Butte
From Free net encyclopedia
Image:Butte pdphoto roadtrip 24 bg 021604.jpg
In the United States and Canada, a butte is an isolated hill with steep sides and a small flat top. Buttes are similar to a mesa but are smaller. Buttes are prevalent in the western states of the U.S. and on the islands of Hawaii, especially around Honolulu. Buttes are, however, not numerous around Europe.
Buttes are formed by erosion when a cap of hard rock, usually of volcanic origin, covers a layer of softer rock that is easily worn away. This hard rock avoids erosion while the rock around it wears down.
The word "butte" comes from a French word meaning "small hill".
Butte is the name of some cities in the United States. See Butte, Montana, Butte, Alaska, and Butte, Nebraska for more. There are also counties named Butte County.