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22.1 Land and Water short version. A Global Perspective (relative location). The US and Canada are in North America East – Atlantic Ocean West - Pacific Ocean North - Arctic Ocean South – Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico
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A Global Perspective (relative location) • The US and Canada are in North America • East – Atlantic Ocean • West - Pacific Ocean • North - Arctic Ocean • South – Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico • The U.S. also includes Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean • & Alaska on Canada’s western border
Landforms • The Rocky Mountains the largest mountain in N.A. • About 3,000 miles long on the west coast of the continent • The Appalachians are the 2nd largest • In between are plains • Called the Great Plains in the U.S. • The interior plains in Canada • Great farmland
Special Features • Gulf Coast and Atlantic coastal plains • Mountain chains along the west coast • Including some active volcanoes • Basins and deserts • Glaciers in Canada and Alaska • Canada also has the Canadian shield which is rocky and difficult to farm so few people live there • The St. Lawrence Lowlands are a small area but about ½ of Canada’s pop. lives there
Major Bodies of Water • Water is vital to life, transportation, recreation, & industry • Most Amer. And Can. Cities are on major bodies of water • The Great Lakes • Formed by glaciers • Superior is the deepest and only Michigan is completely in the US • Mississippi R. • It drains (watershed) the majority of the US • Along with its major tributaries the Missouri and Ohio form a large network for navigation through the interior of the U.S
Major Bodies of Water • Canadian Rivers • Mackenzie • Flows north (Nile) from the Rockies into the Arctic • Important transport of mineral and energy resources • St. Lawrence • Through most pop areas of Canada • Uses locks and dams to make it more navigable • Ships use it to reach the Great Lakes