North America

Provinces and Territories of Canada Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and Saskatchewan. Territories: Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Yukon.

Nunavut The newest, largest, northernmost, and least populous territory of Canada established April 1 1999 Its islands have expanses of tundra, craggy mountains and remote villages accessible only by plane or boat.

The Great Lakes Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario Created by glacial erosion. The largest system of fresh surface water on earth, containing roughly 18% of the world's fresh surface water.

North America The third-largest continent Divided into five physical regions: Mountainous west Great Plains Canadian Shield Eastern region Caribbean

The Rockies The Rockies are North America’s largest mountain chain Stretch from the province of British Columbia, Canada, to the U.S. state of New Mexico. The Rocky Mountains are part of a system of parallel mountain ranges known as the Cordilleras.

The Cordilleras A long series of mountain ranges including the volcanic mountain ranges in Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama **Volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur frequently in this region. destroy towns and cities. rich, fertile soils

Earth’s youngest mountains Cascade Range of the U.S. states of Washington, Oregon, and California. Formed only about a million years ago—a blink of an eye in Earth’s long history.

The Great Plains The Great Plains lie in the middle of the continent in Canada and the United States. Rich deposits of oil and natural gas, and deep, rich soil Called the “Breadbasket of North America,” because grain grown in this region feeds a large part of the world.

Agricultural Wonderland Much of the fertile soil was formed from material deposited during the most recent glacial period 18 000 years ago. As glaciers retreated, streams of melted ice dropped sediment on the land, building layers of productive soil.

The Canadian Shield The Canadian Shield is a raised but relatively flat plateau. Extends over eastern, central, and northwestern Canada. Characterized by a rocky landscape with an astounding number of lakes.

Biome in the Canadian Shield The tundra is a biome common to the Canadian Shield. Tundra is where low temperatures and precipitation levels hinder tree growth. The tundra is characterized by permafrost—soil that is frozen for two or more years.

Eastern region of North America This varied region extends from the wetland regions east of the mountains toward the sandy beaches of the Atlantic coast. Mined for rich deposits of coal and other minerals

Biome in the Eastern region of North America Wetland areas are a biome of the eastern region and consist of areas of land whose soil is saturated with permanent or seasonal moisture. The Florida Everglades is the largest wetland system in the United States

Caribbean Region of North America The Caribbean Region includes more than 7,000 islands, islets, reefs, and cays. Some have relatively flat and sandy terrain while others are rugged, mountainous, and volcanic.

Biome of the Caribbean Region The coral reefs of the Caribbean Sea are among the most spectacular biomes in North America. Coral reefs are made of millions of tiny animals—corals—that form a hard shell around their bodies. Brightly colored tropical fish, as well as sharks, sea turtles, sea stars, and sea horses, are animals native to the Caribbean’s coral reefs.