North America Lecture Notes Flashcards

Flashcards about North America's geography and climate

What are the three largest continents in the world?

Asia, Africa, and North America

What is the area of North America?

Approximately 24,709,000 square kilometers

What is the population of North America?

Approximately 550 million

What bodies of water border North America?

Arctic Ocean (north), Atlantic Ocean (east), Pacific Ocean (west/south), South America & Caribbean Sea (southeast)

Who was the earliest European presence in North America?

Norsemen (Vikings)

Which explorer sailed west from Europe believing he would reach Asia?

Christopher Columbus

After whom was America named?

Amerigo Vespucci

What are the four main physical divisions of North America?

The Mountainous West, The Eastern Highlands, The Canadian Shield, The Central Plains

Name some of the mountain ranges located on the west coast of North America.

Alaska, Cascade, Coast, Sierra Madre, and Sierra Nevada

What is the highest peak in North America?

Mount McKinley (Denali)

What are the massive mountain ranges in the western part also known as?

Cordilleras

What are the Eastern Highlands known as in Canada and the USA?

Laurentian Highlands (Canada) and Appalachians (USA)

Describe the Canadian Shield.

A raised but relatively flat plateau with a rocky landscape pocked by lakes

What are the five Great Lakes located in the Canadian Shield?

Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario

Where do the Central Plains stretch?

From the Arctic Shores/Hudson Bay to the Gulf of Mexico

What is one of the longest river systems in the world that drains through the Central Plains?

Mississippi-Missouri

Which rivers combined to form the longest river system in the USA and North America?

Mississippi and Missouri Rivers

Which is the major river system in the drainage pattern of northwestern North America?

Mackenzie River

Which river runs through the Grand Canyon?

Colorado River

Which river produces more hydroelectric power than any other in North America?

Columbia River

Which is the largest tributary of the Mississippi River (by volume)?

Ohio River

What type of climate exist in North America?

Almost every climatic zone

Describe the Tundra climate region.

Long winters and very cold temperatures; low rainfall and common snowfall

What type of natural disasters is the East Temperate Region prone to?

Hurricanes and Tornadoes

Describe the West Temperate climate region.

Warm summers and mild winters with heavy rainfall

What is the enormous grassland located in the Mid-Latitude Region called?

Prairies

Describe the Deserts climate region.

Sandy and rocky with very little rainfall; cold winters and hot summers

Where can Mediterranean type of climate be found in North America?

Central California

Describe the Tropical climate region in Central America and the West Indies.

Heavy rainfall and high temperature