North America Background

– North America/Anglo America

– United States and Canada among the most prosperous, highly developed countries of the world

– Generous resource endowments- abundant minerals and good agricultural land

– Settlement of US and Canada undertaken by peoples who came from other lands

– Native American peoples dispossessed and forced off their lands

– Slaves were imported from West Africa to work as laborers

Cultural and Historical factors– Size- both countries are large in area

– Internal Unity -- both have a strong sense of national unity,

– Canada has some issues with the integration of Québec

– Resource Wealth- both rich in natural resources

– Population Size- Combined population is large but not overpopulated

– Technology- both have highly mechanized economies, high levels of technology in production

– Good Neighbors- no significant boundary problems, largest undefended border in the world

– Geographical Diversity- wide range of different environments

– Institutional Stability- Long history of political stability and democratic practices.

Major Landforms

– The Canadian Shield ancient rocks rich in metal bearing ores thinly populated gently rolling hills

– The Arctic Coastal Plain Alaska section along the Arctic Ocean has rich oil

deposits Isolated and under populated

– Gulf Atlantic Plain low and relatively level plain pine trees and mixed old pine forests cover large

areas swamps and marshes, coast is indented by rivers and bays good in productive soils oil and gas are major resources on the Gulf Coast the Piedmont inland from the Gulf Atlantic Coast

has better soils

– Appalachian Highlands located west of the Piedmont elevations are relatively low and most land has been a for

us, deciduous, or mixed forests areas rich in coal mines

– Interior Upland's physical characteristics like Appalachian Highlands these Highlands are divided by the Arkansas River Valley

with Ozark plateau located in the north and the Ouachita Mts on the south

area produces beef, pork, corn, soybeans, and wheat coal mines also dot the area

– The Interior Plains these lie within the drainage basins of the Mississippi

River, the St. Lawrence, Mackenzie River and Saskatchewan River.

Rolling in flat terrain with some of the best soils in the world

area produces large quantities of beef, pork, corn, soybeans, and wheat

– Rocky Mountains high and rugged mountains with few passes between them ranching, mining, and winter recreation Columbia, Colorado, Missouri, and Rio Grande Rivers

originate in Rockies

– Interior basins and plateaus high plateaus and basins found in Nevada, Utah, area shielded from moisture bearing winds Mining of copper, oil, gas, oil, uranium several major dams generate hydroelectric power long the

Columbia and Colorado River's– Pacific Coastlands

Pacific Mountains and valleys parallel the Pacific Ocean Central Valley, the Willamette Valley, and Puget Sound

has good agriculture high mountains and large glaciers in Cascades abundant forests, fisheries, and agriculture in this area

North American Physical Regions

Major Climate Regions– Tundra

Long, cold winters and brief summers mosses, lichens, and hearty grasses found there

– Sub-arctic climate long cold winter in short mild summers natural vegetation coniferous forests in a similar to the

Russian taiga population extremely sparse trapping, hunting, fishing, mining, logging, and military

activities support this area

– The Humid Continental climate (short summers) northern part United States and southern part of Canada short summers and cold winters dairy farming and this spring wheat production

– Humid Continental climate (long summers) cold winters with the longer summer and longer growing

season corn, soybeans, cattle, and hogs raised in this area Midwest part United States

– Humid Subtropical climate short winner and long hot summers good agricultural conditions growing tobacco, cotton,

rice, peanuts, and a wide variety of fruits and vegetables evergreen soft wounds and broadleaf deciduous

hardwoods, many used in furniture construction

– Steppe dry grasslands located just to the east of the Rocky

Mountains some agriculture but the economy focuses on

ranching

– Desert Southwest part of the US from eastern California,

through Arizona and New Mexico Retirement and recreation communities in this area Irrigation supplies major cities and towns

– Mediterranean climate dry summer subtropical climate in Southern California most rain comes in the winter production of cattle feed, vineyards, fruits, vegetables,

cotton and a wide range of other crops California is the largest US state in total agricultural

output

– Marine West Coast Pacific northwest part of United States abundant moisture during most of the year large forests of Douglas fir, western red cedar, and

other evergreen trees High mountains with a moderate climate

Canada Background

– Canada highly developed and affluent country

– One of top manufacturing countries

– Highly urbanized with 78% of people in cities and 35% of the people who live in Toronto (2.5 mil); Montreal (3.5 mil) or Vancouver (2 mil)

– Canadian population clustered near US border

Unique Features of Canadian Development– Pattern of trade with Canada exporting raw materials and

semi-finished goods, energy and agricultural products

– Imports manufactured products and specialty food products

– High dependence on trade with US US imports 87% of Canadian exports US supplies 70% of Canadian imports

– High dependence on US investment in Canada 75% of all investment in Canada from US High dependence occasionally produces irritation Canada taken for granted in US. Ignorance of

Canada in the US US cultural imperialism

Good Neighbors– Longest common border in the world (5,000 miles)

– Amicable relations between two countries

– 90% of all Canadians live within 100 miles of the US border

– Alaska salmon problems

– Charges of dumping Canadian products in US

– Trade wars over wood products like cedar roofing

Regions of Canada

Regional Landscape of CanadaAtlantic Region

Newfoundland, Labrador, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island

Land of small farms and scattered settlements Relatively isolated from rest of Canada Halifax, largest city with 300K residents Whole Atlantic region only has 2.5 million Poorest of all Canadian regions Exceptionally rich fishing areas offshore but stocks

are in decline, especially cod fish Grand Banks over-fished; Canadians established

200 mile limit

Canadian Core Region (Ontario & Quebec) Contains 2/3’s of Canadian population Includes provinces of Ontario and Quebec Quebec largely Catholic by religion and French-

speaking Ontario mainly British in language and culture Cities include Toronto (2.5 mil); Montreal (3.5 mil);

Ottawa, the federal capital, (1.2 mil) Hamilton is major steel industry for automobiles and

metal fabricating 75% of Canadian manufacturing in this region St Lawrence Seaway connects Great Lake with Atlantic

Ocean Transports wheat, iron ore, petroleum and other products

Prairie Region Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta Relatively isolated with abundant grasslands Settlers attracted by good farmland in19th C Spring wheat for export English-speaking peoples migrated from Eastern Canada

and the US Alberta- fossil fuel capital of Canada which stimulated a

boom in Calgary and Edmonton “Blue-eyed Arabs of Alberta Large quantities of oil, gas and “tar sands” Canadian reserves 2-3 times the energy equivalent of oil in

the Arab Middle East

Problems with “resource separatism” Who should benefit from provincial resources– the

federal government or the provincial governments? Cites of the Prairie include Edmonton (900K); Calgary

(850K), and Winnipeg (700 K) Little manufacturing but good tourism. Beautiful

mountains and scenery Lots of minerals like coal, zinc, copper, nickel, uranium,

and potash Exports of oil and natural gas to US

Vancouver Region and British Columbia Vancouver City located on superb natural harbor at

the Frazier River Victoria located at tip of Vancouver Island offshore Canadian Pacific Railroad transformed Vancouver

City into major for Canadian exports Vancouver was major destination for Chinese

workers in the 19th C. Second major influx of Chinese immigrants and investment from Hong Kong Chinese fearful of the PRC takeover of HK in 1997.

Japanese tourism has major positive impact on local economy. Gardens, shopping, skiing and hiking.

Vancouver big exporter of bulk commodities, i.e. grains, wood, coal, sulfur, metals, potash and asbestos

Major center of world trade with Far East Industrial, governmental and corporate capital Mild climate with moderate temperatures and

abundant rainfall Salmon fishing Aluminum smelting with abundant hydro power.

Canadian North Provinces of Yukon, Northwest Territories, and

Nunavut Large area, few people, very isolated Islands of development surrounding mining

settlements. Sudbury (100K) north of Ontario, nickel, copper

and iron ore. Pulp and paper mills Port of Churchill on Hudson Bay to ship wheat from

Prairie provinces

.

Territorial Canada under federal government administration.

Native people, Inuit (Eskimos) hunt, fish New territorial division with creation of Nunavut

(meaning “our land” in Inuit language) Governmental allocation of $1.2 billion for

distribution to native peoples by 20016 Airplane service, communication links, medical

clinics and schools for native peoples. Native peoples pressing land claims to mining areas

with demands for ecological regulations

United StatesRegions of the United States

The Northeast– the Northeast is the most intensively developed, densely

populated, and ethnically diverse region of the US

– main center of political financial and cultural activity contains 16 million people or about 21% of the national population

– highly urbanized area particularly from Boston to Washington, DC

– seven main metropolitan areas including Boston, MA (male5.8 mil), Providence, RI (1.2 mil), Philadelphia (6.2 mil), Washington, DC (5 mil), Baltimore, MD (2.6 mil)

– Megalopolis (DC to Boston conurbation)

– almost 40% of all office space located within a 50 mile radius of New York

– almost 40% of all office space located within a 50 mile radius of New York

– New England area had good ports, swift streams to power water wheels, and abundant European immigrants especially the Irish

– emphasis on textile production and other industrial goods

– economy of the Northeast clothing design and manufacturing iron and steel manufacturing, Pittsburgh PA chemical industries for industry and consumers (DuPont Co.) photographic film and equipment (Kodak Co) electronics manufacturing in the Boston area

electrical equipment manufacturing centered on New England, New York, and Pennsylvania (General Electric Co.)

aircraft engines (United Technologies and Pratt & Whitney) nuclear submarines produced in New London Connecticut

(Trident submarines) publishing and printing in New York, Washington DC

– much manufacturing in the US move from Northeast and Midwest to the south

– adaptive reuse of old buildings for housing and new business

– gentrification of Northeast cities (revitalization of downtown areas with condominiums, specialty shops, trendy restaurants, and improved sports facilities

The South– the southern part of US include states along the Atlantic

Ocean, (Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida) states along the Gulf of Mexico (Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas)

– most of the states sided with the South in the Civil War

– most of the South has the humid subtropical climate with a long hot summer's and abundant rainfall

– most of the South as rolling plains

– region of rapid population growth with the declining farm population

– region of rapid population growth with the declining farm population

– largest city is on our Dallas-Fort Worth (5.2 mil), Houston (5 mil), Atlanta (4.1 mil), Miami (4 mil) and Tampa-St. Petersburg (2.5 mil)

– the South contains large percent of African-Americans

– increasing Hispanic population of Mexican-Americans, Cuban-Americans and Cajuns of French dissent

– Economy in the South declining importance of agriculture farms tend to be small low in production with part-time farmers importance of beef cattle, poultry, and dairy cattle importance of tobacco in cotton specialty crops like oranges in Florida, sugarcane in Louisiana,

Rice said the Mississippi lowlands, peanuts in Georgia, and resources bred in Kentucky

Manufacturing of textiles, chemical products, furniture, tobacco, and machinery also important

shifts a production from the South to Mexico and other offshore manufacturing sites

the importance of the Tennessee Valley Authority and revitalizing the South

oil and natural gas concentrated along the Gulf Coast

Appalachia– (Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas)

– Coal mining

– Poorest region of the US

– TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) and development of cheap power

– Isolated area with some economic progress recently

US/Canada Oil and Gas Regions

The Midwest and Great Plains– the North Central Midwest includes 12 states- Ohio,

Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri

– this region produces the great output of food and feeds in the world

– soils are exceptionally good– unusual to have extremely fertile soils with a long growing

season and considerable rainfall– huge areas of flat land permit highly mechanized planting

and harvesting– corn is single leading product of Midwest farms– beef cattle raised primarily on corn– soybeans are another large crop for Midwest farmers

– meat packing, grain milling and other food processing industries important

– Chicago early center of pork and cattle processing– largest farm machinery corporations based in Midwest (John

Deere, Caterpillar, and Navistar)– automobile industry concentrated in Detroit, MI (General

Motors, Ford and Chrysler now Daimler-Chrysler)– auto industry spread to other areas like Flint and Lansing,

Michigan and Cleveland and Dayton Ohio– Chicago, main railroad hub connecting East and West– River cities like St. Louis, Mo/ Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN/

Cincinnati, OH/ and Kansas City MO – Barges transport goods on the Mississippi River– many these areas losing population to the South and

Southwest

The West– Eleven states in the West-three on the Pacific Coast

(California, Oregon, in Washington) and eight states and the interior (New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho)

– West under-populated except for Southern California, the Bay area of San Francisco, Portland, OR and the Puget Sound region of Washington

– California coastal range of mountains, the Cascade Mts and the Olympic Mts in Washington state

– several large lowland plain areas- the Central Valley in California, the Willamette Valley in Oregon, and the Puget Sound region of Washington

– water is the most critical resource in the West– the transcontinental railroad opened up the West and led

to a large influx of population

– two significant water systems and the American West largest is the flow from the Colorado River that serves Arizona

and Southern California the second is a 200 mile gravity flow canal that brings water

from Sierra Nevada mountains through the Owens Valley north of Los Angeles

– land east of the coastal states used for grazing cattle and sheep

– Las Vegas, NV booming growth in tourism/gambling– Los Angeles and San Diego boomed in the 20th century

Center of agriculture in the early part of the 20th century

the center of the movie and television industry aerospace and electronics industry major influx of Hispanic peoples from Mexico

– Bay area and San Francisco Climate is very mild, Marine West Coast Napa Valley center of California wine industry's Silicon Valley south of San Francisco center of

computer and computer hardware industry influence of Stanford University and University

California at Berkeley– Seattle and Portland

the Puget Sound basin and Willamette Valley are both excellent agricultural areas

abundant rainfall and mild temperatures Seattle home of Boeing aircraft Co. timber products from extensive forests inland fishing for salmon and shellfish Redmond, Washington home of Microsoft Corp. Seattle also home of a thriving biotech firms

US Geographical Regions

Alaska and Hawaii– Alaska one-sixth of US land area but less than 1 million

people

– rugged, cold and remote

– Coastal plain of tundra in North; Brooks Range of Mts, Yukon River basin, Pacific Mts and Valleys

– Fairbanks, Anchorage, and Juneau are major cities.

– Part of the “ring of fire” volcanically active

– Economic growth since 1940’s from US military, fishing, Arctic oil, tourism

– New potential sources of oil on North coast in Alaska National Wildlife Reserve and ecological concerns

– Four main Hawaiian islands- Oahu, Hawaii, Kauai, Maui, and Molokai

– Volcanic high islands with a coral reef– Over 1 million residents- Caucasian (35%); Japanese

(25%); Polynesian (15%); Filipino (15%); Chinese and Korean (10%)

– Heavy rainfall on windward side of islands (200+ inches)– Agriculture focuses on sugarcane, pineapples, Kona coffee– Importance of tourism from Asia- warm climate, beautiful

beaches, scenery, and tourist shopping– Impact of Japanese economic slowdown on investment

and tourism– Defense installations

Alaska and Hawaii