It is characterized by a predominantly flat landscape, prevailing over the mountain landscape, not only on land, but also under water.

What are plains?

Plains are relatively flat, vast areas in which the heights of neighboring areas fluctuate within 200 m, they have a slight slope (no more than 5 m). Most case in point The West Siberian Lowland is a classic plain: it has an exceptionally flat surface, the elevation difference on which is almost imperceptible.

Relief features

As we already understood from the above definition, plains are terrain with a flat and almost even relief, without noticeable ups and downs, or hilly, with a smooth alternation of surface elevations and depressions.

Flat plains are mostly insignificant in size. They are located near the seas and big rivers. Hilly plains with uneven terrain are more common. For example, the relief of the East European (Russian) Plain is characterized by the presence of both hills over 300 meters high and depressions, whose height is below sea level (Caspian lowland). Other famous plains of the world are Amazonian, Mississippi. They have a similar topography.

Plains Features

A distinctive feature of all plains is a clearly defined, clearly visible horizon line, which can be straight or undulating, which is determined by the relief of a particular area.

People from ancient times preferred to create settlements on the plains. Since these places are rich in forests and fertile soil. Therefore, today the plains are still the most densely populated. Most of the minerals are mined on the plains.

Considering that the plains are an area with a huge area and a large extent, they are characterized by a variety of natural areas. So, on the East European Plain there are territories with mixed and deciduous forests, tundra and taiga, steppe and semi-desert. The plains of Australia are represented by savannas, and the Amazonian lowland by selva.

Climatic features

The climate of the plain is a fairly broad concept, since it is determined by many factors. These are geographical location, climatic zone, area of ​​the region, length, relative proximity to the ocean. In general, the flat terrain is characterized by a clear change of seasons due to the movement of cyclones. Often on their territory there is an abundance of rivers and lakes, which also affect climatic conditions. Some plains have their vast area consisting of the continuous desert of the Western Plateau of Australia).

Plains and mountains: what is their difference

Unlike plains, mountains are tracts of land that rise sharply above the adjacent surface. They are characterized by significant fluctuations in heights and large slopes of the relief. But small areas of flat terrain are also found in the mountains, between mountain ranges. They are called intermountain basins.

Plains and mountains are landforms whose differences are based on their origin. Most of the mountains were formed under the influence of tectonic processes, the movement of layers that occurs deep in the earth's crust. In turn, the plains lie mainly on platforms - stable areas earth's crust, they were influenced by external forces of the Earth.

Among the differences between mountains and plains, in addition to appearance and origin, we can distinguish:

• maximum height (in the plains it reaches 500 m, in the mountains - over 8 km);
• area (the area of ​​mountains on the entire surface of the Earth is significantly inferior to the area of ​​plains);
• the probability of earthquakes (on the plains it is practically zero);
• degree of development;
• ways of human use.

major plains

Located in South America, it is the largest in the world, its area is about 5.2 million square meters. km. It has a low population density. It is characterized by a hot and humid climate, dense tropical forests, occupying vast areas and teeming with animals, birds, insects and amphibians. Many animal species of the Amazonian lowland are not found anywhere else.

The East European (Russian) Plain is located in the eastern part of Europe, its area is 3.9 million square kilometers. km. Most of the plains are in Russia. It has a gently sloping relief. The bulk of large cities are located here, as well as a significant share of the country's natural wealth.

located in Eastern Siberia. Its area is about 3.5 million square meters. km. A feature of the plateau is the alternation of mountain ranges and wide plateaus, as well as the frequent permafrost, the depth of which reaches 1.5 km. The climate is sharply continental, the vegetation is dominated by deciduous forests. The plain is rich in minerals and has an extensive river basin.

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

Map of the largest plains of Russia

Most of the country is located on a relatively flat type of terrain. Favorable allowed a person to engage in cattle breeding, build large settlements and roads. On the plains, it is easiest to conduct construction activities. Many minerals and others are concentrated on them, including, and.

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

the East European Plain

East European Plain on the map of Russia

The territory of the East European Plain is approximately 4 million km². The natural northern border is the White and Barents Seas, in the south of the land they are washed by the Azov and Caspian Seas. The Vistula River is considered the western border, and Ural mountains- eastern.

At the base of the plain lies the Russian platform and the Scythian plate, the foundation is covered with sedimentary rocks. Where the base is raised, uplands were formed: Pridneprovskaya, Central Russian, Volga. In places where the foundation is deeply lowered, lowlands lie: Pechora, Black Sea, Caspian.

The territory is located in 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 Zapadnaya Dvina carry waters to the west. They all freeze over in the winter. Spring floods begin.

Half of the country's population lives on the East European Plain. Almost all forests are secondary forest, there are a lot of fields and arable lands. There are many minerals on the territory.

West Siberian Plain

West Siberian Plain on the map of Russia

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

At the base lies the West Siberian plate, sedimentary rocks lie on the surface. The southern part is higher than 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 is the Nizhneeniseyskaya, Verkhnetazovskaya and North Sosvinskaya uplands. Siberian ridges - a complex of hills in the west of the plain.

The West Siberian Plain lies in three: arctic, subarctic and temperate. Due to the low pressure, arctic air penetrates the territory, cyclones are actively developing in the north. Precipitation is unevenly distributed, the maximum number falls on the middle part. Most precipitation falls between May and October. Thunderstorms often occur in the southern strip in summer.

The rivers flow slowly, and many swamps have formed on the plain. All reservoirs have a flat character, they have a small slope. Tobol, Irtysh and Ob originate in mountainous areas, so their regime depends on the melting of ice in the mountains. Most of the reservoirs have a north-western direction. In the spring comes a long flood.

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

The steppe zone, located in the south of the plain, is almost completely plowed up. On the black soil there are fields of spring wheat. 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 table salt and soda are extracted.

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 Sayans are a natural border in the south. In the west, the lands originate from the Yenisei River, in the east they end at the Lena River valley.

At the heart of the plateau lies the Pacific lithospheric plate. Because of it, the earth's crust has risen significantly. The average heights are 500 m. The Putorana Plateau in the northwest reaches 1701 m in height. The Byrranga Mountains are located in Taimyr, their height exceeds a thousand meters. There are only two lowlands in Central Siberia: 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 the warm seas. because of high mountains rainfall is unevenly distributed. They fall in large numbers in the summer. The earth is very cold in winter. The minimum January mark is -40˚C. Dry air and lack of winds help to endure such difficult conditions. Powerful anticyclones form during the cold season. There is little rainfall in winter. In summer, a cyclonic type of weather sets in. The average temperature during this period is +19˚C.

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

Almost the entire territory is located in the zone. Forests are represented by larch species that shed their needles for the winter. Pine forests grow along the Lena and Angara valleys. In the tundra there are shrubs, lichens and mosses.

There are a lot of minerals in Siberia. There are deposits of ore, coal, oil. In the southeast are deposits of platinum. There are salt deposits in the Central Yakut lowland. There are deposits of graphite on the Nizhnyaya Tunguska and Kureika rivers. Diamond deposits are located in the northeast.

Due to complex climatic conditions large settlements are located only in the south. Human economic activity 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 with the Kumo-Manych depression, the western part goes to the Sea of ​​Azov.

The plain lies on the Scythian plate and is a virgin steppe. The maximum height is 150 m. major rivers Chelbas, Beisug, Kuban, there is a group of karst lakes. The plain is located in the continental belt. Warm weather softens the local climate. In winter, the temperature rarely drops below -5˚C. In summer, the thermometer shows +25˚C.

The plain includes three lowlands: Prikubanskaya, Priazovskaya and Kuban-Priazovskaya. Rivers often flood settlements. There are gas deposits on the territory. The region is famous for its black earth fertile soils. Almost the entire territory is developed by man. People grow cereals. The diversity of flora is preserved only along the rivers and in the forests.

The relief of the earth is a collection of oceans and seas and land surface irregularities that vary in age, origin and size. It consists of forms that are combined with each other. The relief of the Earth is quite diverse: giant depressions of the oceans and vast expanses of land, endless plains and mountains, high hills and deep gorges. Plains occupy the main part of the Earth's surface. This article will give Full description plains.

Mountains and plains

Different sciences are engaged in the study of the reliefs of the Earth. The main landforms are mountains and plains. Geography can most fully answer the question concerning what mountains and plains are. Plains are land areas that occupy 60% of the Earth's surface. Mountains occupy 40%. Definition of mountains and plains:

• Plains are fairly large areas of land with slight slopes and slight fluctuations in elevation.
• The mountains are vast, raised high above the plains and sharply dissected land areas with significant elevation changes. The structure of the mountains: folded or folded-blocky.

According to the absolute height of the mountains are divided into:

• Lowlands. The height of such mountains is up to 1000m. They usually have gently sloping peaks, rounded slopes and relatively wide valleys. These include some mountains of northern Russia, Central Europe, for example, the Khibiny on the Kola Peninsula.
• Middle mountains. Their height ranges from 1000m to 2000m. These include the Apennines and the Pyrenees, the Carpathian and Crimean mountains and others.
• Highlands. These mountains are over 2000m high. These are the Alps, the Himalayas, the Caucasus and others.

Plains classification

Plains are divided into types according to different characteristics, for example, by height, by type of surface, by the history of their development and their structure. Types of plains by absolute height:

1. Plains below sea level. An example can be such depressions as Kattara, its height is 133 m below sea level, the Turfan depression, the Caspian lowland.
2. Low plains. The height of such plains ranges from 0 to 200 m. These include the largest plains in the world, the Amazonian and La Plata lowlands.
3. The elevated plains have a height of 200m to 500m. An example is the Great Victoria Desert.
4. Upland plateaus higher than 500m, such as the Ustyurt plateau, the Great Plains North America and others.

The surface of the plain is inclined, horizontal, convex or concave. According to the type of surface, plains are distinguished: hilly, wavy, ridged, stepped. As a rule, the higher the plains, the more dissected they are. The types of plains also depend on the history of development and their structure:

• alluvial valleys such as the Great Plain of China, the Karakum desert, etc.;
• glacial valleys;
• water-glacial, for example Polesie, foothills of the Alps, the Caucasus and Altai;
• flat low-lying sea plains. Such plains are a narrow strip along the coasts of the seas and oceans. These are such plains as the Caspian and Black Sea.

There are plains that arose on the site of the mountains after their destruction. They are composed of hard crystalline rocks and crumpled into folds. Such plains are called denudation. Examples of them are the Kazakh small-sand pit, the plains of the Baltic and Canadian shields.

The climate of the plain depends on the climate zone they are also on what air masses affect them. This article systematized data on the main reliefs of the Earth and gave the concept of what mountains are and what a plain is.

Plains are the most common type of landform. earth's surface. On land, plains occupy about 20% of the area, the most extensive of which are confined to platforms and slabs. All plains are characterized by small fluctuations in elevation and slight slopes (slopes reach 5°). According to the 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); upland, or plateaus - over 500 m above ocean level (Middle Siberian Plateau); Plains lying below ocean level are called depressions (Caspian). By general character the surfaces of the plain are horizontal, convex, concave, flat, hilly. According to 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 the destruction of rocks carried out from them by water flows are deposited. Such plains have a slight slope to sea level. These most often include marginal lowlands; river accumulative. They are formed as a result of 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 the coast by the wave-cutting activity of the sea. These plains arise the faster, the weaker rocks and more excitement stronger winds; structural plains. They have a very complex origin. In the distant past they were mountainous countries. Over the course of millions of years, the mountains were destroyed by external forces, sometimes to the stage of almost plains (peneplains), then as a result tectonic movements cracks and faults arose in the earth's crust, along which magma poured out to the surface; she, like armor, covered the former unevenness of the relief, her own surface was preserved even or stepped as a result of the outpouring of traps. These are the structural plains.

An example is the Great Victoria Desert. Upland plateaus over 500m high, such as the Ustyurt Plateau, the Great Plains of North America and others. The surface of the plain is inclined, horizontal, convex or concave. According to the type of surface, plains are distinguished: hilly, wavy, ridged, stepped. As a rule, the higher the plains, the more dissected they are. The types of plains also depend on the history of development and their structure: alluvial valleys, such as the Great Chinese Plain, the Karakum Desert, etc.; glacial valleys; water-glacial, for example Polesie, foothills of the Alps, the Caucasus and Altai; flat low-lying sea plains. Such plains are a narrow strip along the coasts of the seas and oceans. These are such plains as the Caspian and Black Sea. There are plains that arose on the site of the mountains after their destruction. They are composed of hard crystalline rocks and crumpled into folds. Such plains are called denudation. Examples of them are the Kazakh small-sand pit, the plains of the Baltic and Canadian shields.

Plains by structure

According to the structure, the plains are classified into flat and hilly.

flat plains

If a piece of land has a flat surface, then they say that it is a flat plain (Fig. 64). Separate sections of the West Siberian Lowland can serve as an example of a flat plain. There are few flat plains on the globe.

rolling plains

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

Earth's surface. On land, plains occupy about 20% of the area, the most extensive of them are confined to and. All plains are characterized by small fluctuations in elevation and slight slopes (slopes reach 5 °). According to the absolute height, the following plains are distinguished: lowlands - from 0 to 200 m (Amazonian);

• elevations - from 200 to 500 m above ocean level (Central Russian);
• upland, or plateaus - over 500 m above ocean level ();
• Plains lying below ocean level are called depressions (Caspian).

According to the general nature of the surface of the plain, there are horizontal, convex, concave, flat, hilly.

According to the origin of the plains, the following types are distinguished:

• marine accumulative(cm. ). Such, for example, is the 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 out from them by water flows are deposited. Such plains have a slight slope to sea level. These most often include marginal lowlands;
• river accumulative. They are formed due to the deposition and accumulation of loose rocks brought ();
• abrasion plains(see Abrasion). They arose as a result of the destruction of the coast by the activity of the sea. These plains arise the faster, the weaker the rocks and the more often the unrest;
• structural plains. They have a very complex origin. In the distant past they were mountainous countries. Over the course of millions of years, the mountains were destroyed by external forces, sometimes to the stage of almost plains (peneplains), then as a result, cracks and faults appeared, along which it poured out to the surface; she, like armor, covered the former unevenness of the relief, her own surface was preserved even or stepped as a result of the outpouring of traps. These are the structural plains.

The surface of the plains, receiving sufficient moisture, is dissected by river valleys, dotted complex systems beams and.

The study of the origin of the plains and the modern forms of their surface is of great economic importance, since the plains are densely populated and developed by man. They have many settlements, a dense network of communications, large and land. Therefore, it is precisely with the plains that one has to deal with when developing new territories, designing the construction of settlements, communication lines, industrial enterprises. As a result economic activity The relief of the plains can change significantly for humans: ravines are filled up, embankments are built, quarries are formed during open-pit mining, and man-made hills from waste rock - waste heaps - grow near the mines.

The change in the relief of the ocean plains is affected by:

• , eruptions, faults of the earth's crust. The irregularities created by them are transformed by external processes. Sedimentary rocks, settling to the bottom, level it. Most accumulates at the foot of the continental slope. In the central parts of the ocean, however, this process occurs slowly: a layer of 1 mm is created in a thousand years;
• natural currents that erode and transport loose rocks sometimes form underwater dunes.

The largest plains on earth