Mountains & Plateaus — Set 2

Correct Answer: D. Atlas Mountains

• **Atlas Mountains** = a range stretching across Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia in north-western Africa, separating the Mediterranean coast from the Sahara Desert. • **Highest peak is Toubkal at 4,167 m** — located in Morocco, Toubkal is the highest point in the Atlas range and the highest peak in North Africa outside of Ethiopia. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Caucasus: located between the Black Sea and Caspian Sea in Russia/Georgia/Armenia, not Africa; Drakensberg: the main mountain range of southern Africa (South Africa and Lesotho); Pyrenees: forms the border between France and Spain in Europe, not in Africa.

Correct Answer: D. USA

• **Columbia Plateau** = a large volcanic plateau in the north-western USA, formed by massive basaltic lava flows over geological time. • **Lies between the Cascade Range and the Rocky Mountains** — covering parts of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, it is one of the most extensive basalt plains on Earth. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Brazil: Brazil has the Brazilian Highlands and Amazon Basin, not the Columbia Plateau; Canada: Canada has the Canadian Shield and Rocky Mountains, not the Columbia Plateau; Australia: Australia has the Great Dividing Range and various plateaus but not the Columbia Plateau.

Correct Answer: D. The Alps

• **The Alps** = Europe's central mountain range containing the Matterhorn, a iconic pyramid-shaped peak at 4,478 m on the Swiss-Italian border. • **Formed by African-Eurasian plate collision** — the Alps are young fold mountains; the range's highest peak is Mont Blanc at 4,808 m on the French-Italian border. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: The Andes: South America's western range, contains Aconcagua as its highest peak; The Urals: ancient range separating Europe from Asia in Russia, much lower in elevation; The Rockies: major range of western North America, contains Mount Elbert as highest peak.

Correct Answer: C. Pakistan

• **Potwar Plateau** = located in north-eastern Pakistan, bounded by the Indus River to the west and the Jhelum River to the east. • **Important for oil and salt deposits** — the Potwar Plateau contains significant petroleum reserves and is the site of the famous Khewra Salt Mine, one of the world's largest salt mines. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Afghanistan: Afghanistan has the Hindu Kush range and the Kabul River basin, not the Potwar Plateau; India: India has the Deccan Plateau and Chota Nagpur Plateau; Iran: Iran has the Iranian Plateau, not the Potwar Plateau.

Correct Answer: D. South Africa

• **Drakensberg Mountains** = the main mountain system of South Africa and Lesotho, whose Afrikaans name means 'Dragon Mountains'. • **Spectacular escarpments and waterfalls** — the Drakensberg is a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for ancient San rock art, dramatic cliffs, and Tugela Falls, one of the world's tallest waterfalls. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Kenya: Kenya's highest peak is Mount Kenya, a volcanic mountain, not the Drakensberg; Ethiopia: Ethiopia has the Ethiopian Highlands, sometimes called the 'Roof of Africa'; Nigeria: Nigeria's highest point is Chappal Waddi in the Adamawa Highlands, not Drakensberg.

Correct Answer: D. Bolivian Plateau

• **Bolivian Plateau (Altiplano)** = the most extensive high plateau outside Tibet, famous for rich mineral deposits especially tin, located in South America between two Andean ranges. • **Contains Salar de Uyuni** — the world's largest salt flat at over 10,000 sq km; Bolivia was historically the world's largest tin producer from this plateau's deposits. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Katanga Plateau: in south-eastern Congo (DRC), known for copper and cobalt deposits, not primarily tin; Kimberley Plateau: in northern Western Australia, known for ancient rock art and gorges; Colorado Plateau: in south-western USA, famous for the Grand Canyon, not tin deposits.

Correct Answer: B. Italy

• **Apennines** = the mountain range that forms the backbone of the Italian peninsula, stretching about 1,200 km from north to south through Italy. • **Largely composed of limestone and sandstone** — unlike the Alps which are fold mountains from plate collision, the Apennines include folded and thrust-faulted sedimentary rocks; they are also seismically active. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Spain: Spain's main ranges are the Pyrenees (north) and the Sierra Nevada (south); Norway: Norway has the Scandinavian Mountains running along its spine; Greece: Greece has the Pindus Mountains running through its mainland from north to south.

Correct Answer: B. Colorado Plateau

• **Colorado Plateau** = a high plateau covering parts of Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico, famous for the Grand Canyon carved by the Colorado River. • **Grand Canyon is 446 km long and up to 1,857 m deep** — the Colorado Plateau is characterised by high elevations (1,500-3,000 m), deep canyons, and colourful layered rock formations. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Ozark Plateau: an uplifted plateau in Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, known for caves and springs; Laurentian Plateau: the Canadian Shield in eastern Canada, composed of ancient Precambrian rock; Edwards Plateau: a limestone plateau in central Texas, known for cattle ranching.

Correct Answer: B. Pyrenees

• **Pyrenees** = a high natural mountain barrier forming the border between France and Spain, stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea. • **Andorra is located within the Pyrenees** — this tiny sovereign state sits entirely within the range; the highest peak is Aneto at 3,404 m on the Spanish side. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Apennines: runs through the length of Italy, not between France and Spain; Alps: separates France and Italy (and other countries) to the east, not the France-Spain border; Caucasus: located between the Black Sea and Caspian Sea, forming the boundary between Europe and Asia.

Correct Answer: C. China

• **Loess Plateau** = located in north-central China, covered with wind-deposited fine silt called loess, making it highly erodible. • **Primary sediment source of the Yellow River** — erosion from this plateau gives the Yellow River (Huang He) its characteristic yellow colour; the plateau covers about 640,000 sq km. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Kazakhstan: Kazakhstan has the vast Kazakh Steppe and parts of the Tian Shan mountains, not the Loess Plateau; Russia: Russia has the Siberian Plateau and Central Russian Upland; India: India has the Deccan Plateau and Chota Nagpur Plateau, not the Loess Plateau.