Physical Regions

And Water Systems of the United States

United States Facts

• Located in North America, which is the third largest continent.

• North America is connected to South America by an isthmus.

• United States classified into nine physical regions. These regions are of great contrast to each other.

Physical Regions

• Pacific Coast• Intermountain Region• Rocky Mountain• Interior Plains • Ozark Highlands• Appalachian Mountains • Canadian Shield• Coastal Plains• Hawaiian Islands

Pacific Coast

• Western most in United States

• High mountain ranges that stretch from Alaska to Mexico

• Noticeable feature is the San Andreas Fault. What does this fault cause?

Intermountain Region

• This region has mountain peaks, high plateaus, deep canyons, and dry sandy deserts.

• This region’s rugged terrain limits where people can live.

• Noticeable features:– The Grand Canyon which is more than a mile

deep.– The Great Salt Lake, which is the nation’s largest

saltwater lake.

Rocky Mountains

• Rocky Mountains go from Canada, through the United States and into Mexico, where they are known as Sierra Madre.

• Include some of the highest peaks in North America. Some have an elevation of more than 14,000 feet.

• Known for their beauty and grandeur.

Interior Plains

• Broken into two parts– The Great Plains is the western part and is

generally dry.– The Central Plains is the eastern part of the

Interior Plains.• Some parts of this region are rich in coal and

petroleum.• Others are better suited for farming and cattle

grazing.

Ozark Highlands

• Located in southern Missouri, northern Arkansas, and eastern Kansas.

• This region is thick with forest and have moderate mountains that have an elevation of 2,000 feet.

• Important industries are forestry, agriculture and mining.

Appalachian Mountains

• These mountains run along the eastern part of the United States and goes from Canada to Mississippi.

• Highest peak is Mount Mitchell at 6,684 feet.

• Lower and less rugged than the Rockies.

• Appalachian Trail goes throughout the mountain range from Maine to Georgia.

Canadian Shield

• Lowland area that is mostly in Canada buy has areas in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.

• Rich in minerals.

• Once a mountainous area, but centuries of erosion has reduced the area to low hills and plains.

Coastal Plains

• Eastern most region of the United States and is a fairly flat, lowland area.

• Made up of two sub regions:– Atlantic Plain is located between the

Atlantic Ocean and Appalachian Mountains.

– Gulf Plain lies along the Gulf of Mexico and has large deposits of petroleum.

Hawaiian Islands

• Hawaii is 2,400 miles from California.

• Made up of eight large islands and many smaller ones.

• Islands are actually visual tops of underwater volcanoes.

• Much of Hawaii has a wet, tropical climate and has dense tropical rain forest.

American Lakes and Rivers

• Mississippi-Missouri River System– Made up of the Mississippi River, Missouri

River and their tributaries.– Carries water through the Interior Plains to

the Gulf of Mexico.– Provides water to farmland in the Plains as

well as move goods through the middle of the country.

American Lakes and Rivers

• The Great Lakes– There are five great lakes: Superior,

Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario.– Form the largest body of fresh water in the

world. – Form border between the United States

and Canada– Helps move goods to the Atlantic Ocean

and the Gulf of Mexico.