Mesa
The four major land formations are mountains, hills, plateaus, and plains. Mountains are high, steep landforms. Hills are elevated areas with rounded tops. Plateaus are flat, elevated landforms with steep sides. Plains are large areas of flat land.
There are many buttes in Arizona and desert areas; these steep, rather flat formations provide exhilarating climbs for some hikers.
Flat topped hills or rock formations with steep walls on all sides are called a mesa. See the related links for more information. A plateau is a large ( as in many square miles), extended area, that is higher than the surrounding land
The land formation you are referring to is called a "mesa." Mesas are characterized by their flat, elevated surfaces and steep sides, commonly found in arid and semi-arid regions. They are formed through erosion, where softer rock layers wear away, leaving the harder rock on top. Mesas are often considered smaller than plateaus, which are larger flat-topped areas.
The Inca built terraces on steep slopes to farm. These terraces were flat, horizontal surfaces built into the mountainside, held in place by stone walls. The terraces allowed the Inca to level the land and create flat areas for agriculture, preventing erosion and maximizing available space for cultivating crops.
Buttes are flat-topped rock formations with steep sides that are typically found in arid regions. They are formed through the erosion of sedimentary rock layers, leaving behind a more resistant top layer that protects the softer rock beneath it. Buttes are often part of larger geological formations, such as mesas or plateaus.
A plateau is a flat landform found at a high elevation. Plateaus are elevated flat areas of land that rise sharply above surrounding areas and have steep sides.
An area of elevated flat land is called a plateau. Plateaus are flat areas of high ground that are usually separated from surrounding areas by steep slopes or cliffs.
steep slope with a flat plateau on top
Small flat-topped hills found in the Southwest are called mesas. They are geological formations with steep sides and a relatively flat top. Mesas are commonly found in arid and semiarid regions.
Plateaus or mesas typically have flat tops and extremely steep sides, with round or oblong shapes. They form through geological processes such as erosion, uplift, or volcanic activity. Plateaus are elevated flatlands, while mesas are smaller elevated areas with flat tops and steep sides.
The land formation you're describing is called a "mesa." Mesas have a flat or gently sloping top and steep, often vertical sides, and they typically form in arid or semi-arid regions. The flat top is usually composed of resistant rock, while the sides are eroded by weathering and water runoff. Mesas are often found in places like the southwestern United States.