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October 11, 2008

Mesa

Mesa or a plateau is a landform like of a tabletop that is uplifted from surface by tectonic activity. These flat-topped mountains and hills are common in arid regions such as deserts. Other mesas are actually full mountains which after extensive erosion and weathering, cut out the mountainsides into steep slopes. The characteristic formation of a mesa also depends on the type of rock that composes it. Mesa is the Spanish word for table. This term is widely used southwestern United States where plenty of such landform can be seen. The highest mesa or plateau above sea level is the Tibetan Plateau which earned its moniker, the Roof of the World. Whereas the largest mesa in the world is the Grand Mesa in Western Colorado, USA.


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