The Four Major Regions of Texas
Coastal Plains/Gulf Plains Region
Geographic Subdivisions Piney Woods-pine forests, rainiest part of Texas, growing season is days Post Oak Belt-drier climate than the Piney Woods, growing season is days Blackland Prairie-soil is not good for growing most trees, so vegetation is largely tall prairie grasses with a few hardwood trees Gulf Coast Plain-very humid, growing season is long days near Corpus Christi South Texas Plain-southernmost part of Texas, climate is warm year round, longest growing season, from days
Location Covers 1/3 of the land of Texas-about 2/3 of all Texans live in the Coastal Plains Northeast border is the Sabine River Southeast border is the Gulf of Mexico West border is the Balcones Escarpment
Geographic Features Flat and low Wooded land and coastal sands Big Thicket National Preserve - forest in SE Texas Rivers - Brazos, Colorado, Trinity Good soils along rivers
Climate Hot and damp, humid Tornadoes, hurricanes inches of rain per year
Natural Resources Plants - pine trees, hardwood trees (elm, oak, cottonwood, pecan) Various Animals Minerals Bodies of water
Economic Resources Farming Fishing Ranching Tree farms - lumber businesses Oil and gas (Spindletop 1901) Factories Ports
Oil Refineries
Major Cities Austin Houston Dallas (on the border of Central Plains) San Antonio Texarkana Corpus Christi Brownsville
Writing Prompt About two-thirds of all Texans live in the Coastal Plains region. What is it about the Coastal Plains that would attract so many people to it?