3 1 2 4 Arizona New Mexico Oklahoma Texas

The History Native people had been living on the land that became known as the Southwest for thousands of years. In what became New Mexico and Arizona, Pueblo people built unique buildings into rock ledges. Mound builders were found in the land that would become Oklahoma. Spanish explorers arrived in the early 1500s. The Europeans’ arrival brought about a lot of change.

Climate Most of this region has a hot and dry climate. This region has a lot of sunny days throughout the year. It is also known for having some very powerful storms. The Southwest can have terrible droughts. A drought means that there is not enough water in and on the land. A drought can last for months or even years. It can be deadly for the plants and animals living there, who need the water to survive.

The Land The Southwest is very diverse with: Mountains Deserts Canyons Caverns Mesas Plateaus Forests Plains Beaches

Economy Major industries include: Fishing Tourism Farming Ranching Mining Minerals Copper Oil Natural Gas Production

Natural Resources Natural resources are materials that are found in the environment. Natural resources found in the Southwest include: Oil (pumped from the ground) Metal (mined from the ground) Minerals (mined from the ground) Wind (turbines) Water (dams) Sun (solar panels) A renewable resource is one that we won’t run out of naturally.

Landmarks Landmarks are important places. They can be man-made things such as a monument. They can be historical locations. They can be things created by nature that are unique in some way. Landmarks pictured: Grand Canyon, Arizona – Navajo National Monument, Navajo Nation Territory – Hoover Dam, at Arizona/Nevada border There are many important landmarks found in the Southwest. Some examples include: