The 5 Major Geographic Regions of Pennsylvania

1. The 5 Major Geographic Regions of Pennsylvania

2. The Atlantic Coastal Plain Region • Very Narrow and Flat • Southeastern Tip of Pa along the Delaware River • First part of our state to be settled • Location of Pa’s first industries and farms • Climate is the mildest part of the state • This provides a longer growing season before the first frost

3. The Piedmont Region • Most of the Southeastern part of the state • Piedmont is French for “the foot of the mountains” • Contains rich limestone soil for excellent farming • Also contains a large amount of iron ore • Many immigrants found this region to be second to none

4. The Ridge and Valley Region • Very large region that includes about one third of the state • This region is mostly made up by the Appalachian Mountains • The most important feature in this region is The Great Valley • The Great Valley was formed by wind and rain and is excellent for farming

5. The Allegheny Plateau Region • This is the largest region in the state • Comprised mostly of rolling hills, valleys and streams • The region also contains the states highest point. Mount Davis 3,213 feet above sea level • Iron ore, soft coal, oil and gas helped this part of the state to become a great industrial area • It also contains the center of the states lumber industry

6. The Erie Plain Region • This region is very narrow and fertile • It extends a few miles inland along the shore of Lake Erie • The Erie Plain land has rich fertile soil • Today the region contains vineyards, orchards and farmland • The region also has a mild climate