Chapter 8 USA Geography and People

Geographical features Central part of North america, made up of 50states and DC Covers 9,500,500km2 State of Texas = larger than France 3 distinct areas – east, west and great plains

The East Highlands formed by Appalachian range. It covers 1/6 of US continental territory.

The West The west if full of Plateaus and mountains. They cover 33% of US territories

Great Plains Located between East and West. Covers most of central USA

The Rocky Mountains (or the Rockies) are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than 3,000 miles. The Rocky Mountains were formed from 80 million to 55 million years ago by the Laramide orogeny. Since then, erosion by water and glaciers have sculpted the mountain range into dramatic valleys and peaks. At the end of the last ice age, humans started to inhabit the mountain range. Currently, much of the mountain range is protected by public parks and forest lands, and is a popular tourist destination, especially for hiking, camping, mountaineering, fishing, hunting, skiing, and snowboarding.

Mississippi River 3,780km in length

STATES The United States of America have 50 states and 14 islands. Each state has a capital and the country capital is Washington D.C.

Major Cities

New York Arguably the world's most vibrant and sprawling metropolis-occupies five boroughs Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens and Staten Island Manhattan-home to the most recognizable sites, dominates popular perception of New York City Brooklyn-They can boast of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, the gorgeous bridge that bears the borough's name. Queens-working-class borough. The Bronx-This borough boasts the Yankees, one of the nation's finest zoos.

Washington DC With its impressive monuments and museums, its stately government buildings and mansions, Washington DC is easily recognizable as the United State's capital city. The city is mainly based on government and everything from museums to mansions bring millions of tourists each year. Washington DC is the second most visited city in the United States (after New York) and is among the top travel destinations in the world.

San Fransisco San Francisco is quite small, yet its hilly terrain and patchwork demographic profile gives it more distinctly defined neighborhoods than a city five times its size. As a result, the sights, sounds and flavors of this community—and even its climate—can change within a single block. Chinatown - The greatest single concentration of Chinese people outside of Asia—a population of roughly 80,000—live in the approximately 24 square blocks of Chinatown, making it the most densely populated area of San Francisco. As you walk around, you'll be richly rewarded by the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of this vibrant community. Grant Avenue is the decorative showpiece of Chinatown, each year hosting the Autumn Moon Festival Street Fair and the ever popular Chinese New Year Festival & Parade. The neighborhood is also known for its excellent Chinese dishes from freshly-prepared poultry and seafood, to the staple, Dim Sum.

Los Angeles People either love it or hate it—but no matter what, Los Angeles makes no excuses and changes itself for no one. And you've got to admire that. Made up of dozens of communities, there is not one single experience that can sum up the life and heartbeat of this city. But what can be noted about Los Angeles by both tourists and locals alike is the hustle-and-bustle lifestyle, the vibrant and unique neighborhoods, and the extreme diversity that sets it apart from any other city. From the eternal sunshine and Hollywood glitz to all the small communities with their own distinct cultural personalities, this City of Angels will forever be many things to many people.

Major Cities NOT A STATE Washington DC San Fransisco Largest Chinese settlement in USA New York Largest city

Population Ranked 3 rd in the world for being most populous ,000,000 people White- 74.7% Blacks- 12.1% Asians- 4.3% N.E is most populated ¼ of land mass BUT ½ of population

1 - 8,008,278 - New York City, New York 2 - 3,694,820 - Los Angeles, California 3 - 2,896,016 - Chicago, Illinois 4 - 1,953,631 - Houston, Texas 5.- 1,517,550 - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 6 - 1,321,045 - Phoenix, Arizona 7 - 1,223,400 - San Diego, California 8 - 1,188,580 - Dallas, Texas 9 - 1,144,646 - San Antonio, Texas ,270 - Detroit, MI

USA There is NO official language!!! State of Florida is bigger than Britain America eats approximately 100 acres (1.4km2) of pizza every day!! Niagara Falls, on the New York-Canadian border and fed by the waters of Lake Erie, goes down 193 feet (59 meters) to feed into Lake Ontario. Enough water plunges over the edge to fill approximately 4,000 bathtubs every second!!