Download NAME__________________________________________

NAME__________________________________________ DATE___________ PERIOD____
Washington State's Five Major Regions
Learning Targets
 I can highlight the major characteristics of the state’s five major regions.
 I can show my understanding of what makes each region unique to
Washington state.
Instructions: Practice your note-taking skills by highlighting or underlining the
essential words from the information on the five major regions of Washington
state.
Coastal Range
 made up of several landforms: rocky beaches, rainforest, other forests, the
Olympic Mountains
 the Hoh Rainforest averages more than 160 inches of rainfall a year and has
many different types of plants
 the region has little remaining from a once thriving timber and commercial
fishing industry; lumber mills are mostly closed and commercial fishing is in
decline
 many communities have turned to tourism as a new source of revenue
 communities include Forks, Aberdeen, Port Angeles and Sequim
Puget Sound Lowlands
 lowlands make up of the plains and valleys of the Puget Sound region
 this region has fertile soil, rivers and deepwater seaports
 most populated region of the state
 one of the highest income levels in the United States
 home to international corporations such as Microsoft, Amazon and
Starbucks
 deepwater seaports on Puget Sound and ports on the Columbia River are
important to the shipping industry
 bays, harbors, San Juan Islands popular recreation and vacation places
 has rural areas such as the Skagit River Valley where tulips and daffodils are
grown
 peas, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli and strawberries are grown in the region
 Chehalis and Cowlitz River Valleys are farming regions with dairy cattle,
livestock and chickens raised for profit
 includes the capital of Olympia and major cities of Seattle, Bellevue and
Tacoma; includes our community of Port Orchard
Cascade Mountains
 high volcanic mountains and glaciers are this region and the state's most
prominent, well known geographic features
 the "Cascade Curtain" created by the Cascade Mountain range divides the
state both physically and culturally
 west side of the slope is vastly different than the east in geography, climate,
population density and social attitudes
 the Cascades Mountains affect rainfall: the west side is damp with thick
forests of hemlock, fir and cedar; the east slope is dryer with fewer trees of
pine
 four famous mountains are a part of this region: St. Helens, Rainier, Adams
and Baker
 Lake Chelan, popular for recreation and retirement, and Roslyn, famous for
the television series "Twin Peaks" are located in this region
Columbia Plateau
 high, flat plateau covers most of eastern Washington and parts of Oregon
 some of the driest land in the Pacific Northwest
 natural vegetation ranges from grassland to desert sagebrush
 irrigated land in the North Central part of the region grows a large variety
of fruit crops such as apples, cherries and pears; more recently, grapes have
become an increasingly popular crop
 the South Central portion of the region is known for growing onions, corn
and mint
 the Southeastern corner includes some of the most wheat productive land
in the world known as the Palouse
 Spokane is the largest city, which is a commercial, financial and medical
center of this large region
 includes Yakima, Wenatchee, Walla Walla, Richland, Kennewick and Pasco
 Richland, Kennewick and Pasco are known as the "Tri Cities"
Rocky Mountain Foothills
 this northeast region is the foothills to the Rockies
 also known as the Okanogan Highlands
 economy is based on farming, ranching, lumber and the mining of lead and
zinc
 at one time the town of Republic was a thriving community built on timber
and the mining of silver
 Colville is the major town in this region