North America

Geographic and Physical Overview of North America

Elevation and Area

  • North America has a wide range of elevations, with elevations measured in meters.

  • It is characterized by its physically large size, being the second largest continent (after Asia), with Canada ranking second in area among nations, and the United States third.

  • The continent is noted for its physical diversity, including varied climates, geography, and ecosystems.

Major Landforms and Locations

  • Physical Map: Highlights major features including mountains, rivers, and regional demarcations.

  • Bering Strait: Located between Alaska and Russia, crucial for historical migration routes.

  • Brooks Range: Located in Alaska, features high elevation terrain.

  • Yukon Territory: Home to various geographical features such as rivers and mountain ranges.

  • Atlantic and Pacific Oceans: Borders North America, influencing climate and transportation.

  • Metropolitan Areas: Notable urban centers with varying population sizes include those with more than 20 million residents down to smaller urban populations.

Climate Diversity in North America

Climate Types

  • North America has representation of nearly all global climate types, excluding the EF (ice cap) climate.

  • Detailed classifications include:

    • A Wet Climates:

    • Af-Am (Tropical Rainy and Tropical Monsoon)

    • Aw (Tropical Wet and Dry)

    • B Dry Climates:

    • BS (Steppe)

    • BW (Desert)

    • C Mild Midlatitude Climates:

    • Ca (Humid Subtropical)

    • D Continental Midlatitude Climates:

    • Da (Humid Continental with Dry Season, Warm Summer)

    • Db (Humid Continental with Dry Season, Cool Summer)

    • Dc (Subarctic)

    • E Polar Climates:

    • ET (Tundra)

    • EF (Ice Cap)

    • F Highland Climates:

    • Complex mountain climates

Orographic Effect

  • The orographic effect explains how precipitation patterns are influenced by mountain ranges.

    1. Warm, moist air rises up the mountain.

    2. Water vapor cools and condenses to form clouds.

    3. Precipitation falls on the windward side of the mountain.

    4. The dry air mass continues over the mountain, resulting in a rain shadow on the leeward side, where desert conditions can form.

    5. This results in stark climate contrasts in close proximity.

    6. A desert may form in the deeper areas of the rain shadow.

Environmental Issues

  • Major environmental concerns in North America include:

    • Groundwater depletion

    • Drought conditions, particularly in the western regions

    • Increasing frequency of wildfires

    • Fracking and its associated groundwater contamination

    • Urban heat island effect exacerbated by climate change

Historical Context

Depopulation and Cultural Exchange

  • The term "Gun, Germs, and Steel" refers to the impacts of European colonization leading to significant reduction of Indigenous populations (up to 90%).

  • Migration patterns in North America include the movement of First Americans via land bridges over 30,000 - 14,000 years ago.

  • European influences introduced new governmental structures, architecture, diets, and arts.

  • Legal systems drew from common law and French civil law as established in regions like Louisiana and Quebec.

  • Religious demographics include a significant Protestant majority (47%), followed by Catholics (21%) and those identifying as unaffiliated (22%).

Migration Patterns

Push and Pull Factors

  • The U.S. is characterized by a long history of immigration influenced by both push and pull factors:

    • Push Factors:

    • 1840s: Irish Potato Famine

    • 1850-1920: Overpopulation and wars

    • Recent migrations due to oppression and wars

    • Pull Factors:

    • Economic opportunities

    • Political and religious freedom

    • Land availability

  • Currently, over 1 in 8 Americans are immigrants, with most others being descendants of immigrants. Less than 2% have Native American ancestry.

  • Recent migration trends show a significant influx from Latin America and Asia.

Cultural Diversity

  • North America is recognized for its cultural diversity, both ethnically and racially.

  • In Quebec, 77% of the population speaks French, reflecting the bilingual nature of Canada with both English and French as official languages.

Urbanization Trends

Urban Growth and Population Dynamics

  • In 1800, only 5% of the U.S. was urban, but this figure dramatically increased due to rural-to-urban migration, increasingly motivated by job availability in urban areas and mechanized farming decreasing agricultural employment (with only 2% of the U.S. workforce engaged in farming).

  • Globally, the population surpassed 50% urbanized in 2010, while the U.S. now reports over 80% urbanization.

Demographic and Economic Overview

Population Statistics

  • The United States is the third most populous country with approximately 327 million people, while Canada ranks 37th with 36 million.

  • Populations are unevenly distributed, with a concentration in urban areas totaling approximately 82% urbanization, ranking among the highest in the world.

  • A notable example of population disparities is Loving County in Texas with a mere population of 134, contrasting sharply with metropolitan hubs.

Economic Transitions

  • Shift in population demographics towards the West, especially around the 1990s, correlating with factors such as expanding economies and lifestyle changes (lower living costs and availability of recreation activities like beaches, and lakes).

  • The analysis of urban sprawl and its impact includes displacement of farmland and growth in suburban populations.

  • Gentrification is noted as a social issue, where urban redevelopment can lead to displacement rather than inclusion.

  • Income inequality is a significant societal concern highlighted by the U.S. being the largest economy with a substantial average income of $59,800.

Economic Sectors

Structure of the Economy

  • Four main economic sectors are identified:

    1. Primary Sector: Engaged primarily in the extraction of natural resources (farming, fishing, mining, forestry).

    2. Secondary Sector: Involves manufacturing (automobiles, ships).

    3. Tertiary Sector: Provides services (retail, medical, finance).

    4. Quaternary Sector: Focused on knowledge and information processing (companies like Google, Facebook, and education).

  • Presently, the U.S. is competitive across all four economic sectors, with the following GDP contributions:

    • Agriculture: 1.2%

    • Industry and Mining: 22.2%

    • Services: 76.7%

Primary Sector Export Dependence

  • Crude oil prices have remained low since 2015, contributing to Canada entering a recession, despite having significant tar sands oil reserves comparable to those of Saudi Arabia.