Plateaus, Mesas, and Buttes A collection of pictures

Plateaus Plateaus, known variously as tablelands or flat-topped mountains, are regions elevated thousands of feet above their surroundings. They are found on continents around the world, in countries ranging from Algeria to Mexico, from Mongolia to Zimbabwe.

Some plateaus around the world exist at such great heights that their climate is harsh and living conditions are bleak. Others, at much lower elevations, offer more favorable conditions. The terrain of some plateaus is unbroken and flat. The terrain of many others has been eroded away by water and wind over millions of years to create distinct and unusual landforms. As such, many plateaus are landforms filled with landforms.

The Badlands: Butte in the foreground & mesas in back

Butte or Mesa A butte is an isolated hill with steep, often vertical sides and a small, relatively flat top; smaller than mesas, plateaus, and tables. In some regions the word is simply used for any hill. The word "butte" comes from a French word meaning "small hill"; its use is prevalent in the western United States, including the southwest where "mesa" is also used.

Butte or Mesa One standard holds that a mesa has a surface area over 1,000 square metres (11,000 sq ft), while a butte has a surface area less than 1,000 m². Geographers use the rule of thumb that a mesa has a top that is wider than its height, while a butte's top is narrower than its height.

Mesa rather than a plateau – possibly an erosional remnant of a former plateau

Mesa outsider Sedona, AZ

Horseshoe Pasture Plateau, Zion National Park, Utah

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Colorado, USA. Plateau Canyon

New Mexico

The Grand Canyon cuts through a plateau

Utah

Nebraska

The Ozarks Although referred to as the Ozark Mountains, the region is actually a high and deeply dissected plateau. Geologically, the area is a broad dome around the Saint Francois Mountains. The Ozark Highlands area, covering nearly 47,000 square miles (122,000 km 2 ), is by far the most extensive mountainous region between the Appalachians and the Rocky Mountains.