The United States of America is a country located in the Western Hemisphere, on the continent of North America. The USA consists of 48 states bordering each other in the “continental part” and 2 states that do not have a common border with the rest: Alaska, a huge peninsula occupying the northwestern part of the continent of North America, and the islands of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean.
In addition, the United States includes some territories in the Caribbean (Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, etc.), the Pacific Ocean (Eastern Samoa, Guam, etc.) and the Federal District of Columbia, which is not a state.
The United States borders Mexico to the south and Canada to the north. The USA also has a maritime border with Russian Federation. From the west, the territory of the United States is washed by the Pacific Ocean, from the east - by the Atlantic, in the southeast of the United States is the Gulf of Mexico, the Alaska Peninsula is washed by the Arctic Ocean from the north. Among the borders of the United States, the most common is the so-called geometric (astronomical) type of border. Most of the US border with Canada (including Canada's border with Alaska) belongs to this type. The eastern part of the US-Mexico border runs along the Rio Grande. Maritime boundaries along the east and west coasts, as well as the border with Canada in the Great Lakes region, belong to the category of hydrographic. They were drawn along natural (natural) boundaries, taking into account the features of the relief. The western part of the border with Mexico is a straight line connecting two locally defined points, while it intersects the territory regardless of the terrain, and therefore can be classified as a geometric border.
According to various estimates, the total area of the United States is from 9,518,900 square meters. km to 9,826,630 sq. km, which puts it in 4th place or 3rd place in the list of the largest countries in the world. China has approximately the same area, which varies greatly whether or not the various disputed territories are taken into account.
US statistics
(as of 2012)
One way or another, in terms of total area, the United States and China lag behind Russia and Canada, but are ahead of Brazil.
US relief
There are several large physiographic regions on the territory of the United States. In the east, along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, the Appalachian mountain system stretches. To the west and south of it, the surface levels off, forming low-lying areas through which the largest rivers of the United States flow. Further to the west, the area passes into vast plains and prairies, called the Great Plains, which precede the mountainous regions of the Cordillera. Mountain ranges occupy the entire western part of the country and break off quite sharply to the Pacific coast.
Most of Alaska is occupied by the northern Cordillera ranges. The Hawaiian archipelago is a series of volcanic islands up to 4205 m high.
The Appalachian mountain range stretches for 1,900 km along the Atlantic coast of the United States from northern Maine to central Alabama. According to other sources, the Appalachian system stretched for almost 3 thousand km. from central Alabama to Newfoundland in Canada, and its width from east to west ranges from 190 to 600 km. The highest point of the system is Mount Mitchell (2037 m), the prevailing heights are 1300-1600 m. These are one of the most ancient mountains on Earth, formed about 400 million years ago, when North America and Europe were part of the single mainland Pangea. The Hudson River divides the system into unequal parts - the northern and southern Appalachians. On the territory of New England, the White Mountains, the Green Mountains, as well as the Taconic and Berkshire ranges are distinguished. The southern part includes the Adirondacks, Catskills, Blue Ridge. The Blue Ridge Range is the highest in the system, divided by the Roanoke River into two parts. To the west of the ranges is the Appalachian Plateau, which consists of the Allegheny Mountains and Plateau to the north and the Cumberland Plateau to the south. The plateau has a length of 1000 km and a width of 160 to 320 km and is strongly dissected by the tributaries of the Ohio River.
In the southern part of the system is located the range and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. To the south of it is the Piedmont Plateau. The height of the plateau is 150-300 m, sometimes there are low ridges and remnants. The most famous granite monolith is Stone Mountain with a relative height of more than 185 m.
The Atlantic lowland (width from 160 to 320 km, height up to 100 m) is located between the ocean and the Piedmont plateau, from which it is separated by the so-called “line of waterfalls” - a drop in height, due to which numerous rapids and waterfalls form on the rivers. The Atlantic lowland stretches from the Chesapeake Bay to the Florida peninsula.
To the west from Florida to the Rio Grande, the entire southern coast of the country is occupied by the Mexican lowland (up to 150 m high). In many places, the coast is swampy and has a strip of marches. Approximately in the middle of the lowland is the alluvial plain of the Mississippi, 80 to 160 km wide.
The territory from the Great Lakes in the north and the Mexican Lowland in the south, as well as from the Appalachians in the east and the Great Prairies in the west, is occupied by the Central Plains (height 200-500 m). In the northern part, the plains have a hilly moraine relief, while in the middle and southern parts, the hills are more gentle and corroded by erosion. In the south of Missouri, the Ozark Plateau stands out, consisting of the Springfield and Salem plateaus and the Boston mountains (700 m high). South of the plateau across the Arkansas River valley are the Washita Mountains, up to 885 m high.
The Great Plains are a strip of steppes between the Central Plains and the mountainous regions of the western United States. The Great Plains The Great Plains start at 97-98°W and are essentially the foothills of the Cordillera Plateau. The height of the plains rises when moving to the west from 500 to 1600 m. The plateau is strongly dissected, in some places the network of valleys is too dense for their economic use. In the north are Badlands - "bad lands", almost devoid of soil cover. To the south - in Nebraska, the Sand Hills. Kansas is home to the low Smoky Hills and Flint Hills, as well as the Red Hills. The southern part of the plains is occupied by the Llano Estacado and the Edwards Plateau.
The North American Cordillera mountain system runs through the western part of the United States, which is a system of parallel ridges elongated from north to southeast and plateaus, depressions and valleys separating them. The longest chain is the Rocky Mountains (the highest point is Mount Elbert, 4399 m), which includes (from north to south): the Lewis Range, the Absaroka Range and the Bighorn Mountains, the Laramie Mountains, the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the San Juan, as well as the mountains of Sacramento, which to the south, already in the territory of Mexico, pass into the Eastern Sierra Madre range.
To the west of the northern Rocky Mountains are the Cabinet and Bitterroot Ranges, which merge into the Clearwater Mountains and the Salmon River Mountain Range. The Salmon River is bounded to the south by the volcanic Columbia Plateau and the Snake River Plain, and to the west of it through the Heales Canyon are the Blue Mountains. Further south is the territory of the endorheic Great Basin, on which the Independence Mountains are distinguished, and the upper part of the Colorado River basin, separated from the endorheic region by the Wasatch Range and the Uinta Mountains. To the south lies the vast Colorado Plateau, in which rivers have cut many beautiful canyons, which is why this region is located big number national parks such as the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Arches and Canyonlands.
Along the Pacific coast of the United States stretches a series of mountain ranges of the Coast Ranges (altitude up to 2400 m), which include the Alaska Range, the ranges in Canada, the Cascade Mountains, the Sierra Nevada and the Western Sierra Madre Range in Mexico. Between the Coast Ranges and the Cascade Mountains lies the fertile Willamette Valley. In the Sierra Nevada ridge is the highest point in the continental United States - Mount Whitney (4421 m). Between this range and the Coast Ranges lies the California Valley, which consists of the valleys of the San Joaquin River to the north and the Sacramento River to the south. East of the Sierra Nevada, there is a small ridge of the White Mountains and behind it is Death Valley. In southern California, the Santa Rosa Mountains fence off the Imperial Valley, bounded on the east by the Sonoran Desert.
Most of the territory of the state of Alaska is occupied by mountain ranges stretched from west to east. The northern part of the state is occupied by the flat Arctic Lowland, framed on the south by the Brooks Range, which includes the De Long, Endicott, Philip Smith and British Mountains. In the central part of the state, the Yukon plateau is located, along which the river of the same name flows. The Aleutian Range arcs around the Susitna River Valley and continues as the Alaska Range, forming the Alaska Peninsula and the Aleutian Islands. On the Alaska Range is the highest peak in the United States - Mount McKinley (6193 m). The Chugach Ridge, the St. Elias Ridge, and the Wrangel Mountains stretch along the US-owned coast of the Gulf of Alaska.
US Water Resources
Map of average annual precipitation in the continental United States See also: List of rivers of the United States, List of lakes of the United States The flow of rivers from the United States is carried out into the basins of three oceans - the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic. The main watershed (between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans) runs along the eastern part of the Cordillera, and only a small part of the territory of the northern states and Alaska belongs to the Arctic Ocean basin. The meeting point of the three watersheds is located on Triple Divide Peak.
According to TSB data, the average annual layer of runoff from the surface of the main part of the territory of the United States is 27 cm, the total volume is 1600 km?, and the regime of most of the rivers is irregular, especially in continental regions. The availability of water resources in different parts of the country is uneven - the height of the annual runoff layer in the states of Washington and Oregon is 60-120 cm, in the east (in the Appalachian region) 40-100 cm, in the Central Plains 20-40 cm, in the Great Plains 10-20 cm , and on the internal plateaus and plateaus up to 10 cm.
Large lakes are located in the north of the country - the Great Lakes. Smaller endorheic salt lakes are found in depressions in the Great Basin. Inland water resources are widely used in industrial and municipal water supply, irrigation, hydropower and shipping.
The largest system of freshwater lakes in North America, in the United States and Canada, connected by rivers and canals. Area approx. 245.2 thousand km?, the volume of water is 22.7 thousand km?. The five largest lakes are actually great lakes: Superior, Huron, Michigan, Erie and Ontario. Among the smaller ones: St. Mary's, St. Clair, Nipigon. The lakes are drained by the St. Lawrence River.
Many rivers flow into the Atlantic Ocean from the east coast of the United States, the longest of which originate in the Appalachians and are several hundred kilometers long. The Hudson, Potomac, James, Roanoke, Great Pee Dee, Savannah, Oltamaho and others flow along the Atlantic Lowland.
The southern part of the lowlands is located in Florida - there are the famous Everglades, the Big Cypress swamp, and many karst and lagoon lakes, the largest of which is Okeechobee.
Most of the US river flow belongs to the Gulf of Mexico basin of the Atlantic Ocean. This drainage basin extends west to east from the Rocky Mountains to the Appalachians and from the Canadian border to the north. The largest river system is formed by the Mississippi River (length 3757 km, annual flow 180 km?) and its countless tributaries, the largest of which are the Missouri (length 4127 km), Arkansas (2364 km) and Ohio (1579 km). The Mississippi Delta is located in the center of the Mexican Lowland and protrudes into the bay for more than 100 km.
Such rivers as, for example, the Rio Grande, along which the eastern part of the border between the United States and Mexico runs, as well as the Colorado, Brazos, Trinity, and others flow directly into the Gulf of Mexico. There are several drainless regions in the United States, the largest of which is the Great Basin. On its territory are the lakes of the Great Salt Lake, Utah and Sevier in the east, as well as a number of small lakes in the west: Honey, Pyramid, Winnemucca, Tahoe, Walker, Monet and Owens. The undrained Humboldt River also flows in this basin. The Great Divide Basin and the Harney Basin, in which Lake Malur lies, also stand out.
The Columbia River (2250 km long) with its tributary the Snake (1674 km) forms the largest basin in the northwestern United States. Colombia has an annual flow of 60 km? and has the largest hydropower potential. The Franklin Roosevelt Reservoir is located on the river near the border with Canada. The southern tributary of Columbia, the Willamette River flows through the valley, which is called the northern analogue of California. The San Joaquin and Sacramento Rivers flow through the California Valley itself, which together empty into the San Francisco Bay.
Another large basin in the western part of the country is formed by the Colorado River (2330 km), which flows on its way through the world's largest Grand Canyon. Above this canyon is the large Powell Reservoir, below is the Mead Reservoir. The Colorado flows into the Gulf of California in Mexico.
The largest river in Alaska, the Yukon (3700 km), as well as the Kuskokuim River, flow into the bay of the same name in the Bering Sea. To the pool Arctic Ocean owns only a small part of the US territory. The northern regions of the states of Minnesota and North Dakota are dendrited by rivers, the flow of which is directed through Lake Winnipeg and the Nelson River into Hudson Bay. In addition, the rivers of northern Alaska, such as the Noatak and Colville, also carry their waters to the very northern ocean planets.
USA climate
Climatic zones of the continental USA. Due to big size country, its length and wide variety geographical features in the United States, you can find areas with almost any climatic characteristics. Most of the United States (states located north of 40 degrees north latitude) is located in the temperate climate zone, to the south prevails subtropical climate, Hawaii and southern Florida lie in the tropics, while northern Alaska belongs to the polar regions. The Great Plains west of the 100th meridian are referred to as semi-deserts, the Great Basin and the areas around it have an arid climate, and the coastal regions of California have a Mediterranean climate. The type of climate within the boundaries of one belt can vary significantly depending on the relief, the proximity of the ocean, and other factors. The favorable climate had a significant impact on the settlement of the mainland by Europeans and in many ways contributed to the US taking a leading position in the world.
The main component of the US climate is the high-altitude jet stream - powerful air currents that bring moisture from the north of the Pacific region. Moisture-saturated winds from the Pacific Ocean actively irrigate the western coast of the United States. In the northwest, rain is not uncommon throughout the year, and more snow falls in winter than anywhere else in the world. South of California receives most of the precipitation in autumn and winter, but in summer it is quite dry and hot, which forms its Mediterranean climate. The Cascade Mountains, the Sierra Nevada, and the Rocky Mountains take up most of the moisture, leaving a rain shadow to their east, forming a semi-arid climate in the western Great Plains. Death Valley and the Great Basin Desert also formed due to the presence of this shadow. Dry high-altitude winds jet stream, falling on the completely flat Great Plains, do not meet any more obstacles and again gain moisture.
Encounters with saturated flows from the Gulf of Mexico often lead to severe storms and thunderstorms. In winter, they are the cause of intense snowfall on the northeast coast of the United States. Often, the vast flat plains of the United States are the cause of extremely rapid, sometimes catastrophic, weather changes. The temperature can rapidly rise and also fall rapidly, depending on which air masses are "captured" by the high-altitude current - from cold Arctic in the north to warm tropical over the Gulf of Mexico.
Natural disasters
Every year in the United States there is a comparatively a large number of various natural disasters.
On the one hand, droughts in the United States are rare, on the other hand, when they do, they have serious, sometimes catastrophic consequences. As an example, we can recall the terrible drought of 1931-1940, also known as the Dust Bowl, which also occurred during the period of the most severe economic crisis - the Great Depression. Farms in the Great Plains virtually ceased to function, the region became depopulated (up to 2.5 million people left the plains by 1940), numerous dust storms destroyed the top fertile soil layer. In 1999-2004, another drought was observed in America, comparable in consequences to the one described above.
Frequent tornadoes are a well-known feature of North America's climate, in fact the US is far ahead of any other country in the number of tornadoes. The collision of air masses with very different temperatures is the main cause of frequent thunderstorms and tornadoes in the central regions of the United States in spring and summer. Although tornadoes in America occur in the most different regions- both in the flat regions of Canada, and on the east coast of the United States and on the Florida peninsula, nevertheless, the most frequent and strongest tornadoes occur in the so-called Tornado Alley, the conditional boundaries of which capture the north of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, part of Missouri, Arkansas and Tennessee. In the cities of these states, there are special sirens warning of the appearance of a tornado, and houses are supplied with anti-tornado shelters even during construction.
Another natural disaster that often occurs in the United States is hurricanes. The east coast, the islands of Hawaii, and especially the southern states of the United States bordering the Gulf of Mexico are the most affected by this element. The US hurricane season begins in June and ends by early December, peaking from August to October. Among the most destructive hurricanes are the Galveston hurricane of 1900, Hurricane Andrew of 1992 and the terrible hurricane Katrina that swept through the southern United States in 2005. On the West Coast of the United States, echoes of Pacific typhoons are sometimes observed, most often in the form of heavy prolonged downpours.
Floods, like droughts, are not common in the United States. However, it is worth noting the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and the Great Flood of 1993 - extremely long and severe floods that claimed many lives and cost the American economy dearly. Many floods are also direct consequences of hurricanes. Of particular note are floods that develop extremely rapidly due to the relief of some regions of the United States. A sudden thunderstorm can instantly fill the canyon, raising the water level by several meters at once. In the state of California, due to heavy rains, landslides also systematically occur.
The western coast of North America is included in the so-called Pacific volcanic ring of fire - the source of 90% of all earthquakes on earth. The entire mountainous region from the Alaska Peninsula to southern California is a zone of increased volcanic activity. The concentration of volcanoes is especially high in the Cascade Mountains in the northwestern United States. The eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980 was one of the most destructive in the United States. The islands of Hawaii are also famous for their volcanoes, for example, the Kilauea volcano has been erupting continuously since 1983. However, Hawaiian volcanoes do not pose a particular danger to the residents of the state. The states of Alaska and California, due to their location on the edge of the Ring of Fire, are prone to particularly strong earthquakes. The 1906 San Francisco earthquake and the 1964 Alaska earthquake were among the strongest in history. In addition to big destructive earthquakes, these states experience weaker impacts quite regularly, so all buildings have to be built earthquake resistant. The direct consequences of earthquakes are also tsunamis, which often hit the western coast of the United States.
Recently, due to dry summer periods, the state of California suffers from wildfires every year.
Statistics
Arctic conditions prevail in the tundra of northern Alaska, the minimum temperature recorded in these parts was -62 ° C. The highest temperatures in the United States were recorded in Death Valley in California, the thermometer there rose to 56.7 ° C, this is just a degree less than the world record recorded 9 years later in the Sahara.
The western states of the USA are known for their snowfalls, on average they get much more snow than anywhere else on earth. In the winter of 1998-99, about 29 meters of snow fell at one of the ski resorts in Washington state. The rainiest place in the United States is Hawaii, with 11,684 mm of precipitation annually on the island of Kauai. In contrast, the Mojave Desert has extremely low rainfall, averaging 66.8 mm per year.
The highest point in the United States is Mount McKinley in Alaska, its height is 6194 m (according to USGS). The lowest is Death Valley, Inyo County, California (-86 m).
Flora USA
A variety of climatic zones pass through the territory of the United States, and in some parts of this vast country a truly unique microclimate has developed in which an amazing flora has formed.
Of course, the economic development of the North American continent played its role, but it is enough large areas, about 30%, is currently covered by forests. Mainly dominated conifers- spruces, pines, firs. In the north-east of the country, there are massifs of mixed forests, where, in addition to coniferous trees, oaks, maples, plane trees, birches, ash trees, and sycamore trees grow. In the Mojave Desert there are also peculiar forests - cactus. In Alaska, the northernmost state of the United States, only mosses and lichens grow, in deserts and semi-deserts - shrubs, yucca, wormwood, quinoa, in alpine and subalpine meadows - heather and others flowering plants. Toward the south there are magnolias and rubber plants, on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico - mangrove forests, on the west coast - citrus trees, and in Hawaii - tropical jungles with palm trees, lianas, orchids and other exotic flora. The vegetation of national parks and reserves is also unique. More than 130 years old, Yellowstone National Park is home to 1,870 plant species, of which the vast majority are native species.
Most of the forests of the park are occupied by twisted broad-leaved pine. Also among the conifers can be noted Douglas fir, whitebark pine, Menzies pseudo-hemlock, Weymouth mountain pine. Grow in the undergrowth deciduous trees: birch, willow, aspen. Only in Yellowstone National Park can you find sand-loving abronia and agrotis grass. Everglades National Park has over 2,000 species of plants ( different types mangroves, mahogany, oaks, willows, cypresses, pines, ficuses, ink trees, etc.). Also, tropical swamps with 25 species of orchids have been preserved in their original form.
Mixed and coniferous forests grow in Zion National Park, desert and coastal vegetation is represented - a total of 450 species. There are 1,600 plant species in Yosemite National Park, of which 160 are endemic. Next to it is the Sequoia Park, where the tallest trees in the world grow. The highest sequoia called "Hyperion Height" has a height of 115.5 meters. The world's northernmost stretch of rainforest is in Olympic National Park. It is also the wettest area on the United States mainland.
Animal world USA
The rich fauna of the United States is mainly due to the vast expanses and careful conservation of nature, which has already suffered a lot of harm from man.
The fauna of the United States, although it has some similarities with the European one, however, the North American mainland also has its own unique animals. Animals common with Eurasia include deer, elk, wolves, hares, sables, ermines, wolverines, woodpeckers, owls, etc. Unique North American animals are porcupines, ilka martens, large flying squirrels, red squirrels, etc.
The nature of the animal world is mainly determined by climatic conditions and vegetation. In deciduous forests, black bears (baribals) and grizzly bears, virgin deer, red lynxes, cougars, possums, skunks, and chipmunks are common. Brown bears, lynxes, martens and wolverines live in mixed forests. In Alaska, seal and walrus rookeries are arranged. In the steppes, in addition to large artiodactyls (bison, deer, pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep), foxes, coyotes, badgers, ferrets are found. Bison were mercilessly exterminated by man for valuable skins, but at present they are under the protection of the law. Deserts are inhabited mainly by small mammals (marsupial rats, etc.), reptiles (snakes, lizards, iguanas), as well as insects (scorpions, spiders, etc.). In the tropical forests of the Gulf Coast, crocodiles and alligators are found, as well as anteaters, tree porcupines and marmosets. Coypu, muskrats, beavers, as well as amphibians - frogs, toads, newts live in reservoirs.
Birds living in the USA are very diverse. In the middle latitudes, you can watch owls, vultures, eagles, mockingbirds, cranes, snipe, peregrine falcons, cormorants. In the south of the country there are more exotic species- parrots, flamingos, pelicans, hummingbirds.
The fish world is mainly represented by salmon - only in the Yellowstone reserve there are 18 species of them. Near the Hawaiian Islands, 600 species of tropical fish coexist with turtles.
Extensive national parks and reserves help to preserve the huge species diversity of the animal world of the United States. The greatest species diversity of mammals, birds, fish and insects can be found in the national parks Yellowstone, Everglades, Zion (about 300 species of birds), Bryce Canyon (60 species of mammals and 160 species of birds), Santa Ana (the largest bird sanctuary). The world-famous Yellowstone Nature Reserve has the largest populations of bison, grizzly bears, cougars and wolverines. In the Everglades National Park, where tropical swamps have been preserved, Mississippian alligators and sharp-snouted crocodiles coexist, as well as numerous species of birds, including exotic ones.
North America is the third largest among the 6 continents of the planet Earth and is located in the north of the Western Hemisphere. The area of the entire continent, excluding nearby islands, is approximately 20.36 million km2 (with islands 24.25 million km2), which is approximately 14% of the total land area of the planet.
There are 23 states on the territory of the mainland. If you follow the link, you can see a complete list of countries and dependent states on the territory of the North American continent. And the population is approximately 500 million people, which is approximately 7% of total strength people on planet earth.
The mainland of North America is washed in the south by the Caribbean Sea, the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, in the west the coast of the mainland is washed by the Pacific Ocean, in the north the coast of the mainland is washed by the Arctic Ocean, and in the east the coast of the continent is washed by the Atlantic Ocean.
The length of the continent from north to south is 7326 km, and from west to east about 4700 km. North America and South America are separated by the Isthmus of Panama, and North America and Eurasia by the Bering Strait.
Extreme points of mainland North America
Extreme points of North America, which are located on the mainland:
1) The northernmost point on the mainland is Cape Murchison, which is part of the Kitikmeot region.
2) Most western point The mainland is Cape Prince of Wales, which is located on the Seward Peninsula in Alaska. An interesting fact is that this cape and the extreme continental point in the west of Eurasia (Cape Dezhnev) are separated by a distance of only 86 kilometers.
3) The extreme point of the mainland in the south is Cape Maryato, which is located on the Azuero Peninsula.
4) The extreme eastern point of the continent is Cape St. Charles, which is located on the Labrador Peninsula.
Relief of North America
The central part of the mainland of North America has many mountain ranges, of which the longest can be distinguished - the Cordillera de Talamanca, the Sierra Madre de Chiapas and the Cordillera Isabella. And between these mountain ranges are fertile valleys, where the bulk of the population of Guatemala, Honduras and Costa Rica lives.
In the east of the continent is the Appalachian mountain system, also on the mainland there are the Rocky and Cascade Mountains, the Cordillera Mountains.
On the territory of the mainland there are the Great Plains - this is a foothill plateau, which is located to the east when viewed from the Rocky Mountains, the Central Plains - plains that are located in the inner part of the mainland, as well as coastal lowlands. The height of the coastal lowlands does not exceed 200 meters, and in the coastal zone they are expressed as lagoons, bars, beaches and spits.
The central part of the mainland is characterized by rather high seismic activity, which is expressed in the form of volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.
Mount Denali is considered the highest point of the continent (until 2015 it was called McKinley), and the lowest point of the mainland is Death Valley, which is located at a level of 86 meters below sea level.
Climate of North America
The mainland of North America is located in the north in the western hemisphere, thus, the climate on the mainland varies from arctic to subequatorial. At the same time, the coastal regions of the continent have an oceanic climate, while the interior regions of the continent have a continental climate.
Since the mainland stretches from north to south for more than 7000 km, on the continent you can find all types of climate on the planet, except for the equatorial one. It is thanks to this that the animal and plant world of North America is so rich.
If you look at temperatures, then in the northernmost part of the mainland in winter the average temperature is -36 degrees Celsius, and in summer +4 degrees Celsius. At the same time, in the southernmost part of the mainland, the average temperature in winter is +20 degrees Celsius, and in summer +32 degrees Celsius.
The arctic climate is located in the northernmost part of the mainland. It is characterized by very cold winters and the almost complete absence of summer. On the hottest days, temperatures can rise slightly above 0 degrees Celsius.
This is followed by the subarctic zone, which is also characterized by very cold winters, but there is already a short-term summer. Somewhere in June, snow begins to melt and lasts for about a month warm weather. In summer the temperature can reach up to +16 degrees Celsius. In winter, approximately -24-40 degrees Celsius, winters are very long and cold, the maximum part of precipitation falls in summer.
The temperate zone covers the northern part of the United States and the southern part of Canada. The western part of the mainland in this belt is characterized by cool summers (+8+16 degrees Celsius) and relatively warm winters (0-16 degrees Celsius). In the central part of the mainland of this belt, the climate is very different. It is characterized by warmer summers (+16+24 degrees Celsius) and more cold winter(-8-32 degrees Celsius). The eastern part of the mainland in this belt has warm summers (+16+24 degrees Celsius) and warm winters (0-16 degrees Celsius).
The subtropical zone is located in the southern United States and northern Mexico. This zone is characterized by hotter summers and warmer winters. The central part of the mainland, which is located in the subtropical zone, has proven itself to be unfavorable climate conditions. There is a problem of desert growth and climate dryness.
The tropical climate covers the central part of North America. It is characterized by hot summers (+16 to +32°C) and warm winters (+8 to +24°C). There is little rainfall.
The subequatorial belt occupies a small area in the very south of the continent. The climate here is hot. Throughout the year, the air temperature stays above 20 degrees. Precipitation is plentiful and mostly in summer.
Inland waters of North America
The North American continent is rich in both rivers and lakes. The longest river system in North America is the Mississippi River. Its length reaches 3770 kilometers. The largest reserves of fresh water on the mainland are concentrated in the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes include five large lakes: Michigan, Superior, Huron, Ontario and Erie (sometimes a sixth lake, St. Clair, is added), the total area of \u200b\u200bwhich is approximately 244,106 kilometers.
All rivers of the mainland North America belong to the basins of the Arctic, Pacific and Atlantic oceans.
The territory of the mainland is irrigated rather unevenly. This is due to several reasons, including climatic and orographic. Most of the mainland's rivers have both transport and hydropower significance.
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In view of the variety of relief forms, North America has large reserves of minerals, many of which are classified as rare.
mainland plains
The mainland plains are located on a very ancient North American platform, which consists of Precambrian crystalline shields. The northern plains are located within the Canadian Shield.
On these plains there are a large number of freshwater lakes, which form the southern and western borders of this shield. The lakes were formed here as a result of plowing depressions during the Ice Age.
To the south are the central plains, the average height of which becomes 200 m above sea level. These plains are composed of continental and marine rocks.
In the extreme south, the central plains give way to the Mississippi lowlands. From the central plains to the foot of the Cordeliers, vast areas of the Great Plains stretch.
These plains have a stepped shape, their height above sea level increases in a westerly direction.
Mountains of North America
The Appalachian Mountains are located in the southeast of the mainland. They belong to the category of restored folded-blocky mountains, which were formed in the era of the Hercynian orogeny. The highest point of this mountain system is Mount Mitchell, whose height reaches 2300 m.
A characteristic feature of the Appalachian mountains are rounded peaks and gentle slopes. Along the Pacific coast of North America are the Cordilleras.
The mountain system of the Cordeliers is divided into two parts, which are interconnected by highlands and high plateaus. The highest peak of the Cordeliers is Mount McKinley (6195 m).
The formation of the mountain system took place in two stages. The formation began in the Mesozoic era, the mountains were finally formed in the middle Cenozoic.
The Cordelier mountain system includes the volcanic Mexican Highlands, the Colorado Plateau, the Mexican Plateau, and the Great Basin Plateau.
Minerals of North America
In the bowels of North America there are huge reserves of a wide variety of minerals. Large reserves of non-ferrous and ferrous ores, nickel, uranium and gold are concentrated in the northern territories of the mainland.
The largest iron ore industrial region is located on the shores of Lake Superior. Oil-bearing regions are located on the territory of Alaska, on the shelf and coast of the Gulf of Mexico, on the territory of the Great Plains, on the coast of the Arctic Ocean.
In the valleys of the Appalachians are coal basins. In the Cordeliers, springs of non-ferrous metal ores are concentrated: silver, zinc, lead and copper, as well as phosphorites. The flat areas are rich in natural gas basins.
Relief of America: The relief of North and South America is very diverse - each continent has its own complete plan of geographical zoning, including the zones of the oceanic and inland sectors. However, both continents have a number of common natural features. Northern and South America unites the presence of a single mountain system Cordillera. Due to the existence of this system, both continents are characterized by a meridional orientation of the main elements of orography and asymmetry - the central and eastern parts of these continents are either plains or plateaus, while the western edges have a mountainous relief. The Cordilleras are a bridge between the two continents, facilitating the exchange of flora and fauna, due to which there are certain similarities in the floristic and faunal composition between North and South America.Relief of North America
The western part of the mainland is occupied by the Cordillera mountain system, the highest point of which is Mount McKinley (6193 m), the eastern part is vast plains, plateaus, and medium-altitude mountains. In the northeast of North America - the Laurentian Upland. The hinterland is the (high) Great Plains and the (low) Central Plains. The central, large, part of North America is occupied by the Precambrian North American (Canadian) platform. The eastern edge of the mainland is bordered by mountain uplifts of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, Labrador, and the Appalachians. Along the southeast coast there are coastal lowlands - the Atlantic and the Mexican.
Relief of South America
The western part of South America is occupied by the vast Andes mountain belt, the central and eastern parts are lowlands and plateaus on the Precambrian South American platform. However, unlike North America, South America is a very warm continent. The equator crosses it almost in the middle, and therefore landscapes of the equatorial, subequatorial and tropical zones are developed in the predominant part of the territory. The asymmetry inherent in the relief is manifested both in climatic conditions, and in the river network, and in the location of natural zones. Humid and warm air masses coming from the Atlantic Ocean dominate the northern and central regions of the Out-Andean East, and therefore the most humid landscapes are located in the east. In the wide northern part of the mainland is one of the largest lowlands on the planet - the Amazon. The Amazon River originates in the Andes, not far from the Pacific coast, and flows east across the mainland, flowing into the Atlantic Ocean. In this part of the mainland there are other large river systems - the Parana and Orinoco rivers.
Andes - a complex mountain system that stretches along the entire west coast South America. Almost throughout the Andes, they consist of parallel, very high (up to 6000 m) folded ridges - the Eastern, Central, Western and Coastal Cordilleras, between which there are lower sections - intermountain basins, sometimes narrow, sometimes expanding in the form of plateaus.
The high-mountainous Central Andean Highlands (Pune) is a vast area of low relief, squeezed on all sides by high, more than 6000 m, ridges of the Andes. The average height of Pune exceeds 4000 - 4600 m, and the width is about 600 km. Sections of volcanic plateaus alternate with flat plains (Altiplano), which represent the bottom of the former giant lake. Its remnants are Lake Titicaca at an altitude of 3812 m (the greatest of the alpine lakes in the world) with a depth of up to 304 m and Lake Poopo.
To the north of the Amazonian lowland is the Guiana Plateau up to 3014 m high. To the south of the Amazonian lowland, the surface rises again. Here, on the ledge of the South American platform, the Brazilian plateau was formed up to 2890 m high. Its relief is very heterogeneous - from almost table-like plateaus in the center to high flat-topped mountains in the east.
To the south of the Brazilian Highlands stretches the wide Laplat lowland, along which the Parana River flows.
Topic 3. North America
History of the development of the territory of North America
Tectonic structure of North America
The ancient North American Platform occupies inner part mainland, except for the Cordilleras and Appalachians and the southwestern part of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. It accounts for ¾ of the mainland and part of the islands. The Canadian Shield occupies the northeastern part of the platform with the basement exposed to the surface. The North American Plate is the rest of the southwestern part of the platform, where the basement is overlain by Paleo-, Meso- and Cenozoic deposits. Features of similarity with the Russian platform and the Baltic Shield.
In the northeast and southeast, the platform is closed by Paleozoic structures. Caledonides: Northern Appalachians, north and east of Greenland, on the island of Newfoundland. Hercynides - in the southern Appalachians, the mountains of Boston, Washita and in the north of the Canadian Arctic archipelago.
To the west is the Meso-Cenozoic geosynclinal Cordillera region, continuing further south into South America. This area includes the islands of the West Indies.
Relief of North America
Within North America, four large morphostructural regions can be distinguished, which have different tectonic regimes and, as a result, different types of relief megaforms.
1. Plains and uplands of platform areas (northern, central and southern parts of the mainland) extend from the Arctic to the Gulf of Mexico. Includes most of the Canadian Shield, the North American Platform Plate, and the platform with the Hercynian folded base.
The largest geomorphological region of this territory is Laurentian Upland, which occupies the entire mainland of the Canadian Shield. Where high-strength rocks enter the surface, low, ridged ridges have arisen. All this gives the hill a wavy character. This waviness is complicated by glacial and water-glacial forms - moraines, drumlins, eskers. Bedrock, coming to the surface, form sheep's foreheads, curly rocks. Lakes are an indispensable element of the landscape. The average height is 300-400 meters. The lowlands of Hudson Bay and Mackenzie adjoin the Laurentian Uplands. The surface is completely flat, swampy. Forms of glacial accumulation are distinctly expressed. In connection with the spread of permafrost, thermokarst processes are developed. On the Banks and Victoria Islands and on the Melville and Boothia Peninsulas, areas of basement plains alternate with stratified lowlands and plateaus up to 500 m high.
Central Plains(in the USA - lowlands) from 200 to 500 m high, correspond to the southern part of the North American platform, composed mainly of layers of Paleozoic sedimentary rocks. The rocks form anteclises and syneclises. Large anteclises form uplands or low mountains (Ozark Hills - 760 m). Syneclises are less pronounced; cuestas form in their marginal parts. The cuest ledge of Silurian dolomites is very interesting. It stretches from the Appalachian foothills to the northwest for more than 800 km. Between lakes Erie and Ontario, the famous Niagara Falls falls from this ledge.
In the northern part of the plains, signs of recent glaciation are distinct: terminal moraine ridges, outwash plains, accumulations of kams. South of 44-42 0 N glacial deposits are overlain by loess. The surface of the watershed areas becomes flat, but there are a lot of ravines in the riverine areas.
South of 45 0, along with erosional dissection, karst landforms are widely developed. At the southeastern edge of the Central Plains lies the world's largest Mammoth Cave. The length of its underground galleries reaches 225 km.
great plains characterized by a significant thickness of sedimentary rocks, great height surface and represent a system of stepped reservoir plateaus with a common level of surfaces, decreasing from the Cordillera to the east. A striking feature of the relief of the Great Plains is the combination of various erosional forms: gullies, ravines. The slopes of neighboring ravines, intersecting, form an endless interweaving of ridges there. These are "bad lands", completely unsuitable for economic use. The north of the plains was affected by glaciation, there are many lakes, sandy-clay material. In the middle part of the plains there is a thick layer of loess-like loams. In the southern part, the plains are dissected by a network of gorges, up to 200-300 meters deep. There are also karst forms here.
Coastal lowlands - their structure involves layers of Cretaceous, Paleogene, Neogene and Quaternary deposits lying on the Hercynian base. The inclination of the seams to the south caused the formation of cuesta ledges. Significant waterlogging. The presence of vast lagoons separated from the ocean by sandy spits.
2. Restored mountains in the areas of the Precambrian and Paleozoic basement (Greenland and the northeastern part of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago). According to the structure of the geological foundation, this area is close to the previous one. Specific forms of mega-relief arose due to active young movements of the earth's crust. Large landforms arose during the formation of the basins of the Arctic Ocean and adjacent seas. Alpine relief arose on the structures of the Precambrian shield. The East Greenland Mountains are highly dissected mountain ranges with glacial forms, up to 3700 m high. From the east they are framed by high foothill plateaus. The entire system of mountains and plateaus is dissected by a dense network of fjords.
Another belt of mountains stretches perpendicular to the first along the northern shores of Greenland. Its continuation is the mountains stretching from Ellesmere Island to Melville Island. The peculiarity of the territory is also explained by active modern glaciation. ice shield Greenland has a height of 3150 m. Forms associated with frosty weathering, thermokarst, and solifluction are widespread on the western islands.
3. Rejuvenated mountains in the area of the Paleozoic basement (Appalachian mountains). The modern Appalachian mountains arose as a result of the uplift of part of the Paleozoic folded belt in the Cretaceous-Cenozoic time. The belt of uplifts covered only the western edge of the mountains and the part of the platform adjacent to the west. The predominant surface type of the Appalachians is denuded plateaus. The mountain relief is confined to the Lower Paleozoic folded structures. Such is the group of blocky and folded-blocky ridges, known as the Blue Ridge, up to 2040 m high, as well as the White and Green Mountains. The mid-mountain relief is located to the west of the Blue Ridge and is represented by wide longitudinal valleys and short narrow ridges. The mountain ranges are bordered by foothills - the Appalachian plateau in the west by the Piedmont foothill plain. The relief of the northern Appalachians has been greatly altered by the Quaternary glaciation.
Climate of North America
climate-forming factors
a) Features of the position of the mainland: most of it is located in temperate latitudes, enters the Arctic latitudes as a dissected insular part, enters the hot zone (mostly in the subtropical zone) as a tapering and insular part.
b) Features of the circulation of air masses associated with the position of the mainland (in temperate latitudes, western transfer).
c) The peculiarity of orography - the trough-like relief scheme causes unstable weather in the middle meridional zone, the internal intermountain depressions of the Cordilleras are isolated from sea air masses; the meridional location of the ridges limits the influence from the west. Cold waves can reach the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, where hoarfrost falls at night; westerly winds bring warm air into the Great Plains (this wind is called the "chinook"), which prevents the formation of a stable snow cover in winter.
d) ocean currents.
e) The nature of the dissection of the coasts also introduces originality into climatic features.
pressure systems
AT winter time due to overcooling of the land, three baric maxima are set: Canadian (near the Arctic Circle), North American (over the mainland in the western part of 40 0 N), and Greenland (over Greenland).
In the areas of dominance of warm currents there are baric minima: the Icelandic one is sharply expressed, the spurs of which enter the Davis Strait; and at the same latitude, the Aleutian Low, which is weaker than the Icelandic Low, since the Alaska Current is weaker than the Gulf Stream. The Aleutian Low affects the mainland less, as it is isolated from the interior land areas by the Cordillera.
In subtropical latitudes, the North Atlantic and North Pacific maxima (in the zones of the Canary and California cold currents) occupy the extreme southern position and are weakly expressed, so the pressure in their areas is lower than over the mainland. These highs merge with the Canadian and North American highs.
AT summer time- due to the heating of the mainland, a baric depression (North American minimum) is established over its southwestern part, and the North American and Canadian maxima disappear, over Greenland a baric maximum will remain due to the dominance of low temperatures all year round.
The Icelandic low weakens and shifts to the west - it gives a spur to the northeastern part of the mainland (near the southwestern outskirts of Greenland), where at this time relatively warm air masses are formed compared to the ice in Greenland and Hudson Bay. The Aleutian minimum practically ceases to exist due to the warming of the adjacent land areas.
Oceanic anticyclones (North Atlantic and North Pacific) are shifting from subtropical latitudes to the north to 40 0 N, and the Hawaiian maximum, intensified by the cold California current, has a special effect on the western coasts of the mainland.
Air mass circulation
Continental air masses form over the mainland: temperate and tropical. Due to the meridional location of the ridges, the boundary of these air masses easily moves either north or south, causing sharp cooling or warming in the interior.
Marine air masses penetrate deeper into the mainland from the east than from the west.
In winter time- sharply uneven heating of the southern part in comparison with the sharp cooling of the northern part. The pronounced Icelandic low reaches the northeastern part of the mainland, which causes cyclones along the eastern shores, and sometimes inside the mainland. The weaker Aleutian Low brings cyclones only to a narrow coastal strip of inundated coasts. Weakly pronounced subtropical maxima over the oceans in the presence of an anticyclone over the mainland lead to the transfer of continental air masses to the Atlantic. But due to the instability of the anticyclone, this monsoon character of the winds is not pronounced.
Central America and the West Indies are in the zone of trade wind circulation under the influence of northeasterly winds in the area of the North Atlantic High.
In summer time- The North Atlantic High in its northern position extends to the southeastern margin of the continent. As a result, marine tropical air masses rush to the northwest and north into the zone of baric depression above the mainland, creating monsoonal circulation over the south of the mainland. This air flow further rushes to the northeastern margin of the mainland, where it is sucked in by the spurs of the Icelandic low.
The North Pacific anticyclone affects only the northwestern margin of the continent, where, due to the general planetary circulation, marine air masses of temperate latitudes enter.
In Central America, tropical air masses from the Atlantic come to the northern part, and from the Pacific Ocean to the south in the form of the southwest equatorial monsoon.
Temperature distribution
AT winter time- the greatest frosts are observed in the center of Greenland (cf. -55 0). There is no cold pole in North America. In the interior of the mainland, frosts are more severe than on the coasts: in the Hudson Bay area -25 0, at the same latitude to the east -15, on the western coast 0 0 due to the Alaska Current. In the interior regions, the 0th isotherm reaches 350 N, and reaches the eastern coast near New York. At 30 0 s.l. temperatures on the coasts are equalized (12 0). In the southern parts of Central America in winter, the average temperature reaches 25 0 .
AT summer time- negative temperatures (up to -15 0) remain in Greenland. On the mainland, they vary from 5 0 in the north to 25 0 in the south. The "Pole of Heat" is located above the southern part of the Cordillera. Death Valley recorded the highest temperature in the Western Hemisphere (+57 0). The second region of temperature anomalies in the summer months is the northeastern part of the mainland. The isotherms moving south reflect the strong influence of the cold ocean here. In mountainous areas, the temperature decreases with height, with the exception of heated intermountain basins.
Precipitation distribution
In the interior of the mainland, the amount of precipitation decreases from east to west and from south to north.
More than 1000 mm / year receive:
a) Pacific coast north of 40 0 N (up to 2000 mm), precipitation is brought by southwest winds under the influence of the Hawaiian anticyclone;
b) The southeast of the mainland and most of the West Indies (1000-2000 mm) - due to the summer rains brought by the trade winds, due to the strengthening of the North Atlantic maximum.
Less than 300 mm / year of precipitation is received by: the northern parts of the Arctic archipelago and the northern coast of California (general planetary pattern).
Climatic zoning
1. arctic belt occupies Greenland, most of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and the northern coast of the mainland to the Arctic Circle. All year round arctic air masses dominate here. As a result, stable frosts in winter are from -35 0 to -55 0, and in summer the temperature almost never rises above 0 0. Throughout the year there is a lot of cloudiness, fogs and snow storms. Polar night up to 5 months. Precipitation 300 mm. Moisture coefficient 1-2.
2. subarctic belt it is washed out by a continuous wide strip, in the south it reaches 58 0 n. and only in the extreme west, due to the influence of the Pacific Ocean, does it rise about 62 0. . The amount of precipitation throughout the belt is low. There is a seasonal change of air masses: arctic air dominates in winter, temperate air in summer. White nights are characteristic, and days are very short in winter. The following areas are distinguished:
Oceanic areas in the west and east in the coastal margins of the mainland. There are 2 of these regions, but they are qualitatively close. Winter is measured by the influence of the oceans: -15-20 0 , in summer + 15+20 0 . Moisture coefficient 1.5-2.
Continental region in the center of the mainland. Continental air masses dominate: moderate in summer, arctic in winter. Winter is more severe (-30 0). In summer, temperatures are close to those in oceanic areas. Moisture coefficient 0.8-1.5.
3. Temperate zone it crosses the mainland in a wide strip, its border in the south reaches 42 0 in the west and up to 38 0 in the east. The air of temperate latitudes dominates all year round, however, in summer there are episodic intrusions of tropical air masses from the south, and in winter - arctic air masses from the north. Unstable weather is characteristic. The following climatic regions are distinguished:
Atlantic region (northern Appalachians, Labrador and New Foundland). In winter, continental air masses dominate and frosts are up to -20 0 . In summer, oceanic air masses bring precipitation from the Atlantic, north of 40 0 N.L. under the influence of the Labrador current, the summer is cool, to the south - under the influence of the Gulf Stream, - above 20 0 . The coast is often foggy. Moisture coefficient 1.2 -1.6.
Continental region (inland areas, including the Cordillera, which are sometimes distinguished as an independent region). A harsh winter is associated with an anticyclone, the invasion of cyclones from the north brings snow storms. In summer, the temperatures are less resistant to the penetration of air from the north, then from the south. In the mountains, the altitudinal climatic zonality is clearly expressed, as well as the conditionality of the climatic features of the exposures of the slopes. Moisture coefficient 08-1.2. The Great Plains are often affected by drought. During the passage of cyclones, strong dry winds arise here. Waving loose sands, they raise hundreds of tons of dust into the air and carry it to the eastern shores of the mainland. Clouds of dust sometimes become so thick that at noon the streets have to be turned on. Cyclones are associated with frequent destructive tornadoes (tornadoes) that occur during the passage of frontal areas. Tornadoes have a diameter of 10 m to 1.5 km. The speed of the wind directed upward along the spiral, around the axis of the vortex, often reaches 100 m per second
The Pacific region (the coast west of the Cordillera) is an oceanic climate as a result of year-round dominance of oceanic air masses. In winter, the temperature is about 0 0 and heavy rainfall, summer is cool. Moisture coefficient 1-5.
4.subtropical belt extends in the south to 30 0 N, approaching the peninsulas of Florida and California. Seasonal change of air masses: tropical air prevails in summer, air of temperate latitudes dominates in winter. The following climatic regions are distinguished:
Southeast coast region. It is dominated by a subtropical monsoon climate influenced by the seasonal change of winds. Summer precipitation is dominated by eastern winds. Moisture coefficient 1.2 -1,
area of uniform moisture. Summer monsoon rains coming from the Gulf of Mexico are combined with winter cyclonic rainfall. Summers are humid due to southeasterly winds, winters are cold and snowy.
Lakes of North America
1. Lakes that arose as a result of Quaternary glaciation and are located in the north of the mainland - on the Laurentian Upland and in the adjacent Central and Great Plains. The contours of a significant part of them are oriented towards the centers of degradation of the Wisconsin glaciation. All of them are fresh, flowing. The most significant lakes of this type are Big Bear, Big Slave, Winnipeg, Athabasca, Deer, Winnipegosis, Manitoba. On the shores of the Arctic Ocean, along with glacial there are many small rounded thermokarst lakes. There are especially many of them on Victoria Island and in the north of Alaska.
2.Mountain glacial lakes Rocky Mountains of Canada and the Fraser Plateau. These are narrow finger-shaped lakes located in trough valleys.
3.Volcanic lakes The Cordilleras are deep and formed in the calderas and craters of the Aleutian Range and the Cascade Mountains. The most famous Crater Lake in the Cascade Mountains has a depth of about 600 m.
4.lava dam lakes are found in the south of the Mexican Highlands, many of them dry out. A similar lake is Yellowstone in the Rocky Mountains.
5.Residual lakes preserved in the tectonic basins of the Great Basin. These are the Great Salt Lake, Utah, Pyramids, Sever. Most of them are relics of very large Pleistocene freshwater lakes. Having lost their runoff to the ocean, almost all of them (except Utah Lake, which has a runoff to the Great Salt Lake) became salty. The salinity of the water in the Great Salt Lake is 270%.
6.Lagoon lakes are found in the oceanic parts of the Coastal Lowlands. Many of them have complex origins. So, in the Mississippi Delta, soil subsidence plays an important role in the formation of lakes (the largest subsiding lake Pochartrain).
7. On the Florida peninsula there are small, rounded and deep karst lakes.
Topic 3. North America
Geographic location of North America
Geographical position - all in the northern hemisphere and the entire mainland in the western hemisphere. The mainland is widest in temperate latitudes.
Extreme points: in the north - cape Murchison (on the Butia Peninsula), in the south - cape Maryato, in the east cape St. Charles, in the west cape Prince of Wales. The area, together with the islands, is 24 ¼ million km 2, without the islands 20 1/3.
