Geographic Regions of North America
The Coastal Plain Stretches inland from Atlantic Ocean between Mass. and Florida and then west along the Gulf Coast
The Coastal Plain Low and flat land Pine forest Harbors
Interior Lowlands Stretch across middle US and Canada
Interior Lowlands Flat with some rolling hills Many rivers and broad valleys East more trees West more grassland
The Great Plains In between Interior Lowlands and Rocky Mountains
The Great Plains Mostly flat Vast grasslands Wheat fields Few rivers and trees Increasing elevation westward Black Hills
The Appalachian Highlands West of Coastal Plain Alabama to Canada
The Appalachian Highlands Oldest mountains in North America Mountain Ranges, Blue Ridge Mountains Rolling hills and valleys, Piedmont
The Rocky Mountains West of Great Plains Largest and Longest mountain range Extends from New Mexico through Canada and into Alaska
The Rocky Mountains Sharp and jagged peaks Higher peaks covered with snow Continental Divide
Basin and Range Mexico along side California up towards Washington Varying elevations and isolated mountain ranges
Basin and Range Basin: a low, bowl shaped area with higher ground around it Death Valley, lowest point in N. America, hottest and driest
Basin and Range The Great Basin, Columbia and Colorado Plateaus The Grand Canyon, world’s deepest and largest canyons
Coastal Range West coast of US and Canada
Coastal Range Rugged low mountain ranges Large valleys Fertile soil
The Canadian Shield Rocky, horseshoe shaped region wrapping around most of Hudson Bay Covers almost half of Canada
The Canadian Shield Mountains were eroded into low hills by glaciers while in other places left lakes South is evergreen trees, north is a tundra Tundra: cold, dry, treeless plain