A plain is a flat area of land in geography that typically has little variation in elevation and is mostly devoid of trees. Lowlands in valleys or at the foot of mountains, Coastal Plains, and Plateaus or uplands are all examples of plains. The three different types of plains are:
- Structural Plains
- Erosional Plains
- Depositional Plains
- Glacial Plains
Structural plains
- These plains are created mainly by lifting a portion of the continental shelf or seabed.
- Nearly all of the major continents’ borders are where you can find these.
Example: The elevation of a portion of the Gulf of Mexico led to the formation of the United States southeasterly plain.
- The uplift of a portion of the continental shelf or seafloor is the main process that results in the formation of structural plains.
- These can be found on almost all of the major continents’ borders.
- The southeastern plain of the United States, which was formed after a portion of the Gulf of Mexico was lifted, serves as an example of this type of plain.
- Structural plains might also be produced by land subsidence.
- One such plan is in Australia’s central lowlands.
Erosional plains
- All types of highlands are continuously and slowly eroded to create these plains.
- These plains barely have a flat surface.
- As a result, they are sometimes known as peneplains, French for “nearly a plain.”
Example: The West Siberian Plain and the Canadian Shield.
Depositional plains
- Plains formed by deposition of materials brought by various agents of transportation
- Comparatively of equal level but rise gently towards adjacent highlands
- Depositional work by rivers form extensive alluvial plains, flood plains & deltaic plains; that form most productive agricultural plains of the world
- For ex. Gangetic plain (for rice & jute), Nile delta of Egypt (for rice & cotton) & Hwang ho plain in China
Example: The Indo Gangetic plain.
- Alluvial plains are formed by rivers depositing sediments over a long period. They tend to be extremely fertile due to the nature of sediments that are deposited by the river.
- Alluvial plains are quite similar to flood plains.
- Over some time, these floods give rise to a large flat patch of land; that is known as an alluvial plain.
- Flood plains, as referred to above, are plains formed by frequent floods. Flood plains over a large period create alluvial plains.
- Lacustrine plains are plains that are created in what originally was the bed of a lake.
- Lava plains are plains created by flowing sheets of lava.
Glacial Plains
- Glacial Depositional plains
- Glaciers & ice sheets may deposit fluvio glacial sands & gravels in outwash plains
- May also drop boulder clay (mixture of various sizes of boulders & clay) to form till plain or drift plain
- Outwash plains are usually barren lands but boulder clay may be very valuable for farming
Abyssal plain
A flat or very gently sloping area of the deep ocean basin.
Read Also : Landforms on The Earth
