the land of the united states and canada 5 1

The Land of the United States and

Canada

Western Mountains

Alaska’s Mt. McKinley is the highest in North America. (20,320 ft)

The Rocky Mountains link the US to Canada and stretch from New Mexico to Alaska (3,000 miles)

Western PlateausDry basins and

plateaus, featuring Death Valley and the Grand Canyon, fill the area between the mountain ranges.

Death Valley is the lowest point in North America.

Interior LandformsEast of the Rockies,

the land falls and flattens into the Great Plains.

The Great Plains extend across the center of North America.

Eastern Mountains and Lowlands

NA oldest chain, the Appalachians, extend from Quebec in Canada to Alabama in the US. (1,500 miles)

The Canadian Shield, a giant core of rock, makes up the eastern half of Canada and the northeastern US.

IslandsSome of the most

known NA islands include…….

- Manhattan Island- Hawaiian Islands- Greenland

Rivers in North America

Rivers from the RockiesThe high ridge of the

Rockies is called the Continental Divide.

Water flows west of the Divide to the Pacific and east of the Divide into the Mississippi and the Gulf of Mexico.

The Mighty MississippiThe Mississippi flows

2,350 miles from its source.

It begins in Minnesota as a stream and ends at the Gulf of Mexico.

It drains all or part of 31 states and 2 provinces.

Eastern RiversSt. Lawrence forms

part of the US-Canada border.

Canadian cities of Quebec, Montreal, and Ottawa developed along the St. Lawrence.

Lakes

The Great Lakes- Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior are basins created by glacial activity.

Natural Resources of North America

FuelsTexas and Alaska rank 1st

and 2nd in oil reserves in the US.

Texas also has natural gas.

Canada’s oil reserves lie around Alberta

Coal is found in the Appalachians, Wyoming, and British Columbia.

MineralsGold, silver, and

copper are found in the Rocky Mountains.

Nickel and Iron are found in parts of the Canadian Shield.

Iron also exists in Northern Minnesota and Michigan.

TimberForests cover less

than 50% of Canada and 33% of the US.

Loggers try to harvest wood while replenishing it at the same time.

FishingThe coastal waters of

the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf of Mexico are important sources for fish and other seafood.