World Geography Today Chapter 7
Natural Environments of North America
Preview
Section 1: Physical Features
Section 2: Climates and Biomes
Section 3: Natural Resources
Chapter Wrap-Up
World Geography Today Chapter 7
Read to Discover
• What are the major landform regions in the United States and Canada?
• What rivers and lakes are found in the region?
Section 1: Physical Features
World Geography Today Chapter 7
Question
What are the various landform regions of the United States and Canada?
Section 1: Physical Features
World Geography Today Chapter 7
Gulf-Atlantic Coastal Plain
Piedmont
Appalachian Highlands
Along the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico
Alabama to New Jersey
Alabama to southeastern Canada
Long coastal plain, begins at sea level and gradually rises
Upland region at the foot of the Appalachians
Several ranges, valleys, and ridges; low, eroded mountains
Interior Plains
Between Appalachians and Rocky Mountains
Rolling hills, many rivers and lakes, productive soils
Interior Highlands
Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma
Old, eroded highlands
Section 1: Physical Features
Landform Regions of North America
Region Location Description
World Geography Today Chapter 7
Great Plains
Canadian Shield
Rocky Mountains
South-central Canada to Texas and Mexico
Arctic Ocean to Atlantic coast
New Mexico to Canada
High plains, subregion of interior plains
Ancient rock, heavily glaciated, little soil
Several high and rugged ranges
Intermountain Basins and Plateaus
Between Rockies and coastal mountain ranges
High plateaus, deep canyons, isolated mountain ranges, desert basins
Pacific Mountains and Valleys
Along Pacific coast Two mountain ranges separated by a series of valleys
Section 1: Physical FeaturesLandform Regions of North America
Region Location Description
World Geography Today Chapter 7
Major landform regions of the United States and Canada generally stretch from north to south.
Listed from east to west the regions are:
• Gulf-Atlantic Coastal Plain • Great Plains• Piedmont • Rocky Mountains• Appalachian Highlands • Intermountain Region• Interior Plains • Pacific Coast Region• Canadian Shield • Alaska and Hawaii
Section 1: Physical Features
World Geography Today Chapter 7
• Major river systems• Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio Rivers• St. Lawrence system• Mackenzie River system• Western rivers: Colorado, Columbia, Fraser, Yukon
• Major lakes• Great Lakes• Northern Canada: Athabasca, Great Slave, Great
Bear
Section 1: Physical Features
Bodies of Water
World Geography Today Chapter 7
Read to Discover
• Which climate types are found in the United States and Canada?
• What are the major biomes of the region, and where are they found?
Section 2: Climates and Biomes
World Geography Today Chapter 7
Question
What are the locations of the different climate types in the United States and
Canada?
Section 2: Climates and Biomes
World Geography Today Chapter 7
Tropical Wet and Dry Very tip of Florida, western Hawaii
Humid Subtropical Southeast United States
Humid Continental Northeast United States and southeastern Canada
Semiarid Great Plains, western mountains
Arid Areas east of Sierra Nevada and Cascades
Marine West Coast Southern Alaska through northern California
Mediterranean Southern and central California
Tropical Humid Eastern Hawaii
Tundra Northern Alaska to Newfoundland and Quebec
Subarctic Northern Canada and Alaska
Section 2: Climates and BiomesClimate Types of North America
Highland Rocky Mountains
World Geography Today Chapter 7
• Temperate Forest—Southeastern U.S. and much of the U.S. and Canadian west
• Semiarid and Desert—Much of southwestern U.S.
• Grassland—Interior North America
• Boreal Forest—About half of Canada and Alaska
• Arctic Tundra—Northernmost region
• Tropical—Southern Florida and Hawaii
Section 2: Climates and Biomes
Biomes
World Geography Today Chapter 7
Read to Discover
• What farming, forest, and water resources are found in the United States and Canada?
• How rich is the region in energy and mineral resources?
Section 3: Natural Resources
World Geography Today Chapter 7
Question
What natural resources can be found in North America?
Section 3: Natural Resources
World Geography Today Chapter 7
Section 3: Natural Resources
Resources of North America
Forest Water Agriculture Energy Minerals• Large
forests and tree farms
• Lumber, newsprint, pulpwood, and other products
• Leading producers and exporters
• Allow for irrigation and hydro-electricity production
• Rich fisheries along coasts
• Large area
• Good climates for farming
• Fertile soils
• Provide enough food to feed population and leave a surplus
• Huge coal reserves
• Major oil producer, but still must import
• Rich in natural gas
• Nickel, zinc, uranium, lead, copper, gold, and silver in Canada
• Iron, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, and other minerals in United States
World Geography Today Chapter 7
• Farming• Wide variety of soils and climates• Abundant production of crops and livestock
• Forests• Leading producers of wood and paper• Major U.S. forests in southeast and northwest
• Water• Plentiful supplies• Irrigation and hydroelectric power• Coastal waters rich in marine resources
Section 3: Natural Resources
World Geography Today Chapter 7
• Energy• Coal—Good supply in both U.S. and Canada;
U.S. has 25 percent of world total; generally thick deposits located in unpopulated areas
• Oil and Natural Gas—Also plentiful, but U.S. uses more oil than it produces
Section 3: Natural Resources
World Geography Today Chapter 7
• Minerals• Canada is rich in minerals—especially in the
Canadian Shield—and produces nickel, zinc, uranium, lead, copper, gold, diamonds, and silver.
• The United States has valuable deposits of iron, copper, lead, zinc, gold, and silver.
Section 3: Natural Resources
World Geography Today Chapter 7
Chapter Wrap-Up Understanding the Main Ideas1. What physical process forms barrier islands? Where are they
found in North America?
2. What evidence of tectonic forces will you find in western areas of the United States and Canada?
3. What can happen when different air masses come in contact with one another over the Great Plains?
4. What major factors influence climates in the United States? How does nearness to the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean influence the humid continental climate region of the northeastern United States?
5. About 25 percent of the world’s reserves of which energy resource are found in the United States?