U.S & Canada Physical Features

Location U.S & Canada are in North America Atlantic Ocean is to the East Pacific is to the West Arctic is to the North Mexico & Gulf of Mexico is to the South Canada is larger than the U.S Canada is 2 nd largest country in the world U.S is 4 th largest country U.S has almost 10x as many people as Canada

Landforms Rocky Mountains— the largest mountain system in North America along the western section of the continent Extends about 3,000 miles Along the spine of the Rockies runs the Continental Divide Continental Divide—a boundary that separates the flow of rivers to the oceans East side of Rockies=rivers flow to Atlantic, Arctic and Gulf of Mexico West side of Rockies=rivers flow to Pacific

Continental Divide

Rocky Mountains 1.2 4

Landforms Appalachian Mountains—the second largest mountain system in Eastern North America Extends about 1,600 miles becoming the Laurentian Highlands in Canada

Appalachian Mountains

Landforms Between Rockies and Appalachian Mnts Huge plains area Canada=Interior Plains U.S=Great Plains & Central Plains Much of this region has rich soil Wetter, eastern area-farmers grow crops like corn & soybeans Drier, western area-farmers grow wheat & ranchers raise livestock

Interior Plains Great Plains Central Plains

The Great Plains

Special Features of the Unites States West of the Rockies=plateaus & basins Largest basin=Great Basin=site of the Great Salt Lake in the west & Death Valley Death Valley-the hottest, driest place in North America, located in the southwest Sierra Nevada Mntn range in CA Cascade Mntns in Washington & Oregon Glaciers fill many of the valleys between Alaska’s many mntns Glacier-huge, slow moving sheets of ice

Sierra Nevada Mnt. Death Valley Great Basin

Special Features of Canada East of Alaska=The Yukon Territory Mount Logan, Canada’s highest peak, is there Coast Mnts stretch south along the Pacific, almost to the U.S border Interior Plains—central North America, Southern Canada, just above the U.S border East of Interior Plains=Canadian Shield= region of ancient rock covered by a thin layer of soil that covers about ½ of Canada=few people live there

Yukon Territory Mt. Logan Interior Plain

Special Features Southeast of Canadian Shield=St. Lawrence Lowlands=home to more than ½ of Canada’s population Region produces 1/3 of Canada’s crops Region=Canada’s manufacturing center

Major Bodies of Water Great Lakes—group of 5 large lakes in central North America World’s largest group of freshwater lakes Lakes Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie & Superior Lake Michigan=only great lake that lies entirely in U.S Melting ice from ancient glaciers formed Great Lakes The Great Lakes Important waterways in U.S & Canada Shipping on Great Lakes helped industry to develop in both countries

The Great Lakes 1:21

S M H E O

Major Rivers Canada has 2 major rivers Mackenzie River— country’s longest river Forms in the Rockies & flows north into the Arctic Ocean St. Lawrence River— Eastern Canada, connects the Great Lakes to the Atlantic One of North America’s most important transportation corridors Transportation corridor—route by which people can travel by foot, vehicle, rail, ship or airplane

Mackenzie River St. Lawrence River

Major Rivers U.S major rivers Mississippi River—U.S’s largest river that flows south from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico Ohio & Missouri Rivers are tributaries of the Mississippi Tributary— a stream that flows into a larger river or body of water River that starts in Colorado and flows 1450 miles into the northwestern part of Mexico.Colorado River —River that starts in Colorado and flows 1450 miles into the northwestern part of Mexico. Lake Mead was created because of Hoover dam.Lake Mead was created because of Hoover dam.

Mississippi River

Colorado River Missouri River Ohio River Mississippi River