Our Country's Regions
How does geography affect the way people live?
The Northeast
Many of our country's largest and oldest cities are located along the Northeastern Atlantic Coast. Most of the cities are close together and have large populations. As homes and companies spread closer to other cities, they formed a megalopolis. A megalopolis is a group of cities so close together that they can be thought of as one huge community. Some people call the area between Boston and Washington Boswash.
The Southeast
The Southeast has a warm climate for much of the year because it is closer to the equator than most other parts of the country. Heavy rainfall and rich soil also help southeastern farmers to grow a variety of crops. Some crops can be grown only in the Southeast because it has a long growing season. A growing season is the number of days in a year when the weather is warm enough for crops to grow.
The Midwest
In the past, people thought of the land between the Appalachian and Rocky Mountains as the "middle" of the West. That is why this region is called the Middle West. The major landform is the Interior Plains which are made up of two parts. To the east are the Central Plains. To the west are the Great Plains. The Central Plains are not much higher than sea level in some places. On the western edge of the Great Plains the land is higher than 3,000 feet above sea level. Four of the Great Lakes are in the Middle West. They are Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, and Erie. Together with Lake Ontario, all five form the largest body of fresh water in the world.
The Mountain States
The Mountain States are west of the Great Plains and east of the states that border the Pacific Ocean. The Rocky Mountains run through all of these states and are also known as the "Rockies." They begin in Canada and extend to Mexico. The Rockies are actually made up of at least 100 different mountain ranges. They are known for having rugged mountain ranges with deep valleys. These features make it a good environment for many different animal and plant species.
The Southwest
The geography of the Southwest is varied. It is made up of Coastal Plains, the vast Great Plains, and the Rocky Mountains. The Rio Grande flows out of the Rocky Mountains, forming the border between the United States and Mexico, and empties into the Gulf of Mexico.
The West
The western states are located west of the Rockies. Mountain ranges found in this region include the Alaska Range, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, and the Coastal Ranges. The Great Basin covers most of Nevada, and parts of Idaho, Oregon, and California. Many desert areas are found in the Great Basin. Death Valley is located in the southern part of this landform.
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