A mesa (Spanish and Portuguese for "table") or table mountain is an elevated area of land with a flat top and sides that are usually steep cliffs. It takes its name from its characteristic table-top shape.
It is a characteristic landform of arid environments, particularly the Southwestern United States. Many examples are also found in Spain, Sardinia, North and South Africa, Arabia, India, Australia, badlands and in the mountainous parts of Wyoming, Idaho, Montana and Oklahoma. The largest mesa in the world is considered to be the Grand Mesa located in western Colorado in the Southwest United States.
The term "mesa" is used throughout the United States to describe a flat-topped mountain or hill. In Spanish such a landform is more usually known as a meseta.