Hawaii - Formed by lava flows
Highest peak: Mauna Kea – an active volcano
Rocky Mountains- In Mexico they are called Sierra Madre
The rugged peaks are so high they are often covered by snow.
Peaks not covered by snow are covered by grasses and moss
Below the peaks, conifers grow
Deciduous trees grow on the lowest regions of these mountains.
Pacific Coast - High mountain ranges:
W. of the mountains there are long narrow valleys
All of the valleys are productive farm areas
Highlands - Sometimes called the Ozark Mountains
Gently rolling terrain
Under the plateau there are many caves
Gulf Coastal Plain - In S. Louisiana, the Mississippi River empties into the Gulf of Mexico and
this created a huge delta
Many bayous
Intermontane Plateaus and Basins - Contains the Great Basin
Also contains the Colorado Plateau
Within the plateaus is the Grand Canyon which was made by the Colorado
River
Much of this area is dry because the Pacific Coast Mountains in the west
block the rain
The only deserts in the United States are in this region
Interior Plains and Highlands - Some areas of productive farmland
Plains - Western region known as Great Plains
Dry grassland, almost treeless
Eastern region known as Central Plains
Flat, some hills
More rain and forest than in the West
Coastal Plains - Formed by soil that rivers deposited when they emptied into the
ocean
Canadian Shield - North of Interior Plains and Highlands
Adirondack Mountains a part of this region
Once mountainous, glaciers eroded the mountains leaving low hills and
plains.
Poor soil – not suitable for farming
Appalachian Highlands - Covered by forests
Also contains plateaus, valleys and mountains
In the West is the Appalachian Plateau
In the East are narrow valleys
This region contains the Great Valley
East of the valleys lie the Appalachian Mountains
Contains the Piedmont Plateau
Highlands - Mesabi range of hills
Many lakes among the hills
Contains rocky plateaus covered with conifers
Atlantic Coastal Plain - In northern area – irregular coastline with many natural harbors like the
Chesapeake Bay
Conifers and deciduous trees grow here
In the south, there are sandy beaches and barrier islands.
Highest peak: Mauna Kea – an active volcano
Rocky Mountains- In Mexico they are called Sierra Madre
The rugged peaks are so high they are often covered by snow.
Peaks not covered by snow are covered by grasses and moss
Below the peaks, conifers grow
Deciduous trees grow on the lowest regions of these mountains.
Pacific Coast - High mountain ranges:
W. of the mountains there are long narrow valleys
All of the valleys are productive farm areas
Highlands - Sometimes called the Ozark Mountains
Gently rolling terrain
Under the plateau there are many caves
Gulf Coastal Plain - In S. Louisiana, the Mississippi River empties into the Gulf of Mexico and
this created a huge delta
Many bayous
Intermontane Plateaus and Basins - Contains the Great Basin
Also contains the Colorado Plateau
Within the plateaus is the Grand Canyon which was made by the Colorado
River
Much of this area is dry because the Pacific Coast Mountains in the west
block the rain
The only deserts in the United States are in this region
Interior Plains and Highlands - Some areas of productive farmland
Plains - Western region known as Great Plains
Dry grassland, almost treeless
Eastern region known as Central Plains
Flat, some hills
More rain and forest than in the West
Coastal Plains - Formed by soil that rivers deposited when they emptied into the
ocean
Canadian Shield - North of Interior Plains and Highlands
Adirondack Mountains a part of this region
Once mountainous, glaciers eroded the mountains leaving low hills and
plains.
Poor soil – not suitable for farming
Appalachian Highlands - Covered by forests
Also contains plateaus, valleys and mountains
In the West is the Appalachian Plateau
In the East are narrow valleys
This region contains the Great Valley
East of the valleys lie the Appalachian Mountains
Contains the Piedmont Plateau
Highlands - Mesabi range of hills
Many lakes among the hills
Contains rocky plateaus covered with conifers
Atlantic Coastal Plain - In northern area – irregular coastline with many natural harbors like the
Chesapeake Bay
Conifers and deciduous trees grow here
In the south, there are sandy beaches and barrier islands.