NORTH AMERICA FOR UPSC
NORTH AMERICA PHYSICAL POLITICAL
NORTH AMERICA POLITICAL
NORTH AMERICA CLIMATE ECONOMY:
North America, the third-largest of all continents, extends from the tiny Aleutian Islands in the northwest near bering sea on border with asian Russia near international dateline to the Isthmus of Panama(linking carribean sea and pacific ocean in the south.
At Panama’s narrowest part, the continent is just 50 kilometers (31 miles) across. The continent includes the enormous island of Greenland in the northeast and the small island countries and territories that dot the Caribbean Sea and western North Atlantic.
NORTH AMERICA AGRICULTURE & INDUSTRY
NORTH AMERICA CLIMATE ECONOMY:
Agriculture
From the freezing Arctic to the tropical jungles of Central America, North America enjoys more climate variation than any other continent. Almost every type of ecosystem is represented somewhere on the continent, from coral reefs in the Caribbean to the ice sheet in Greenland. These differences contribute to North America's variety of agricultural industries, which are often divided by climate zone: tropical zone, subtropical zone, cool temperate zone, and dry zone.
The extent of the continent is responsible for the variety of climatic zones. These differences in climate contribute to a variety of agricultural industries in North America, which are often divided by climate zone: tropical zone, subtropical zone, cool temperate zone, and dry zone. North America is a major exporter of many foods and cash crops.
Despite the fact that only a meagre proportion of the total workforce is engaged in agriculture, America's agriculture is the most productive in the world. A significant amount of North American agriculture had become extensively mechanised and heavily dependent upon an integrated system of supporting agribusinesses, although traditional practices still exist in Mexico.
An extensive agriculture system is practised in Canada and USA. Both Canada and USA contribute significantly to wheat export. Wheat, Corn (Maize), Oats, Soybean, Barley and many other food crops are grown throughout the vast interior plains. North Americans cultivate grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables, and plants for clothing and other non-food uses. Primetime farmers mostly practice monoculture, i.e. cultivating a single crop for their primary income in a very large area. Some small farms, along with other occupations, run some small farms.
TROPICAL ZONES OF NORTH AMERICA, farmers harvest oranges, sugar cane, coffee, cocoa, and bananas. These crops grow on coastal plains and humid mountain slopes. Cotton and hemp are cultivated in the warmer and drier intermediate climate zone. These crops are important exports for Central American countries.
Fruits, vegetables, cotton, and tobacco are predominant in the warm, subtropical zones of northern Mexico and the United States. Important agricultural areas in this zone include the Rio Grande Valley (citrus fruits) in the U.S. state of Texas and Mexico, California's Central Valley (fruits and vegetables), the Gulf Coastal Plain (vegetables), and the sandy valleys of the Appalachian Mountains (cotton and tobacco). These areas benefit from ample rain and warm air currents.
Agriculture in North America's tropical and subtropical zones is threatened by monoculture. Monoculture is the practice of growing one crop in an area over a long period of time. Monoculture is a risky way of farming for two reasons. First, the soil may lose its nutrients. The nitrogen and phosphates in the soil do not have time to accumulate if the field is not allowed to be fallow, or rest. Planting other, less-intensive crops can also help the soil recover its natural nutrients. The second reason monoculture puts crops at risk is the possibility of disease. A disease affecting a single species of plant could devastate an entire crop, and the community's livelihood. Planting a variety of crops minimizes the risk of disease.
The continent's cool temperate zones are ideal for hardy fruits, such as apples and peaches. Important agricultural areas in this climate include: the Finger Lakes region of New York in the U.S.; the Niagara Peninsula in the Canadian province of Ontario; the Columbia River basin in the U.S. state of Washington and the Canadian province of British Columbia; and the valleys of the Appalachian Mountains. These areas benefit from excellent drainage and predictable, established frosts.
Cool temperate zones - The Dairy Belt, Corn Belt, and Wheat Belt are three agricultural areas in the continent's cool temperate zones.
Dairy animals, including cows, goats, and sheep, feed on the hay and hardy small grains that thrive in New England and the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence region along the Atlantic coast. This is the Dairy Belt.
The Corn Belt, located between the Ohio River and the lower Missouri River, receives ample water and strong summer sun, ideal for corn and soybeans.
West of the Corn Belt, the Wheat Belt stretches from the U.S. state of Kansas through the Canadian Prairie provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. This vast area of the Great Plains allows wheat to be cultivated in both winter and spring.
Dry zones, common in the southwestern U.S. and northern Mexico, are ideally suited for livestock ranching. Ranches with thousands of cattle are common in this region. Traditionally, livestock fed on locally grown fodder such as prairie grasses. However, irrigation for fruit and cotton farming has drained water supplies in the region. Native grasses cannot nourish the huge herds of livestock kept by ranchers. Cattle, sheep, hogs, and other livestock are less likely to graze than to eat corn-based feed. In fact, most of the corn grown in the Corn Belt is feeder corn used for livestock feed.
Agriculture
Wheat
European settlers in North America introduced wheat. It is grown extensively in the Prairies (temperate grassland) of North America. North America is the largest exporter of wheat. Vast wheat-producing areas are called wheat belts.
Wheat is the staple food in Western diets. In the southern part of North America, the primary crop is winter wheat. It is planted in the fall, is dormant during the winter, completes its growth in spring, and is harvested in midsummer.
Spring wheat needs about 100–130 days to grow, while growing winter wheat takes about 180–250 days. Winter wheat growth time includes up to 90 days during the colder months when it goes dormant.
Maize
Maize is the Native Food Crop of North America which is the main staple food grain in Mexico. It is grown in the southern Prairies. North America produces more than half of the world's total maize.
The United States is the largest producer of maize in the world.
The maize/corn belt (areas where corn is grown) is located between the Ohio River and the lower Missouri River. It receives ample water and strong summer sun, ideal for corn and soybeans.
Maize requires a longer growing season than wheat, so areas where it can be grown economically are limited.
In fact, most of the corn grown in the Corn belt is feeder corn used as livestock feed, although a considerable amount is processed into human foods as well. Cattle, sheep, hogs, and other livestock are less likely to graze than eat corn-based feed.
Barley and Oats
Despite being one of the important crops of North America, it does not shape the region's economy as rice and wheat do.
They are temperate crops, and they can withstand the cold climate and requires less water. The Barley is cultivated in the United States and is produced in Minnesota, North Dakota and Washington. Barley and Oats are used as livestock feed.
Cotton
Cotton requires a long growing season and relatively high rainfall levels; therefore, it is generally grown in the southern United States, often referred to as the Cotton Belt.
Cotton grows well in black soil. Warm summers with frequent rainfall and fertile soil are favourable conditions for the growth of the cotton crop.
Major industries in North America are:
- Iron and Steel Industry
- Heavy Engineering Industries
- Wood Pulp and Paper Industry
- Textiles Industry
- The Meat-Packing Industry
Iron and Steel Industry
The North American continent is the world's most important Iron and Steel industrial centre. Industries manufacturing Iron and Steel require Iron Ore, Coal and cheap transportation.
The important centres of the Iron and Steel industries are Pittsburgh, Chicago and Birmingham in the United States and Hamilton in Canada.
Heavy Engineering Industries:
Cheap availability of coal and steel nourished heavy engineering industries to flourish in North America.
- Heavy Industries are industries that:
- Require heavy and bulky raw materials
- Uses enormous amounts of power
- Involves huge investment and large transport costs
These industries heavily depend on the Iron and Steel industry.
Important Heavy Industries:
Automobile industries, aircraft industries, ship building industries, Railway Wagon industries and farm equipment industries.
USA is one of the largest producer of automobiles.
Wood Pulp and Paper Industry
North America produces about 50 per cent of the world’s wood pulp and newsprint. Canada is the largest producer and exporter of all kinds of paper in the world. Paper industries are particularly concentrated in Ontario in Canada. Some of the largest paper mills are found in these temperate rain forests.
Textiles Industry
The textiles industry of North America manufactures all kinds of textiles like cotton, woolen, and synthetic.
The industries are mainly located in Texas, California, Arizona, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana. Toronto, Cornwell and Kingston are the major textile centres in Canada.
Moreover, the yarn does not frequently break as the area's cool and wet climate is most suitable for spinning and weaving. The Woolen Textile industries are located in the east of the Alleghany Plateau.
The New England region contains 70% of woollen textile industries. North America is the second-largest producer of synthetic fibres. Rayon and other synthetic fibres are made up of cellulose obtained from wood Pulp.
The Meat-Packing Industry
This is one of the most important industry in Canada and the USA, where cattle rearing is done on a large scale in the Prairies. The rich grazing lands in Prairies support a huge population of Cattle. Chicago, Kansas City, Saint Louis in the United States and Calgary and Winnipeg in Canada are the important meat-packing centres.
North America famous rivers, lakes & other water bodies:
NORTH AMERICA CLIMATE ECONOMY:
North American famous rivers, lakes & other water bodies:
- The Mississippi River is the longest or second-longest in North America, depending on how you count. (The Missouri River could be considered longer.) Referred to by Abraham Lincoln as “the father of waters,” the Mississippi begins at Lake Itasca, Minnesota, and flows 2,340 miles to a vast delta on the Gulf of Mexico, forming portions of ten state borders and the world’s third-largest drainage basin. The Mississippi picks up numerous major tributaries including the Illinois, Missouri, Ohio, Arkansas, and Red Rivers, and flows past numerous major cities, including Minneapolis, St. Louis, Memphis, and New Orleans.
- The Colorado River is the most significant river of the southwestern United States. Beginning in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, the Colorado River runs southwest for 1,450 miles to the Gulf of California in northwestern Mexico. The Colorado formed numerous canyons along much of its length, most notably the Grand Canyon in Arizona. The Colorado also has significant dams, including Hoover Dam near Las Vegas (forming Lake Mead) and Glen Canyon Dam in Arizona (forming Lake Powell).
- The Ohio River flows 981 miles through a significant industrial region of the central United States. Historically seen as the border between the northern and southern United States, the Ohio is formed in downtown Pittsburgh by the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers, flowing past Wheeling, Cincinnati, Louisville, and Evansville, forming borders of five states before emptying into the Mississippi at Cairo, Illinois. Other major tributaries of the Ohio include the Kanawha, Kentucky, Tennessee, Wabash, and Cumberland Rivers.
- The Columbia River is a vital waterway of the Pacific Northwest. Rising in the Rockies of British Columbia, the Columbia flows through Lake Revelstoke before entering Washington state. Grand Coulee Dam along the Columbia in Washington forms Lake Roosevelt. When it was completed in 1943, Grand Coulee was the largest hydroelectric plant in the world; it is still America’s largest electric power plant. The Columbia receives the Yakima and Snake Rivers before forming much of the Washington-Oregon border, receiving the Willamette River in Portland before emptying into the Pacific where Lewis and Clark sighted the ocean.
- The St. Lawrence River drains the Great Lakes and serves as a major waterway of eastern Canada. First explored and named by Jacques Cartier in the early 16th century, the St. Lawrence emerges from the northeastern corner of Lake Ontario in the Thousand Islands archipelago, forming the border between Ontario and New York. The St. Lawrence receives the Ottawa and Saguenay Rivers and flows through Montréal and Quebec City. At its mouth, the Gulf of St. Lawrence is one of the world’s largest estuaries.
- The Hudson River has been a historically significant American river since the early 17th century. Named for the English explorer Henry Hudson, it flows 315 miles through eastern New York state. After receiving the Mohawk River, the Hudson flows past New York’s capital, Albany, and West Point before forming the boundary between Manhattan and New Jersey. The Hudson is also culturally significant as an inspiration for Washington Irving and the Hudson River School of American landscape painters.
- The Missouri River is formed in western Montana by the confluence of the Jefferson, Madison, and Gallatin Rivers. It flows past Bismarck, North Dakota and Kansas City before emptying into the Mississippi just north of St. Louis. Lewis and Clark used the Missouri as a route for exploration of the Louisiana Purchase. The Missouri is regulated by a number of major dams, including Fort Peck in Montana and Oahe Dam in South Dakota.
Northward-flowing rivers—such as the Yukon, Mackenzie, Red River of the North, and Nelson and the rivers of eastern Canada—freeze in winter. Because their upper courses then thaw before the lower sections are free of ice, their lower (northern) reaches frequently flood, especially if the thaw is late enough to coincide with early summer rains. The St. Lawrence runs high in spring and early summer, because any winter precipitation in its drainage basin falls on a frozen surface and serves to heighten runoff during the spring thaw.
NORTH AMERICA Physical
NORTH AMERICA CLIMATE ECONOMY:
North America, the third-largest of all continents, extends from the tiny Aleutian Islands in the northwest near bering sea on border with asian Russia near international dateline to the Isthmus of Panama(linking carribean sea and pacific ocean in the south. At Panama’s narrowest part, the continent is just 50 kilometers (31 miles) across. he continent includes the enormous island of Greenland in the northeast and the small island countries and territories that dot the Caribbean Sea and western North Atlantic.
North America can be divided into five physical regions:
- The mountainous west,
- The great plains, the canadian shield,
- The varied eastern region, and the caribbean.
- Mexico and
- Central america’s western coast are connected to the mountainous west, while its lowlands and coastal plains extend into the eastern region.
The mountainous west, - Rockies, the young mountain range,(cordillera) running in parallel formation from Canada to mexico, passing through USA, reaching the isthmus of panama, is the major feature.
The Sierra Madre mountain system is part of the Cordilleras & are volcanic in nature. The Sierra Madre stretch from the southwestern United States to Honduras. Some mountains are really young.
Great Plains
The Great Plains lie in the middle of the continent. Deep, rich soil blankets large areas of the plains in Canada and the United States making them the “Breadbasket of North America,” feeds a large part of the world. The Great Plains are also home to rich deposits of oil and natural gas. The grassland or prairie regions of the Great Plains make up the largest biome in North America.
Canadian Shield
The Canadian Shield is a raised but relatively flat plateau. It extends over eastern, central, and northwestern Canada. The Canadian Shield is characterized by a rocky landscape pocked by an astounding number of lakes.
The tundra, stretching along the northern borders of Alaska and Canada to the Hudson Bay area, is a biome common to the Canadian Shield.
Canadian Shield
The Canadian Shield is a raised but relatively flat plateau. It extends over eastern, central, and northwestern Canada. The Canadian Shield is characterized by a rocky landscape pocked by an astounding number of lakes.
The tundra, stretching along the northern borders of Alaska and Canada to the Hudson Bay area, is a biome common to the Canadian Shield.
Caribbean Region
The Caribbean Region includes more than 7,000 islands, islets, reefs, and cays. The region’s islands and smaller islets are varied in their topography; some have relatively flat and sandy terrain while others are rugged, mountainous, and volcanic.
The coral reefs and cays of the Caribbean Sea are among the most spectacular biomes in North America.