1. What Is a Natural Region? ? ? ? ?

2. Natural Region: A large area whose parts have something in common, such as natural resources or landforms.

4. The Four Natural Regions of Texas  The Central Plains  The Great Plains  The Mountains & Basins  The Coastal Plains

5. The Four Natural Regions of Texas

6. The Central Plains Region  It has three landform areas: the Grand Prairie, the Cross Timbers, and the Rolling Plains.  Fort Worth and Abilene are the major cities in this region.  Fort Worth, nicknamed “cowtown,” is known for meatpacking and aircraft building.  Abilene is well known for its rich oil and gas fields. The Central Plains

7. Agriculture & Natural Resources  Cattle, goats, & sheep  Cotton, oats, pecans, peaches, hay, wheat, corn, peanuts, & grain sorghum  Cedar trees, limestone, rich soil, oil & natural gas Climate  Cold winters  Hot summers  20-30 inches of rain per year  Violent storms  Tornadoes

8. The Central Plains Landforms  The Grand Prairie is a grassy land.  The Cross Timbers are two strips of forest that cross the prairies.  The Rolling Plains has rocky soil better suited for ranching rather than farming. More Facts  Animals: Armadillo, golden cheeked warbler, roadrunner, Mexican free-tailed bat, & mockingbird  Dinosaur Valley State Park – This park preserves dinosaur tracks.  Part of “tornado alley”

9. The Great Plains Region  This region has three landform areas: the High Plains, the Edwards Plateau, and the Llano Basin  Amarillo, Lubbock, Midland, and Odessa are the major cities in this region  Amarillo is a center for the cattle, agriculture, health care, and natural gas industries.  Lubbock, “the hub of the plains,” is home to Texas Tech University.  Midland and Odessa, “sister cities,” have large oil and gas industries. The Great Plains

10. Agriculture & Natural Resources  Cattle  Cotton, wheat, corn, & hay  Mesquite trees, Pecan trees, rich soil, and Helium Climate  Windy  Dry  Very cold winters  Very hot summers  Coldest region in Texas  15-20 inches rainfall per year  Violent sand, snow, rain, & dust storms

11. The Great Plains Landforms  The High Plains, located mainly in the Panhandle is known for petroleum, natural gas, and rich soils.  The Edwards Plateau area is an area that is high and level. It also has areas of hills. It is also called, “Texas Hill Country.”  The Palo Duro Canyon is the second largest canyon in the United States.  The Caprock Escarpment is a line of steep slopes or cliffs that separate the Great Plains and Central Plains of Texas. More Facts  Animals: turkey, deer, pronghorn, & prairie dog  People use the land for grazing cattle, growing cotton & growing wheat  Palo Duro Canyon is a major natural landmark in the region.  Mohair is the hair of angora goats that is used when spinning fine yarn. Almost half the world’s mohair comes from counties in this region.

12. The Mountains and Basins Region  This is in West Texas.  El Paso is the only major city in this region.  El Paso is so far from the other major cities in Texas that it is in a different time zone.  El Paso is located on the border, or boundary line, that Texas shares with Mexico. Mountains & Basins

13. The Mountains and Basins Agriculture & Natural Resources  Plants – short grasses, shrubs, desert plants, and Pine forests  Cotton, wheat, hay, fruits, and vegetables  Cattle, dairy, hogs, goats, and sheep Climate  Driest part of the state  Hot Days  Cold nights  0 - 16 inches of rainfall per year

14. The Mountains and Basins Landforms  Guadalupe Peak is the highest point in Texas.  The basins of Texas make up part of the Chihuahuan Desert, a natural area Texas shares with Mexico.  El Capitan is a mountain in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, it is a natural landmark in this region More Facts  Animals: mountain lion, bighorn sheep, horned toad, coyote, rattlesnake, roadrunner, and quail  There are 150 mountains in the mountain ranges  Pecos and Rio Grande Rivers are in this region.  There are many cattle ranches in this region.  A desert is a dry area that receives fewer than 10 inches of rain per year.

15. The Coastal Plains  This is the largest region in Texas.  Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, and Austin are the major cities in this region.  This region has five areas: The Piney Woods, the Gulf Coast Plain, the South Texas Plain, the Post Oak Belt, and the Blackland Prairie. The Coastal Plains

16. Agriculture & Natural Resources  Dairy, cattle, hogs, poultry, and sheep  Fish, Pine and hardwood trees, shrimp, oil, and natural gas  Cotton, corn, grain sorghum, peanuts, roses, fruit, hay, wheat, vegetables, and rice Climate  Hot Summers  Cold winters in the northern part of the region  33 - 55 inches rainfall per year  Tornadoes  Hurricanes

17. The Coastal Plains Landforms  Gulf of Mexico  Piney Woods  Brazos River  Colorado River  Rio Grande  plains More Facts  Animals: Squirrel, deer, javelina, crane, armadillo, Bob white, wood duck, barred owl, quail, alligator, and the Mexican free-tailed bat  This region has the largest population.  King Ranch, which is the largest cattle ranch in Texas is in this region.