By: Ms. Susan M. PojerBy: Ms. Susan M. PojerHorace Greeley HS Chappaqua, NYHorace Greeley HS Chappaqua, NY

By: Ms. Susan M. PojerBy: Ms. Susan M. PojerHorace Greeley HS Chappaqua, NYHorace Greeley HS Chappaqua, NY

US Geography BasicsUS Geography BasicsUS Geography BasicsUS Geography Basics

Third largest country in the world.

Half the size of Russia.

One third the size of Africa.

Half the size of South America.

2 ½ times the size of Western Europe.

Topography of the USTopography of the USTopography of the USTopography of the US

The Contour of the USThe Contour of the USThe Contour of the USThe Contour of the US

Topography Topography of the of the

NortheastNortheast

Topography Topography of the of the

NortheastNortheast

Topography of the SoutheastTopography of the SoutheastTopography of the SoutheastTopography of the Southeast

Topography of the MidwestTopography of the MidwestTopography of the MidwestTopography of the Midwest

The Great PlainsThe Great PlainsThe Great PlainsThe Great Plains

TopograpTopography of the hy of the

WestWest

TopograpTopography of the hy of the

WestWest

Grand CanyonGrand CanyonGrand CanyonGrand Canyon

The Continental The Continental DivideDivide

The Continental The Continental DivideDivide

The Continental Divide in the Americas is the line that divides the flow of water between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean. Rain or snow that drains on the east side of the Continental Divide flows toward the Atlantic Ocean while precipitation on the west side drains and flows toward the Pacific Ocean. (However, some rivers empty into the desert and don't end up in the oceans.)

Bodies of WaterBodies of WaterBodies of WaterBodies of Water

Chesapeake Chesapeake BayBay

Great Great Salt LakeSalt Lake

LakeLakeOkeechobeeOkeechobee

Great Salt LakeGreat Salt LakeGreat Salt LakeGreat Salt Lake

2000 square miles.

10’ – 28’ deep.

6 times saltier than the oceans.

RiversRiversRiversRivers

Hudson R

.

Hudson R

.

Potomac R.Potomac R.

Mississip

pi R

.M

ississipp

i R. Ohio R.Ohio R.

Missouri R

.

Missouri R

.

Arkansas R.

Arkansas R.

Colorado R.

Colorado R.

Columbia R.Columbia R.

Yukon R.Yukon R.

Rio Grande R.

Rio Grande R.

St. La

wre

nce

R.

St. La

wre

nce

R.

The Mississippi: America’s Great River The Mississippi: America’s Great River RoadRoad

The Mississippi: America’s Great River The Mississippi: America’s Great River RoadRoad

The “Big Muddy”.

2,350 miles.

Draining all or part of 31 states & 2 Canadian provinces.

Covers 40% of the U. S.

MountainsMountainsMountainsMountains

App

alac

hian

Mts

.

App

alac

hian

Mts

.

Rocky Mts.

Rocky Mts.

Cas

cade

Mts

.

Cas

cade

Mts

.

Sierra N

evada M

ts.

Sierra N

evada M

ts.

Alaskan RangeAlaskan Range

^ Mt. Whitney^ Mt. Whitney

^ Mt. McKinley^ Mt. McKinley

^ Pike’s Peak^ Pike’s Peak

Adi

rond

ack

Mts

.

Adi

rond

ack

Mts

.

PlainsPlainsPlainsPlains

Central P

lains

Central P

lains

Atla

ntic

Coa

stal

Atla

ntic

Coa

stal

Pla

ins

Pla

ins

Gulf Coastal PlainsGulf Coastal Plains

GreatGreatBasinBasin

The Great Plains

PlateausPlateausPlateausPlateaus

Cum

berl

and

Cum

berl

and

Plat

eau

Plat

eau

Cumberland Plateau & ‘Gap’Cumberland Plateau & ‘Gap’Cumberland Plateau & ‘Gap’Cumberland Plateau & ‘Gap’

AL, KY, TN, VA, WV

24,640 sq. mi.

Natural passage [Gap] through the Cumberland Mts.

DesertsDesertsDesertsDeserts

Mohave Mohave DesertDesert

Death Death ValleyValley

Mohave Desert – 3,000’Mohave Desert – 3,000’Mohave Desert – 3,000’Mohave Desert – 3,000’

Death Valley, CADeath Valley, CADeath Valley, CADeath Valley, CA

3.3 million acres.

95% wilderness.

82’ below sea level

Less than 2 “ of rain annually

No rain fell in 1929

1913 – record 134 degrees Farenheit!

Completed MapCompleted MapCompleted MapCompleted Map

LakeLakeOkeechobeeOkeechobee

Chesapeake Chesapeake BayBay

App

alac

hian

Mts

.

App

alac

hian

Mts

.

Rocky Mts.

Rocky Mts.

Cas

cade

Mts

.

Cas

cade

Mts

.

Sierra N

evada M

ts.

Sierra N

evada M

ts.

Alaskan RangeAlaskan Range

^ Mt. Whitney^ Mt. Whitney

^ Mt. McKinley^ Mt. McKinley

^ Pike’s Peak^ Pike’s Peak

Adi

rond

ack

Mts

.

Adi

rond

ack

Mts

.

Central P

lains

Central P

lains

Atla

ntic

Coa

stal

Atla

ntic

Coa

stal

Pla

ins

Pla

ins

Gulf Coastal PlainsGulf Coastal Plains

Great Great BasinBasin

Cum

berl

and

Cum

berl

and

Plat

eau

Plat

eau

Hudson R

.

Hudson R

.

Potomac R.Potomac R.

Mississip

pi R

.M

ississipp

i R. Ohio R.Ohio R.

Missouri R

.

Missouri R

.

Arkansas R.

Arkansas R.

Colorado R.

Colorado R.

Columbia R.Columbia R.

Yukon R.Yukon R.

Rio Grande R.

Rio Grande R.

St. La

wre

nce

R.

St. La

wre

nce

R.

Great Great Salt LakeSalt Lake

Mohave Mohave DesertDesert

Death Death ValleyValley

303,824,640303,824,640303,824,640303,824,640 One birth every 7 seconds.

One death every 13 seconds.

One international migrant (net) every 35 seconds.

Net gain of one person every 10 seconds.

U. S. Population as of U. S. Population as of August 22, 2003August 22, 2003

U. S. Population as of U. S. Population as of August 22, 2003August 22, 2003

Seismography Data: 1977-Seismography Data: 1977-19971997

Seismography Data: 1977-Seismography Data: 1977-19971997

EarthquakesEarthquakes!!EarthquakesEarthquakes!!

TornadoesTornadoes Per Year: 1950- Per Year: 1950-19971997

TornadoesTornadoes Per Year: 1950- Per Year: 1950-19971997

HurricaneHurricane Camille: “The Storm of the Camille: “The Storm of the Century” until … Katrina?!?Century” until … Katrina?!?

HurricaneHurricane Camille: “The Storm of the Camille: “The Storm of the Century” until … Katrina?!?Century” until … Katrina?!?

August 17, 1969

Category 5

Killed 412 people

Katrina: The Most Expensive HurricaneKatrina: The Most Expensive HurricaneKatrina: The Most Expensive HurricaneKatrina: The Most Expensive Hurricane

August 2005

The nation's most costly natural disaster

Katrina killed more than 1,600 people

Destroyed 200,000 Gulf Coast homes

Displaced about 1 million people.

News reports place insured property damage at $25.3 billion in 1.7 million insurance claims -- 975,000 of them in Louisiana.