Major Physical Features 

of

North America


  Relief Features of North America :

          The relief features of North America are mainly classified into these major subdivisions:
         
  1. Western Cordileras
  2. Central Lowlands
  3. Eastern Highlands
  4. Canadian Shield

Western Cordilleras :   

                       

        Cordilleras means little rope , it is a system of mountain range.
  1.  These are  young fold mountains, parallel running ranges from north to south.
  2.  Volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur frequently in this region .
  3. Volcanic mountain ranges in costa rica , panama etc are part of the cordilleras.

 Central Lowlands : 

     These are extend from Gulf of mexico to the Arctic. The Mackenzie basin, Canadian prairies and Mississippi basin are part of this Lowland. It is very fertile region.


Eastern Highlands :

   These region consists of Applachian Mountains and the highlands of Labrador and Newfoundland. These mountains are called Laurentian mountains in canada. 


Canadian Shield :

   It is also known as Laurentian shield. The shield extends to Hudson Bay in the east and Adirndack Mountains of USA in the south. 


Mountain Ranges of North America 

 Alaska range : Mt Mckinley is  is the hights peak of North America.

 Coast Range :  These ranges spread in both the USA and Canada. 

 Cascade and Sierra Range  : The coast Range of the USA is overlooked by walls like steep slope high mountain ranges running north to south. Its northern part is called Cascade Range and the southern part is clled Sierra Nevada. Mt Whitney is the highest peak in USA.

 Brook Range : It is eastern part of Westerb Codilleras.

 Mackenzie Mountains :  These are canadian mountain range. 

Plateaus of North America : 

  Yukon plateau : It is an upland in Alaska between Brook range and Alaska range.

  Plateau of British Columbia : It lies between Canadian coast and the Rockies.
 
  The Snake Columbia Plateau : It is largely a lava plateau resulting from fissure eruptions and it lies to the east of cascade range.

 Colorado Plateau :   It  lies between Wasatech and Unitas Mountains on the west and rockies on the east. the plateau is dissected by the river Colorado and its tributories. 

Ozark Plateau : The highest point of OPzark plateau in the Boston Mountains. The region is densely forested.   


Deserts of North America :

 Rivers of North America : 

Rivers draining in Gulf of Mexico : 
    
      1) River Mississippi and Missouri : Both the rivers originate form   the Rocky Mountains. It forms bird foot type of delta near its mouth. 
   
     2) River Rio Grande  :  The river originates in south central colorado and it forms the natural bundary between USA and Mexico and drains into Gulf of Mexico.


Rivers draining in Atlantic Ocean :
  
   1)  River st. Lawrence : It orignates near Lake Ontario and flows through the Great Lakes under different names. The famo7us Niagara Falls is located on this River. It forms the boundary between USA and Canada.

Rivers  draining in Arctic Ocean :

 1) River Mackenzie : It is one of the most important rivers of canada.It is longest river in Canada.

 
Rivers draining in Pacific ocean :  
 1) River Yukon and River Fraser : River yukon is in Alaska and River fraser is in British Columbia.

 2) River Colorado :  This river drains into the Gulf of California.


Lakes of North America : 

Five major rivers of the North America : are 

H  -  Huron 

O -  Ontario

M -  Michigan

E -    Erie 

S -   Superior , it is the largest fresh water lake in terms of surface area. It is shared between the USA and Canda