1. NORTH AMERICA- Location, area, political and physical features

2. Exploration and discoverey
Vikings and Norsemen (from Scandinavia) visited the continent in 986 C.E.
Christopher Columbus discovered America
in 1492.
15th century- discovery of New World (North America and South America)
Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci reached America in 1507.

3. LOCATION Northern hemisphere Western hemisphere 7°N to 84°N latitude
20°W to 175°W longitude

4. LOCATION North – Arctic Circle West – Pacific Ocean
East – Atlantic Ocean
South- joined to South America with Isthmus of Panama
Bering Strait separates N. America from Asia

5. LOCATION North – Arctic Circle West – Pacific Ocean
East – Atlantic Ocean
South- joined to South America with Isthmus of Panama
Bering Strait separates N. America from Asia

6. Important latitude and longitude
100°W

7. POLITICAL DIVISIONS North of Tropic of Cancer:
3/4th N. America is occupied by U.S.A and Canada
Tropic of Cancer passes through Mexico
South of Tropic of Cancer:
Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Belize, Nicaragua, Panama

8. POLITICAL DIVISIONS Island of Caribbean:
Cuba, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Puerto Rico etc (West Indies)
Snow covered islands: Baffin Island, Victoria Island
Other Islands: Greenland
New Foundland (North-east Coast)
Aleutian Islands (North-west Coast)

9. NORTH AMERICA-Political map

10. PHYSICAL FEATURES The Canadian or Laurentian Shield
The Western Mountain System or Western Cordilleras
The Eastern Highlands or Appalachian Mountains
The Central Lowlands or Great Central Plains

11. PHYSICAL FEATURES

12. NORTH AMERICA- Physical map

13. THE CANADIAN OR LAURENTIAN SHIELD
 It is composed of old hard rock
It extends from Hudson Bay to Great Lakes
The areas has been eroded by ice sheets and glaciers for thousands of years
Average elevation is m (erosion)
Consists of many depressions (erosion)
End of the Ice Age filled the depressions with water- Great Lakes
Rich in water and minerals ( copper, nickel, cobalt, iron, gold and silver)

14. THE WESTERN MOUNTAIN SYSTEM OR WESTERN CORDILLERAS
A range of young fold mountains with steep slopes and high peaks
Lies in the western part of North America from Alaska to Isthmus of Panama
Stretches for 6500km in North America and the continues as Andes in South America
The region contains active volcanoes, extinct volcanoes, hot springs
Since it lies close to the Pacific Coast, it forms part of the Pacific Ring of Fire

15. The Pacific Ring of Fire (or just The Ring of Fire) is an area where a large number of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur in the basin of the Pacific Ocean

16. Highest point- Mt.McKinley in the Alaska Range- (6194m)
A number of mountains along Pacific Coast
Rockies are the eastern most range of the Cordilleras
Intermontane Plateau- Columbian Plateau and Colorado Plateau
Rivers have cut the plateau to form Gorges or Canyons- Eg. Grand Canyon is 2000m deep and 480kn long

17. Grand Canyon

18. Mt.McKinley
Western Cordilleras

19. THE EASTERN HIGHLANDS OR APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS
They are old fold mountains
They are lower than the Western Cordilleras
Average height m
Length- 2575km long
Highest point- Mt.Washington (1917m)
Rivers from the highland flow across to the Piedmont Plateau before descending to the east coastal plains in a series of waterfalls.
It is rich in minerals

20. THE EASTERN HIGHLANDS OR APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS

21. THE CENTRAL LOWLANDS OR GREAT CENTRAL PLAINS
Extends from Hudson Bay to Gulf of Mexico
6000km long and 2000km wide
Situated between the Western Cordilleras and the Eastern Highlands
The slope of the land can understood by the flow of the rivers.

22. THE CENTRAL LOWLANDS OR GREAT CENTRAL PLAINS

23. Rivers in North America
Identify rivers that flow towards the north, south, west and east

24. Importance of rivers Supply water Increase soil fertility
Useful for agriculture
Generating hydroelectricity