On the territory of South America there are two famous plateaus: the Brazilian and Guiana Plateau. You will find their description in the article.
Geographic location
The Brazilian plateau (highlands) stretches between two lowlands: the Amazon in the north and La Plata, which occupies the western part of the mainland.
The eastern border of the Brazilian Plateau runs along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. The highland has a huge area and covers approximately five million square kilometers. Brazil is located on its territory, hence its name.
The Guiana Plateau on the map of the mainland occupies its northern part. It stretches between the lowland of the same name, spreading along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean and the basins of the Amazon and Orinoco rivers. In terms of length, the Guiana is significantly inferior to the Brazilian. An area of about 2,000 square kilometers is occupied by the Guiana Plateau. The map shows that several countries are located on its territory. These are Colombia, Venezuela, French Guiana, Suriname and Guyana and part of Brazil.
Relief
The plateaus have a relief similar in their heterogeneity. In himlow-lying areas are combined with plains and highlands. For example, the outskirts of the Guiana Plateau are represented by flat landscapes. When moving towards the center, the surface gradually rises, as if rising up in wide steps. In the central part of the plateau there is the Pacaraima mountain range.
The Brazilian Highlands look like a plateau in the north, gradually rising to a mountain range towards the east coast.
Mountains and their features
The mountain ranges of both plateaus are famous for the so-called tepui or table mountains. They got their name "canteens" for their flat tops. If you look at the peaks of these mountains from above, you can see that they really resemble a huge table surface.
The flat appearance of the peaks has been shaped for centuries by the sun and water polishing the horizontal layers of quartz and sandstone that make them up.
Tepui are famous for their numerous caves and mines, washed out by water and having numerous horizontal and vertical passages.
Mountain slopes and rocks sometimes have bizarre shapes and original platforms. You can see, for example, regular-shaped natural baths. During rains, they fill with water and are suitable for swimming.
In the foothills, granite half-kilometer mountain peaks of regular rounded shape - “half-oranges” are often found.
On the plateau itself there are single rocks of a bizarre shape, reminiscent of chess pieces, mushrooms, or fairy-tale castles.
Mountainthe Parakaima massif and the "navel of the Earth"
The highest point that adorns the Guiana Plateau is the top of Roraima, it belongs to the Serra Pacaraima mountain range. The ridge rises above sea level by 2723 meters. The surface of the mountain is a plateau 34 km. It is located at the junction of 3 states: Brazil, Venezuela and Guyana. In the vicinity of Roraima are the sources of the Amazon and Essequibo rivers, as well as the origin of the Orinoco River.
This is a very showy tepuya. The slopes of the mountain are covered with forests of dwarf trees, ferns, rare species of orchids, of which there are a great many, unique insectivorous plants, mosses and club mosses. From a distance, the mountain has a blue-green tint, for which it received the nickname “Big Blue-Green Mountain” among the natives.
The flat top of Roraima is almost always shrouded in mist and a layer of whitish clouds. She looks mysterious and even mystical. Therefore, the plateau was chosen as the location for filming the film "The Lost World" based on the novel by Conan Doyle.
The Indians call the peak "the navel of the Earth" and believe that the goddess Queen, the progenitor of all mankind, lives on it.
Sierras of the Brazilian Plateau
The Brazilian Highlands are famous for the Sierras. This is the name of the heavily dissected mountain ranges, reaching a height of two kilometers and located along the Atlantic Ocean. Petuya Bandeira, with a three-kilometer peak, is the highest point in the highlands.
Deposits of high-quality ores have been discovered in the northern part of the Brazilian plateau. This is one of the mostrichest ore deposits in the world.
Climate of the plateaus
A distinctive feature of the climate of the plateaus is the seasonality in the distribution of precipitation.
For example, the winter period on the Guiana Plateau is characterized by high humidity, which is not typical for these latitudes. The reason for this is the northeast wet trade wind.
Spring on the plateau is a continuous period of rains, and summer is characterized by drought.
The Brazilian Plateau is located within the tropical and subequatorial zones, so it is very warm here all year round, even hot. The distribution of precipitation on this plateau depends on its topography and distance from the ocean. So, in the central part of the highlands, the annual amount of precipitation occurs in the summer months.
Rivers
The Guiana Plateau lies between the Amazon and Orinoco rivers. It is crossed by many fast mountain rivers, which are mainly fed by precipitation.
The rivers of the Brazilian and Guiana plateaus are characterized by a seasonal rhythm. During the rainy season, they become full-flowing, during the drought they become very shallow, in some places turning into streams and lakes. Also, the bed of each river is replete with rapids and waterfalls.
Angel
On the Guiana Plateau is the highest waterfall on the planet, bearing the romantic name Angel (Angel). It overthrows its waters from almost a kilometer high. The waterfall is fed by rain. In dry times, it looks like a thin streamwater. When precipitation falls on the Guiana Plateau, Angel turns into a powerful water stream. The speed of the fall of its water is so great that when it reaches the surface of the earth, the water becomes dust. Water dust forms a haze that envelops the waterfall and makes it visible for several kilometers.
Orinoco - heavenly place
The most famous river that feeds the Guiana Plateau is named Orinoco. The great Christopher Columbus compared it to paradise.
The Orinoco River starts in the foothills of Venezuela, near the Brazilian border. These are very secluded, quiet, little-studied places. Until now, several small Indian tribes live there, who are in voluntary isolation from the outside world.
During the rainy season, the riverbed widens and becomes deeper. During the dry season, the smallest tributaries dry up, turning into a series of small lakes.
An interesting attraction of the reservoir is its natural channel - the Casiquiare River, which connects the Amazon with the Orinoco.
The Orinoco crocodiles, the rarest of the crocodile species, live in Orinoco waters.
Lost World
Where the Guiana Plateau is located, in Venezuela, there is a huge reserve in its territory - the Canaima National Park. He is over two million years old. This is the most ancient corner on planet Earth.
The pride of the park is high- altitude tepui and fantastically beautiful landscapes.
The plateau-like peaks of the mountains of the park have a naturalorigin of funnels of different diameters. The largest of them reach three hundred meters. Most of the funnels are filled with the purest water and look like a crystal clear lake. At the bottom of the lakes there are unique plants that could not be found anywhere else on the planet.
Autana is considered the most beautiful of the park's mountains. Its feature is a cave that penetrates the mountain through and through.
Abismo Gui Kolleg Cave is especially popular with researchers and tourists. Its depth reaches 670 meters. During its study, ancient rock paintings depicting non-existent animals and unknown creatures were discovered on the vaults.
Not only the mountains of the park are unique, but also its nature. In these places there are many very rare representatives of the world of animals and plants. For example, the excursion trail to Angel Falls runs through the island of orchids, striking in the variety of colors and forms of plants.
Different species of monkeys, jaguars, huge anteaters live in the forests of the park. The forests and foothills are filled with the hubbub of birds.
Canaima Park is a favorite place for tourists. Here you can travel not only by land, water, but also afford air travel by plane. After all, only from a height you can see all the beauties of this place.
The famous Guiana Plateau is literally shrouded in a halo of secrets and mysteries, myths and legends are composed of it, partially confirmed by the reports of scientific expeditions.
