Georgia’s land regions/climate

1. Georgia’s land regions/climate SS8G1

2. Where we are • Earth • Western Hemisphere(Prime Meridian) • Northern Hemisphere (Equator) • Northwestern Hemisphere • Continent of North America • Country of United States of America • Southeast region country

8. GEORGIA • Bordered by South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee/north • Alabama and part of Florida/west • Florida/south • South Carolina/part of Atlantic Ocean/east/barrier islands • SOUTHERN STATE/DEEP SOUTH /SUNBELT/SOUTHEASTERN REGION

10. MAIN IDEA • Dividing Georgia into specific regions assists in studying the state.

11. WHY IT MATTERS NOW • GEORGIA’S REGIONS CONTRIBUTE TO THE STATE’S ECONOMY.

12. GEORGIA’S NATURAL REGIONS • Largest state east of the Mississippi • Due to size- climate, elevation, vegetation, soils, terrain vary from one part of the state to another • State divided into natural regions • Appalachian Mountains (Appalachian Plateau, Ridge and Valley, Blue Ridge Mountains) • Piedmont • Coastal Plain (Upper and Lower)

14. Appalachian Plateau • Most rugged area in state; smallest region • Limestone caves, deep canyons, interesting rock formations • “TAG” corner (TN, AL, GA) • Landmarks- Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park; Cloudland Canyon • Economy-forestry and tourism (hiking, fishing, hunting..)

15. Appalachian Plateau • Lookout Mountain and Sand Mountain separated by limestone ridges with long narrow valleys between

16. Blue Ridge Mt. region • Important: mountains are 1st barrier to warm, moist air from Gulf of Mexico. When air makes contact with high mts, it cools resulting in precipitation that provides water for the entire state • Fertile valleys • Highest point here/ Brasstown Bald Mountain - 4,564 ft above sea level • Economy- commercial forests/marble quarries /tourism / vegetable farming/apples/recreation

17. Landmarks Tallulah Gorge Amicalola Falls

18. Ridge and Valley • Low open valleys and narrow ridges that run parallel to the valleys • Valleys divided by steep narrow ridges capped with limestone • Forests and pastures dominate region

19. Valley and Ridge • Landmarks- Keown Falls, Johns Mountain Overlook, Dalton, Cartersville • Fertile farmlands, fields of grain, pastures for cattle, and apple orchards • Economy- textile and carpet manufacturing

20. Ridge and Valley

21. The piedmont • “at the foot of the mountains” • Rolling/hilly plateau at base of Appalachian Mts. • Beginning point, or source, for GA’s large rivers • Elevation 600 ft. to over 2,000 ft. above sea level near mts. • It divides the mountainous region from the Coastal Region. • Capital of Georgia located here (Atlanta) • About ½ of state’s population lives here

22. The Piedmont • Most prominent feature- Stone Mountain • is a large mass of granite formed from molten rock about 300 million yrs. ago • 15 million yrs. ago - surface material eroded from Piedmont/weight and pressure gone/granite expanded upward into the domed shape that it has today • Granite used in US Capitol/locks of Panama Canal Economy- Industry and business: Coca Cola, CNN, Chick-fil-a, & Home Depot Headquarters are found here. Agriculture-wheat, soybeans, corn, cattle and poultry/ hardwood timber and pine

23. Piedmont Region

24. Coastal plain • Southernmost geographic region – 3/5 of the state • Thousands of years ago, waters of Atlantic covered the Coastal Plain • Most of Georgia’s farmland found here • Moisture/long days of warm sun=one of the most productive farming regions in the country • Mild climate; good supply of underground water

25. Landmarks: Okefenokee Swamp-largest swamp in North America, freshwater Golden Isles (barrier islands)

26. Economy- Agriculture: • Vidalia Upland-famous for sweet onions • Bainbridge & Albany- peanuts, corn & pecans • naval stores & pulp production • almost half the nation's peanuts are grown here • forestry; fisheries

27. Along the Coast Economy- • deep harbors • barriers islands-recreation facilities, tourism • seafood gathering and processing industries • major shipyard ports----Savannah and Brunswick

29. Fall line • stretches from Augusta to Macon to Columbus • Marks transition from Coastal Plain to Piedmont Region// was the Mesozoic shoreline of the Atlantic Ocean • The point at which rivers drop in elevation creating waterfalls • Water here used as a source of power • GA’s most important mining operations are here • North of Fall line- metamorphic & igneous rock • South of Fall line- sediments/sedimentary rock

30. Fall line • Atlantic Ocean left rich mineral deposits here • Kaolin-largest deposit in the world found here/clay used in products like paint, rubber, plastics, cement, detergents, fertilizers, and papermaking* (glossy coating of magazines) • Sandy soils – south • Clay soils- north

32. CLIMATE OF GEORGIA • Georgia’s latitude/longitude=mild with subtropical climate • 4 distinct seasons • summers-hot/humid • winters-mild • Across north Georgia-warm summers/moderately cold winters (mountainous) higher elevation/colder temp- vertical climate

33. Climate determines- • types of homes • industries that develop • companies that move to GA • crops grown Industries- mild climate=lower heating/cooling costs; fewer weather related absences Agriculture- longer growing season

34. Rainfall- • Vital to GA’s economy • Snow melts, runs off into streams and lakes • Rainfalls aids growth of crops and forests • Average 40-52 inches (central/southwest) • Average 65-78 inches (northern mts.) • Drought (1998-2002)