Notes on the United States of America

Geography

• Location: North America, bordered by:

  • Atlantic Ocean (East)
  • Pacific Ocean (West)
  • Mexico and Gulf of Mexico (South)
  • Canada (North)
  • Alaska between Canada and Russia
  • Hawaiian archipelago in the Pacific Ocean

• Area: Approximately 9.5 million square kilometers (4th largest country)

• Population: About 333 million (3rd most populous country)

• Capital: Washington, D.C. (District of Columbia, not belonging to any state)

• States: 50 total (48 contiguous states, plus Alaska and Hawaii)

Language

• No official language; however, English is the de facto language due to widespread use.

Climate and Geography

• Diversity: Geographically and climatically diverse.

  • Appalachian Mountains (North-South in the East)
  • Florida Peninsula (South)
  • Great Lakes in the Northeast (Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Superior)
  • Central Lowlands around the Mississippi River and its tributaries (Ohio, Missouri Rivers)
  • Great Plains in the West
  • Rocky Mountains (North-South)
    • Includes Cascade Range and Sierra Nevada in California
    • Rio Grande (border with Mexico, called Rio Bravo in Mexico)
  • Great Basin area between mountain ranges

• Pacific Region: Seismically active, risk of earthquakes.

• Hawaiian Islands:

  • 137 islands and atolls, mostly uninhabited.
  • Volcanic origin; largest island called Hawaii.
  • Most population on Oahu (where Honolulu is located).

• Alaska:

  • Major mountain ranges: Brooks Range and Alaska Range.
  • Denali (Mount McKinley) is the highest mountain in the USA (6,190 meters).
  • Yukon River flows West into the Bering Sea.
  • Aleutian Islands stretch towards Kamchatka.

Climate Zones

• Northernmost State: Cold due to polar tundra climate.
• Rest of Alaska: Cold Boreal climate (moderated by sea).
• Northeastern US: Continental climate (cold winters, warm/hot summers).
• Great Lakes & New England: Densely forested.
• Midwest: Heavily farmed plains.
• Southeast: Subtropical climate (humid summers, swamps in coastal areas & Mississippi Delta).
• Southern/Eastern Coast: Vulnerable to tropical storms.
• Mississippi River Basin: Prone to tornadoes.
• Southern Florida: Humid tropics with high temperatures year-round (Everglades with alligators).
• Western US: Semi-arid steppe climate, low precipitation.
• Southwest: Desert climate (hot and dry), includes Mojave Desert and Death Valley (hottest/driest places).
• Great Basin: Salt plains and the Great Salt Desert.
• North Coast: Oceanic climate with temperate rainforests (home to redwoods).
• California: Mediterranean climate.
• Hawaii: Tropical climate, warm year-round, moderated by winds.

Conclusion

• This is the first episode on the USA, and more information will follow soon.
• Thank you for watching!