Physical Geography of the Americas

Physical Geography of the Americas

• The Mesa de Anáhuac is located in the Mexican highlands.
• The American mountain system starts in Alaska and ends in Tierra del Fuego.
• The highest point in North America is Denali (formerly McKinley) in the USA.
• The highest point of South America is Aconcagua, located in Argentina.
• The Central American Isthmus has high seismic and volcanic activity.
• The Laurentian Shield is located in the north and central parts of North America, mainly Canada.
• The insular South America (Caribbean islands) extends from the Florida Strait to the Venezuelan coasts.
• The Río de la Plata region is in southern South America, including parts of Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay.
• The Pampas are fertile plains in Argentina.
• The Chaco is a plain between Paraguay, Bolivia, and Argentina.

Hydrography and Water Resources

• The Amazon River is the most voluminous river in the world, with tributaries like the Negro and Madeira.
• The Coco River serves as the border between Nicaragua and Honduras.
• The Chagres River is the most extensive river and crucial for the Panama Canal.
• The Río de la Plata is an estuary formed by the union of the Paraná and Uruguay rivers.
• Lake Titicaca is shared between Bolivia and Peru.
• Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake by surface area, located between the USA and Canada.
• Lake Maracaibo is in Venezuela and is rich in oil.
• Lake Ontario is one of the Great Lakes, with its basin including part of New York State.
• The Americas are rich in water resources.
• Panama has abundant water due to its tropical climate and numerous rivers.
• Water is a renewable resource but not always abundant or potable for everyone.
• Electric energy is produced through hydroelectric dams, such as Itaipu (Brazil-Paraguay) and Salto Grande (Uruguay-Argentina).
• Well-managed ecotourism can be sustainable, but if poorly managed, it can negatively impact the environment.
• Subsistence fishing exists but is not for industrial development.
• Commercial fishing occurs in areas like Newfoundland and the Gulf of Mexico.

Climate and Vegetation

• Panama has a tropical humid climate.
• Factors that modify the climate are altitude, ocean currents, mountains, and latitude.
• Trade winds originate in the tropical zone.
• Mangroves predominantly make up the coastal vegetation.
• Tropical rainforest (AF) is mainly located in the Amazon.

Soils and Natural Resources

• Zonal soils are formed by climate and vegetation, such as those found in mountains.
• Alluvial soils are fertilized by river deposits.
• Chernozem is black and fertile soil, ideal for agriculture and common in North America.
• The most fertile soils are located in the Pampas and alluvial soils.
• Soil problems caused by misuse include erosion, desertification, and loss of fertility.
• Methods to improve productivity include rotation techniques, organic fertilizer, and irrigation.
• Conservation practices include reforestation, terracing, and avoiding indiscriminate logging.
• Minerals are classified as metallic (iron, copper, gold, silver, aluminum) and non-metallic (salt, sulfur, gypsum).
• Iron is the foundation of industrial development.
• Countries that produce gold (monetary reserve) include Canada, United States, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela, and Peru.

Fauna, Flora, and Environmental Conservation

• The Amazon is one of the most important forested regions on the planet.
• Forests are a source of natural resources (wood, oxygen) and should be exploited with control.
• Flora and fauna depend on climate and soil.
• Problems include deforestation, river contamination (oil spills), and unregulated hunting.
• Conservation efforts include creating natural parks, fishing bans, and reforestation.
• Typical fauna of the Andes include guanaco, vicuña, and llama.
• The Galápagos Islands are a biological reserve of the planet (Ecuador).

Urban and Industrial Regions

• In North America, the greatest urban and industrial development occurs in the eastern region.
• Washington, Ottawa, and Niagara Falls are in eastern North America.
• Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, is a tourist destination on the Pacific coast.
• Nova Scotia is a peninsula in the North Atlantic.
• Ungava is a bay in the Canadian Arctic.

Technology, Energy, and Climate

• Electric energy in the Americas primarily comes from water, but it is also produced by other sources.
• The most industrialized areas consume the most energy.
• A barometer measures atmospheric pressure.