Geographic Regions of North America

The Coastal Plain Stretches inland from Atlantic Ocean between Mass. and Florida and then west along the Gulf Coast

The Coastal Plain Low and flat land Pine forest Harbors

Interior Lowlands Stretch across middle US and Canada

Interior Lowlands Flat with some rolling hills Many rivers and broad valleys East more trees West more grassland

The Great Plains In between Interior Lowlands and Rocky Mountains

The Great Plains Mostly flat Vast grasslands Wheat fields Few rivers and trees Increasing elevation westward Black Hills

The Appalachian Highlands West of Coastal Plain Alabama to Canada

The Appalachian Highlands Oldest mountains in North America Mountain Ranges, Blue Ridge Mountains Rolling hills and valleys, Piedmont

The Rocky Mountains West of Great Plains Largest and Longest mountain range Extends from New Mexico through Canada and into Alaska

The Rocky Mountains Sharp and jagged peaks Higher peaks covered with snow Continental Divide

Basin and Range Mexico along side California up towards Washington Varying elevations and isolated mountain ranges

Basin and Range Basin: a low, bowl shaped area with higher ground around it Death Valley, lowest point in N. America, hottest and driest

Basin and Range The Great Basin, Columbia and Colorado Plateaus The Grand Canyon, world’s deepest and largest canyons

Coastal Range West coast of US and Canada

Coastal Range Rugged low mountain ranges Large valleys Fertile soil

The Canadian Shield Rocky, horseshoe shaped region wrapping around most of Hudson Bay Covers almost half of Canada

The Canadian Shield Mountains were eroded into low hills by glaciers while in other places left lakes South is evergreen trees, north is a tundra Tundra: cold, dry, treeless plain