The Geography of the United States

1. The Geography of the United States By: Ms. Susan M. PojerHorace Greeley HS Chappaqua, NY

2. US 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.

3. Topography

4. Topography of the US

5. The Contour of the US

6. Topography of the Northeast

7. Topography of the Southeast

8. Topography of the Midwest

9. Topography of the West

10. Grand Canyon

11. The Continental Divide 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 thedesert and don't end up in the oceans.)

12. Bodies of Water Great Salt Lake Chesapeake Bay LakeOkeechobee

13. Great Salt Lake • 2000 square miles. • 10’ – 28’ deep. • 6 times saltier than the oceans.

15. Rivers St. Lawrence R. Columbia R. Hudson R. Missouri R. Potomac R. Mississippi R. Ohio R. Colorado R. Arkansas R. Rio Grande R. Yukon R.

16. The Mississippi: America’s Great River Road • The “Big Muddy”. • 2,350 miles. • Draining all or part of 31 states & 2 Canadian provinces. • Covers 40% of the U. S.

17. Mountains Adirondack Mts. Cascade Mts. Rocky Mts. Appalachian Mts. Sierra Nevada Mts. ^ Mt. Whitney ^ Pike’s Peak ^ Mt. McKinley Alaskan Range

18. Plains GreatBasin Central Plains Atlantic Coastal Plains Gulf Coastal Plains

19. The Great Plains

20. Plateaus Allegany Plateau Cumberland Plateau

21. Cumberland Plateau & ‘Gap’ • AL, KY, TN, VA, WV • 24,640 sq. mi. • Natural passage [Gap] through the Cumberland Mts.

22. Deserts Death Valley Mohave Desert

23. Mohave Desert – 3,000’

24. Death 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!

25. Completed Map Allegany Plateau St. Lawrence R. Columbia R. Adirondack Mts. Cascade Mts. Hudson R. Missouri R. Rocky Mts. Great Basin Potomac R. Cumberland Plateau Great Salt Lake Mississippi R. Chesapeake Bay Central Plains Appalachian Mts. Sierra Nevada Mts. ^ Mt. Whitney Ohio R. Colorado R. ^ Pike’s Peak Death Valley Atlantic Coastal Plains Arkansas R. Mohave Desert Gulf Coastal Plains LakeOkeechobee Rio Grande R. Yukon R. ^ Mt. McKinley Alaskan Range

26. Demographics

28. U. S. Population as of August 22, 2003 303,824,640 • 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.

29. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the resident population of the United States, projected to 09/07/11 is… 312,162,381 COMPONENT SETTINGS FOR SEPTEMBER 2011 • One birth every.................................. 7 seconds • One death every.................................. 13 seconds • One international migrant (net) every...........43 seconds • Net gain of one person every..................... 12 seconds

30. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the resident population of the United States, projected to 09/10/12 at 12:11 UTC (EST+5) is 314,343,816 314,343,816 The U.S. population clock shows a series of short-term projections for the resident populationof the United States. This includes people whose usual residence is in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. These projections do not include members of the Armed Forces overseas, their dependents, or other U.S. citizens residing outside the United States.

32. Geographic Problems

33. Seismography Data: 1977-1997

35. Nuclear Plants Built on Geological Faults

36. Tornadoes Per Year: 1950-1997

38. Hurricane Camille: “The Storm of the Century” until … Katrina?!? • August 17, 1969 • Category 5 • Killed 412 people

39. Katrina: 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.

40. The Geographic Diversity of America!