Download US Geography - Physical Regions

By Carol Fahringer
II. Geography of the US:
Divided Into 8 Different
Physical Regions
A. The Appalachian Mountains:
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1. Political
Regions: New
England & Middle
Atlantic States
2. Physical
Regions: Older,
moderate height
ranges run along
eastern US from
ME to GA
• Features Several
Clustered Ranges:
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Catskills in NY,
Green Mts. in VT,
• Poconos in PA,
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Allegheny - PA to
VA,
Great Smoky Mts.
between TN & NC
3. Vegetation: Conifer
and deciduous trees
4. Weather: Mild
Continental - mild
summers, cold winters,
adequate rainfall
B. The Coastal Plains:
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1. Political Region: Southeastern &
South Central States
2. Physical Regions: Atlantic Plain &
the Gulf Plain. Fairly flat lowland
area.
• Features:
 a. Piedmont where mountains meet
plains
 b. Coastal Plains - many marshes,
slow rivers
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3. Major Cities:
New Orleans, LA and
Houston, TX
4. Vegetation:
Conifer and
deciduous trees
5. Weather:Humid
Subtropical –
* Summers - hot &
humid,
* Winters - mild &
moist; Florida more
tropical
C. The Interior Plains:
•1. Political Region:
North Central States
•2. Physical Regions:
Great Plains (West),
Central Plains (East)
* Features:
Flat but rise
gradually toward
Rocky Mts.
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3. Important Cities:
Chicago, IL & Dallas, TX
4. Vegetation: Prairie
grasses, few trees
5. Weather: Great
Plains - steppe with hot
summers & cold winters,
limited rainfall
• Central Plains - Humid
Continental • mild summers, cold
winters with adequate
rainfall
D. Canadian Shield:
•1. Political
Region: North
Central States
•2. Physical
Region: Lowland
area of hills &
plains bordering E
Canada, rich in
minerals

3. Weather:
Humid
Continental
- mild summers
& cold winters
with adequate
precipitation
E. Rocky Mountains:
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1. Political Regions:
Alaska & Rocky
Mountain States
2. Physical Regions:
High, rugged peaks
stretch from Alaska
to Mexico
*Three Large Ranges
include:
a. Bitterroot Range
(ID, MT)
b. Big Horn Mts. in
WY
c. Sangre de Cristo
(CO & NM)

3. Important City:
Denver, CO
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4. Weather:
* Highland cooler temps
w/altitude
* Alaska (N & W
Coast) Tundra Cold year-round,
*(Remainder)
Sub arctic Long cold
winters, short
summers
F. The Intermountain Region:
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1. Political Region:
Rocky Mountain
States
2. Physical
Regions: Rugged
& high Mts., high
plateaus, deep
canyons & desert
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•
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3. Important Cities:
Phoenix, AZ & Salt
Lake City, UT
4. Vegetation:
Deciduous trees (low
altitude), Conifers
(high altitude)
5. Weather: Desert hot days, cold nights,
almost no rainfall
* Borders steppe hot summers, cold
winters, limited
rainfall
G. The Pacific Coast:
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1. Political Region:
Pacific Coast States
2. Physical Regions:
Pacific Coastal
Ranges, Interior
Ranges
• (Cascades, Sierra
Nevada)
*High mts. with
valleys & hills in
between.
(Ex.: Mt. St. Helens Cascades, Willamette
Valley)
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3. Important Cities:
Seattle, WA; Portland,
OR; San Francisco, CA;
Los Angeles, CA
4. Vegetation:
Deciduous & conifer
trees, rich farmland
5. Weather: Pacific
Northwest - Marine mild moist climate,
summers warm & humid,
winters mild & moist
• California: Mediterranean winters mild & wet,
• summers hot & dry
H. Hawaiian Islands:
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1. Political Region:
Hawaiian Islands
2. Physical Region:
Island chain of 8
lg. islands & many
small islands in
Pacific Ocean
* Volcanic origins
- Mauna Loa still
active
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3. Vegetation:
Tropical Pineapple &
Citrus grown
4. Weather:
Tropical - hot &
humid yearround
The End