The elevation and elevated plain is called the earth's surface with a height of 200 to 500 meters above sea level (absolute height). Such surfaces, although they are called plains, often show an uneven surface interspersed with hills and gentle hills.
In addition, the concept of a plateau is used for an elevated plain, which is particularly distinguished in comparison with neighboring flat sections of the earth's surface. The plateau usually has a flat surface with clear boundary-ledges, in fact it is a mountain with a “clipped” peak.
Spread in two countries
One of the largest elevated plains is the Central Russian Upland. Most of it is located in Russia, and distant spurs are located in Ukraine. The length of this elevated plain is 1,000 kilometers, and the width is 500 kilometers.
The highest point of the massif is 320 meters with an average height of surfaces of 200-300 meters above sea level.
Scientists suggest that the Central Russian high plain formed in the Jurassic period from deposits of limestone, chalk, brown coal. Other minerals such as uranium and iron ore are also present here.
On the surface there are many hills, valleys, ravines. The following elevations flow through the territory: Don, Oka, Desna, Vorskla and many other, smaller rivers and rivulets.
In the plant world, steppes, forest-steppes and black forests or broad-leaved forests predominate.
Romance of the Valdai Plains System
In the north-west of Russia is the Valdai Upland (or elevated plain) with a length of about 600 kilometers.
The highest point or "crown" of Valdai is located about 347 meters above sea level, the average absolute height is 150-25o meters.
The Valdai Upland is located in the northwestern part of Russia.
Extraordinarily beautiful places, protected forests contributed to the creation of national parks and reserves: Sebezh National Park, Valdai Park, Rdeisky and Polistovsky reserves.
On the Valdai Upland there are many beautiful lakes (for example, Seliger), forests of the ice age of origin. This flat hill is a cradle for eight large rivers of Russia.
Here begins the largest river in Europe - the Volga, starting from a small stream and turning into large lakes, is rapidly gaining strength and smoothly striving for the Caspian Sea.
Vyatka beauty
On the territory of the Kirov region and the Republic of Mari-El there is a small elevated plain - the Vyatka Uval. Its height is 284 meters, and its length is about 40 kilometers wide and several hundred kilometers from north to south.
The elevated plain of many minerals is composed: gypsum, dolomite, oil shale and others. There are a large number of karst lakes formed in the hollows of the earth: Tair, Yalchik, Glukhoy and others.
Vyatka flows through the territory of the uval, giving the name to this elevated plain. Redwood or pine and fir forests not only decorate the territory, but also supply the national economy with high-quality wood.
Small but significant
There are other elevations on the territory of our country, not as grandiose as described above, but no less significant in the formation of the ecological system of nature. These are the following elevated plains of Russia:
- Volga. It is located on the right bank of the Volga, therefore it is named for the river. The total length of up to 810 kilometers in length, in width in some places reaches 500 kilometers, although most of them are from 60 to 100 kilometers.
- Smolensk-Moscow. It covers the territory of Russia and Belarus, is divided into Moscow and Smolensk with a total length of about 500 kilometers. Important rivers begin here : the Moscow River, Klyazma, Istra, Ruza and others. Perhaps there is no such abundance of rivers as on this flat elevation on any other. Sinuous rivulets feed all living things with their waters, adorn hilly landscapes. Sometimes two rivers flow in one sandy hollow, and they move in different directions. This is a distinctive feature of this territory.
There are small formations in the Pskov (Luga Upland) and Danilov regions. Their height does not exceed 200 meters, an area of not more than 3,000 square kilometers.
There are wavy and gentle reliefs, many Cretaceous and limestone rocks, dense woodland and a diverse wildlife.