Write the importance of southern plateau and explain main features.

The Southern plateau or Deccan plateau is the triangular shaped southern portion of the Indian mainland, which is covered by seas on all three sides. Hence, it is also called as the peninsular plateau. Starting from Vindhya range in the north, this plateau extends 1800 kilometres to reach Kanyakumari in the south, spreading over 5 lakh sq.km. The plateau is separated from the coastal plains by the Western and Eastern Ghats, respectively.

Geologically, due to its origin from igneous rocks (which is formed through the cooling and solidification of magma or lava), this region has black fertile soil, which is ideal for the cultivation of cotton. Moreover, the region is richly endowed with minerals, which had a crucial role in the industrialisation of the country. In addition, this region offers valuable rain forest with teak, sandalwood and seesham. Deep waterfalls are useful for hydro-electricity, and the famous hill stations like Udagamandalam (Ooty), Mahabaleshwar and Panchmarhi ensures huge tourism potential as well.