What is a Region?

1. What is a Region? A region is an area of land whose features set it apart from other areas. The number of people, the kinds of businesses, and the weather are some features that can make one region different from another. A region’s geography may also set it apart.

2. Coastal Region • Stretches for more than 800 miles, north and south along the Pacific Ocean • Low mountains follow the California Coast and reach into Oregon and Washington • A coastal plain is an area of low land that lies along the ocean • People around the world have moved to this part to enjoy the sunny weather and famous beaches • Two groups of islands are part of the coastal region: the Frallon Islands and the Channel Islands. • The San Andreas Fault runs up and down the coastal region • A fault is a crack in the Earth’s surface along which underground layers of rock can move which causes earthquakes.

3. Mountain Region • Mountains cover more than half of California • The largest mountain range in California is the Sierra Nevada’s, which means “snowy mountain range” • Between the large peaks of the Sierra Nevada’s are large valleys • One of the most beautiful valleys is Yosemite Valley • Volcanoes are often found on the top of high mountain peaks • A volcano is an opening in the Earth’s surface from which hot gases, ashes and lava may poor • Lava is hot melted rock from deep inside the Earth

4. Central Valley • The land in the Central Valley is some of the most productive farmland in the world • The Central Valley lies west of the Sierra Nevadasand east of the coast ranges • Almost every kind of crop is grown on the farms in this region • Fertile soil has washed down from the mountains into the valley below • The weather in the Central Valley is hot and dry in the summer, and cooler and wet in the winter • Farmers grow cotton, grapes, walnuts, wheat, potatoes, tomatoes and cherries, as well as, many other kinds of fruit, vegetables and nuts

5. Desert Region • The desert region stretches across most of southeastern California • Death Valley and much of California’s Desert region are part of a larger region called the Great Basin • A basin is a low bowl shaped land area with higher ground all around it • In the desert region the climate is very extreme; you can fry an egg on a flat rock in the heat of summer and freeze a glass of water on a winter night • Hundreds of types of plants and animals find their homes in the desert region • The Mojave Desert and the Colorado Desert stretch across southeastern California