North American physical and geographical features

The physical geographical characteristics of North America are as follows:

1. Location:

North America is an American country dominated by English. Located in the northern part of America, it is bounded by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Pacific Ocean to the west, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Range includes Canada, United States, Greenland (Denmark).

2. Altitude:

The plains below 200 meters above sea level account for about 20%, the plains and hills above 200 meters above sea level account for about 22%, and the plateaus and hills above 500 meters above sea level account for about 20%. Approximately 58% of the country is mountainous, with an average altitude of 700 meters across the continent.

3. Topographic features:

The basic features of continental terrain are north-south mountains running parallel to the coast on the east and west sides, and great plains in the middle.

The terrain is clearly divided into three regions: eastern mountains and plateaus, central plains, and western mountains and plateaus.

The three major north-south terrain areas are the western high mountainous areas, alternating with mountains (Rocky Mountains, etc.), plateaus, and basins. The mountains are formed by the collision of the American and Pacific plates, and the central plain is the Central Great Plains (Southern - Mississippi Plains, Western - Great Plains), the eastern plateau mountain area is dominated by the Labrador Plateau and the Appalachian Mountains, and the terrain is low.

4. Lakes:

This area has the world's largest group of freshwater lakes (Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Erie, Lake Huron, and Lake Ontario).

5. Climate:

The western part is blocked by high mountains, and the temperate maritime and Mediterranean climate is only distributed along the coast, with little precipitation in the plateau and mountainous areas. The eastern part is low and gentle, and the blocking effect is not significant, and precipitation flows from the coast to the coast. The inland gradually decreases;

The terrain in the central part is flat, cold air can be driven southwards, and warm and humid airflows can also move northward freely in summer. There is no tropical rainforest or grassland climate (mostly in the north temperate zone).

The impact of North American topography on climate

1. Coastal areas

The coastal mountains press against the Pacific coast, and the windward slope terrain has abundant rainfall. However, the Coastal Mountains block the warm and moist westerly winds from the Pacific Ocean from penetrating eastward, restricting the temperate oceanic climate and Mediterranean climate west of the mountains from extending eastward, causing the above two climates to be distributed in a north-south belt along the coastal areas.

Due to the occluded topography of the mountainous plateau basin, it is difficult for ocean water vapor to enter. Therefore, the climate is arid, presenting a desert scene.

2. Eastern Highlands

The northwest slopes of the Eastern Highlands face northwest winds in winter, often causing heavy snow; the southeast slopes face Atlantic water vapor, which lifts water vapor and causes orographic rain. However, due to the slow elevation and poor continuity in the east, dry and cold northwest winds in winter can affect the east coast, and warm and moist airflow from the Atlantic Ocean in summer can also cross the highlands and enter the interior.

3. Central plain region

The central plain region has the largest seasonal changes in temperature and precipitation, and is highly continental. This is because the central plain is low and flat, has no east-west mountains, and is open to the north and south, resulting in unobstructed north-south airflow. In winter, polar cold air masses can drive southward and suddenly cool down. In summer, tropical warm air masses from the Gulf of Mexico can travel northward freely, resulting in hot and rainy weather.

Under the alternating control of cold and warm air masses, the central plain forms a temperate continental climate with drastic seasonal changes in temperature and precipitation and strong continental characteristics.