Question

Explain the Peninsular Plateau in detail.

Answer 1

Instructions:

• First explain what is Peninsular Plateau
• Write the characteristics of Peninsular Plateau
• Write about the two broad divisions of the Peninsular Plateau.

Solution:
Peninsula is a land that is surrounded by water from three sides while Plateau is a flat tableland. Therefore, a Peninsular Plateau means the land which is a flat table-land which is surrounded by water from three sides.
The characteristics of the Peninsular Plateau are:

• It is composed of old crystalline, igneous and metamorphic rocks.
• Oldest Landmass: It was formed due to the breaking and drifting of the Gondwana land and thus, making it a part of the oldest landmass.
• The plateau has broad and shallow valleys and rounded hills.

The plateau consists of two broad divisions:
Central Highlands

• Location: North of Narmada river
• Drainage:Chambal, Sind, Betwa, Ken
• Plateaus:Bundelkhand, Baghelkhand, Cotanagpur plateau
• Ranges: Vindhyan Range in south, Aravallis in northwest.

Deccan Plateau

• Location: Trinagular landmass that lies to the south of river Narmada
• Ranges:Satupura range flanks its broad base in the north while the Mahadev, the Kaimur hills and the Maikal range form its eastern extensions.
• Slope: Deccan plateau is higher in the west and slopes gently eastwards
• West and east:The Western ghats and Eastern ghats mark the western and the eastern edges of the Deccan Plateau respectively.