GEOGRAPHY of the United states & Canada€¦ · Volcanoes Largest mountains in the world ......
Transcript of GEOGRAPHY of the United states & Canada€¦ · Volcanoes Largest mountains in the world ......
GEOGRAPHY
OF THE
UNITED STATES
& CANADA
By Brett Lucas
THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS
Setting the Boundaries
What states and provinces are part of the region?
Hawaii
What regions does it border?
None
Overview
Isolated
Volcanically active
Rapid growth slowing
Physical Geography
Physical Setting
Islands formed as they moved over hot spot
Kauai 5M years old
Oahu 3M years old
Hawaii <500,000 years old
Loihi 3,000 feet under water
Extend all the way to Midway, 1,600 miles away
Physical Setting
Main Island
Two thirds of Hawaii’s
area
Five volcanoes
Mauna Loa and
Kilauea active
Volcanoes
Largest mountains in the world
Area above sea level still growing as lava cools
Shield volcanoes
Volcanoes
Many Natural Hazards
Hurricanes
Tsunamis
Earthquakes
Volcanoes
Hurricanes
Much higher
ground to
reach
Flooding a
problem
Tsunami
Waves travel open ocean at 500 miles an hour
Crests rise up to 70 feet
1960: Tsunami from Chilean earthquake destroyed half of Hilo
Climate
Tropical
Northeasterly winds persist year-round
Some places desert, some place rainforest
Why?
Climograph – Hilo, HI
Climograph – Honolulu, HI
Climate Comparison
Spokane
WA
Hilo Honolulu Mauna Loa
Jan Temp (F) 33 / 21 79 / 64 80 / 65 50 / 33
Jul Temp (F) 82 / 54 83 / 69 89 / 75 56 / 40
Rainfall 16.5 in. 127 in. 18 in. 19 in.
Snowfall 49 in. 0 in. 0 in. occasional
Snow in Hawaii
Higher summits on occasion
Natural Vegetation – Rainforest
Year-round growth
Drought rare
Invasive Species
Much of ground cover non-native
Over 2/3’s of plant species found on island brought
in from elsewhere
Many feral animals (originally only 2 mammal
species)
Many native species extinct or endangered
Population & Settlement
Native Population
Pre-Polynesians
Disappeared mysteriously
Two waves of Polynesians
Came from Tahiti
500 to 1000 AD
1400 to 1600 AD
Hawaiian Monarchy
Kamehameha the Great
Ruled 1795 – 1819
Unified Hawaii finally in 1810
Lasted until overthrown in 1893 by American
backed coup
European/American Settlement
1778: James Cook discovered islands
Strong British influence in history
American missionaries and settlers arrived from 1820’s
on
Values as sugar and coffee growing region increased
1898: Hawaii annexed into US
Strategic position for Spanish-American war
Hawaii was admitted to the Union on August 21, 1959,
making it the 50th state
The First Melting Pot
Native Hawaiians
Americans and British
Chinese and Japanese migrated in 19th century to
work on sugar plantations
Present Population
Several different ethnic groups
Relatively low growth
Concentration on Oahu – now 80% of population
Population Makeup
24% European
17% Japanese
14% Filipino
6% Chinese
9% Hawaiian
21% Interracial
Population Numbers
State/Metro area 2000 (1,000’s) 1990 (1,000’s) Change
Hawaii 1211 1108 +9%
Oahu 876 836 +5%
Hawaii Island 149 120 +23%
Maui/Molokai/Lanai 128 100 +28%
Kauai/Niihau 58 51 +21%
US & Canada 312,600 276,700 +13%
Population Density – HI
Human & Economic Geography
Ways of Life
Past
Whaling
Forestry
Current
Agriculture
Tourism
Military
Agriculture
Only 10% arable land
Two mainstays in decline
Sugar
1 million tons a year through 1980’s, now 300,000 tons
Labor and transportation costs too high
Replaced by corn syrup
Pineapple
Slight decline
Together 25% of export revenue in 1960; today 2%
Plantation towns on the decline
Agriculture
Other crops take over the land
Crops for local consumption
Crops well suited to Hawaii
Macadamia Nuts
Kona Coffee
Papaya
Marijuana
Defense/Government
Important strategic
location
60,000 employed in
military
Decline since end of
Cold War
Kahoolawe once
target practice
Tourism
Visitors from North America mainland and Asia
Pearl Harbor
Over 6 million visitors a year
At any moment, 10 percent of population tourists
More than half of islands’ economy (was only 10
percent 50 years ago)
Honolulu
Dominates Hawaii
Congested
Limited spatially
Terrain
Federal / private
land
High cost of living
Other U.S. Pacific Islands
Similar cultural melting pot
Military importance
Manufacturing center
“Made in USA”
Guam: 160,000
Saipan: 70,000
American Samoa: 70,000
Outlook
Erratic growth
Significant dependence upon tourism and defense
Agriculture losing out as a way of life