Table Mountain is named after its flat-top, which looks prominently as a table top, overlooking the city of Cape Town, South Africa. It is believed that the mountain is six times older than the Himalayan Mountains and five times older than Rockies. It is the iconic symbol of South Africa and Cape Town, which is also used in the Cape Town’s Flag and other govt. insignias. Table Mountain is one of the most famous tourist attractions of South Africa which is famous for trekking, hiking, rock climbing, caving, flora and fauna and some other sections such as Devil’s peak, Orange Kloof, Lion’s Head, Signal Hill etc.
Why is Table Mountain Flat on Top?
Around 3000 million years ago the mountain built up by sandstones which were due to the magma rises from the earth’s core. At that time during the ice age, there was no mountain as it is at sea level and ice sheets formed this flat surface by flattening the sandstones. Usually, when magma reaches the surface creates volcano; but here the magma stopped underground, became cool and created hard granite rocks that appears on the coastal region of Cape Peninsula. Later, when the lands divided and formed continents the granites under the surface of sandstone pressurized towards top and formed the flat top shaped Table Mountain.
The Table Cloth
When the wind flow south easterly, the cool air and moisture thickened to form a layer of clouds (orographic clouds) covering the Table Mountain that appears as a table cloth covered on a table.
(All Photo Credit: Wikipedia)
