i. This is the oldest and the most stable part of the Indian Subcontinent.
ii. It is rich in mineral resources and has huge Reserves of iron, manganese, copper, bauxite, mica, chromium, limestone, etc.
iii. More than 95 per cent of the Gondwana coal deposits of India are found in the plateau region.
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iv. The north-western part of the plateau is covered with fertile black lava soil which is widely used for growing cotton and sugar cane.
v. Some lowlands are suitable for growing rice and a variety of tropical fruits.
vi. The highlands are covered with thick valuable forests.
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vii. The rivers originating from the Western Ghats provide suitable sites for the generation of hydroelectricity.
viii. The peninsular plateau has a number of hill stations such as Udagamandalam (Ooty), Kodaikanal, Pachmarhi, Mahabaleshwar, Khandala, Matheron, etc.
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The Coastal Plains:
i. The peninsular plateau of India is surrounded by coastal plains of variable width.
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ii. It extends from the Rann of Kachchh in the west to the Ganga-Brahmaputra delta in the east, covering a distance of about 6000 km.
iii. The area between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea is called the Western Coastal Plain.
iv. The area between the Eastern Ghats and the Bay of Bengal is called the Eastern Coastal Plain.
v. The two coastal plains meet each other at Kanniyakumari, the southernmost tip of the mainland of India.
