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息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 2 Lecture
World Regional
Geography
A Developmental Approach
11th Edition
United States
and Canada
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter Learning Outcomes
 Describe the general differences and similarities between the United States and
Canada in terms of culture and history.
 Organize correctly the location of the general landform regions in Canada and the
United States.
 Locate climatic regions in the United States and Canada, and explain the general
processes involved in their formation.
 Explain major environmental challenges facing this world region, from water
resources to the impacts of resource development.
 Outline the territorial evolution of what is now the United States and Canada.
 Compare the benefits and costs of the various forms of energy production in Canada
and the United States.
 Explain the meaning of diversity to the population geographies of Canada and the
United States, and how this diversity serves as both an advantage and disadvantage
to the development process.
 Relate the geographies of agriculture and manufacturing in the United States and
Canada to the larger processes of globalization and economic restructuring.
 Describe the diverse population geographies of both countries, and its advantage and
disadvantage to the development process.
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
The Map
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Landforms
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Landforms
 Both are on the North American continent,
which also includes Mexico and Central
America.
 Together these two countries encompass
every type of landform and climate
classification that exists.
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Appalachian Highlands and Lowlands
 Low-lying mountains from Newfoundland to Alabama
 Six distinct landforms:
1. PiedmontPA southward to GA
2. Fall LineSeries of river and stream rapids that mark the edge of the
Piedmont where it descends on the coastal plain
3. Blue Ridge MountainsNC, TN, and GA (also called Great Smokies)
4. Ridge and Valley province
 Folded landscape of long, parallel ridges and valleys from NY to
northern AL
 Includes Hudson and Shenandoah Valleys
5. Appalachian PlateauWestern portion of Appalachian Highlands
6. New England
 White Mountains of NH and ME
 Green Mountains of VT
 Continues into Canada to form a MaritimesNewfoundland extension
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Gulf-Atlantic Coastal Plain
 Gulf of Mexico to U.S. Atlantic Coast
 Location
 Cape Cod to Florida
 Florida
 Coastal Texas
 Much of lower Mississippi Valley
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Western Mountains and Plateaus
 Rocky MountainsNorthern NM
northward to CO and WY
 Interior plateau
 West of the Rocky Mountains
 Transition between Rockies and Pacific
Coastlands
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Western Plateaus
 Colorado plateauMore than a mile high in SW CO, eastern UT, northern
AZ, NM
 Basin and range
 West and south of the CO plateau
 Much of NV and western UT, parts of southern CA and AZ
 Columbia plateau
 North of basin and range
 Eastern OR and WA
 Snake River area of ID
 Pacific Coastlands
 Sierra Nevada Mountains
 North to south in eastern CA
 Eleven peaks in excess of 14,000 feet
 Cascade Mountains
 North of Sierra Nevada
 Central OR and WA
 Coast RangesLength of the Pacific Coast
 Great ValleyAlluvial trough
 Willamette Valley (OR)
 Puget Sound Lowland (WA)
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
The Canadian Shield
 Shields
 Piece of Earths crust that is very old and
geographically very stable
 Probably cannot be further revised
 Cultural nuclei around which mountain formation
tends to occur
 Location
 Extends outward from the Hudson Bay
 Includes much of Quebec & Labrador
 Most of Ontario & Manitoba
 Substantial part of Canadian Arctic
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Interior Lowlands
 South and west of the Canadian Shield
 Between North Americas backbones of east
and west
 Components
 Great PlainsEast of the Rocky Mountains
 Great LakesMI, NY, and Ontario
 Ozark PlateauMI
 Ouachita MountainsAK
 Black Hills
 Western SD
 Peaks that exceed 7,000 feet
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Climate
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Climate
 Several influencing factors:
 Clearly defined changes in seasonal temperatures
 Prevailing wind direction is west to east.
 Northsouth mountain ranges in the west modify air masses as they
move east.
 Atmosphere takes on the more extreme heating and cooling
characteristics of land than water.
 Winters are cold.
 Summers are hot.
 Gulf of MexicoImportant source of moisture for the Gulf Coast and
Interior Lowlands
 Characteristics:
 Humid subtropics
 Dry subtropics
 Marine west coast
 Western steppes and deserts
 Humid continental
 Subarctic and polar climates
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Humid Subtropics
 Hot and sticky
 Eastern Texas and Oklahoma east to
Florida and Virginia and sections of West
Virginia
 The climate in many of these states is
subject to extremes.
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Dry Subtropics (Mediterranean)
 Pacific Coast
 San Diego to San Francisco
 Summers relatively cool (time of drought)
 Winters relatively warm
 Precipitation low, but clearly defined wet
and dry seasons
 Lack of snow
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Marine West Coast
 Northern CA to Alaska
 WinterWarmer due to moderating
effects of ocean
 SummerCool
 Cascade mountains produce a moderating
effect.
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Western Steppes and Deserts
 Eastern OR and WA south to Colorado Plateau
 East of Rocky MountainsCorresponds roughly
to the Great Plains
 Semiarid climate
 Temperatures tend toward extremes
 True deserts of North America concentrated in
the southwest:
 Southern TX
 Southern AZ
 Southern CA
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Humid Continental
 Northern part of United States into southern
Canada
 Humidity
 WinterCool to cold
 SummerCan be very hot
 Home to Americas agricultural heartland
 Corn Belt
 Dairy Belt
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Subarctic and Polar
 Subarctic
 Wide swath of central Canada and Alaska
 Precipitation levels lowMostly as summer rain
 Polar
 Northern edges of Canada and Alaska
 Freezing conditions most of the year
 Some days without sunlight
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Environmental Challenges
 Continental climates have always
experienced environmental extremes.
 Water issues in dry conditions cause
issues.
 Northeastern and midwestern locales may
experience too much water.
 Storms, especially in the southeast, may
cause dramatic problems.
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Water Competition in Desert
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Historical Settlement
 European core has influenced the early settlement of both countries.
 Core influences:
 New EnglandMA, RI, and CT
 Originally a destination for religious freedom
 Artisanal work and shipbuilding
 Southern AtlanticVA and southward
 Cultivation of subtropical cropsnotably tobacco
 Plantation system a major aspect of work by smaller farms
 Middle AtlanticNY, PA, and parts of NJ and MD
 English, Dutch, ScotsIrish, and Swedish influences
 Mixed agricultural system
 Manufacture of tools, guns, and wagons
 Iron ore work in PA
 Influential impact of American middle west and parts of Appalachians
 French CanadaQuebec; St. Lawrence River area
 Early settlers were French; British took over in 1763.
 Some farming along St. Lawrence River
 French Canadian population has remained contextual; little spatial diffusion.
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Historical Settlement
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Western Expansion
 Historical view was that all land on the continent is to be civilized by
Americans
 Expansion of United States
 Louisiana Purchase1803
 East Florida1819
 West Florida18101813
 TexasAnnexed in 1845
 Mexican Cession1848
 Oregon County1848
 Gadsden Purchase1853
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Evolution Of Canada
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Population
 U.S. population growth
after 1800
 High birthrates (fertility
rates)
 Low death rates (mortality
rates)
 Immigration
 Canadian population growth
 Grew mainly by natural increase between 1867 and 1900
 But limited by a low fertility rate
 Population distribution
 Predominantly east of the Mississippi River
 Greatest concentration in northeast quadrants
 Population of Canada
 Most people live 200 miles of U.S. border
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
United States Population
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Canadian Population
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Agricultural Regions
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Agriculture Regions
 Corn BeltCentral Ohio to eastern Nebraska; MN to
SD; Kansas
 Dairy BeltNorth of the Corn Belt, stretching westward
from Nova Scotia and New England to WI and MN
 Specialty Crop and Livestock RegionSouthern New
England to eastern Texas
 Great Wheat Belts
 Winter Wheat Belt
 KS, OK, CO, and north TX
 Spring Wheat Belt
 ND, SD, MT, and Saskatchewan
 Western farming
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Energy
 Coal
 Major energy source for industrial expansion in United States: WY, KY,
WV, and PA
 Nova Scotia, New Brunswick in Canada
 Easier to import from U.S. Appalachian states
 More emphasis on petroleum
 Oil and gas
 Both United States and Canada are major producers and consumers.
 United StatesProduction centered in TX, LA, KS, CA, and AL
 CanadaAlberta and Saskatchewan
 Water
 60% energy via hydroelectricity in Canada
 8.5% in the United States
 Nuclear
 20% source of power in United States
 12% source of power in Canada
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Energy
 Iron ore
 United States and Canada are major producers and consumers.
 CanadaExporter
 United StatesImporter
 Aluminum
 Used extensively in transportation and construction
 Imported from Jamaica, Suriname, Guyana, and Australia as it is
not readily available
 Canada produces other metals:
 Nickel
 Copper
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Manufacturing
 New England
 Waterways
 Railroads
 South
 Remote from transportation
 Produced for exporting
 Coreland
 Southern New England
 Textile
 Leather-working
 Machine tools
 Metro New York
 Diversified manufacturing
 Garment industry
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Problems Facing Manufacturing
 Intensive foreign competition
 Labor costs cheaper
 More modern equipment
 Difficult economic conditions
 Recessions
 Fluctuations
 Social problems
 Social conflict
 Air and water pollution
 Residential quality
 Urban water supply
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Canadian Manufacturing
 LocationSt. Lawrence Seaway and Ontario
 Industrial heartland
 Montreal the center of industryAkin to NYC
 Specialization elsewhere
 Hydroelectric potentialQuebec
 Golden Horseshoe
 Most of Canadas steel
 Great variety of other goods
 Protected by tariff
 Drift westward
 Alberta and western provinces gain
 Similar trends to United States
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Urban Dynamics
 Cities natural attraction for industrialism
 Agglomeration economies
 Multiplier effect
 Highly urbanized by beginning of 21st century
 Globalization transforming cities
 Transportation
 Expressways
 Automobiles
 Spatial expansion
 Megalopolis
 Result of congestion and sprawl
 A very large city
 More governmentMore demands
 Canadian Cities
 More acceptance of government planning
 More compact; higher densities
 More emphasis on public transportation
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Poverty in United States
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Poverty in Canada
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Poverty
 78% of all poor live in metropolitan areas.
 Effect of biases against specific ethnic groupings
 African Americans
 Hispanic Americans
 Native Americans
 Appalachian whites
 Concentrated in central cities
 Appalachia
 Other areas
 Mississippi Delta
 Along the Mexico border
 Native American reservations in north central
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Diversity
 Numerous subgroups distinguished by
race, ethnic and linguistic differences
 African Americans
 Hispanic Americans
 Asian or Pacific Islanders
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Canadian Diversity
 Tension between English-speaking and French-speaking
 AnglophonesNative English speakers
 FrancophonesNative French speakers
 Population Demographics
 French-speaking
 Quebec
 New Brunswick
 Predominantly Roman Catholic
 English-speaking
 Western provinces
 Maritimes
 Predominantly Protestant
 Multilingualism (other than French and English)
 Toronto
 Montreal
 Produced by immigration and ethnic clustering
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Canadian Diversity
息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Summary of Chapter
 The United States and Canada occupy one of the largest land
masses in the world, and one with a wide array of environments.
 Both countries evolved out of a spatial integration process in which
frontiers were pushed back by advancing populations. The result is
a racial and cultural mosaic that enriches their contemporary
geographies, while presenting challenges to governments that
struggle to accommodate competing groups.
 Each country is an economic powerhouse that occupies a prominent
position in the world economy.
 Progress has come with costs in terms of environmental
degradation, global warming, employment insecurity among North
American workers, increased reliance on foreign sources for
important natural resources, and a growing fear that economic
progress may not be sustainable.

More Related Content

GEOG103 Chapter 2 Lecture

  • 1. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 2 Lecture World Regional Geography A Developmental Approach 11th Edition United States and Canada
  • 2. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter Learning Outcomes Describe the general differences and similarities between the United States and Canada in terms of culture and history. Organize correctly the location of the general landform regions in Canada and the United States. Locate climatic regions in the United States and Canada, and explain the general processes involved in their formation. Explain major environmental challenges facing this world region, from water resources to the impacts of resource development. Outline the territorial evolution of what is now the United States and Canada. Compare the benefits and costs of the various forms of energy production in Canada and the United States. Explain the meaning of diversity to the population geographies of Canada and the United States, and how this diversity serves as both an advantage and disadvantage to the development process. Relate the geographies of agriculture and manufacturing in the United States and Canada to the larger processes of globalization and economic restructuring. Describe the diverse population geographies of both countries, and its advantage and disadvantage to the development process.
  • 3. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. The Map
  • 4. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Landforms
  • 5. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Landforms Both are on the North American continent, which also includes Mexico and Central America. Together these two countries encompass every type of landform and climate classification that exists.
  • 6. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Appalachian Highlands and Lowlands Low-lying mountains from Newfoundland to Alabama Six distinct landforms: 1. PiedmontPA southward to GA 2. Fall LineSeries of river and stream rapids that mark the edge of the Piedmont where it descends on the coastal plain 3. Blue Ridge MountainsNC, TN, and GA (also called Great Smokies) 4. Ridge and Valley province Folded landscape of long, parallel ridges and valleys from NY to northern AL Includes Hudson and Shenandoah Valleys 5. Appalachian PlateauWestern portion of Appalachian Highlands 6. New England White Mountains of NH and ME Green Mountains of VT Continues into Canada to form a MaritimesNewfoundland extension
  • 7. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Gulf-Atlantic Coastal Plain Gulf of Mexico to U.S. Atlantic Coast Location Cape Cod to Florida Florida Coastal Texas Much of lower Mississippi Valley
  • 8. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Western Mountains and Plateaus Rocky MountainsNorthern NM northward to CO and WY Interior plateau West of the Rocky Mountains Transition between Rockies and Pacific Coastlands
  • 9. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Western Plateaus Colorado plateauMore than a mile high in SW CO, eastern UT, northern AZ, NM Basin and range West and south of the CO plateau Much of NV and western UT, parts of southern CA and AZ Columbia plateau North of basin and range Eastern OR and WA Snake River area of ID Pacific Coastlands Sierra Nevada Mountains North to south in eastern CA Eleven peaks in excess of 14,000 feet Cascade Mountains North of Sierra Nevada Central OR and WA Coast RangesLength of the Pacific Coast Great ValleyAlluvial trough Willamette Valley (OR) Puget Sound Lowland (WA)
  • 10. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. The Canadian Shield Shields Piece of Earths crust that is very old and geographically very stable Probably cannot be further revised Cultural nuclei around which mountain formation tends to occur Location Extends outward from the Hudson Bay Includes much of Quebec & Labrador Most of Ontario & Manitoba Substantial part of Canadian Arctic
  • 11. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Interior Lowlands South and west of the Canadian Shield Between North Americas backbones of east and west Components Great PlainsEast of the Rocky Mountains Great LakesMI, NY, and Ontario Ozark PlateauMI Ouachita MountainsAK Black Hills Western SD Peaks that exceed 7,000 feet
  • 12. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Climate
  • 13. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Climate Several influencing factors: Clearly defined changes in seasonal temperatures Prevailing wind direction is west to east. Northsouth mountain ranges in the west modify air masses as they move east. Atmosphere takes on the more extreme heating and cooling characteristics of land than water. Winters are cold. Summers are hot. Gulf of MexicoImportant source of moisture for the Gulf Coast and Interior Lowlands Characteristics: Humid subtropics Dry subtropics Marine west coast Western steppes and deserts Humid continental Subarctic and polar climates
  • 14. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Humid Subtropics Hot and sticky Eastern Texas and Oklahoma east to Florida and Virginia and sections of West Virginia The climate in many of these states is subject to extremes.
  • 15. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Dry Subtropics (Mediterranean) Pacific Coast San Diego to San Francisco Summers relatively cool (time of drought) Winters relatively warm Precipitation low, but clearly defined wet and dry seasons Lack of snow
  • 16. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Marine West Coast Northern CA to Alaska WinterWarmer due to moderating effects of ocean SummerCool Cascade mountains produce a moderating effect.
  • 17. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Western Steppes and Deserts Eastern OR and WA south to Colorado Plateau East of Rocky MountainsCorresponds roughly to the Great Plains Semiarid climate Temperatures tend toward extremes True deserts of North America concentrated in the southwest: Southern TX Southern AZ Southern CA
  • 18. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Humid Continental Northern part of United States into southern Canada Humidity WinterCool to cold SummerCan be very hot Home to Americas agricultural heartland Corn Belt Dairy Belt
  • 19. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Subarctic and Polar Subarctic Wide swath of central Canada and Alaska Precipitation levels lowMostly as summer rain Polar Northern edges of Canada and Alaska Freezing conditions most of the year Some days without sunlight
  • 20. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Environmental Challenges Continental climates have always experienced environmental extremes. Water issues in dry conditions cause issues. Northeastern and midwestern locales may experience too much water. Storms, especially in the southeast, may cause dramatic problems.
  • 21. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Water Competition in Desert
  • 22. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Historical Settlement European core has influenced the early settlement of both countries. Core influences: New EnglandMA, RI, and CT Originally a destination for religious freedom Artisanal work and shipbuilding Southern AtlanticVA and southward Cultivation of subtropical cropsnotably tobacco Plantation system a major aspect of work by smaller farms Middle AtlanticNY, PA, and parts of NJ and MD English, Dutch, ScotsIrish, and Swedish influences Mixed agricultural system Manufacture of tools, guns, and wagons Iron ore work in PA Influential impact of American middle west and parts of Appalachians French CanadaQuebec; St. Lawrence River area Early settlers were French; British took over in 1763. Some farming along St. Lawrence River French Canadian population has remained contextual; little spatial diffusion.
  • 23. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Historical Settlement
  • 24. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Western Expansion Historical view was that all land on the continent is to be civilized by Americans Expansion of United States Louisiana Purchase1803 East Florida1819 West Florida18101813 TexasAnnexed in 1845 Mexican Cession1848 Oregon County1848 Gadsden Purchase1853
  • 25. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Evolution Of Canada
  • 26. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Population U.S. population growth after 1800 High birthrates (fertility rates) Low death rates (mortality rates) Immigration Canadian population growth Grew mainly by natural increase between 1867 and 1900 But limited by a low fertility rate Population distribution Predominantly east of the Mississippi River Greatest concentration in northeast quadrants Population of Canada Most people live 200 miles of U.S. border
  • 27. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. United States Population
  • 28. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Canadian Population
  • 29. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Agricultural Regions
  • 30. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Agriculture Regions Corn BeltCentral Ohio to eastern Nebraska; MN to SD; Kansas Dairy BeltNorth of the Corn Belt, stretching westward from Nova Scotia and New England to WI and MN Specialty Crop and Livestock RegionSouthern New England to eastern Texas Great Wheat Belts Winter Wheat Belt KS, OK, CO, and north TX Spring Wheat Belt ND, SD, MT, and Saskatchewan Western farming
  • 31. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Energy Coal Major energy source for industrial expansion in United States: WY, KY, WV, and PA Nova Scotia, New Brunswick in Canada Easier to import from U.S. Appalachian states More emphasis on petroleum Oil and gas Both United States and Canada are major producers and consumers. United StatesProduction centered in TX, LA, KS, CA, and AL CanadaAlberta and Saskatchewan Water 60% energy via hydroelectricity in Canada 8.5% in the United States Nuclear 20% source of power in United States 12% source of power in Canada
  • 32. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Energy Iron ore United States and Canada are major producers and consumers. CanadaExporter United StatesImporter Aluminum Used extensively in transportation and construction Imported from Jamaica, Suriname, Guyana, and Australia as it is not readily available Canada produces other metals: Nickel Copper
  • 33. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Manufacturing New England Waterways Railroads South Remote from transportation Produced for exporting Coreland Southern New England Textile Leather-working Machine tools Metro New York Diversified manufacturing Garment industry
  • 34. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Problems Facing Manufacturing Intensive foreign competition Labor costs cheaper More modern equipment Difficult economic conditions Recessions Fluctuations Social problems Social conflict Air and water pollution Residential quality Urban water supply
  • 35. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Canadian Manufacturing LocationSt. Lawrence Seaway and Ontario Industrial heartland Montreal the center of industryAkin to NYC Specialization elsewhere Hydroelectric potentialQuebec Golden Horseshoe Most of Canadas steel Great variety of other goods Protected by tariff Drift westward Alberta and western provinces gain Similar trends to United States
  • 36. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Urban Dynamics Cities natural attraction for industrialism Agglomeration economies Multiplier effect Highly urbanized by beginning of 21st century Globalization transforming cities Transportation Expressways Automobiles Spatial expansion Megalopolis Result of congestion and sprawl A very large city More governmentMore demands Canadian Cities More acceptance of government planning More compact; higher densities More emphasis on public transportation
  • 37. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Poverty in United States
  • 38. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Poverty in Canada
  • 39. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Poverty 78% of all poor live in metropolitan areas. Effect of biases against specific ethnic groupings African Americans Hispanic Americans Native Americans Appalachian whites Concentrated in central cities Appalachia Other areas Mississippi Delta Along the Mexico border Native American reservations in north central
  • 40. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Diversity Numerous subgroups distinguished by race, ethnic and linguistic differences African Americans Hispanic Americans Asian or Pacific Islanders
  • 41. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Canadian Diversity Tension between English-speaking and French-speaking AnglophonesNative English speakers FrancophonesNative French speakers Population Demographics French-speaking Quebec New Brunswick Predominantly Roman Catholic English-speaking Western provinces Maritimes Predominantly Protestant Multilingualism (other than French and English) Toronto Montreal Produced by immigration and ethnic clustering
  • 42. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Canadian Diversity
  • 43. 息 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Summary of Chapter The United States and Canada occupy one of the largest land masses in the world, and one with a wide array of environments. Both countries evolved out of a spatial integration process in which frontiers were pushed back by advancing populations. The result is a racial and cultural mosaic that enriches their contemporary geographies, while presenting challenges to governments that struggle to accommodate competing groups. Each country is an economic powerhouse that occupies a prominent position in the world economy. Progress has come with costs in terms of environmental degradation, global warming, employment insecurity among North American workers, increased reliance on foreign sources for important natural resources, and a growing fear that economic progress may not be sustainable.