Learn

A mesa is a type of land formation that protrudes from the earth below with a flat surface on top. The shape of this land mass is similar to a table, which is why it is called a mesa. Mesa means table in Spanish.

Tectonic plates on the surface of the earth (the earth’s crust) move around all the time, this is called tectonic activity. Mesas are formed when horizontally layered earth is vertically lifted by tectonic activity. The horizontally layered earth is made of different types of rocks and sediments. Some rocks and sediments are much softer than others. With time the softer sediments are washed away through erosion while the harder rock structures stay in tact. This erosion process can result in a mesa.

The mesa is a rather common land formation in the southwest area of the United States including Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado. The Grand Mesa on Colorado is known to be the largest mesa in the whole world.

Have you ever seen a mesa?