|
|
|
|
Mexican Plateau
|
| |
|
| |
The Central Mexican Plateau, also known as the Mexican Altiplano, is a large plateau that occupies much of northern and central Mexico. It extends from the United States border in the north to the Cordillera Neovolcánica in the south, and is bounded by the Sierra Madre Occidental and Sierra Madre Oriental to the west and east, respectively. A low east-west range divides the plateau into northern and southern sections. These two sections, called the Mesa del Norte and Mesa Central, are now generally regarded by geographers as sections of one plateau.
Discussion
Ask a question about 'Mexican Plateau' Start a new discussion about 'Mexican Plateau' Answer questions from other users |
Encyclopedia
The Central Mexican Plateau, also known as the Mexican Altiplano, is a large plateau that occupies much of northern and central Mexico. It extends from the United States border in the north to the Cordillera Neovolcánica in the south, and is bounded by the Sierra Madre Occidental and Sierra Madre Oriental to the west and east, respectively. A low east-west range divides the plateau into northern and southern sections. These two sections, called the Mesa del Norte and Mesa Central, are now generally regarded by geographers as sections of one plateau. The Mexican Plateau is mostly covered by deserts and xeric shrublands, with pine-oak forests covering the surrounding mountain ranges and forming sky islands on some of the interior ranges. The Mexican Altiplano is one of six distinct physiographic sections of the Basin And Range Province, which in turn is part of the Intermontane Plateaus physiographic division.
The Mesa del Norte or northern plateau averages in elevation above mean sea level and extends south from the Río Bravo del Norte (Rio Grande) through the states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Zacatecas and San Luis Potosí. Various narrow, isolated ridges cross the Mesa del Norte and numerous depressions also dot the region, the largest of which is the Bolsón de Mapimí. The Río Bravo del Norte and its tributary, the Río Conchos, drain portions of the northern plateau, and the Río Pánuco and its tributaries drain the southeastern corner. Both rivers drain to the Gulf of Mexico. Much of the northern plateau comprises internal drainage basins that do not drain to the sea. The Chihuahuan Desert extends across the northern portion of the northern plateau, while the Meseta Central matorral covers the central portion, and the Central Mexican matorral extends from the southern portion of the northern plateau across the southern plateau.
The Mesa Central or southern plateau is higher than its northern counterpart, averaging meters in elevation. The southern plateau contains numerous valleys originally formed by ancient lakes. It extends across the states of Aguascalientes, Jalisco, Zacatecas, Guanajuato, Querétaro, México, and Hidalgo. Several of Mexico's most prominent cities, including Mexico City and Guadalajara, are located in the valleys of the southern plateau. Much of the southern plateau is drained by the Río Grande de Santiago and its tributaries, including the Río Lerma, which drain east into the Pacific Ocean. Tributaries of the Río Pánuco drain the eastern portion of the southern plateau. The Central Mexican matorral covers much of the southern plateau, with the subtropical Bajío dry forests occupying the lower portions of the Lerma–Río Grande de Santiago basin.
External links
- . Image Science and Analysis Laboratory, NASA-Johnson Space Center. 18 Mar. 2005. Earth from Space - Image Information.
|
| |
|
|
