The Deccan Plateau is the large plateau that covers most of South India. It is triangular in shape and is surrounded by three mountain ranges. The plateau covers around 422,000 square kilometers (163,000 sq mi) which is 43 percent of India's landmass. Complete answer: Deccan plateau, the entire southern peninsula of India south of Narmada River, marked centrally by the high triangular tableland. The name is anglicized from the Prakrit word called Dakshin, which comes from the Sanskrit word dakṣiṇa- meaning 'South' or 'The South'. It extends over eight Indian states which are Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala. The uplands which are the areas of higher landmass form a triangle that is nested in the familiar downward-pointing triangle of the Indian sub-continent's coastline. In southern India, the plateau is over 1,000 meters (3,300 ft) above sea level. In the north, it is mostly around 500 meters (1,600 ft) above sea level. The Deccan plateau is extremely large, many habitats are present in it: various ecosystems with various sorts of vegetation, animals, climate, and geology. The forests on the plateau are much older than the Himalayan mountains. So, the correct answer is Option D. Note: The Deccan Traps are the main cause of the special geography and geology of South India. They are the large igneous province on the Plateau of west-central India and one of the biggest volcanic features on the Earth. In geology, the term 'trap' is used for such rock formations.