physiographic regions of georgia
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Physiographic Regions of Georgia. EQ: What are the characteristics of Georgia’s five geographic regions?. Region. An area on Earth’s surface that is defined by certain unifying characteristics (cultural, physical, or human). Appalachian Plateau. Plateau. 300 square miles NW corner - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Physiographic Physiographic Regions of Regions of
GeorgiaGeorgiaEQ: What are the EQ: What are the
characteristics of Georgia’s characteristics of Georgia’s five geographic regions?five geographic regions?
RegionRegion•An area on Earth’s surface An area on Earth’s surface
that is defined by certain that is defined by certain unifying characteristics unifying characteristics (cultural, physical, or human)(cultural, physical, or human)
Appalachian Appalachian PlateauPlateau
PlateauPlateau
Size/Location ElevationSize/Location Elevation300 square miles300 square milesNW corner NW corner (TAG-(TAG-TN,AL,GATN,AL,GA Corner) Corner) of Georgiaof Georgia
Part of Part of Appalachian Appalachian MountainsMountains
800-2000 800-2000 feetfeet
LandformsLandformsBroad flat topped Broad flat topped mountains separated by mountains separated by ridges of limestoneridges of limestone
Limestone caves, deep Limestone caves, deep canyons, interesting rock canyons, interesting rock formations, waterfallsformations, waterfalls
Soil/Rocks, Soil/Rocks, mineralsminerals
sandstone, shale, sandstone, shale, limestonelimestone
Resources/CropsResources/CropsAppalachian Oak Forests Appalachian Oak Forests
cover most of it.cover most of it.pasturespasturesCoal Coal
– the only source of coal in the only source of coal in GeorgiaGeorgia
Cities/Places of InterestCities/Places of InterestSand MountainSand MountainLookout MountainLookout MountainLong narrow valley Long narrow valley between these mts.between these mts.
Cloudland CanyonCloudland CanyonChickamauga-civil war Chickamauga-civil war battle sitebattle site
Ridge and Ridge and ValleyValley
Ridge and Valley
Size/Location ElevationSize/Location Elevation most of NW most of NW GeorgiaGeorgia
Part of Part of Appalachian Appalachian MountainsMountains
700-1600 700-1600 feetfeet
LandformsLandforms long, parallel ridgeslong, parallel ridgeswide rolling valleyswide rolling valleys
Soil/Rocks, mineralsSoil/Rocks, mineralssedimentary rocksedimentary rocksandstone ridgessandstone ridges limestone and shale limestone and shale valleysvalleys
Resources/CropsResources/Crops Forests, pasturesForests, pastures Apple orchards, wheat, Apple orchards, wheat, cotton, hardwoods, pines, cotton, hardwoods, pines,
4% of Georgia’s farmland4% of Georgia’s farmland timbertimber
Cities/Places of InterestCities/Places of Interest
Taylor Ridge, Pigeon Taylor Ridge, Pigeon MountainMountain
Dalton Dalton –Carpet industry – more Carpet industry – more than 70 carpet than 70 carpet manufacturing plantsmanufacturing plants
Blue RidgeBlue Ridge
Blue Ridge
Size/Location Size/Location ElevationElevation
•most of NE Georgia
•2000 square miles
•Part of Appalachian Mountains
•1600-4800 feet
LandformsLandforms•highest mountains in Appalachian highlands
•Rivers begin here.•steep slopes •waterfalls
Soil/Rocks, mineralsSoil/Rocks, minerals•clay, sand•erosion•High precipitation – provides water for the entire state
Resources/CropsResources/Crops
•Hardwood forests•apples•Small vegetable farms
Cities/Places of InterestCities/Places of Interest•Chattahoochee National Forest
•Brasstown Bald (treeless on top) 4,784 ft.
•Amicalola falls•Tallulah Gorge•Helen
Other FeaturesOther Features•Springer Mountain
–start of the Appalachian Trail which stretches from Georgia to Maine (2,144 miles)
PiedmontPiedmont““foot of the foot of the mountain”mountain”
PiedmontPiedmont
Size/Location Size/Location ElevationElevation
30% of state30% of state between the between the
Coastal Coastal Plain and Plain and the the mountainsmountains
500-1700 500-1700 feetfeet
LandformsLandforms Gently, sloping hills, Gently, sloping hills, flatlandsflatlands
valleysvalleys many streams and riversmany streams and rivers ravinesravines
Soil/Rocks, mineralsSoil/Rocks, minerals red clay, red clay, sandy loamsandy loam fertile soilfertile soil bedrock bedrock
large areas of solid rock just large areas of solid rock just below the earth’s surfacebelow the earth’s surface
often exposed where soil has often exposed where soil has washed awaywashed away
granite, gneiss, marblegranite, gneiss, marble
Resources/CropsResources/Cropsoak-hickory-pine oak-hickory-pine forestsforests
marble, granitemarble, granitecotton, soybeans, cotton, soybeans, wheat, poultry, cattlewheat, poultry, cattle
Cities/Places of InterestCities/Places of Interest AthensAthens AtlantaAtlanta MilledgevilleMilledgeville Six Flags Six Flags Zoo AtlantaZoo Atlanta Stone MountainStone Mountain
Other featuresOther features 60% of Georgia’s 60% of Georgia’s population lives here.population lives here.
Chattahoochee, Flint, Chattahoochee, Flint, Ocmulgee, Oconee Ocmulgee, Oconee RiversRivers
Coastal Coastal PlainPlain
Coastal PlainCoastal Plain
Size/LocationSize/Location ElevationElevation
•60% of 60% of statestate
•lower half lower half of the stateof the state
•0-400 0-400 feetfeet
LandformsLandforms•Two parts Two parts
– Inner Coastal PlainInner Coastal Plain– Outer Coastal PlainOuter Coastal Plain
•gentle gentle slopesslopes•wide, deep, slow riverswide, deep, slow rivers
Soil/Rocks, MineralsSoil/Rocks, Minerals
•Limestone, sand, clay Limestone, sand, clay •Outer coastal plain -- Outer coastal plain -- poorly drainedpoorly drained
•Inner Coastal plain -- Inner Coastal plain -- fertile soil, fertile soil, underground waterunderground water
Resources/CropsResources/Crops• Outer Coastal PlainOuter Coastal Plain
– wetlands (freshwater swamps, salt marshes)wetlands (freshwater swamps, salt marshes)– used for pasture and timberused for pasture and timber– shrimp and fishshrimp and fish– naval stores and pulp productionnaval stores and pulp production– Barrier IslandsBarrier Islands
• Inner Inner – grows most of Georgia’s agricultural productsgrows most of Georgia’s agricultural products– crops such as peanuts, cotton, Vidalia onions, crops such as peanuts, cotton, Vidalia onions,
corn, soybeans, peaches, pecanscorn, soybeans, peaches, pecans
Cities/Places of Cities/Places of InterestInterest
•Savannah (GA’s 1Savannah (GA’s 1stst settlement), settlement), Columbus, Macon, Augusta, Columbus, Macon, Augusta, Albany, ValdostaAlbany, Valdosta
•Deep water ports (Savannah Deep water ports (Savannah and Brunswick)and Brunswick)
•Okefenokee Swamp – Okefenokee Swamp – largest largest freshwater wetlandfreshwater wetland in N.Americain N.America
• once covered by oceanonce covered by ocean• Barrier Islands Barrier Islands
– protect mainland by blocking protect mainland by blocking sand, wind, water that might sand, wind, water that might cause erosioncause erosion
– tourism, recreation, wildlife tourism, recreation, wildlife sanctuaries (2/3 wilderness)sanctuaries (2/3 wilderness)
– Jekyll Island (state park)Jekyll Island (state park)– Cumberland Island (national Cumberland Island (national
seashore)seashore)
Other featuresOther features
• Point at which hilly or mountainous lands meet the coastal plain
• Columbus, Macon, Augusta• Waterfalls provide a power source
Fall Line