Which countries have plains? East European and West Siberian Plain

A plain is a type of relief that is a flat, vast space. More than two-thirds of Russia's territory is occupied by plains. They are characterized by a slight slope and slight fluctuations in terrain heights. A similar relief is found on the bottom of sea waters. The territory of the plains can be occupied by any: deserts, steppes, mixed forests, etc.

Map of the largest plains in Russia

Most of the country is located on a relatively flat type of terrain. Favorable ones allowed a person to engage in cattle breeding, build large settlements and roads. It is easiest to carry out construction activities on the plains. They contain many minerals and others, including, and.

Below are maps, characteristics and photos of landscapes of the largest plains in Russia.

East European Plain

East European Plain on the map of Russia

The area of ​​the East European Plain is approximately 4 million km². The natural northern border is the White and Barents Seas, in the south the lands are washed by the Azov and Caspian Sea. The Vistula River is considered the western border, and the Ural Mountains - the eastern border.

At the base of the plain lies the Russian platform and the Scythian plate; the foundation is covered by sedimentary rocks. Where the base is raised, hills have formed: the Dnieper, Central Russian, and Volga. In places where the foundation is deeply sunk, lowlands occur: Pechora, Black Sea, Caspian.

The territory is located at moderate latitude. Atlantic air masses penetrate the plain, bringing with them precipitation. The western part is warmer than the east. The minimum temperature in January is -14˚C. In summer, the air from the Arctic gives coolness. The largest rivers flow south. Short rivers, Onega, Northern Dvina, Pechora, are directed to the north. The Neman, Neva and Western Dvina carry water to westward. In winter they all freeze. In spring, floods begin.

Half of the country's population lives on the East European Plain. Almost all forest areas are secondary forest, there are a lot of fields and arable lands. The territory contains many mineral deposits.

West Siberian Plain

West Siberian Plain on the map of Russia

The area of ​​the plain is about 2.6 million km². The western border is the Ural Mountains, in the east the plain ends with the Central Siberian Plateau. The Kara Sea washes the northern part. The Kazakh small sandpiper is considered the southern border.

The West Siberian plate lies at its base, and sedimentary rocks lie on the surface. Southern part above the northern and central. The maximum height is 300 m. The edges of the plain are represented by the Ket-Tym, Kulunda, Ishim and Turin plains. In addition, there are the Lower Yisei, Verkhnetazovskaya and North Sosvinskaya uplands. Siberian ridges are a complex of hills in the west of the plain.

The West Siberian Plain lies in three regions: arctic, subarctic and temperate. Because of low blood pressure Arctic air penetrates the territory, cyclones are actively developing in the north. Precipitation is unevenly distributed, the maximum amount falls on middle part. Most precipitation falls between May and October. In the southern zone, thunderstorms often occur in summer.

The rivers flow slowly, and many swamps have formed on the plain. All reservoirs are flat in nature and have a slight slope. The Tobol, Irtysh and Ob originate in mountainous areas, so their regime depends on the melting of ice in the mountains. Most reservoirs have a northwestern direction. In spring there is a long flood.

Oil and gas are the main riches of the plain. In total there are more than five hundred deposits of combustible minerals. In addition to them, in the depths there are deposits of coal, ore and mercury.

The steppe zone, located in the south of the plain, is almost completely plowed. Fields of spring wheat are located on black soil. Plowing, which lasted for many years, led to the formation of erosion and dust storms. There are many salt lakes in the steppes, from which they extract table salt and soda.

Central Siberian Plateau

Central Siberian Plateau on the map of Russia

The area of ​​the plateau is 3.5 million km². In the north it borders on the North Siberian Lowland. The Eastern Sayan Mountains are a natural border in the south. In the west, the lands begin at the Yenisei River, in the east they end at the Lena River valley.

The plateau is based on the Pacific lithospheric plate. Because of it, the earth's crust rose significantly. The average heights are 500 m. The Putorana plateau in the north-west reaches 1701 m in height. The Byrranga Mountains are located in Taimyr, their height exceeds a thousand meters. In Central Siberia there are only two lowlands: North Siberian and Central Yakut. There are many lakes here.

Most of the territories are located in the Arctic and subarctic zones. The plateau is fenced off from warm seas. Due to the high mountains, precipitation is distributed unevenly. They fall in large numbers in the summer. The earth cools greatly in winter. The minimum temperature in January is -40˚C. Dry air and lack of winds help to endure such difficult conditions. During the cold season, powerful anticyclones form. There is little precipitation in winter. In summer, cyclonic weather sets in. The average temperature during this period is +19˚C.

The largest rivers, the Yenisei, Angara, Lena, and Khatanga, flow through the lowland. They cross faults in the earth's crust, so they have many rapids and gorges. All rivers are navigable. Central Siberia has enormous hydropower resources. Most of the major rivers are located in the north.

Almost the entire territory is located in the zone. The forests are represented by larch trees, which shed their needles for the winter. Pine forests grow along the Lena and Angara valleys. The tundra contains shrubs, lichens and mosses.

Siberia has a lot of mineral resources. There are deposits of ore, coal, and oil. Platinum deposits are located in the southeast. There are salt deposits in the Central Yakut Lowland. There are graphite deposits on the Nizhnyaya Tunguska and Kureyka rivers. Diamond deposits are located in the northeast.

Due to difficult climatic conditions, large settlements are located only in the south. Economic activity people is focused on the mining and logging industries.

Azov-Kuban Plain

Azov-Kuban Plain (Kuban-Azov Lowland) on the map of Russia

The Azov-Kuban Plain is a continuation of the East European Plain, its area is 50 thousand km². The Kuban River is the southern border, and the northern one is the Yegorlyk River. In the east, the lowland ends in the Kuma-Manych depression, the western part opens to the Sea of ​​Azov.

The plain lies on the Scythian plate and is a virgin steppe. The maximum height is 150 m. The large rivers Chelbas, Beysug, Kuban flow in the central part of the plain, and there is a group of karst lakes. The plain is located in the continental belt. Warm ones soften the local climate. In winter, temperatures rarely drop below -5˚C. In summer the thermometer shows +25˚C.

The plain includes three lowlands: Prikubanskaya, Priazovskaya and Kuban-Priazovskaya. Rivers often flood populated areas. There are gas fields in the territory. The region is famous for its chernozem fertile soils. Almost the entire territory has been developed by humans. People grow cereals. The diversity of flora has been preserved only along rivers and in forests.

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A plain is an area of ​​land whose slope does not exceed 50°, and the heights do not differ by more than 200 meters. This is the most common type of relief on the planet, occupying about 64% of the territory. On the territory Russian Federation there are about 30 plains, the most famous of which is the East European one. In area it is second only to the Amazonian lowland and is the second in the world.

For Russia, plains are of great importance, because almost 75% of the country is located on this type of terrain. Historically, it was on the flat areas that the Slavic civilization developed: ancient cities and roads, political upheavals and wars occurred. The fertile soils of the plains not only provided people with food, but also introduced unique features into culture and fishing.

East European Plain (4 million km2)

One of the largest plains on the planet, covering most of Eastern Europe, received a second name - Russian. The distance between the northern and southern borders exceeds 2500 km. And from west to east it extends for 2700 km. Borders:

• In the northwest are the Scandinavian Mountains;
• In the southwest are the mountains of Central Europe (Sudetes);
• In the southeast - the Caucasus Mountains;
• In the west is the Vistula River;
• In the north - the White and Barents Seas;
• In the east are the Ural Mountains and Mugodzhary.

The height of the plain above sea level is not uniform. Frequently occurring elevations are located at levels of 200-300 m, and large rivers such as the Volga, Dnieper, Danube, Don, Western Dvina and Vistula flow through the lowlands. The origin of the vast majority of highlands and lowlands is tectonic.

At the base of the plain lie two plates: Russian with a Precambrian crystalline foundation and Scythian with a Paleozoic folded foundation. The relief does not express the intertile boundary.

Glaciation had a significant impact on the process of relief formation, especially changing the surface of the northern areas. The passage of the glacier gave rise to the formation of many lakes for which the area is famous. This is how the Beloe, Peipus and Pskov lakes were formed. In the southern part, glaciation activity is weak due to erosion processes.

Central Siberian Plateau (about 3.5 million km2)

In the eastern part of Russia there is another largest flat area - the Central Siberian Plateau. It covers territories Irkutsk region, Krasnoyarsk Territory and Yakutia.

• In the south - the Eastern Sayan mountain system, as well as the mountain regions of the Baikal region and Transbaikalia;
• In the west is the valley of the Yenisei River;
• In the north - the North Siberian Lowland;
• In the east is the Lena River valley.

The plateau is located on the Siberian platform. A characteristic feature is alternating plateaus and ridges. The highest peak is Mount Kamen (height 1701 m above ground level), which belongs to the middle mountains of Putorana. The western edge of the plateau is covered by the dissected hills of the Yenisei Ridge (the highest point is Mount Enashimsky Polkan, 1104 m high). The territory of the Central Siberian Plateau is distinguished by the largest permafrost rocks in the world, the height of which reaches 1500 km.

West Siberian Plain (2.6 million km²)

The plain is located in the northern part of Asia and covers the entire territory of western Siberia. It has a characteristic trapezoidal shape, which tapers towards the north. The length from south to north is about 2500 km, and from west to east it varies from 800 to 1950 km. Borders:

• In the west - the Ural Mountains;
• In the east - the Central Siberian Plateau;
• In the north - the Kara Sea;
• In the south - the Kazakh small hills;
• In the southeast - the West Siberian Plain and the foothills of Altai.

The surface of the plain is relatively uniform with a slight difference in elevation. Lowland areas are concentrated in the central and northern parts, and low elevations are located along the eastern, southern and western outskirts (height does not exceed 250 m).

Baraba Lowland (117 thousand km2)

The Barabinskaya stele is located in the southern part of Western Siberia, between the Irtysh and Ob rivers. It is an undulating plain, in the southern part of which there are ridges (parallel elevations). The Novosibirsk and Omsk regions are located in the lowlands. It is composed of thick deposits of Mesozoic and Cenozoic age.

In low areas (height 80-100 m), fresh (Ubinskoe) and salt (Chany, Tandovo and Sartlan) lakes, swamps filled with peat moss and salt marsh fields were formed. During geological exploration activities, deposits of oil and natural gas were discovered in the north of the plain.

Kulunda Plain (100 thousand km²)

The Kuluda Plain is the southern part of the West Siberian Plain and covers the Altai and Pavlodar regions. Its appearance is associated with the accumulative activity of large rivers - the Irtysh and Ob. The southeast of the plain adjoins the Altai foothills. The highest point does not exceed 250m, low-lying areas are mainly occupied central part(100-120 m above sea level).

The relief is distinguished by the alternation of elevated ridges (50-60m) and low areas separating them. The valleys of the Burla, Kuchuk and Kulunda rivers pass through the lowlands. For the industry of Western Siberia, the plain is of significant importance due to the endorheic lakes, from which table and Glauber's salt (Kuchukskoe and Kulundinskoe lakes), as well as soda (Petukhovskoe lakes) are extracted.

Azov-Kuban (Kuban-Azov lowland) plain (about 50 thousand km2)

The lowland is located in the western part of the Ciscaucasia and covers the territories of the Krasnodar Territory, Stavropol Territory and Rostov Region. The height of the plain above sea level does not exceed 300 m.

• In the south - the Kuban River;
• In the west - the Sea of ​​Azov;
• In the east - the Kumo-Manych depression;
• In the north is the Yegorlyk River.

The main part of the plain is located within the Scythian plate. Rocks of Meso-Cenozoic age, predominantly of sedimentary origin. The lowland area adjacent to the Black Sea is divided by a large number of branches of the Kuban River. In the marshy areas of the plain there are floodplains (flooded floodplains of rivers) and estuaries (bays that appear when a river flows into the sea).

Main article: Plain

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.

Hilly 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°). Based on absolute height, 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 were destroyed by 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 meet at different heights, 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 occupy a vast area, almost all natural zones exist on them. 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 strong winds prevail, rough seas are frequent, and the coastline is formed of weak rocks, this type of plain 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 of the internal forces of the 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 of the last glaciation (which ended 10 thousand years ago) are most clearly expressed: 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 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 modern relief 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 “woodlands” 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 area (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 glaciation and the spread of the ice sheet in 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.

Hilly Plains

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

What plains are there in Russia?

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 absolute altitude any area 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 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, different colors are used: lowlands should be colored in 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.

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

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 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:

• 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.

Hilly 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 nearby there existed, replacing each other, the capitals of 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 of sunlight over vast areas stretching from the Aral Sea to the Pamir Sea 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 gazan trees stuck out here and there ancient looking, which had a regular, bizarrely curved shape.

There are many places on our planet that are of interest not only to researchers and scientists, but also to ordinary travelers. This high mountains, stormy rivers. But in this article we will introduce you to the great plains of the world. Do not think that these vast territories are not very interesting to study. After reading our article, you will understand that this opinion is wrong.

Where are the Great Plains?

Boundless high plateaus are located between the Cordilleras in the west and the Central Plains in the east. The researchers gave the name to this territory - the Great Plains. Mainland North America It is also famous for its Central Plains, but the Great Plains are distinguished by their absolute heights, dry climate and thickness of sedimentary rocks. Under the thickness of loess-like rocks and forests lie layers of Paleogene and Cretaceous rocks. Since predominantly steppe vegetation dominates here, the Great Plains are often called the Prairie Plateau.

The continental climate, position (rather high) above sea level, and easy soil erosion became the reasons for the development of erosion processes in these territories. The most characteristic feature of the relief is ravines. Erosion sometimes reaches gigantic proportions - thousands of hectares of once fertile soil turn into badlands.

Great Plains: dimensions

This foothill plateau in Canada and the United States is located east of the Rocky Mountains. Its height is from 800 to 1,700 meters above sea level. Length - three thousand six hundred kilometers. Width - from five hundred to eight hundred kilometers. The map shows that this is a huge territory - the Great Plains. Their area is 1,300,000 square kilometers.

Relief

The plains stretch for 3600 km from north to south. They represent a heterogeneous territory. On Canadian soil (the Saskatchewan River basin) is their northern part - the Alberta Plateau. Moraine landforms predominate here. The plateau is distinguished by forest landscapes located on soddy-podzolic soils. There are often individual aspen pegs.

In the Missouri basin (Missouri Plateau), there is an undulating moraine topography with strong erosional dissection, forest-steppe vegetation of aspen and birch coppices, separated by forb steppes. This landscape is typical for the Ishim steppe ( Southern Siberia). In the middle part of the plateau there is a ridge of terminal moraines.

South of the Missouri Plateau is the High Plains Plateau. These areas are not affected by glaciation; the surface is dissected by rivers, slightly undulating. There is no forest vegetation here - this plateau is dominated by mixed-grass steppe, densely covered with ravines. This part of the Great Plains has been plowed up for a long time, and erosion is particularly progressing here.

Even further south is the Llano Estacado plateau. It has a more leveled relief, which is diluted in some places by karst sinkholes. The vegetation of this plateau is steppe; here you can find single yuccas and columnar cacti.

In the very south of the Great Plains there is the Edwards Plateau, which in its landscape appearance is reminiscent of neighboring areas of Mexico with its characteristic succulents (yuccas, cacti). This plateau is poorly dissected and is characterized by a predominance of chestnut soils.

Animal world

The Great Plains, whose area is huge, are distinguished by a fairly diverse fauna, which is directly related to the nature of the landscapes. In the northern part you can find steppe bison and pronghorn antelope; in the southern and central regions live the steppe fox, wolf, and prairie dogs. The most common birds are the steppe falcon and the meadow grouse.

Russian Plain

Experts more often call this territory the East European Plain. This is a real natural pantry of Russia. Judge for yourself: its foundation contains coal, iron ores, oil and natural gas, other useful resources. Its fertile soils, according to experts, can easily feed Russians.

The Great Russian Plain ranks second in area in the world, second only to the Amazon Lowland. It is classified as low plains. This territory is washed by the White and Barents seas in the north, and the Caspian, Azov and Black seas in the south.

Like many other great plains of the world, the Russian one is in the southwest and west and adjacent to the mountains - the Sudetes, the Carpathians, in the northwest it is limited by the Scandinavian Mountains, in the east by the Urals and Mugodzhary, and in the southeast by the Caucasus and Crimean Mountains .

Dimensions

The Russian Plain stretches from east to west for 2.5 thousand kilometers. From south to north - 2750 kilometers. The total area of ​​the territory is five and a half million square kilometers. The maximum height was recorded on Mount Yudychvumchorr (Kola Peninsula - 1191 meters). The lowest point is located on the coast of the Caspian Sea, it is characterized by a minus value of -27 meters.

The following countries are partially or completely located on the territory of the Russian Plain:

• Kazakhstan.
• Belarus.
• Lithuania.
• Latvia.
• Poland.
• Moldova.
• Russia.
• Estonia.
• Ukraine.

Relief

The relief of the Russian Plain is dominated by planes. This geographical location is characterized by rare earthquakes, as well as volcanic activity.

Hydrography

The main part of the waters of the Russian Plain has access to the ocean. Southern and Western northern regions flow into the Arctic Ocean. The northern rivers include the Onega, Mezen, and Northern Dvina Pechora. Southern and western rivers carry their waters to the Vistula, Neman, Neva, etc. The Dniester and Dnieper, the Southern Bug flow into the Black Sea, and the Don into the Azov Sea.

Climate

The Russian Plain has a temperate continental climate. Average summer temperatures can range from -12 degrees (in the area Barents Sea) up to +25 degrees (in the Caspian lowland). Maximum winter temperatures are recorded in the west. In these areas the air temperature does not drop below -3 degrees. In Komi this figure reaches -20 degrees.

Precipitation in the southeast falls up to 400 mm (during the year), in the west their amount doubles. change from semi-desert in the south to tundra in the north.

Chinese plain

Many people have probably heard about this plain, but perhaps not everyone knows where the Great Chinese Plain is located. One of the largest plains in Asia. In the east it is washed by the Yanshan Mountains in the north, and in the west by the Taihangshan Range. Its eastern slopes have steep ledges more than a thousand meters high. In the southwest are the Dabeshan and Tongboshan ranges. The total area of ​​the plain is more than 325 thousand square kilometers.

In the foothill, western part, which is made up of ancient alluvial cones, the plain reaches a height of one hundred meters. Closer to the sea it drops less than fifty meters.

Relief

On sea ​​coast The plain is almost flat, only slight slopes are noticeable. There are swampy depressions occupied by small lakes. Within the plain are the Shandong Mountains.

Rivers

Except for the large river Yellow River, the Huaihe and Haihe rivers flow here. They are characterized by rather sharp fluctuations in flow and monsoon regime.

The maximum summer flow often exceeds the spring minimum by almost a hundred times.

Climatic conditions

The Chinese Plain has a monsoon subtropical climate. IN winter time dry and cold air that comes from Asia dominates here. In January the average temperature is -2...-4 degrees.

In summer the air warms up to +25...+28 degrees. Up to 500 mm of precipitation falls annually in the north and up to 1000 mm in the south.

Vegetation

Today, the forests that previously grew here with an admixture of subtropical evergreens have not been preserved. There are groves of ash, thuja, poplar, and pine.

The soils are mainly alluvial, which have undergone significant changes during agricultural cultivation.

Amazonian lowland

This is the greatest plain in the world. It covers an area of ​​more than 5 million square kilometers. Her maximum height- 120 meters.

Vast areas of the lowland are inextricably linked with the life of the Amazon River, the largest drainage area in the world. A huge part of its territory near the river floodplain is regularly flooded, resulting in the formation of swampy areas (marches).

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 located within the borders of the Russian Federation, it is sometimes called Russian. In the northwestern part it is limited to the mountains of Scandinavia, in the southwestern part - and other mountains of central Europe, in the southeastern part -, 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. Most of the country's major cities are located within the territory of the East European Plain. 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 of Russia's natural resources is also concentrated here.

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.

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, Beloye 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 an earlier period, their consequences were 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. The flat relief here 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 the 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 the deposition of a large amount of sandy material. Thus, over many millennia, the multifaceted relief of the East European Plain was formed.

Russian Plain

Almost all species exist on the East European Plain natural areas available in Russia. Off the coast in