US Physical Characteristics

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US Physical Characteristics
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Regions
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West

• From the Rocky Mountains to the Western edges of
  the nation (including Hawaii and Alaska)
• Region with varied climate (arctic to tropical).
• Economy goes from agriculture to technology
  development to tourism and everything in between.
• Includes Pacific Ocean, Rocky Mountains, and San
  Francisco.

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Midwest

• Between the Appalachian and Rocky Mountains
• Has moderate climate with four distinct seasons.
• Economically focused on agriculture (livestock,
  corn, wheat, soy beans, etc.).
• Includes Mississippi River, Missouri River, Ohio
  River, Chicago, Great Lakes

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Northeast

• Located east of the Appalachian Mountains and
  North of the Mason-Dixon Line.
• Climate tends to have cooler summers and cold
  winters.
• Economic activity relies heavily on industry.
• Includes Atlantic Ocean, New York, Boston,
  Appalachian Mountains.

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Southeast

• South of the Ohio River and East of the
  Mississippi/Missouri.
• Hot summers with mild winters.
• Economy is largely focused on agriculture
  (livestock, cotton, fruit, tobacco, etc.) and
  service industry.
• Includes Atlantic, Ocean, Gulf of Mexico,
  Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio Rivers, Appalachian
  Mountains, Miami, New Orleans.

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Southwest

• Located between the Colorado and Mississippi
  Rivers in the Southern US.
• Climate tends to be hot and dry.
• Economic activities include agriculture
  (livestock) and mining.
• Includes Rio Grande, Colorado Rivers, Gulf of
  Mexico, Houston.

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North Carolina Geography
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Four Regions of North Carolina

• Tidewater
• Coastal Plain
• Piedmont
• Mountains

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Tidewater Region

• Borders Atlantic Ocean
• Barrier Islands-Long chain of islands off the
  coast of NC include the most famous, Outer Banks.
• The barrier islands are ever shifting and vary in
  size due to tides and wind patterns.

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• Among the barrier islands are some famous Capes
  in North Carolina
• Cape-a pointed piece of land
• that sticks out into a sea, ocean
• lake, or river.
• North Carolina Capes
• Cape Fear, Cape Hatteras, Cape Lookout

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• A sound is a wide inlet of the sea or ocean that
  is parallel to the coastline it often separates
  a coastline from a nearby island.
• Major Sounds in North Carolina
• Currituck Sound, Albemarle Sound, Pamlico Sound,
  Core Sound and Bogue Sound.
• The largest and deepest sound is the Pamlico Sound

• Climate of the Tidewater Region
• Mild Winters and Moderate Summers make the
  climate of this area welcoming to visitors.

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Coastal Plain Region

• Has some of the best farmland in NC due to rich
  sandy soil.
• Sandhills, an area of flat rolling hills part of
  Coastal Plain. Poorest soil in the state.
• Pinehurst is a popular part of the Sandhills due
  to the golf courses

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Piedmont Region

• Known for the red clay.
• Portion of NC that we live in
• Fall Line separates the Piedmont from the Coastal
  Plain
• Distinct landform in Piedmont is the monadnocks.
• Monadnocks- a point of land that stands out
  because all the land around it has been eroded
  around it.
• Pilot Mountain is the most famous of these

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Mountains

• Mountain Region is the region furthest west in
  NC.
• Blue Ridge Mountains form the eastern boundary of
  the Appalachian Mountains.
• Appalachian Mountains contain Mt.Mitchell, which
  is the tallest Mountain east of the Rocky
  Mountains.
• Great Smoky Mountains another famous mountain
  range in NC