Transcript Physical Regions of the U.S.

Physical Regions of the U.S.
Coastal Lowlands
• Southeastern Maine to Eastern and Southern
U.S. to Eastern Texas.
– Forests of hickory, oak, pine, and other trees.
– Three Subdivisions
• The Piedmont
– Southern New York to Atlanta.
– In the north referred to as the fall line.
• The Atlantic Coastal Plain
– Piedmont to Atlantic Ocean, New England to
Florida
• In the south, cotton, vegetables, citrus fruit, and
tobacco.
• Resorts and Beaches
• Gulf Coastal Plain
– Florida to Southern Texas
• Fertile Farmland
• Petroleum and natural gas
Appalachian Highlands
(Mountains)
• Maine to Alabama
– White Mts., Green Mts., Cumberland Mts.,
Allegheny Mts., Great Smokey Mountains
Resources
• Coal
• Iron
• Oil
Foliage:
Forest of Pine,
Oak and Maple
• Highest Point:
Mt. Mitchell in N.C. 6,684 ft
Canadian Shield
• Area around the Great Lakes
– Covered by glaciers as recently as10,000 years
ago
– Forest of Spruce, and Fir
– Many winter outdoor activities
Interior Plains
• Extends from Appalachians to the Rocky
Mountains
• Sub Regions
– Central Lowlands
• From the Appalachian mtns To just west of the
Mississippi River.
• Rich farmland for soybeans and corn
– Great Plains
• From the Rocky Mountains to west of the
Mississippi
• Known to the pioneers as the “ Great American
Desert”
• Grassland
– Bison
– Grain Farming
– Cattle and sheep ranching
Ozark Plateau/Highlands
• Between the Central and Gulf Coastal
lowlands in Southern Missouri, Northwest
Arkansas and Eastern Oklahoma.
• Much of the area is poor farming except in
the river valleys.
• Coal, Iron Ore and other minerals are
valuable resources
Rocky Mountains
• The largest mountain system in North America
that extends from Alaska to Southern New Mexico
• Known as the Continental Divide, it separates
water flowing to the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
• Forests cover the lower slopes of the mountains
and they are the home to many types of wildlife.
• Timber, mining and recreation are the important
industries of the area.
• Some cattle and sheep are raised in the
valleys and meadows and crops are grown
in the lower valleys.
• The highest place is Mt. Elbert in Colorado
at 14,433 ft above sea level.
Intermountain Region
• Located between the Rockies and the
Pacific Coast Mountains
• Subdivisions:
– Columbia Plateau
– Colorado Plateau
– The Basin and Range Area
Columbia Plateau
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Located in Washington, Oregon, Idaho,
and Northern Nevada
Fertile volcanic soil, best grain and fruit
crops in the northwest
Colorado Plateau
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Unusual land forms in America such as
flat topped rock formations, natural
bridges, Grand Canyon
Indians lived here in cliff dwellings
The Basin and Range Area
• The mountain and desert lowlands between
the Columbian and Colorado Plateaus
• Also known as the Great Basin
Includes “Death Valley” the lowest
place in elevation in the U.S. at 282 ft.
below sea level.
The Pacific Coast Mountains and
Valleys
• The coast from southern California to
Alaska
• Evergreen forests provide raw material for
lumber and paper
• Volcanic activity formed the Cascades,
Lassen Peak in California and Mt. St.
Helen’s in Washington, volcanoes today.
• The eastern boundary is the Cascade
Range in the north and the Sierra
Nevada Range in the south.
• The Sierras are granite mountains with
many lakes and waterfalls.
• The western boundary is the coast
range which hassome major harbors
such as Puget Sound and San Francisco
Bay.