Regional Geography and the United States and Canada

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Regional Geography and the United States and
Canada

• WG.3b,4

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• Regions are used to simplify the world for study
  and understanding

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Regional Landscapes

• Regional landscapes reflect the cultural
  characteristics of their inhabitants. This can be
  seen in the architectural structures used in a
  region, and in the statues and monuments of
  local, national, or global significance.

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Architectural Structures Mosques-Islam
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Churches-Christianity
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Synagogues (Judaism)
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Temples (Buddhism)
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Pagodas (Buddhism)
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Dwellings (homes)

• Tiles roofs in the Mediterranean

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Chalets in Switzerland
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Thatched Roofs
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Tents and Yurts
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Castles in Europe
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Statutes, and Monuments

• Many have local, national or global significance
• Taj Mahal

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Dome of the Rock and Pyramids
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Eiffel Tower and the White House
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Examples of other well know monuments

• Kaaba (Mecca), Western Wall (Jerusalem), Church
  of the Holy Sepulcher (Jerusalem), Washington
  Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Kremlin (Moscow),
  Statute of Liberty, Virginia State Capital
  building

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Kaaba
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Western Wall (Wailing Wall)
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Examples of Physical and Cultural Regions

• Physical regions
• Sahara, Taiga, Rainforest, Great Plains, Low
  Countries
• Cultural regions
• Language (Latin America, Francophone world)

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• Ethnic regions (Chinatown, Kurdistan)
• Religious regions (Islam, Buddhism)
• Economic regions (Wheat Belt, European Union)
• Political regions (NATO, African Union AU)
• Changes in perception regions
• (Middle East, Sun Belt, Rust Belt)

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United States and Canada physical characteristics

• Both nations have abundant natural resources.
• The Continental Divide sits at the top of the
  Rocky Mountains and acts as a divider for North
  America
• Many important rivers (Mississippi, St. Lawrence,
  Colorado, Columbia, and Rio Grande)

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• US and Canada also have other important water
  features.
• (Gulf of Mexico, Great Lakes, Arctic Ocean,
  Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and the Hudson Bay)

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• Important landformsAleutian Islands, Hawaiian
  archipelago, Appalachian Mountains, Pacific
  Coastal Ranges, Basin and Range region, Rocky
  Mountains, Great Plains, Interior Lowlands,
  Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains, Canadian
  Shield, Grand Canyon

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• Both have varied climate regionsthey range from
  the tundra in Alaska to a tropical wet climate in
  Hawaii

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US and Canada economic characteristics

• Both countries are major exporters of technology,
  consumer goods, information systems, and
  foodstuffs
• Both have highly developed infrastructures
• Both have highly diversified economies

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• Both have a rich supply of mineral, energy, and
  forest resources
• Both are members of the North American Free Trade
  Agreement (NAFTA)
• Both are home to many multinational corporations

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• US is the center of the world financial markets
  (New York Stock Exchange)
• Both have sustained economic growth
• Both have a widening gap between the rich and the
  poor

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• The US exports our culture via the global
  marketplace. ExamplesMcDonalds, Coca-Cola,
  music, blue jeans

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Cultural characteristics of the US and Canada

• Both countries were originally colonized by
  countries from Europe
• Both have multicultural societies
• Both have increasingly diverse populations

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• Both have high literacy rates
• Both have a high standard of living
• Both are highly urbanized
• Canada struggles to maintain a national identity
• Both have highly mobile populations

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• The worlds largest unfortified border is between
  the US and Canada
• Both have a democratic form of government
• Both are members of NATO
• Both have arts that reflect the cultural heritage
  of their multicultural societies

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Important cities (centers of culture and trade)

• Washington DC
• Chicago
• New York City
• Los Angeles
• Houston

• Toronto
• Montreal
• Ottawa
• Quebec
• Vancouver, British Columbia

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Examples of the cultural landscape

• US Capital building
• Golden Gate Bridge

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• Independence Hall
• St. Louis Gateway Arch

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• Wheat fields
• Skyscrapers
• Shopping malls
• Bilingual signs
• Influence of automobiles (ex. Gas stations,
  motels, interstate highways, drive up services)

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Human interaction affects the environment

• Deforestationexamples are the Amazon Basin,
  Nepal, and Malaysia
• Acid Rainexample is the Black Forest in Europe
• Decreased soil fertilityExample is the Aswan
  High Dam in Egypt

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Criteria for determining a countries relative
importance

• Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
• Land size
• Population size
• Resources

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How do physical features impact humans

• ExampleWater
• Rio Grande River is a boundary
• Ob River flows northward into the Arctic Ocean
• Zambezi River provides water power
• Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers are flood hazards

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• ExampleMountains
• Rocky Mountains create a rain shadow on the
  leeward slopes
• Himalayas block moisture and create steppes and
  deserts in Central Asia