Us geography. Seas and oceans washing South America

South America is the fourth largest continent connected to North America by the Isthmus of Panama. Due to its relatively small size, most countries on the continent have access to ocean waters. The seas and oceans washing South America include the Pacific Ocean in the west, the Atlantic Ocean in the east, and the Caribbean Sea in the north.

Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is the largest and oldest on the globe, with an area of ​​178 million square meters. km. It occupies such an impressive territory that it could easily accommodate all continents taken together.

The endless Pacific Ocean owes its name to the great navigator Feranan Magellan, who was lucky to travel in calm and calm weather. However, this does not mean at all that the Pacific Ocean is distinguished by a meek disposition - in it, like in other oceans, violent storms and storms are not uncommon.

Despite the fact that the first studies of the Pacific coast of South America were undertaken several centuries ago, this issue was seriously addressed only in the 19th century, and continues to be dealt with to this day.

The weather off the coast of South America is most often calm, stable, with a slight breeze. Periodically, it gives way to strong warm showers.

Rice. 1. Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean plays a large role in the economy of South American countries. Most of them have been fishing for commercial fish, crabs, molluscs, and edible species of algae for many years.

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Atlantic Ocean

If you look at the map, you can see that the east coast of South America is washed by the Atlantic Ocean. In area, it is almost half the size of the Pacific Ocean and occupies 92 million square meters. km. Its distinctive feature is that it unites the polar zones of the planet.

The line of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge runs along the very center of the ocean. Its highest peaks are visible on the surface of the water: various islands of volcanic nature, of which Iceland is the most famous.

Off the coast of South America is the deepest point of the Atlantic Ocean - the famous depression of Puerto Rico, whose depth reaches 8742 m.

Rice. 2. Depression of Puerto Rico

In the place where the waters of the Atlantic and the Amazon River confluence, the water is characterized by reduced salinity and turbidity. For this reason, corals do not grow on this part of the ocean, but there are a lot of other representatives of ocean flora and fauna here.

It is noteworthy that at the time of the great geographical discoveries, the Atlantic Ocean was the most important waterway to the shores of South America.

Caribbean sea

The Caribbean Sea is of great value for the socio-economic development of many countries in South America. Its area is 2 million square meters. km, and on its seabed there are rich oil fields.

The Caribbean coast is also of interest as one of the most luxurious resort areas in the world. Washing the shores of Colombia, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Panama, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua and many other countries, the Caribbean Sea is a popular destination for sea cruise lovers. Local beaches are very picturesque and attract tourists from all over the world.

The underwater world is incredibly rich and varied. There are many beautiful coral reefs here, among which bright tropical fish and amazing marine animals scurry about. The coastal area of ​​the Caribbean Sea is very popular with divers.

After asking search engines on the Internet the question of which ocean in the east of America is one of the largest in the world, you will definitely receive as a unanimous answer: Atlantic. The very name of this ocean suggests that its scale is very large. This giant ocean is part of the World Ocean, and its waters make up 25% of all the water resources of the planet. The Atlantic Ocean is the largest, and the Pacific Ocean is the next largest. Such an indicator as water salinity is 35% in the Atlantic Ocean. In the Atlantic Ocean, 329.7 million km? water, and its average depth is 3600 meters, although quite recently, having made the last measurements, scientists received new, most accurate data, thanks to which they established that the average depth of this ocean is much greater and is 4022 meters.

Why is the ocean called the Atlantic?

There are several versions of this etymology.

The climatic conditions of each of these numerous marine regions of the planet directly depend on the Atlantic Ocean itself, which is connected with them by its waters and makes their diverse fauna and flora differ from each other, creating the uniqueness of each of these places on Earth and forcing tourists from all over the world to travel more and more often getting to know different parts of the world.

How are all these seas and bays interconnected?

The inhabitants of Asia, Europe and America can boast of their common Mediterranean Sea, whose area is 2,500 thousand km, and the volume is 3,839 thousand km ?, and which connects in the northeast with the Sea of ​​Marmara through the Dardanelles, and with the Black Sea through the Bosphorus. It is also connected to the Red Sea, and this connection is carried out by the Suez Canal, located in the southeast of this body of water.

The Baltic Sea also interacts with the Atlantic Ocean and does this at the expense of the North Sea, and the Black Sea is connected to the ocean through the Marmara and Mediterranean seas. The Baltic Sea is inland and has an area of ​​385 thousand km, an average depth of 86 meters and a water volume of 21,700 km3. The Black inland sea, whose area is 413.5 thousand km, the average depth is 1000 m (the maximum depth is 2245 m), and the volume of water is almost 537 thousand km. cubic, is also part of the Atlantic Ocean, because in the southwest it is connected with the Sea of ​​Marmara by the Bosphorus Strait. As you can see, the Atlantic Ocean is the most, the most ocean in the world! The largest and most beautiful.

Gulf Stream

The Gulf Stream is an important life-supporting phenomenon that has been forming over many centuries. Originating in the southeast of North America, this current of the Atlantic Ocean is 75 km wide and has a speed of 6-30 km / h. It is characterized, first of all, by a warm upper layer of water and a comfortable temperature of 26 degrees, and its flow speed is 6-30 km / h. Thanks to such warm currents of the Atlantic Ocean, residents of European states located on its shores can enjoy a favorable and very mild climate, which is pleasant to be in, and especially to visit the beaches in hot summers and swim in warm sea waves. The Gulf Stream generates an amount of heat equal to that which can be obtained artificially from 1 million nuclear power plants.

America is one of the sides of the world, which consists of two continents: South and North America. These two continents are connected by the Isthmus of Panama. The peculiarity of America is that it is washed from all sides by oceans and seas. So, which ocean washes America?
Pacific Ocean
If you start listing the oceans that wash America, then, first of all, you should pay attention to the Pacific Ocean. After all, it has the largest area and rich history. The ocean area is about 178 million square kilometers. This area is almost equal to the area of ​​all continents on the planet. Such an ocean was first discovered by the famous traveler Fernand Magellan. It was he who called this ocean the Pacific. But, in fact, it is not as quiet as its name suggests. For the first time, the waters of the Pacific Ocean were studied in the 19th century.

Given that this ocean washes a fairly large part of the mainland, many states are engaged in fishing. For some, this activity is the only way to survive in such difficult conditions. For fishing, not only fish is used, but also various algae, which are used to prepare various dishes and treat diseases.
Atlantic Ocean

The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest ocean on Earth after the Pacific Ocean

As already mentioned, America is washed by several oceans. In second place is the Atlantic material. Which ocean separates Africa and America, you ask. It is the Atlantic. The ocean area is about 92 million square kilometers. The average depth of the Atlantic Ocean is 3736 meters. Near the coast of America is the deepest depression of the ocean - Puerto Rico. The depth of this depression is over 8742 meters.
There are quite a lot of fish and algae in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, which can be used in the fishery. Anchovies, tuna, sardines and much more are widely used for fishing. Now, knowing this information, when you are asked which ocean washes America and Africa, you will definitely say - the Atlantic.
The Arctic Ocean

In addition to this, the coast of America is washed by the Arctic Ocean. In this case, we are not talking about all of America, but only about countries such as Canada and the United States. The area of ​​such an ocean is almost 15 million square meters. The average depth is 1225 meters, but the deepest point is in the Greenland Sea. Its depth is over 5527 meters.
The Arctic Ocean is distinguished by its poor fauna and flora. This is due to the harsh climatic conditions. Of course, in some places, such as the Barents Sea, there are quite a variety of fish and algae that can be used for industrial purposes. The largest mussels, jellyfish and corals can be found in such an ocean. Recently, there has been a rapid increase in the number of cod fish. This phenomenon is explained by the rise in temperature in some regions. This will positively affect the economies of many countries that adjoin this ocean.

Full name United States of America Region North America Form of government Federal Republic Capital Washington Area, km 2 4 in the world 9 372 610 Population, pers. 3 in the world 310 241 000

If the current rate of population growth is maintained, the US population will be:

Population growth, per year 116 in the world 0,98% 3,040,362 people Average duration
life, years 78.1 (men 75.2, women 81) 30 in the world
(34 - men, 30 - women) Population density, people / km 2 141 in the world 33.1 Official language English Currency US dollar International dialing code 1 Internet zone .us Time zones

00:18 (31.03) — 05:18 (31.03) the site does not track the transition to daylight saving time, so the specified data may be inaccurate

UTC-10 - UTC-5 International organizations, which include the United States of America NATO (since 1949), APEC, G8 Borders by land Canada, Mexico Access to the seas and oceans Pacific, Atlantic oceans
Beringovo, Beaufort Sea
Gulf of Mexico

The United States is the fourth largest country in the world and the third most populous country in the world. The country occupies the south of North America and its northwest (Alaska), as well as some islands in the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean. The USA is one of three countries, which is washed by three oceans at once: the Pacific (and its Bering Sea in particular), the Arctic (with the Beaufort Sea), the Atlantic (and its Gulf of Mexico from the south).

The term "America" ​​comes from the Latin version of the name of the Italian traveler Amerigo Vespucci, who was the first to describe his travels to the New World in great detail for the general public. The term "United States" was first used in the Declaration of Independence of July 4, 1776, but not yet as a name for a country, but only to indicate that the individual States were united in their decision to become independent.

USA- a state located in the western hemisphere, on the continent of North America. The United States consists of 48 bordering states in the "continental part" and 2 states that do not have a common border with the rest: Alaska, a huge peninsula that occupies the northwestern part of the continent of North America, and Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. In addition, the United States includes some territories in the Caribbean (Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, etc.), the Pacific Ocean (East Samoa, Guam, etc.) and the non-state of the Federal District of Columbia.

Borders and area

In the south, the United States borders on Mexico, in the north - on Canada. The United States also has a maritime border with the Russian Federation. From the west, the territory of the United States is washed by the Pacific Ocean, from the east - by the Atlantic Ocean, in the southeast of the United States there is the Gulf of Mexico, the Alaska Peninsula is washed from the north by the Arctic Ocean. Among the US borders, the most common is the so-called geometric (astronomical) type of border. This type includes most of the US border with Canada (including Canada's border with Alaska). The eastern part of the US border with Mexico runs along the bed of the Rio Grande River. The maritime boundaries along the east and west coasts, as well as the border with Canada in the Great Lakes region, are classified as hydrographic. They were drawn along natural (natural) boundaries, taking into account the features of the relief. The western part of the border with Mexico is a straight line connecting two locally defined points, while it crosses the territory regardless of the relief and therefore can be classified as a geometric border. According to various estimates, the total area of ​​the United States ranges from 9,518,900 km to 9,826,630 km, which puts it in 4th or 3rd place in the list of the largest countries in the world. China has approximately the same area, which varies greatly depending on whether or not various disputed territories are counted. One way or another, in terms of total area, the United States and China are lagging behind Russia and Canada, but ahead of Brazil.

Relief

Several large physiographic regions are distinguished on the territory of the United States. In the east, along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, the Appalachian mountain range stretches. To the west and south of it, the surface is leveled, forming low-lying areas along which the largest rivers of the United States flow. Further to the west, the area passes into the vast plains and prairies, called the Great Plains, which precede the mountainous regions of the Cordilleras. Mountain ranges occupy the entire western part of the country and drop off rather abruptly to the Pacific coast. Most of Alaska is occupied by the northern Cordillera ridges. The Hawaiian Archipelago is a series of volcanic islands up to 4,205 m high.

Appalachian system

The Appalachian mountain system stretches for 1,900 km along the Atlantic coast of the United States from northern Maine to central Alabama. According to other sources, the Appalachian system stretches for almost 3,000 km from central Alabama to the island of Newfoundland in Canada, and its width from east to west ranges from 190 to 600 km. The highest point of the system is Mount Mitchell (2037 m), prevailing heights of 1300 - 1600 m. These are one of the oldest mountains on Earth formed about 400 million years ago, when North America and Europe were part of the single continent of Pangea. The Hudson River divides the system into unequal parts - the northern and southern Appalachians. On the territory of New England, the White Mountains, Green Mountains, as well as the Taconic and Berkshire ranges are distinguished. The southern part includes the Adirondack Mountains, the Catskills and the Blue Ridge. The Blue Ridge Range, the highest in the system, is split in two by the Roanoke River. To the west of the ridges is the Appalachian Plateau, which consists of the Allegheny Mountains and Plateau in the north and the Cumberland Plateau in the south. The plateau is 1000 km long with a width of 160 to 320 km and is strongly dissected by the tributaries of the Ohio River. In the southern part of the system is the Great Smoky Mountains Ridge and National Park. To the south of it is the Piedmont Plateau. The height of the plateau is 150-300 m, sometimes there are low ridges and outliers. The most famous is the Stone Mountain granite monolith with a relative height of more than 185 m.

Low-lying areas

The Atlantic lowland (width from 160 to 320 km, height up to 100 m) is located between the ocean and the Piedmont plateau, from which it is separated by the so-called "line of waterfalls" - a drop in height, due to which numerous rapids and waterfalls are formed on the rivers. The Atlantic lowland stretches from the Chesapeake Bay to the Florida Peninsula. To the west from Florida to the Rio Grande River, the entire southern coast of the country is occupied by the Mexican Lowland (altitude up to 150 m). In many places the coast is swampy and has a strip of marches. Approximately in the middle of the lowland is the Mississippi alluvial plain, 80 to 160 km wide. The territory from the Great Lakes in the north and the Mexican lowlands in the south, as well as from the Appalachians in the east and the Great Prairies in the west is occupied by the Central Plains (height 200 - 500 m). In the northern part of the plain, they have a hilly moraine relief, and in the middle and southern parts, the hills are more gentle and corroded by erosion. In the south of Missouri, the Ozark Plateau stands out, consisting of the Springfield and Salem Plateau and the Boston Mountains (height 700 m). To the south of the plateau, across the Arkansas River valley, are the Washito Mountains up to 885 m high.

Great plains

The Great Plains begin from 97 - 98 ° West longitude and are in fact the foothill plateau of the Cordilleras. The height of the plains increases when moving to the west from 500 to 1600 m. The plateau is highly dissected, in some places the network of valleys is too dense for their economic use. In the north are the Badlands - "bad lands", almost devoid of soil cover. Further south - in Nebraska, the Sand Hills. In the state of Kansas, there are the low Smoky Hills and Flint Hills, as well as the Red Hills Upland. The southern part of the plains is occupied by Llano Estacado and the Eduards plateau.

Cordillera

In the western part of the United States, the North American Cordillera mountain system passes, which is a system of parallel ridges stretching from north to southeast and separating them by plateaus, depressions and valleys. The longest chain is the Rocky Mountains (the highest point is Mount Elbert, 4 399 m), which includes (from north to south): Lewis Ridge, Absaroka Ridge and Bighorn Mountains, Laramie Mountains, Sangre de Cristo Mountains and San Mountains -Juan, as well as the Sacramento mountains, which to the south, already in Mexico, pass into the Eastern Sierra Madre ridge. To the west of the northern Rocky Mountains are the Kabinet and Bitterroot Ranges, which merge into the Clearwater Mountains and the Salmon River Massif. Salmon River is bounded to the south by the volcanic Columbia Plateau and the Snake River Plain, and to the west across the Health Canyon are the Blue Mountains. Further south is the territory of the drainless Great Basin, in which the Independence Mountains are distinguished, and the upper part of the Colorado River Basin, separated from the drainless area by the Wasatch Ridge and the Uinta Mountains. To the south stretches the vast Colorado Plateau, in which rivers cut through many beautiful canyons, which is why the region is home to a large number of national parks such as the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Arches and Canyonlands. Along the Pacific coast of the United States, there are a number of mountainous Coast Ranges (up to 2,400 m), which include the Alaska Ridge, ridges in Canada, the Cascade Mountains, the Sierra Nevada, and the Western Sierra Madre Ridge in Mexico. Between the Coast Ranges and the Cascade Mountains lies the fertile Willamette Valley. The Sierra Nevada is home to the highest point of the continental United States - Mount Whitney (4421 m). Between this ridge and the Ridges lies the California Valley, which consists of the San Joaquin River valleys in the north and the Sacramento River in the south. To the east of the Sierra Nevada, there is a small ridge of the White Mountains and behind it Death Valley. In southern California, the Santa Rosa Mountains fence off the Imperial Valley, bounded to the east by the Sonoran Desert.

Alaska

Most of the territory of Alaska is occupied by mountain ranges stretching from west to east. The northern part of the state is occupied by the flat Arctic Lowlands, framed in the south by the Brooks Ridge, which includes the De Long, Endicott, Philip Smith and British Mountains. In the central part of the state, the Yukon Plateau is located, along which the river of the same name flows. The Aleutian Range bends in an arc around the valley of the Susitna River and continues in the form of the Alaska Range, forming the Alaska Peninsula and the Aleutian Islands. The highest peak in the United States, Mount McKinley (6193 m), is located on the Alaska Ridge. The Chugach Ridge, St. Elijah Ridge and Wrangel Mountains stretch along the US-owned coast of the Gulf of Alaska.

Hydrography

The rivers flow from the territory of the United States is carried out into the basins of three oceans - the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic. The main watershed (between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans) runs along the eastern part of the Cordillera, and only a small part of the northern states and Alaska belongs to the Arctic Ocean basin. The meeting point of the three watersheds is at Triple Divide Peak. According to TSB data, the average annual runoff layer from the surface of the main part of the United States is 27 cm, the total volume is 1600 km, and the regime of most of the rivers is irregular, especially in continental regions. The availability of water resources in different parts of the country is uneven - the height of the annual runoff layer in the states of Washington and Oregon is 60-120 cm, in the east (in the Appalachian region) 40-100 cm, in the Central Plains 20-40 cm, in the Great Plains 10-20 cm , and on the inner plateaus and plateaus up to 10 cm.

Large lakes are located in the north of the country - the Great Lakes. Smaller drainless salt lakes are found in the depressions of the Great Basin. Inland water resources are widely used in industrial and municipal water supply, irrigation, hydropower and shipping.

Atlantic Ocean basin

The largest freshwater lake system in North America, in the United States and Canada, connected by rivers and canals. The area is about 245.2 thousand km, the volume of water is 22.7 thousand km. The great lakes themselves include the five largest: Upper, Huron, Michigan, Erie and Ontario. Among the smaller ones: St. Mary's, St. Clair, Nipigon. The flow from the lakes takes place along the St. Lawrence River. Many rivers flow into the Atlantic Ocean from the east coast of the United States, the longest of which originate in the Appalachians and are several hundred kilometers long. The rivers Hudson, Potomac, James, Roanoke, Great Pee Dee, Savannah, Oltamaho and others flow through the Atlantic lowland. The southern part of the lowland is located in Florida - there are the famous Everglades, Big Cypress swamp, and many karst and lagoon lakes, the largest of which is Okeechobee.

Gulf of Mexico basin

Most of the river flow in the United States belongs to the Atlantic Ocean Gulf of Mexico basin. This drainage basin extends from west to east from the Rocky Mountains to the Appalachians and from the border with Canada in the north. The largest river system is formed by the Mississippi River (3,757 km long, 180 km annual flow) and its countless tributaries, the largest of which are Missouri (4,127 km long), Arkansas (2,364 km) and Ohio (1,579 km). The Mississippi Delta is located in the center of the Mexican Lowland and juts out into the bay for more than 100 km. Rivers such as, for example, the Rio Grande, which runs the eastern part of the border between the United States and Mexico, as well as Colorado, Brazos, Trinity, and others flow directly into the Gulf of Mexico.

Non-drainage areas

There are several closed drainage areas in the United States, the largest of which is the Great Basin. On its territory are the lakes Big Salt Lake, Utah and Sevir in the east, as well as a number of small lakes in the west: Honi, Pyramids, Winnemacca, Tahoe, Walker, Monet and Owens. This basin also has an endless Humboldt River. Also prominent are the Great Divide Basin and the Harney Basin, which contains Lake Malur.

Pacific basin

The Columbia River (2,250 km long) with its tributary Snake (1,674 km) forms the largest basin in the northwestern United States. Colombia has an annual flow of 60 km and has the largest hydropower potential. The Franklin-Roosevelt Reservoir is located on the river near the border with Canada. The southern tributary of Columbia, the Willamette River flows through the valley, which is called the northern analogue of California. The San Joaquin and Sacramento Rivers flow through the California Valley itself, which together flow into the San Francisco Bay. Another large basin in the western part of the country is formed by the Colorado River (2,330 km), flowing on its way through the world's largest Grand Canyon. Above this canyon is the large Powell Reservoir, below the Mead Reservoir. Colorado flows into the Gulf of California in Mexico. The largest river in Alaska, the Yukon (3700 km), as well as the Kuskokuim river flow into the bay of the same name in the Bering Sea.

Arctic Ocean basin

Only a small part of the United States belongs to the Arctic Ocean basin. Northern Minnesota and North Dakota are dendriticated by rivers flowing through Lake Winnipeg and the Nelson River into Hudson Bay. In addition, northern Alaska rivers such as Noatak and Colville also carry their waters to the planet's northernmost ocean.

USA climate

Due to the country's large size, length, and wide variety of geographic features, regions with virtually any climatic characteristics can be found in the United States. Most of the United States (states located north of 40 degrees N) is located in a temperate zone, a subtropical climate prevails to the south, Hawaii and southern Florida lie in the tropics, and northern Alaska belongs to the polar regions. The Great Plains to the west of the 100th meridian are classified as semi-desert, the Great Basin and areas around it have an arid climate, and the coastal regions of California have a Mediterranean climate. The type of climate within the boundaries of one belt can vary significantly depending on the relief, the proximity of the ocean and other factors. The favorable climate had a significant impact on the settlement of the continent by Europeans and in many ways contributed to the US occupation of a leading position in the world.

The main component of the US climate is a high-altitude jet stream - powerful air currents that bring moisture from the north of the Pacific region. Moisture-saturated winds from the Pacific Ocean are actively irrigating the western coast of the United States. In the northwest, rains are not rare throughout the year, and there is more snow in winter than anywhere else in the world. California located to the south receives most of the rainfall in autumn and winter, while in summer it is rather dry and hot, which forms its Mediterranean climate. The Cascade Mountains, Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains take up almost all moisture, leaving a rain shadow to the east, forming a semi-desert climate in the western Great Plains. Death Valley and the Great Basin deserts were also formed by the presence of this shadow. Dry winds of the high-altitude jet stream, falling on the completely flat Great Plains, do not encounter any more obstacles and again gain moisture. Encounters with saturated currents from the Gulf of Mexico often result in severe storms and thunderstorms. In winter, they cause heavy snowfall on the northeast coast of the United States. The vast, flat plains of the United States are often the cause of extremely rapid, sometimes disastrous, weather changes. Temperatures can rise rapidly and also drop rapidly, depending on which air masses are "captured" by the high-altitude currents - from cold arctic in the north to warm tropical over the Gulf of Mexico.

Natural disasters

A relatively large number of various natural disasters occur in the United States every year. On the one hand, droughts in the United States are rare, on the other hand, when they do, they have serious, sometimes disastrous consequences. As an example, we can recall the terrible drought of 1931-1940, also known as the Dust Cauldron, which, moreover, fell on the period of the most severe economic crisis - the Great Depression. Farms in the Great Plains region virtually ceased to function, the region became depopulated (up to 2.5 million people left the plains by 1940), numerous dust storms destroyed the upper fertile soil layer. 1999 - 2004 in America, there was another drought, comparable in consequences with the above.

Frequent tornadoes are a well-known feature of the North American climate; in fact, the United States is far ahead of any other country in the number of tornadoes. The collision of air masses with very different temperatures is the main cause of frequent thunderstorms and tornadoes in the central regions of the United States in spring and summer. Although tornadoes in America are found in various regions - both in the lowland regions of Canada, and on the east coast of the United States and on the Florida Peninsula, the most frequent and strong tornadoes occur in the so-called Tornado Alley, the conditional boundaries of which cover the north of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas , part of Missouri, Arkansas and Tennessee. In the cities of these states, there are special sirens warning of the appearance of a tornado, and even during construction, houses are equipped with anti-tornado shelters.

Another natural disaster common in the United States is hurricanes. The east coast, the islands of Hawaii, and especially the southern states of the United States bordering the Gulf of Mexico are most affected by this disaster. The hurricane season in the United States begins in June and ends in early December, with its peak occurring between August and October. Some of the most devastating hurricanes include the Galveston Hurricane of 1900, Hurricane Andrew 1992, and the terrible Hurricane Katrina that swept through the southern United States in 2005. On the west coast of the United States, there are occasional echoes of Pacific typhoons, most often in the form of heavy, prolonged downpours. Floods, like droughts, are not common in the United States. However, it is worth noting the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and the Great Flood of 1993 - extremely prolonged and severe floods that claimed many lives and cost the American economy dearly. Many floods are also a direct consequence of hurricanes. It is especially worth noting the floods, which are developing extremely rapidly due to the features of the relief of some areas of the United States. A sudden thunderstorm can instantly fill the canyon, raising the water level by several meters at once. In the state of California, due to heavy rains, landslides also occur systematically. The western coast of North America is part of the so-called Pacific Volcanic Ring of Fire - the source of 90% of all earthquakes on earth. The entire mountainous region, from the Alaska Peninsula to southern California, is a zone of increased volcanic activity. The concentration of volcanoes is especially high in the Cascade Mountains in the northwestern United States. The 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens was one of the most destructive in the United States. The islands of Hawaii are also famous for their volcanoes, for example, the Kilauea volcano has been erupting continuously since 1983. However, Hawaiian volcanoes do not pose a particular danger to the residents of the state. The states of Alaska and California, due to their location on the edge of the Ring of Fire, are prone to particularly strong earthquakes. The 1906 San Francisco earthquake and the 1964 Alaska earthquake were among the worst in history. In addition to large devastating earthquakes, these states experience weaker impacts on a fairly regular basis, so all buildings have to be built to be earthquake resistant. Tsunamis are also direct consequences of earthquakes, often hitting the western coast of the United States. Recently, due to dry summers, the state of California suffers from wildfires every year.

Statistics

Arctic conditions prevail in the tundra of northern Alaska, the minimum temperature recorded in these parts was 62 ° C. The highest temperatures in the United States were recorded in Death Valley in California, where the thermometer rose to 56.7 ° C, just a degree less than the world record recorded 9 years later in the Sahara. The western states of the United States are known for their snowfall, and on average it receives much more snow than anywhere else on earth. In the winter of 1998-99. in one of the ski resorts in Washington state, about 29 meters of snow fell. The rainiest place in the United States is Hawaii, with 11,684 mm of precipitation falling on the island of Kauai every year. In the Mojave Desert, on the other hand, the amount of precipitation is extremely low - an average of 66.8 mm per year. The lowest point in the USA- Death Valley, County Inayo, California (-86 m).

In preparing the material, articles from Wikipedia, a free encyclopedia, were used.