Caribbean Physical Features PDF

THE CARIBBEAN – PHYSICAL FEATURES CONCEPT: INTERACTION Think of the land in your community. It is either high or low. There may be rivers valleys or swamps. There are large countries mountainous and flat islands, islets and rocks. There is a rich variety of landscape features in the Caribbean. Th...

THE CARIBBEAN – PHYSICAL FEATURES CONCEPT: INTERACTION Think of the land in your community. It is either high or low. There may be rivers valleys or swamps. There are large countries mountainous and flat islands, islets and rocks. There is a rich variety of landscape features in the Caribbean. The structure of the islands and island groups gives rise to this variety. Add to the mainland territories of the Caribbean has high mountain range large rivers and vast areas of lowland. The volcanic peaks in their ranges crater lakes high up in the mountains, swamps and lagoons. There are different kinds of islands in the Caribbean. Each has its own special character. With the exception of Cuba are the continental islands of the Greater Antilles are very mountainous. Cuba has wide planes over 1000 meters high called plateaux. The mountain ranges restrict settlement are present transportation difficulties. Many of them, however, has variable minerai deposits. Most of the mountain ranges in the Caribbean islands are joined to those in Central America. In the Greater Antilles there are also many low-lying limestone plains and steep limestone mountains with caves. The rivers on these plains are not very large and many of them disappear underground. Smaller volcanic islands of the eastern Caribbean are also very rugged and mountainous. Volcanic eruptions have occurred on some of these islands in the past. Recently there have been eruptions in Saint Vincent. These eruptions have caused much damage to surrounding settlements. Hot Springs, crater lakes and fumaroles are the only evidence of past volcanic activity in some islands. Over the years erosion has rounded the conical shape of some volcanic peaks. The steep slopes of some of these mountains have also been changed by the work od sun, wind, rain and running water. Volcanic islands have a good water supply and deep fertile soils. The sugged mountains narrow valleys and swift-flowing streams make beautiful scenery. This is an asset to the tourism industry. But I'm still home limestone islands are built from the skeleton deposits of coral polyps in the warm Caribbean Sea. These islands A flat with no large rivers and very few lakes. Soils on limestone rocks lack depth and are mostly infertile bolster Some of these limestone islands like Barbados, raised high above sea level. Many small ones such as those found in the Bahamas are just at sea level. There is no great variety of scenery in limestone islands. Like mountain scenery however, coral reefs and submarine limestone plateaux attract many North American and European visitors.