Section 1 Introducing the Region: Physical Geography

Transcription

1 Play Stop Highlight Un-highlight Main Ideas Next Section Section 1 Introducing the Region: Physical Geography

2

3 Europe and Russia occupy part of the huge landmass[landmass: a very large, unbroken area of land] called Eurasia. Eurasia reaches from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. It is so large that geographers divide it into two continents, Europe and Asia. Europe is the world s second smallest continent. Oceans and seas border Europe to the north, south, and west. Asia borders Europe on the east. Russia is the world s largest country. It spreads over two continents. Western Russia lies on the continent of Europe. Eastern Russia stretches across Asia to the Pacific Ocean. The Ural Mountains, at 60 E longitude, mark the dividing line between Europe and Asia, and between western Russia and eastern Russia. Play Stop Highlight Un-highlight Main Ideas

4 Previous Section Next Section Section 2 Physical Features The Alps cut through France, Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, and Slovenia. Photolibrary

5 The Alps cut through France, Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, and Slovenia. Photolibrary Europe and Russia share a landscape[landscape: a large area with a particular kind of scenery, such as a desert landscape] of sweeping plains and rugged mountains. Large rivers wander across the broad plains. These rivers drain into three of the world s four oceans the Atlantic, the Pacific, and the Arctic oceans. Europe On a map, the European landmass looks like a giant peninsula[peninsula: a long, narrow stretch of land that is surrounded by water on three sides] attached to Eurasia. Smaller peninsulas jut out from all sides of Europe. They include the Balkan Peninsula, the Iberian Peninsula, Italy, and Scandinavia. Various seas, bays, and gulfs are tucked in between. Several big islands are also part of Europe.

6 Much of Europe lies on the Northern European Plain, which is one of the largest expanses of flat land on Earth. It extends almost 2,500 miles from east to west. Several mountain ranges cross Europe. The Alps form a major barrier between central and southern Europe. The Pyrenees separate France and Spain. The Apennines run through Italy. Europe s rivers serve as water highways. They also provide drinking water and power for electricity. The Danube River flows through six countries, more than any other major river in the world. The Rhine river valley is one of the most productive industrial and farming areas in the world. Russia Much of Russia also lies on broad plains. The western, or European, part of Russia shares the Northern European Plain. Western Russia extends to the Ural Mountains in the east and to the Caucasus Mountains in the south. From the Ural Mountains, eastern Russia spreads across the full width of Asia. This area is called Siberia. The West Siberian Plain is a large area of flat land with many lakes and swamps. To the east lies the Central Siberian Plateau. Rivers have carved narrow canyons through this high, flat plateau. Russia has thousands of lakes. The largest is Lake Baikal, the oldest and deepest lake in the world. It holds one fifth of Earth s fresh water. In winter, the lake freezes with ice up to three feet deep.

7 The Kamchatka Peninsula at the eastern edge of Russia reaches into the Pacific Ocean. More than 100 volcanoes[volcanoes: a break in Earth s crust where magma and other material erupts from Earth s interior] rise from this finger of land. No roads or railroads connect the peninsula to Siberia. Everything must arrive by airplane or boat. Section 1 Introducing the Region: Physical Geography

8 Play Stop Highlight Un-highlight Main Ideas Previous Section Next Section Section 2 Physical Features

9 Mount Kilimanjaro towers over the grasslands in East Africa. Corbis Mount Kilimanjaro towers over the grasslands in East Africa. Corbis Africa is often called the plateau continent. The land is shaped like an upside-down pie plate. Much of the center of Africa is a high, dry plateau[plateau: a raised area of land, such as a hill or mountain, with a flat top]. At the edges of the continent, this plateau sometimes slopes to a coastal plain. In other places, it drops sharply into the sea. There are huge, low-lying areas called basins[basin: a bowl-shaped depression, or hollow, in Earth s surface] in several places on this plateau. Four mighty rivers flow from these basins to the sea. Sometimes the land falls steeply as the rivers flow downstream. As a result, ships are not able to sail very far up these rivers into Africa s interior. North Africa

10 The Sahara is the main physical feature[physical feature: any natural characteristic of Earth s surface, such as landforms and bodies of water] in North Africa. It is the world s largest desert[desert: a geographic region with too little rainfall to support much plant life; also a vegetation zone]. The Sahara has sand dunes, bare rock, gravel plains, and mountains. The Nile, Africa s longest river, runs through this desert and empties into the Mediterranean Sea. The Atlas Mountains stretch across the northwestern part of this region. West Africa South of the Sahara lies the Sahel region. The plains of the Sahel are mostly dry grassland. The Niger River runs through the western Sahel. This is the third longest river in Africa. Also in the Sahel is a large lake called Lake Chad. This lake shrinks and grows depending on the season. In general, it has been getting smaller for many years. East Africa Three large lakes lie in or near the Great Rift Valley. Lake Tanganyika is the longest freshwater[freshwater: made up of water that is fresh, not salty; also describes creatures that live in fresh water, such as freshwater fish] lake in the world. Lake Victoria is the world s second largest freshwater lake, and Lake Malawi is the ninth largest. To the east of Lake Victoria, Mount Kilimanjaro rises from the plains. At 19,340 feet, this peak is the highest point in Africa.

11 The Ethiopian Highlands lie to the north of the lake. This rugged area covers two thirds of the country of Ethiopia. Central and Southern Africa The Congo basin is a major physical feature of Central and Southern Africa. This large, lowlying area sits at the center of the continent. The Congo River loops through this basin and empties into the Atlantic Ocean. Farther south lies the Zambezi River. This river has many waterfalls. The largest of these is the beautiful Victoria Falls. Two deserts, the Namib and Kalahari, make up much of the southern part of this region. Section 1 Introducing the Region: Physical Geography

12

13 Southwest and Central Asia are spread across one large section of the Eurasian landmass[landmass: a very large, unbroken area of land]. The region[region: an area defined by one or more natural or cultural characteristics that set it apart from other areas] is surrounded by seas, plains, and mountains.

14 Southwest Asia lies at the crossroads of Africa, Europe, and Asia. All three continents meet here at the Mediterranean Sea. Central Asia occupies the lonely center of the Eurasian landmass. Central Asia is a region of treeless plains and deserts[desert: a geographic region with too little rainfall to support much plant life; also a vegetation zone]. Southwest Asia is bordered by several seas. The Mediterranean and Black seas mark the northwestern border. The Red Sea runs along the western side of the region. The Arabian Sea cradles the southern border. Central Asia s northern border looks over the plains of Siberia. Rugged mountains rise along the southern and eastern borders. These mountains include the Hindu Kush, one of the highest ranges in the world. Section 2 Physical Features This satellite photograph shows two gulfs in Southwest Asia. You can see the Gulf of Oman at the bottom and the Persian Gulf at the top. Corbis

15 This satellite photograph shows two gulfs in Southwest Asia. You can see the Gulf of Oman at the bottom and the Persian Gulf at the top. Corbis The physical landscape of Southwest and Central Asia is marked by great contrasts. This region includes both the lowest spot on Earth and some of the highest peaks. Dusty deserts cover much of the region. Yet there are also large bodies of water, such as the Persian Gulf. A gulf[gulf: a large inlet of the sea that cuts deeply into the land] is an arm of the sea that is partly surrounded by land. The Persian Gulf is about 600 miles long. It averages almost 125 miles in width. Southwest and Central Asia also have several inland seas[inland sea: a large body of salt water with little or no connection to the ocean]. These are large bodies of salt water with little or no connection to the ocean. The Caspian Sea is the world s largest inland body of water. Its waters are salty, but not as salty as the ocean. As a result, this inland sea is home to both freshwater[freshwater: made up of water that is fresh, not salty; also describes creatures that live in fresh water, such as freshwater fish] and saltwater fish. Southwest Asia Southwest Asia is a land of peninsulas[peninsula: a long, narrow stretch of land that is surrounded by water on three sides] and plateaus[plateau: a raised area of land, such as a hill or mountain, with a flat top]. The Arabian Peninsula occupies the southern part of the region. Covering more than 1 million square miles, it is the largest peninsula in the world.

16 Farther north lies the Anatolia Plateau. This rugged region stretches across much of modern Turkey. The center of the plateau has landscapes[landscape: a large area with a particular kind of scenery, such as a desert landscape] that are often described as moonscapes. Erosion[Erosion: the gradual wearing away of Earth s surface by the action of wind, water, ice, and gravity] by wind and water has carved the hills in this volcanic region into caves, cones, and strange shapes called fairy chimneys. Southwest Asia has other interesting features, including the Arabian Sea a shipping route known as a hurricane alley because of the violent storms that develop there. the Tigris-Euphrates Valley one of the most fertile river valleys of the ancient world. the Dead Sea an inland sea between Israel and Jordan. At about 1,349 feet below sea level, it is the lowest place on Earth. The Dead Sea is nine times as salty as the ocean. This is so salty that almost nothing can live in its waters. Central Asia Central Asia also varies greatly in elevation. The Caspian Sea lies below sea level. But some Hindu Kush peaks rise over 25,000 feet. Central Asia boasts some of Earth s largest inland seas. The Black Sea covers an area larger than the state of California. The Aral Sea was another large inland sea, but it is rapidly shrinking in size.

17 Play Stop Highlight Un-highlight Main Ideas Next Section Section 1 Introducing the Region: Physical Geography

18

19

20 Monsoon Asia begins at the western border of India. From there, it reaches east to the Pacific Ocean. In the north, it spreads across China to the Korean Peninsula. A large peninsula[peninsula: a long, narrow stretch of land that is surrounded by water on three sides] south of China includes Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand. This peninsula is ringed by the South China Sea, the Gulf of Thailand, and the Bay of Bengal. This region[region: an area defined by one or more natural or cultural characteristics that set it apart from other areas] has several countries made up of many islands. They include Japan, the Philippines, and Indonesia. Sri Lanka, Brunei, and East Timor are other island nations[nation: a large group of people who share a common history and culture. Not all nations have their own government or control a territory, but the word nation often means a country or nation-state.]. The countries of Monsoon Asia are often grouped into three sub-regions. These smaller regions are South Asia, East Asia, and Southeast Asia. Section 2 Physical Features Mountains are the most commanding feature of Monsoon Asia s landscape[landscape: a large area with a particular kind of scenery, such as a desert landscape]. The rugged Himalayas form India s northern border. They include Mount Everest, the world s highest mountain. Like other mountain ranges, the Himalayas were formed when sections of Earth s crust[crust: the hard outer layer of Earth], called plates, collided. The two plates that came together to create

21 the Himalayas are still colliding. As a result, the mountains are getting higher. But mountain building is a slow process. Mount Everest grows about half an inch a year. South Asia India makes up most of South Asia. Many people call India a subcontinent. Mountains and ocean separate India from the rest of Asia, so it is almost like a small continent. Three important rivers begin in the Himalayas. They are the Indus, the Ganges, and the Brahmaputra. The Ganges and Brahmaputra meet to form one of the world s largest river deltas[deltas: the triangle-shaped deposit of sand and sediment that occurs where a river flows into an ocean]. Then, they empty into the Bay of Bengal. The Ghats are another mountain range in India. The Eastern and Western Ghats run parallel to India s coasts. Between them lies the Deccan Plateau. The Deccan Plateau covers most of southern India s interior. East Asia East Asia s landscape is diverse. Mountains surround the Plateau of Tibet. The Huang He begins on this plateau[plateau: a raised area of land, such as a hill or mountain, with a flat top]. So does the Chang Jiang (Yangtze), the third longest river in the world. Both rivers run east across China before emptying into the Pacific. North of the Tibetan Plateau lie the Taklamakan and Gobi deserts[desert: a geographic region with too little rainfall to support much plant life; also a vegetation zone]. The Gobi is one of the world s largest deserts. According to legend, an angry Mongolian chief created it. He turned the land to desert when Chinese warriors forced him to leave this area. The hilly Korean Peninsula and the chain of islands that make up Japan are also part of East Asia. Japan s islands were formed by volcanoes[volcanoes: a break in Earth s crust where magma and other material erupts from Earth s interior]. Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is not one big landmass[landmass: a very large, unbroken area of land]. Instead, it is made up of peninsulas and islands. For example, the Malay Peninsula juts out into the South China Sea. Thousands of islands dot the seas of Southeast Asia. Some, like Borneo, are fairly large. Others are so small that they just look like specks on a map. Section 1 Introducing the Region: Physical Geography

22

23

24 Oceania is a vast region[region: an area defined by one or more natural or cultural characteristics that set it apart from other areas] in the South Pacific Ocean. It includes the continent of Australia and the large islands of New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. There are thousands of smaller islands as well. They are scattered across hundreds of square miles of ocean. The Pacific Islands form three major groups called Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. The continent of Antarctica lies to the south of Oceania. On some world maps, you see Antarctica as a narrow strip of land along the bottom. In fact, Antarctica is the fifth largest continent in the world. Near the center of this frozen landmass[landmass: a very large, unbroken area of land] is the South Pole. The stormy waters of the Pacific and Indian oceans isolate Antarctica from the other lands in this region. Play Stop Highlight Un-highlight Main Ideas Previous Section Next Section Section 2 Physical Features

25 The landmasses in this region include both continents and islands. An island is a body of land surrounded by water. But most continents are also surrounded by water. What is the difference between an island and a continent? To a geographer, the main difference is size. Islands tend to be small, and continents are large. Australia is the smallest continent. But it is still over three times as large as Greenland, the largest island on Earth. No one knows the exact number of islands in Oceania. Geographers estimate that between 20,000 and 30,000 islands dot this region. Some of them are large, such as the North and South Islands of New Zealand. Other islands are tiny specks in the sea. Oceania Australia is the largest landmass in Oceania. Most of the country is low-lying and very flat. One major mountain range, Great Dividing Range, runs along the eastern edge. The interior of Australia, called the outback, is a series of low plateaus[plateau: a raised area of land, such as a hill or mountain, with a flat top] and plains. The Western Plateau covers a great part of the continent. Three deserts[desert: a geographic region with too little rainfall to support much plant life; also a vegetation zone] ring the Western Plateau. The Simpson Desert is famous for its red sand dunes. Row upon row of dunes, as much as 200 miles long, ripple across the land. The Great Victoria and Great Sandy deserts also have hills of red sand. The rest of Oceania consists entirely of islands. The cluster north and east of Australia is called Melanesia. This name means black islands. It refers to the dark skin of the people who first settled there. The islands of Melanesia lie south of the equator. North of Melanesia are the more than 2,000 islands of Micronesia. This name means tiny islands. Most of the islands of Micronesia are low-lying coral islands. They are scattered on both sides of the equator. The third island area, Polynesia, is the largest of the three. This name means many islands. Polynesia includes New Zealand, Tahiti, Samoa, and Hawaii, as well as islands too small to map. The islands of Polynesia are separated by hundreds of miles of sea. Antarctica Most of Antarctica is covered by ice sheets. This ice ranges from one to three miles deep. Beneath all this ice, Antarctica has mountains and valleys like other continents. The Transantarctic Mountains wind across the continent. They divide it into East and West Antarctica. The South Pole lies in East Antarctica. The Antarctic Peninsula juts out from West Antarctica like a tail. To the east of this peninsula[peninsula: a long, narrow stretch of land that is surrounded by water on three sides] is the Weddell Sea.