossing river valleys, lakes, and watersheds.

Sometimes they branch, forming systems of ridges that can be divided into separate hills. The eskers are composed of diagonally layered and, less commonly, horizontally layered deposits: sand, gravel, and pebbles.
The origin of eskers can be explained by the accumulation of sediments carried by meltwater flows in their channels, as well as in cracks inside the glacier. When the glacier melted, these deposits were projected onto the surface.

Zandra- spaces adjacent to terminal moraines, covered with deposition of meltwater (washed out moraine). At the end of the valley glaciers, the outwash is insignificant in area, composed of medium-sized rubble and poorly rounded pebbles.

At the edge of the ice cover on the plain, they occupy large spaces, forming a wide strip of outwash plains. Outwash plains are composed of extensive flat alluvial fans of subglacial flows, merging and partially overlapping each other.

Landforms created by the wind often appear on the surface of outwash plains.
An example of outwash plains can be the strip of “woodland” on the Russian Plain (Pripyatskaya, Meshcherskaya).
In areas that have experienced glaciation, there is a certain regularity in the distribution of relief, its zoning In the central part of the glaciation region (Baltic Shield, Canadian Shield), where the glacier arose earlier, persisted longer, had the greatest thickness and speed of movement, an erosive glacial relief was formed.

The glacier carried away pre-glacial loose sediments and had a destructive effect on bedrock (crystalline) rocks, the degree of which depended on the nature of the rocks and the pre-glacial relief.

The cover of a thin moraine, which lay on the surface during the retreat of the glacier, did not obscure the features of its relief, but only softened them. The accumulation of moraine in deep depressions reaches 150-200 m, while in neighboring areas with bedrock ledges there is no moraine.
In the peripheral part of the glaciation area, the glacier existed for a shorter time, had less power and slower movement. The latter is explained by a decrease in pressure with distance from the glacier's feeding center and its overload with debris.

In this part, the glacier was mainly unloaded from debris and created accumulative relief forms. Beyond the boundary of the glacier, directly adjacent to it, there is a zone whose relief features are associated with the erosion and accumulative activity of melted glacial waters.

The plains of our planet

The formation of the relief of this zone was also affected by the cooling effect of the glacier.
As a result of repeated glaciations and the spread ice sheet During different glacial epochs, as well as as a result of movements of the edge of the glacier, forms of glacial relief of different origins turned out to be superimposed on each other and greatly changed.

The glacial relief of the surface freed from the glacier was affected by other exogenous factors. The earlier the glaciation, the more, naturally, the processes of erosion and denudation changed the relief. U southern border During the period of maximum glaciation, the morphological features of the glacial relief are absent or very poorly preserved.

Evidence of glaciation are boulders brought by the glacier and locally preserved remains of heavily altered glacial deposits.

The topography of these areas is typically erosive. The river network is well formed, the rivers flow in wide valleys and have a developed longitudinal profile.

To the north of the boundary of the last glaciation, the glacial relief has retained its features and is a disorderly accumulation of hills, ridges, and closed basins, often occupied by shallow lakes. Moraine lakes fill up relatively quickly with sediment, and rivers often drain them. The formation of a river system due to lakes “strung” by the river is typical for areas with glacial topography.

Where the glacier persisted the longest, the glacial topography was changed relatively little. These areas are characterized by a river network that has not yet been fully formed, an undeveloped river profile, and lakes that have not been drained by the rivers.

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Main article: Plain

Plains by structure

Based on their structure, plains are classified into flat and hilly.

flat plains

If a piece of land has a flat surface, then it is said to be a flat plain (Fig. 64). An example of a flat plain is certain sections of the West Siberian Lowland.

There are few flat plains on the globe.

rolling plains

Hilly plains (Fig. 65) are more common than flat ones.

What plains are there in Russia?

From countries of Eastern Europe one of the largest stretches to the Urals rolling plains globe— Eastern European, or Russian. On this plain you can find hills, ravines, and flat areas.

Plains by height above sea level

Based on absolute height, lowlands, hills and plateaus are distinguished.

In order to determine the absolute height of any part of the earth's surface, an altitude scale is placed on physical maps.

Coloring page physical map shows at what height from ocean level different parts of the earth's surface are located.

Lowlands

If the plain is located no higher than 200 m from ocean level, then it should be called lowland (Fig. 66). The surface of some lowlands is below ocean level. For example, the Caspian lowland is located 26-28 m below sea level, and the Amazon lowland is no higher than 200 m above sea level.

To display the height of plains on a physical map, it is used different colors: low areas should be painted over green color.

Moreover, the lower the absolute height of this territory, the darker the green color. And the dark green color indicates lowlands below ocean level.

Hills

Those plains that are located at an altitude of more than 200 m from ocean level, but not higher than 500 m, are usually called hills.

Thus, the Central Russian Upland is above the level Baltic Sea more than 200 m.

Hills on geographical maps indicated in yellowish tones.

Plateau

There are plains whose surface is located at an altitude of more than 500 m from ocean level.

Such plains are called plateaus. Thus, the vast plain between the Yenisei and Lena rivers is called the Central Siberian Plateau. There are many plateaus in southern Asia, Africa and Australia.

Material from the site http://wikiwhat.ru

Plateaus are indicated on maps in different shades Brown. The higher the plateau, the darker the color.

Plains by external processes

Based on external processes, accumulation and denudation plains are distinguished. Accumulation plains are formed due to the accumulation and deposition of rocks. Denudation plains, on the contrary, due to the destruction of other relief forms, for example, mountains.

Pictures (photos, drawings)

On this page there is material on the following topics:

• Flat and hilly plains

• What is elevation and examples

• The name of the large plains of Russia is flat and hilly

• What are the names of the plains?

• Flat Plains titles

Questions for this article:

• How do plains differ in altitude above sea level?

Material from the site http://WikiWhat.ru

Main article: Plain

Plains by structure

Based on their structure, plains are classified into flat and hilly.

flat plains

If a piece of land has a flat surface, then it is said to be a flat plain (Fig.

64). An example of a flat plain is certain sections of the West Siberian Lowland. There are few flat plains on the globe.

rolling plains

Hilly plains (Fig. 65) are more common than flat ones. From the countries of Eastern Europe to the Urals stretches one of the largest hilly plains on the globe - the Eastern European, or Russian. On this plain you can find hills, ravines, and flat areas.

Plains by height above sea level

Based on absolute height, lowlands, hills and plateaus are distinguished.

In order to determine the absolute height of any part of the earth's surface, an altitude scale is placed on physical maps.

The coloring on a physical map shows at what height from sea level various parts of the earth's surface are located.

Lowlands

If the plain is located no higher than 200 m from the ocean level, then it should be called a lowland (Fig.

66). The surface of some lowlands is below ocean level. For example, the Caspian lowland is located 26-28 m below sea level, and the Amazon lowland is no higher than 200 m above sea level.

To display the height of plains on a physical map, different colors are used: lowlands should be painted green. Moreover, the lower the absolute height of this territory, the darker the green color. And the dark green color indicates lowlands below ocean level.

Hills

Those plains that are located at an altitude of more than 200 m from ocean level, but not higher than 500 m, are usually called hills.

Plains: characteristics and types

Thus, the Central Russian Upland is more than 200 m higher than the level of the Baltic Sea.

Elevations on geographic maps are indicated in yellowish tones.

Plateau

There are plains whose surface is located at an altitude of more than 500 m from ocean level. Such plains are called plateaus. Thus, the vast plain between the Yenisei and Lena rivers is called the Central Siberian Plateau.

There are many plateaus in southern Asia, Africa and Australia. Material from the site http://wikiwhat.ru

Plateaus are indicated on maps by different shades of brown. The higher the plateau, the darker the color.

Plains by external processes

Based on external processes, accumulation and denudation plains are distinguished.

Accumulation plains are formed due to the accumulation and deposition of rocks. Denudation plains, on the contrary, due to the destruction of other relief forms, for example, mountains.

Pictures (photos, drawings)

On this page there is material on the following topics:

• Names of plains up to more than 500 m

• Types of plains by height

• Lowland and highland size

• They are classified according to height…..

• What is the flattest plain in Russia

Questions for this article:

• How do plains differ in altitude above sea level?

Material from the site http://WikiWhat.ru

Examples of the use of the word plateau in literature.

On the outskirts of the Alashan desert, near the bend of the Yellow River, Ordos was located, a fertile loess plateau, and capitals existed nearby, replacing each other medieval China- Chang'an, Luoyang, Xi'an and further into the interior of China - Kaifeng.

The Apurimac River, which originates in the highlands plateau in the Andes off the western coast of South America, it is considered by many geographers to be the source of the Amazon.

It gradually dried up, just as the Caspian Sea will dry out over time, thanks to the high concentration sun rays over vast areas stretching from Aral Sea to Pamir plateau.

When the Brass Baboon crossed plateau, Tranto saw him and sounded a greeting.

At the bottom of the slope he saw that the valley turned into a wide rocky plateau- dry, ominous, from which leafless ghazana trees stuck out here and there ancient looking, which had a regular, bizarrely curved shape.

What types of plains are there?

The large plains of the world are the object of study by specialists. The plains truly amaze with their beauty and grandeur. This is confirmed by everyone who has seen this kind of area not only on the map.

Few people know where the largest plains in the world are located, and which of the plains are the most extensive. Plain is a type of terrain characterized by slight fluctuations in elevation. All plains are divided into lowlands, plateaus and hills. The lowlands are located at a distance of up to 200 meters above the main sea level. The hills are located at a distance of over 500 meters above the main sea level. Everything between these levels is a plateau.

Amazonian lowland and Gobi plain

Geography teachers know that the largest and most majestic plain in the world is the Amazon Lowland. Its area is more than 5 million square kilometers. The plain rises 10-100 meters above the main sea level. The Amazonian lowland is located in South America and extends from Atlantic Ocean right up to deep river in the world - the Amazon. Almost the entire area of ​​the plain is occupied by wet equatorial forests. The second longest is the Gobi Plain, which bears the name of the desert of the same name.

The Gobi Plain is located in Central Asia. It is a plateau and is squeezed on all sides mountain ranges. On the territory of the Gobi there are both rocky surfaces and surfaces on which plants grow that can only be found in this corner of the globe. The local climate is quite harsh, since the plain is located at an altitude of approximately 1000 meters above sea level. Very large plains are located in the Sahara Desert. The Sahara is the largest desert on earth. Its area is about 8 million square kilometers, which is quite comparable to a continent such as Australia. The entire territory of the Sahara is made up of plains that are crossed by dry river beds.

East African plateau

The largest plain on the African continent is the East African Plateau. Its length is more than 17,000 kilometers in length. The West Siberian Lowland also has a greater extent. It represents the former basin of the Northern Arctic Ocean. There are a lot of lakes and swamps on the plain. This is primarily due to its origin, as well as the fact that it is located at a distance of 10-12 meters above the main sea level. It is noteworthy that all the most famous oil and gas fields in Russia are located here. The East European Plain is also called “Russian”. It is located near Ural mountains. Its territory also contains rich mineral deposits.

The most large deposit- Kursk magnetic anomaly. Each continent can find its own plains, which will be the largest for a given continent. They all deserve some attention scientific researchers. Some of them attract thousands of tourists with their beauty, who want to see with their own eyes at least a small part of the majestic plain. That is why it is very popular to lay tourist routes through some plateaus.

The largest plains in the world evoke delight and admiration. Those who love to travel can be advised to choose a tourist route, passing through one of these plains.

The totality of the irregularities of the entire earth's surface is usually called the Earth's topography. Obviously, the surface of the Earth cannot be called absolutely flat, and when studying the relief, we consider such natural formations as mountains and plains.

Concept of the Earth's relief

In different parts of the planet, the surface height is completely different; differences can reach several tens of kilometers. The Earth's topography is unique in that its formation continues to this day.

This occurs due to collision lithospheric plates, volcanic eruptions and erosion of rocks by rains and rivers. The processes that shape the topography of our planet are divided into two categories - external And internal.

External processes include the activity of winds, flowing waters, glaciers, and the influence of plants and animals. It is impossible not to mention human activity, which is an anthropogenic force and actively influences the formation of the earth's topography.

Internal processes are called endogenous, they are represented by the subsidence and uplift of the crust, plate movements, earthquakes and volcanism.

Plains and mountains

One of the main forms of relief is the plain. The plateau is a plain of more than 500 m, a highland - from 200 to 500 m, and a lowland - up to 200 m. Plains and mountains occupy 60% and 40% of the earth's surface.

A vast area of ​​land with slight slopes and fluctuations in height is a plain. The plains are classified according to absolute height: those that lie below sea level are the Turfan Depression 154 m, the Qattara Depression 133 m, the lowland plains are the Mississippian, Amazonian, Turanian and Atlantic, the highland plains are the Tarim Depression, the Great Plains North America and the Ustyurt plateau.

Also distinguished are elevated plains - these are Rbu al-Khali and the Great Victoria Desert. Plain, i.e. its surface can be concave, inclined, convex and horizontal.

There are other classifications: ridged, stepped, flat, hilly. In many ways appearance the plain depends on its history of structure and development.

A significant part of the plains is composed of layers sedimentary rocks of great power and is confined to the slabs of young and ancient platforms. Such plains are called stratal plains. Example: West Siberian Lowland.

The Great Chinese Plain, Indogan and Kura-Araks are alluvial plains. The water-glacial plains are the foothills of the Altai, Alps and Caucasus, and the glacial plains are the north of Russia and Europe, as well as the north of North America.

The Kazakh small sandpiper, the plains of the Baltic and Canadian shields are denudation plains. Vivid examples plateaus, flat surfaces that are limited by ledges, are the Deccan, Ustyurt and Colorado plateaus.

Vast, sharply dissected and high above the plains areas of the earth's surface are called mountains. Such areas of land have sharp changes in height and have a folded-block structure.