Major Landforms of the Earth

(a)The major landforms are mountains, plateaus and plains.
(b)A mountain may have a small summit and a broad base. But a plateau is flat-topped table standing above the surrounding area.
Example of mountain The Himalayan mountains.
Example of plateau The Deccan plateau.
(c)Mountains are of three types 
(i) Fold mountains
(ii)Block mountains
(iii)Volcanic mountains
(d)Mountains are useful to man in a variety of ways:
(i) Mountains are storehouse of water which is the basic need of the human beings. Reservoirs are made and the water is harnessed for the use of people. Water is used for irrigation and generation of hydroelectricity.
(ii) Mountains have a rich variety of flora and fauna.
(iii) Mountains provide an idyllic site for tourists. They visit the mountains for their scenic beauty.
(e)Plains are generally formed by rivers and their tributaries. The rivers flow down the slopes of mountains and erode them. They carry forward the eroded material. Then they deposit their load consisting of stones, sand and silt along their courses and in their valleys. It is from these deposits that plains are formed.
(f)The river plains are very suitable for human habitation. People get flat land for building houses and for cultivation. The soil of river plains is very fertile. Hence people live here and cultivate land for their living.
(g) Life is very difficult in mountain areas because of harsh climate. It is quite difficult to grow crops, build houses or roads in a mountain. Hence, people do not prefer to live here.