Physical Regions of North America Geographically, North America is divided into a number of regions. These divisions are based primarily on topography. Generally, while the national boundaries of North America run east-west, many of the geographic regions run north-south. Even though North American regions have similar topography, many variations in climate and vegetation can occur as you move from north to south.

Appalachian Region The Appalachian Region is a mountainous region on the east coast of North America that stretches from Alabama through the US, northeastward to the Maritime provinces, all the way to Newfoundland. Erosion has reduced these old mountains from sharp, ragged peaks to rolling mountains and hills. Deposits of coal, oil, and gas can be found in the sedimentary layers of rock. These are called fossil fuels. Climate is affected by two ocean currents…… What are the two ocean currents?

Coastal Plains The Coastal Plains are a lowlands that stretches from Cape Cod along the Atlantic Coast, including Florida, then westward along the Gulf of Mexico into Mexico. Contains swamps and marshes What river empties into the Gulf of Mexico? Climate varies greatly from north to south Hurricanes, violent wind storms that occur frequently in the Gulf of Mexico, can winds speeds of 240 kilometers an hour. How do hurricanes form? A hurricane in 2005 made landfall on the Gulf Coast. It decimated communities, including New Orleans, where a storm surge broke the levees and flooded the city. What was this Hurricane called? http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/environment/environment-natural-disasters/hurricanes/katrina-formation/

Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Lowland The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Lowland is the smallest geographic region in Canada. The region contains several escarpments, the best known being the Niagara, which extends from the waterfall of the same name. The St. Lawrence Valley is a rift valley created by faulting. Later, the Atlantic Ocean flooded the valley, allowing for sediment deposits to form; and thus, fertile soil….

Interior Plains The Interior Plains are a vast sweep of plain, but they are not entirely flat. It is composed of gently rolling hills and deep river valleys. Because of its huge size, the region is diverse. It is a continental climate. Therefore, it is a climate of extremes, far from the moderating influence of the oceans. It is a regions subject to tornadoes, most of which occur during March and June, during the hottest part of the day. How do tornadoes form? Tornadoes are extremely destructive – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvOut9VUqKY&feature=related

Canadian Shield The Canadian Shield consists of great volcanic mountains that were leveled by millions of years of erosion. It is the oldest of the regions in North America and covers more than half of Canada’s surface area. Glaciation has affected the drainage of the Shield, resulting in rivers, lakes, swamps and muskeg. The Boreal Forest covers most of the Shield, since evergreens, such as spruce, pine, and fir, are more suited to the thin soil.

Western Cordillera The Western Cordillera runs along the west coast of North America. It consists of range after range of mountains, separated by plateaus and valleys. While the Coast Mountains are volcanic mountains, the Rocky Mountains are fold mountains. What are fold mountains? The Coastal Range is the product of tectonic forces. As a result, the west coast is the most earthquake prone region in all of North America. The west coast has a maritime climate. A unique ecosystem on the west coast can be found in temperate rainforests from Alaska to northern California.

Intermountain Region The Intermountain Region lies between the Rocky Mountains and Coast Mountains, the Cascades, and the Sierra Nevada. It is of high plateaus and isolated mountains, and consists of only deserts south in the US. It lies in a rain shadow, therefore, it is dry. Rivers flowing through sedimentary rock may carve deep and sharply defined canyons. The Fraser River Canyon, in the southern part of British Columbia’s interior plateau, is an example of this geological process.

Arctic Region The Arctic Region in northern Canada is a combination of lowlands and mountains. Lowlands can be found lying to the north of Hudson Bay and mountains to the far northwest of the Arctic. Trees cannot grow on the tundra, either, because the climate is too cold and dry, and only a small amount of thawing occurs during the summer. Permafrost is a characteristic of the Arctic – this occurs when the ground is permanently frozen, except for the few inches at the surface that thaw during the summer. http://www.videopediaworld.com/video/35521/Canada-The-Arctic-Islands