the geography of the united states
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The Geography of the United States. By: Ms. Susan M. Pojer Horace Greeley HS Chappaqua, NY. US Geography Basics. Third largest country in the world. Half the size of Russia. One third the size of Africa. Half the size of South America. 2 ½ times the size of Western Europe. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
By: Ms. Susan M. PojerBy: Ms. Susan M. PojerHorace Greeley HS Chappaqua, NYHorace Greeley HS Chappaqua, NY
By: Ms. Susan M. PojerBy: Ms. Susan M. PojerHorace Greeley HS Chappaqua, NYHorace Greeley HS Chappaqua, NY
US Geography BasicsUS Geography BasicsUS Geography BasicsUS Geography Basics
Third largest country in the world.
Half the size of Russia.
One third the size of Africa.
Half the size of South America.
2 ½ times the size of Western Europe.
Topography of the USTopography of the USTopography of the USTopography of the US
The Contour of the USThe Contour of the USThe Contour of the USThe Contour of the US
Topography Topography of the of the
NortheastNortheast
Topography Topography of the of the
NortheastNortheast
Topography of the SoutheastTopography of the SoutheastTopography of the SoutheastTopography of the Southeast
Topography of the MidwestTopography of the MidwestTopography of the MidwestTopography of the Midwest
The Great PlainsThe Great PlainsThe Great PlainsThe Great Plains
TopograpTopography of the hy of the
WestWest
TopograpTopography of the hy of the
WestWest
Grand CanyonGrand CanyonGrand CanyonGrand Canyon
The Continental The Continental DivideDivide
The Continental The Continental DivideDivide
The Continental Divide in the Americas is the line that divides the flow of water between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean. Rain or snow that drains on the east side of the Continental Divide flows toward the Atlantic Ocean while precipitation on the west side drains and flows toward the Pacific Ocean. (However, some rivers empty into the desert and don't end up in the oceans.)
Bodies of WaterBodies of WaterBodies of WaterBodies of Water
Chesapeake Chesapeake BayBay
Great Great Salt LakeSalt Lake
LakeLakeOkeechobeeOkeechobee
Great Salt LakeGreat Salt LakeGreat Salt LakeGreat Salt Lake
2000 square miles.
10’ – 28’ deep.
6 times saltier than the oceans.
RiversRiversRiversRivers
Hudson R
.
Hudson R
.
Potomac R.Potomac R.
Mississip
pi R
.M
ississipp
i R. Ohio R.Ohio R.
Missouri R
.
Missouri R
.
Arkansas R.
Arkansas R.
Colorado R.
Colorado R.
Columbia R.Columbia R.
Yukon R.Yukon R.
Rio Grande R.
Rio Grande R.
St. La
wre
nce
R.
St. La
wre
nce
R.
The Mississippi: America’s Great River The Mississippi: America’s Great River RoadRoad
The Mississippi: America’s Great River The Mississippi: America’s Great River RoadRoad
The “Big Muddy”.
2,350 miles.
Draining all or part of 31 states & 2 Canadian provinces.
Covers 40% of the U. S.
MountainsMountainsMountainsMountains
App
alac
hian
Mts
.
App
alac
hian
Mts
.
Rocky Mts.
Rocky Mts.
Cas
cade
Mts
.
Cas
cade
Mts
.
Sierra N
evada M
ts.
Sierra N
evada M
ts.
Alaskan RangeAlaskan Range
^ Mt. Whitney^ Mt. Whitney
^ Mt. McKinley^ Mt. McKinley
^ Pike’s Peak^ Pike’s Peak
Adi
rond
ack
Mts
.
Adi
rond
ack
Mts
.
PlainsPlainsPlainsPlains
Central P
lains
Central P
lains
Atla
ntic
Coa
stal
Atla
ntic
Coa
stal
Pla
ins
Pla
ins
Gulf Coastal PlainsGulf Coastal Plains
GreatGreatBasinBasin
The Great Plains
PlateausPlateausPlateausPlateaus
Cum
berl
and
Cum
berl
and
Plat
eau
Plat
eau
Cumberland Plateau & ‘Gap’Cumberland Plateau & ‘Gap’Cumberland Plateau & ‘Gap’Cumberland Plateau & ‘Gap’
AL, KY, TN, VA, WV
24,640 sq. mi.
Natural passage [Gap] through the Cumberland Mts.
DesertsDesertsDesertsDeserts
Mohave Mohave DesertDesert
Death Death ValleyValley
Mohave Desert – 3,000’Mohave Desert – 3,000’Mohave Desert – 3,000’Mohave Desert – 3,000’
Death Valley, CADeath Valley, CADeath Valley, CADeath Valley, CA
3.3 million acres.
95% wilderness.
82’ below sea level
Less than 2 “ of rain annually
No rain fell in 1929
1913 – record 134 degrees Farenheit!
Completed MapCompleted MapCompleted MapCompleted Map
LakeLakeOkeechobeeOkeechobee
Chesapeake Chesapeake BayBay
App
alac
hian
Mts
.
App
alac
hian
Mts
.
Rocky Mts.
Rocky Mts.
Cas
cade
Mts
.
Cas
cade
Mts
.
Sierra N
evada M
ts.
Sierra N
evada M
ts.
Alaskan RangeAlaskan Range
^ Mt. Whitney^ Mt. Whitney
^ Mt. McKinley^ Mt. McKinley
^ Pike’s Peak^ Pike’s Peak
Adi
rond
ack
Mts
.
Adi
rond
ack
Mts
.
Central P
lains
Central P
lains
Atla
ntic
Coa
stal
Atla
ntic
Coa
stal
Pla
ins
Pla
ins
Gulf Coastal PlainsGulf Coastal Plains
Great Great BasinBasin
Cum
berl
and
Cum
berl
and
Plat
eau
Plat
eau
Hudson R
.
Hudson R
.
Potomac R.Potomac R.
Mississip
pi R
.M
ississipp
i R. Ohio R.Ohio R.
Missouri R
.
Missouri R
.
Arkansas R.
Arkansas R.
Colorado R.
Colorado R.
Columbia R.Columbia R.
Yukon R.Yukon R.
Rio Grande R.
Rio Grande R.
St. La
wre
nce
R.
St. La
wre
nce
R.
Great Great Salt LakeSalt Lake
Mohave Mohave DesertDesert
Death Death ValleyValley
303,824,640303,824,640303,824,640303,824,640 One birth every 7 seconds.
One death every 13 seconds.
One international migrant (net) every 35 seconds.
Net gain of one person every 10 seconds.
U. S. Population as of U. S. Population as of August 22, 2003August 22, 2003
U. S. Population as of U. S. Population as of August 22, 2003August 22, 2003
Seismography Data: 1977-Seismography Data: 1977-19971997
Seismography Data: 1977-Seismography Data: 1977-19971997
EarthquakesEarthquakes!!EarthquakesEarthquakes!!
TornadoesTornadoes Per Year: 1950- Per Year: 1950-19971997
TornadoesTornadoes Per Year: 1950- Per Year: 1950-19971997
HurricaneHurricane Camille: “The Storm of the Camille: “The Storm of the Century” until … Katrina?!?Century” until … Katrina?!?
HurricaneHurricane Camille: “The Storm of the Camille: “The Storm of the Century” until … Katrina?!?Century” until … Katrina?!?
August 17, 1969
Category 5
Killed 412 people
Katrina: The Most Expensive HurricaneKatrina: The Most Expensive HurricaneKatrina: The Most Expensive HurricaneKatrina: The Most Expensive Hurricane
August 2005
The nation's most costly natural disaster
Katrina killed more than 1,600 people
Destroyed 200,000 Gulf Coast homes
Displaced about 1 million people.
News reports place insured property damage at $25.3 billion in 1.7 million insurance claims -- 975,000 of them in Louisiana.