Karnataka's topography is highly varied. The coastal strip (Karavali) is relatively flat and narrow, flanked by the Arabian Sea on one side and the towering Western Ghats on the other. The Western Ghats rise abruptly from the coastal plains, featuring a continuous chain of mountains and hills.
The highest point in Karnataka is Mullayanagiri, standing at 1,930 meters (6,330 feet) in the Baba Budan Giri range of the Chikkamagaluru district. The lowest point is at sea level along the Arabian Sea coast.
East of the Western Ghats lies the Deccan Plateau, which gradually slopes towards the east. The northern part of the plateau is relatively flat and arid, characterized by black cotton soil, while the southern plateau is undulating and rolling, with reddish soils and numerous massive granite boulders and hillocks (such as those seen around Hampi and Ramanagara).