 The United States and Canada have vast lands and abundant resources  These two countries share many of the same landforms

 Anglo America › US, Canada: former British colonies, most people speak English › Strong economic and political ties with one another › Mexico is part of Latin America NOT Anglo America  Vast Lands › Canada is the 2 nd largest country in the world by area; US is the 3 rd largest › Together they cover 1/8 th of the earth’s land surface

 Abundant Resources › Landmass and natural resources attract immigrants to both countries › US and Canada have developed into global economic powers › The 2 resources that helped the US and Canada develop into Global Economic Powers:  Fertile soil, water, forest, minerals

 Major Landforms › All major landforms are found in the US and Canada › The two countries share mountain chains and interior plains  The Eastern Lowlands › Atlantic Coastal Plain extends from Delaware down to Florida › Gulf Coastal Plain goes from Florida, along Gulf of Mexico to Texas › Piedmont – low plateau between coastal plains, Appalachian Highlands

 The Appalachian Highlands – Eastern Mountain Chain › Appalachian Mountains run 1,600 miles from Newfoundland to Alabama  Include Green and Catskill mountains in the north  Blue Ridge and Great Smoky mountain in the south › More than 400 million years old › Erosion has created gentle slopes, peaks from 1,200 to 2,400 feet › The Appalachian Trail is a scenic hiking path along the chain.

 The Interior Lowlands › Glaciers leveled the land, left fertile soil › Interior Plains extend from Appalachian to Missouri River › Great Plains extend from Missouri to Rocky Mountains › Canadian Shield – vast, flat area around Hudson Bay

 Mostly treeless area  4,000 feet above sea level  Run through Southern Texas up through Southern Canada

 Rocky Flat Region  Lies far north in Canada  Covers about 18 million square miles  Encircles Hudson Bay

 The Western Mountains, Plateaus, and Basins › Rocky Mountains run 3,000 miles from Alaska to New Mexico › Relatively young: 80 million years old › Less erosion mean rugged, 12,000-foot, snow-covered peaks › Continental Divide – the line of highest point along the Rockies  Separates rivers that flow eastward from those that flow westward

 The Western Mountains, Plateaus, and Basins › Other Pacific mountain ranges: Sierra Nevada, Cascade › Continent’s highest peak: Mt. McKinley in Alaska › Major earthquake activity in Pacific ranges › Between ranges and Rockies: cliffs, canyons basins

 The Islands › Canada’s large, northern islands: Ellesmere, Victoria, Baffin › US: Aleutians (Alaska), Hawaiian (politically, not geographically)

 Oceans and Waterways › US and Canada are bounded by:  ATLANTIC, PACIFIC, ARTIC OCEANS  GULF OF MEXICO  Countries have many large, inland rivers and lakes that provide:  Transportation, hydroelectric power, irrigation, fresh water, fisheries

 Oceans and Waterways › Great Lakes: HURON, ONTARIO, MICHIGAN, ERIE, AND SUPERIOR › Mississippi-Missouri-Ohio river system: continent’s longest, busiest river › Mackenzie River: longest in Canada, crosses Northwest Territories  Land and Forest › Fertile soil helps make North America world’s leading food exporter › Large forests yield lumber and other products › ½ of Canada and 1/3 of US is covered by FOREST!

 Minerals and Fossil Fuels › Mineral quantity and variety make rapid industrialization possible  Canadian Shield: iron ore, nickel, copper, gold, uranium  Appalachians, Great Plains: COAL  Gulf of Mexico: oil natural gas › US: biggest energy consumer; gets most of Canada’s energy exports › NATURAL RESOURCES FOUND:  Iron Ore, Nickel, Copper, Gold, Uranium, Silver, coal, natural gas, oil