The Swiss Alps are one of the most distinct and recognizable feature forms in Switzerland. Their birth began as the super continent Pangaea broke into smaller tectonic plates; then the battle of plate tectonics began. The African Plate moved north and collided into the European Plate and through the process of convergence and subduction, created folds in the European Plate in the shape of mountains.
This process made the majority of the Swiss Alps we see today. Subduction also created friction between the plates, which led to magma from the Earth's mantle to rise to the surface in the form of metamorphic rock. These rocks have changed form due to extreme heat and pressure.
The Alps provide the Swiss people with clean drinking water in the form of snow melt, and economically benefit them with skiing and tourism.
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As one of the three landscapes in Switzerland, the Swiss Plateau is located in between the Jura Mountains and the Alps. This plateau covers about 30% of the country's surface, and is home to two-thirds of Switzerland's population. The plateau is the most important region of Switzerland in regards to the economy, transportation, and agriculture.
The Swiss Plateau is made up of three major layers. The base level, the crystalline basement, is covered by unfolded strata of Mesozoic sediments. The second layer is made up of Molasse. The molasse was formed because of the rapid erosion of the Alps. The uppermost layer consists of gravel and glacial sediments.
