NORTH AMERICA

United States, Canada and

Greenland

North AmericaCovers an area of 9.3 million sq. miles. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to its east and the Pacific Ocean to its west.

I. Physical FeaturesA. In North American there are both old and

young mountains. 1. Young folded mountains run along the western

part of the continent from Alaska to the Central American isthmus and include a number of active volcanoes.

a. Part of these mountains are the Rocky Mts.b. Several peaks in the Rocky Mts. Exceed

13,200 ft.

2. The ancient Appalachian Mts. Run along the eastern length of the USA; their highest peak, Mt. Mitchell, has an altitude of 6,683 ft.

a. An extensive coastal plain lies between this chain and the Atlantic Ocean.

b. Plains and lowlands are found in the continent’s interior.

c. Glaciers, which covered much of this area during the ice ages, sculpted the rocky plateaus of Canada and deposited sediments as cast plains that straddle Canada and the USA.

North American Mountains

3. Several important rivers flow through North America.

a. Missouri River 2,540 milesb. Mississippi River 2,340 milesc. The St. Lawrence River links the Great Lakes of

Canada and the USA to the Atlantic Ocean.d. The Rio Grande flows between the USA and

Mexico.

4. There are several large lakes of which Lake Superior, which covers 31,699 sq. miles, is the largest.

II. Climate and VegetationA. North America contains a board range of temperate

climates from warm temperate along the east coast and Mediterranean in southern California to cooler moist climates in northwest and northeast USA and Canada.

1. Most of N.A. is humid, except for a dry belt across the southwest of the USA and basins within the Rockies.

2. An extensive tornado zone is found in the continental interior of the USA.

3. Tropical Hurricanes often strike the southeastern parts of the USA.

B. Extensive forests occur in temperate North America, ranging from the predominantly deciduous forests found in eastern parts of the USA to the short-tree boreal forests of the subarctic.

1. Tall trees such as redwoods and firs are found along the Pacific coastline.a. Other trees include; maple, ash, and oak.b. Deer, brown and grizzly bears, lynx, and

beavers are found in these forests. 2. Boreal forests are home to migrating animals

such as deer, elk, caribou, and moose.

Red Wood Trees California, USA.

C. Extensive grasslands cover the interior of the continent.

1. Tall-grass prairies occur where rainfall in over 30 inches, and short-grass prairies where precipitation is around 15 inches.

2. Large herds of bison once roamed these areas, but they were practically eradicated by hunting.

D. In Alaska and Canada north of the boreal forest, there is a belt of tundra where small shrubs, lichens, and grasses grow.

1. Migrating herds of caribou, reindeer and lemmings live in this zone, along with bears, wolves, foxes, and lynx.

III. PopulationA. North America had a population of 529

million people. 1. High living standards are reflected in the high

life expectancies.a. 75.9 years for males.b. 81 years for females.

2. The low population growth rate of less than one percent also reflects an advanced level of development.

a. Approximately 80.8% of the population is urbanized.

IV. AgricultureA. North America is gifted with water resources,

arable land, forests, and fishing areas. 1. These favorable conditions, coupled with

scientific farming practices, have enabled the establishment of highly productive agricultural industries.

a. These include grain farming, such as wheat and maize; livestock for meat and dairying; cotton; and intensive farming of fruit and vegetables.

B. The extensive forests which still remain, following large-scale deforestation in the 19th century, are exploited for their valuable timbers.

1. Large areas have been reforested in order to produce a long-term sustainable industry.

V. IndustrializationA. Natural resources, technological innovation,

and well-developed infrastructure facilities, including energy supplies, have combined to make North America the world’s most important manufacturing region.

1. Continuous innovation has enabled it to withstand strong competition from European and Asian industrial nations.

B. North America has extensive mineral wealth. 1. Extensive deposits of iron ore and coal have been

the cornerstone of the steel industry. 2. The Cordillera belt contains a large number of

metallic ores including copper, zinc, molybdenum, gold, and silver.

3. Nickel and iron ore are extracted from ancient plateau rock in Canada.

4. Among minerals used for energy supplies, coal, petroleum, and natural gas deposits are widespread.

5. Although a large petroleum producer, the USA must also import large quantities because of heavy consumption.

VI. LanguagesA. English is the dominant language in

North America, except in the Canadian province of Quebec, where French is the main language.

1. Some surviving American Indian languages are spoken by minority groups.

2. Spanish is spoken in many parts of USA.a. California, New Mexico, Texas, Florida

and New York.

VII. Boundary disputes and WarsA. There are no major boundary disputes in the region,

nor has the region been directly affected by land war in recent decades.

1. The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 have left a feeling of vulnerability, especially in the USA.