Notes World Regional Geography Compiled and Edited by Aamir Mahar ASIA Asia is the the world's largest continent 44,579,000 km®, covering approximately 30% of the Earth's land and 8.6676 of the Earth's surface. Asia has the longest coastline, at 62,800 kilometres (39,022 mi) It is bordered by the Ural Mountains to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Indian Ocean to the south. The highest Point in the world, is Mount Everest (8,848 m), situated in the Tibetan region of the Himalayas. The lowest point is the Dead (or Salt) Sea, which is more than 1,400 fect below sea level, landlocked salt lake between Israel and Jordan in the south westemn Asia. The longest river in Asia and third longest in the world is the Yangtze (6,300 km) which flows through China. Taiwan became the first Asian country to legalize same sex marriage. Sri Lanka was the first Asian country to be declared Polio free. China's first manned spacecraft entered orbit in October 2003, making China the first Asian nation to send a human into space. Burmese statesman U Thant was the first Asian and the third Secretary-General of the UN from 1961 to 1971. India has the largest constitution of the world (since January 26, 1950) Atlantic Ocean ., See tote Ar tic Ocean | Europe . :GEORGIA Russia ) ARMENIA, Twrxey || azerBarsan LEBANON RAZARHSTAN. ISRAEL SYRIA MONGOLIA 7 nae JORDAN-ZF RAG TURK hve yzctan KUWAIT—». IRAN STAJIKISTAN BAHRAIN) |" AFGHAN, CHINA ; Bape aaran —4 ‘acific AFRICA OBS. yp) TL PAKISTAN BHUTAN bia paasia Lyte (NEPA Ocean YEMEN OMAN 4 etait | Tee © PHILIPPINES Arabian | BaNGLABESH % eect s Sea ATHAL YieTNaM, Pn J yanmar oc Y mt ( “edRmay ee CO ae Dont seRunei_/ c c 200 mj MALDIVES thts Qearse! ee one le - | fk TIMOR-LESTE © 1,000Km Indian Ocean SINGAPORE 7 (EASTTIMOR) re 8 AUSTRALIAOn 10 December 1997, Akmola replaced Almaty as the capital of Kazakhstan, On 6 May 1996, it was renamed Astana, which means “capital city” in Kazakh, On 20 March World Regional igh SBR AAR WtaNgpere’ from Astana to its current name Nur-Sultan in fang-ruling Kazch The regions of Asia include: President Nursultan Nazarbayev. 1) Central Asia: Kazakhstan (Nursultan), Kyrgyzstan (Bishkek), Tajikistan (Dushanbe), Turkmenistan (Ashgabat) and Uzbekistan (Tashkent). 2) East Asia: China (Beijing), Mongolia (Ulan Bator), North Korea (Pyongyang), South Korea (Seoul), Japan (Tokyo), Hong Kong* (City of Victoria since 1997), Taiwan (Taipei), and Macao* (Macau). 3) South Asia: Afghanistan (Kabul), Pakistan (Islamabad), Maldives (Malé), Nepal (Kathmandu), Bhutan (Thimphu), Bangladesh (Dhaka), India (New Delhi), Sti Lanka (Colombo). A common approximate synonym for South Asia is the Indian subcontinent, plus Afghanistan. 4) Southeast Asia: Myanmar (Naypyidaw), Thailand (Bangkok), Laos (Vientiane), Cambodia (Phnom Penh), Vietnam (Hanoi), Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), Singapore (Singapore), Indonesia (Jakarta), the Philippines (Manila), Brunei (Bandar Seri Begawan) and East Timor (Dili). 5) Western Asia (or Southwestern Asia, or the Middle East minus Egypt): Armenia (Yerevan), Azerbaijan (Baku), Bahrain (Manama), Georgia (Tbilisi) Iran (Tehran), Iraq (Baghdad), Israel (erusalem), Jordan (Amman), Kuwait (Kuwait), Lebanon (Beirut), Oman (Muscat), Qatar (Doha), Saudi Arabia (Riyadh), Syria (Damascus), Turkey (Ankara), United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi) and ‘Yemen (Sana’a) 6) —_Northem Asia - Russia! IMPORTANT SEAS INAME LOCATION PART OF OCEAN Kara Sea, Laptey North of Russia Arctic Ocean Sea, and East Siberian Sea 1 Bering Sea Northeast of Russia Pacific Oceans Sea of Okhotsk East_of Russia Pacific Ocean [Sea of Japan West of Japan Pacific Ocean Yellow Sea West of Korea af Pacific Ocean East China Sea East _of China Pacific Ocean South China Sea South of China eI Pacific Ocean [Sulu Sea West of the Philippines Island Pacific Ocean ICelebes Sea North of Celebes Island Pacific Ocean Banda Sea East_of Celebes Sea Pacific Ocean Flores Sea South of Celebes Sea Pacific Ocean Java Sea North of Java Pacific Ocean [Timor Sea Northwest of Australia Pacific Ocean Arafura Sea North of Australia South Pacific Ocean [Bay of Bengal East of the Indian Peninsula Indian Ocean Arabian Sea West of the Indian peninsula Indian Ocean [Red Sea Separates Asia from Africa Indian Ocean North African countries of Egypt, Sudan, Libya, Tunisia, Ak Notes meant Syria, Lebanon and Palestine. This means Jordan, nd Israel itself are part of the Levant * Under Chinese special administrative region, Western countries refer to the Middle East and in addition to these countries they ako include the Igeria and Morocco, Syria, which border Mediterranean Sea are collectively called the Levant. But basically the Levant has throughout history the West Bank (now under Israeli occupation)The Gulf of Aden is named after Aden, a Port city in Yemen. It connects to the Red Sea via the Bab-el-Mandeb strait World Regional Geography by Aamir Mahar Notes IMPORTANT GULFS NAME LOCATION PART OF OCEAN Gulf of Ob L Between Yamal Peninsula and Gyda Peninsula Arctic Ocean Gulf of Chihit East of China Yellow Sea (Pacific Ocean) Gulf of Tonkin Gulf of Thailand East of Vietnam South of Thailand China Sea (Pacific Ocean) South China Sea Persian Gulf Separates Arabian Peninsula from | Indian Ocean the plateau of Iran | Gulf of Oman Between Iranian Plateau and Oman_| Indian Ocean Gulf of Aden Between Somalia and Yemen Indian Ocean Gulf of Aquaba Between Aquaba (Jordan) and Red Sea Sinai Peninsula (Egypt), IMPORTANT ISLANDS NAME as LOCATION PART OF OCEAN Severnaya Islands North of Russia | Arctic Ocean New Siberian Islands North of Russia Arctic Ocean Between Laptev Sea and East Siberian Sea, Wrangel Islands North of Russia + East Siberian Sea, Arctic Ocean Kurile Islands + An extention of the volcanic Kamchatka Peninsula. Between Kamchatka Peninsula and Hokkaido Island Pacific Ocean Ryukyu Islands + An example of Submerged island, Between Kyushu and Taiwan Pacific Ocean Bonin Island | East of Ryukyu Island Pacific Ocean Babuyan Islands Spartly and Parcel Islands + A disputed group of islands claimed by China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan, Between Taiwan and Luzon (Philippines) A group of atolls in South China Sea {— Pacific Ocean Pacific Ocean Kharg Island is Fran's primary oil export terminal in the Persian Gulf. The al-Agsa Mosque, originally buil in 711 AD, is the name of the siver-domed mos Temple Mount (al-Haram al-Sharif). The Dome of the Rock Big Ben (London) is o huge The Brandenburg Gate, Berlin — sque inside o 35-acre compound in Jerusalem on top of the (Qubbatus Saqgora) is a part of Masjid a-Agsa. je clock on the tower of the British Parliament installed in the year 1859, the famous symbol of German unity.World Regional Geography by Aamir Mahar Philippines, Brunei because of vast reserves of oil beneath these islands, The Philippines Lying 1200 km east of Vietnam and Pacific Ocean | archipelago 15° north of the equator. LUZON + The largest and the important island of the Philippines is known as the Rice Bowl of Philippines’ + Mount Mayon, the only active volcano of the Philippines, is located in the Luzon, + Good quality cigar tobacco is grown in the northern Luzon (mainly Cagayan Valley) + Igorot tribe lives in the northern region of island + Mindano Island: Second largest island located in southern part of the Philippines. + Mount Apo, a dormant volcano on Mindano, is the country's highest peak. IMPORTANT STRAITS _————_. INAME SEPARATES ICONNECT Bering Strait Asia and North America East Siberian Sea with Bering Sea La Perouse Strait Sakhalin Island and Hokkaido Island __|Sea of Okhotsk with Sea of Japan. + [Tatar Strait Eastern Russia and Sakhalin. [Sea of Okhotsk with Sea of Japan Korea Strait South Korea and Kyushu (Japan) Yellow Sea with Sea of Japan Formosa Strait Taiwan and China [East China Sea with South China Sea Luzon Strait | Taiwan and Luzon (Philippines) [South China Sea with Pacific Ocean. Makassar Strait Borneo (Kalimantan) and Celebes Island |Celebes Sea with Java Sea Sunda Strait Java and Sumatra Java Sea with Indian Ocean, Notable Places- Saint Peter's of Rome (Italy), the Escutial Palace (Spain), opera houses of San Jose (Costa Rico), of Hanoi (Vietnam) and Alexandtia (Egyp!). Bridge of Sighs (Venice, Italy), Broadway (USA), Pentagon § White House (Washington), White Halll (London). Buckingham Palace (London) is for the British Monarch since Queen Victoria’s accession in 1837. CN Tower is located in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, NotesThe Strait of Hormuz, the waterway separates Iran and Oman, linking the Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea. The Strait is 21 miles (33 km) wide at its narrowest Point, but the shipping lane is just two miles (three km) wide in either direction. It is also the route used for nearly all the liquefied natural gas (LNG) produced by the world’s biggest LNG exporter, Gatar. World Regional Geography by Aamir Mahar [Malacca Strait Malaya Peninsula and Sumatra Java Sea with Bay of Bengal + One of the great shipping corridors of the world, Strait of Jahore Singapore and Malaysia [Strait of Hormuz | UAE and Iran | Persian Guif with Gulf of Oman Strait of Bosporus | Asia and Europe. | biack Sea with Sea of Marmara [Strait of Dardanelles | Asia and Europe. | Sea of Marmara with Mediterranean Sea. | IMPORTANT MOUNTAINS ‘The Himalayan Mountain Range | + Lies to the north of Indo Gangetic Plain, is an example of mountain range which formed in the same age with same process. * An example of fold mountain of Alpine orogeny + Mount Everest (8,848 m) is the highest peak, actually in Nepal Karakoram Range * Lies to the north of the Himalaya. _| + Godwin Austin (K2) is the highest peak of Karakoram, Kailash Range + _ East of Karakoram Range in Tibet | Kunlunshan Range * Lies to the north of Tibet Plateau and to the south of the desert basin of Tarim in China. | Tienshan + Lies to the north of Tarim basin. Great Khingan Mountain * The Tien Shan extends to the north east and reaches the Amur River under the name of Khingan Mountain. Altain Mountain + Lies to the north of Tienshan in succession in a more or less east- Hangay Mountain west direction. Sayan Mountain 1: Yablonovy Range, * Lies to the north east of the Altain Range in the eastern ria Stanvoi Range. Dzhugzur Range and Kolyama Range Verkhyoyansk Range + Lies to the east of the lena River separates Central Siberian Plateau from the eastern Siberian region, Pegu Yoma + The Irrawaddy and Sittang are divided in their middle course by _|___ this mountain range Arakan Ysoma + Running southwards, is the western range of Myanmar, * A range of the Himalaya which further continues through the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Sumatra, Java and other Indonesian islands, During the 1980-1988 Iran-raq war, the two sides sought to disrupt each other's oil exports in what wos known as the Tanker War. The fst Arab-Israeli war broke out in 1948 after Israel declared statehood, capturing some 78 percent of the land, with the remaining areas of the West Bank, East Jerusalem ond Gaza coming under Egyptian and Jordanian control. Red Square is a city square in Moscow, Russia. It separates the Kremlin, the former royal citadel and now the official residence of the President of a Notes Russia, from a historic merchant quarter known as Kitai-gorod. Se Pi ri a NEL pi Ly eae ork iL Sorel TyNotes World Regional Geography by Aamir Mahar THE MOUNTAIN REGIONS TO THE WEST OF THE PAMIR + Running westwards from the Pamir Knot to the Elburz Mountain in Iran. Elburz Mountain * Hindukush Mountain joins the Armenian Knot near the Caspian Sea under the name of Elburz Mountain in Iran. Sulaiman Range + It proceeds southwards from the Pamir Knot along the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. + The most famous pass across this mountain wall is the Khyber, linking Pakistan with Afghanistan. Krithar Range Sulaiman Range takes the name of Kirthar in the south. Makran Range Kirthar Range turns westward on the Arabian Sea coast and assumes the name of Makran. Zagros Running to the northwest of Makran, ultimately ends up in the Armenian Knot. Pontic Mountain Range Running to the northwest of Armenian Knot in Turkey. ‘Taurus Mountain Range Running to the southwest of Armenian Knot along the Mediterranean coast in Turkey. IMPORTANT PLATEAUS AND BASINS [Nan INFORMATION Plateau) Ladakh Plateau (Intermontane + Lies between the Karakoram in the north and the Himalayas in the south. [Tibet Plateau (Intermontane Plateau) Yunan Plateau Takla Makan Desert Plateau and Tarim Basin + Enclosed to the south by the Himalayas, to the north by the Kunlun Range is the highest tableland (4,800 m) of Tibet. |+_ The largest plateau in the world with an average altitude of 4,250 m > Lies to the southeast of the Tibet Plateau is separated from the fertile Szechuan basin by the range of mountains. + An intermontane desert basin lies between the Tienshan in the north and Kunlun Shan in the south, Pamir Plateau Armenian Plateau + Convective wind ‘Karaburan’ blows in the arid regions. ituated to the northwest of the Indian sub-continent. + Meeting point for the central Asian mountain ranges which make up the skeleton of the continent + The highest plateau of the world with an altitude of 4,900 m is also known| as ‘roof of the world’ + Situated between the Caspian Sea and Black SeaWorld Regional Geography by Aamir Mahar i as Pamir-like plateau from where many mountain ranges spread out, therefore called the Armenian Knot. Iranian Plateau The central desert plateau of Iran is enclosed by Zagros in the south and west and Elburz in the north Mongolian Plateau A high plateau between 1,500 and 1,800 m above sea level, is situated between the Khinghan in the east, Altunshan and Tien Shan in the south, Altai_and Yablonovy in the west. Urfan Basin Lies to_the west of Mongolian Plateau, Alban Plateau Indo-China Plateau b Shan Plateau Myanmar, Lies to the north west of Stanvoi Mountain. Region of Southeast Asia, extends over Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar. Lies between Pegu Yoma and Arkan Yoma in the eastern part of ‘The Salween River flows through the plateau. Region important for precious stone (Rubies), silver, lead, and tin and tungsten, Deccan Plateau Lies to the south of Indo Gangetic plain, between the Eastern Ghats and Western Ghats, North western part of Deccan Plateau is an example of lava Plateau or Plateau of accumulation, Arabian Plateau ae Plateau Plateau of Anatolia or Asia Minor or Turkey A desert plateau (900 m high) situated to the west of Kirthar Range. An example of tilted block extending over the entire Arabian Peninsula, Enclosed between Pontic Mountain Ranges in the north west and Tauras in the south west. A vast plateau with an average height of 1,200 m, broken by ridges and volcanic The main rivers draining off the plateau are Tigris and Euphrates Loess Plateau The Plateau region is surrounded by Great Plain in the east, Qining Mountains in the south and Ordos Plateau in the north, Loess is the wind borne fine dust, deposited beyond the deserts limits and is the fine loam, rich in lime. Shansi and Shensi region of loess plateau is known for its extensive coal reserves, ‘The Hwang Ho flows through loess land. Dzungarian Basin Relatively low lying land between the Tien shan and Altai Range in Mongolia, NotesWorld Regional Geography by Aamir Mahar * A Sort of door between China and Mongolian the east and Tarim lowland in the west. Mesopotamian Plain Gobi Desert + Formed by the Tigris and Euphrates River in Iraq * One of the major regions where wheat, barley, tobacco and cotton is grown, * Situated to the southeast of Mongolians Plateau and extends into China. * Aridity due to interior location shows the features of undulating sand sea as well as barren sheets of rock and stone. IMPORTANT LAND REGIONS. Manchurian Plain * Formed by the Amur River and its tributaries in the northern part of China * Important cities Anshan, Shenyag and Fushun of Mukden Triangle are located, Great Plain of China Turanian Plain + Formed by the Hwang-Ho and Yangtze Kiang Rivers in the eastern China. * Formed by the two principal Asian rivers, the Amu Darya and Syr Darya + Itis an example of Basin plain which covers the region of Turkmenistan, Uxbekistan_and Kazakhstan, West Siberian Plain Tsaidam Basin Szechuan Basin eS q + It extends over 3,200 km eastwards from the Urals to the Yenisey River and is one of the largest lowlands in the world, + Lies between Altun Shan and Kunlunshan and to the north east of Central Tibetan Plateau +The major region of oil fields. * Situated to the north of Yunan Plateau is the fertile basin where the Yangtze Kiang River is joined by three major tributaries known as the Red Basin because of its coloured sandstone. + Red basin of Szechuan is the leading rice producing region and is called the 'Rice Bowl of China’, HE DESERT LANDSCAPE OF SAUDI ARABIA. Rub-al- Khali * Largest continuous sand desert in the southern part of Saudi Arabia + _It is also called ‘Empty Quarter’ Al Nafud Desert + Deserts land in the north eastern region of Saudi Arabia THE DESERT LANDSCAPE OF IRAN Dasht-I-Kavir Dasht-I-Lut + Largest Salt desert of the world situated in the northern Iran. * Barren desert of Iran situated in the eastern part of country, NotesWorld Regional Geography by Aamir Mahar pau IMPORTANT LAKES. NAME INFORMATION Lake Balkal * Located in the southern part of eastern Siberia and to the west of Yablonovy Range in Russia. + Source of the Lena River, * tis the deepest continental body of water on Earth having a maximum depth of 1,620 m. Lake Balkash + Located in Kazakhastan, + North of the Lake is Karaganda coal basin. Aral Sea L + Located between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan * Two principal Asian rivers, the Amu Darya and Syr Darya flow through semi arid depression into the sea. Lake Van Golu + The largest lake of Turkey + One of the saltiest lake in the world. Lake Turnool * The northernmost extent of East African Rift Valley. + Located in the Anatolia Peninsula of Turkey. Lake Asad + Located in Syria Dead Sea + It is an example of rift valley lake which lies along the West Bank of Jordan, + One of the deepest points of Asia is the world's lowest lake. * The Jordan river flows in to the Dead Sea, which has no outlet, and evaporation balances the inflow. Sea of Gallilee at Lake Tonle Sap + Lava flow blocked the Jordan Valley and formed an elongated lake in Israel +The lava-blocked lake is linked to the Dead Sea through the Jordan River, + Located in the central lowland of Cambodia. Lake Toba + Situated in the Sumatra (Indonesia) + An example of crater or caldera lake: Lop Nor + Salt lake in China, site of numerous nuclear testing, + Tarim river drains into the lake. Caspian Sea | + The largest lake in the world and five times larger than the Lake Superior. + It separates Europe from Asia. NotesWorld Regional Geography by Aamir Mahar IMPORTANT RIVERS Tributary: Sungari River. River. INAME, SOURCE OUTFLOW NORTH FLOWING RIVERS FROM WEST TO EAST IN RUSSIA lob Altai Mountain Gulf of Ob Tributaries: Irtysh, Tobol Yenisey Tannuala Mountain Arctic Ocean Lena Lake Baikal Arctic Ocean Kolyma Kolyma Range East Siberian Sea. EAST FLOWING RIVERS FROM NORTH TO SOUTH Amur Confluence of Shika and Argun | Tatar Strait Yalu + Forms a well defined border between North Korea and the Eastern Russia, Korea Bay (Yellow Sea) Hwang Ho + The river is best known for the floods, also called ‘China's Sorrow’, + It flows through loess land, hence it is also called, the Yellow river. Tibetan Plateau The river's course was diverted away into the Gulf of Pohai instead of the Yellow Sea, IYangtse Kiang + Ibis the longest river of Asia. + It flows through Szechuan basin * Shangai and Wuhan, are the important cities of China lying along the river. Tibetan Plateau East China Sea. \Sikiang + More than half of the total silk production in China comes from the Yangtse Kiang and Sikiang deltas, Eastern Yunan (China) China Sea, NotesWorld Regional Geography by Aamir Mahar + About 75% of theChinese live in fertileriver basin of HwangHo, Yangise Kiang and Sikang, SOUTH FLOWING RIVE! IMekong + It flows through China, Thailand-Laos border, Cambodia and Vietnam over 4,160 km to the South China Sea, + Longest river in South East Asia. + In Laos, the Mekong forms the western Boundary with Thailand, + Phnom Penh and Ho Chi Minch cities are situated on the bank of river. + Mekong valley of south Vietnam is devoted to rice cultivation, (characterised by funnel shaped distributaries, stabled by growth of mangrove vegetation) lying in Vietnam, Tibetan highlands South China Sea Chao Phraya City located: Bangkok + The principal river of Thailand + The river's delta has rich alluvial soil which is used almost entirely for rice ani has very high density of population. Gulf of Thailand [Salween + It flows through China & Shan Plateau (Myanmar) over 2,090 km. Tibetian highlands Gulf of Martaban NotesWorld Regional Geography by Aamir Mahar + Longest river_of Myanmar] Irrawaddy Tributary: Chindwin ICity located: Mandalay + Major river of the country referred to as + Central basin between Irrawaddy and Chindwin around Mandalay is very important for wheat and cotton cultivation, + Delta region of Irrawaddy and Sittang, known as the ‘Rice Bow! of Myanmar the ‘Life line of Myanmar’ North Myanmar Bay of Bengal Brahmaputra + Brahmaputra is called ‘Tsang-Po in Tibet and Dihang in Assam, before centering in India, + It enters Bangladesh near Dhubri, + [Rises in glacier about 100 km south least of Mansarovar Lake Bay of Bengal Ganga + In the upper course Alaknanda and Bhagirathi River meet at Devprayag and form Ganga. lh |Gangotri Glacier Bay of Bengal Hindus + One of the world's largest rivers flows through a gorge of Kailash Range, enters Jammu and Kashmir, and drains into Arabian Sea through Attock plains of Pakistan Mansarovar lake Arabian Sea [Tigris and Eupharates Iraq and flow south eastwards across the country then drain into the Persian Gulf via a combined estuary + These two rivers dominate NotesWorld Regional Geography by Aamir Mahar + They meet at Shattal-Arab in Iraq, Amu Darya and Syr Darya + The principal rivers of Central Asia flow to the Aral Sea through the semi and depression NotesWorld Regional Geography by Aamir Mahar EUROPE Europe is the sixth largest continent in size and the third largest in population. Its bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the south, Asia to the east, and the Atlantic Ocean to the West. Europe is a wealthy continent and is the center of the West and Western Democracy. a is Ate $ Crete S.NORTH 7 f SAMERICA 7 ASIA iGELAND eS FINLAND p nofwar: (Loe RUSSIA Atlantic FS wiley ESTONIA ac © A(swében 9" Ocean KINGDOM = el Ske venvaang, yf ANY North gO use! a IRELAND = \ sea * BELARUS: ‘ pe POLAND, c > GERMANY Tes ae UKRAINE Le ov aspiclk cuux. Gee" <4 Sea Sesto Geen, Mouboyd AzER Mew eFideraga HUNGARY GeeRGIA FRAN tae Croatia ROMANIA Black Sea BOSN HERG ee oe BULGARIA. Dison MONACOmma Sat ei osove srponn RARE aby nos Raney 500 mi PORTUGAL coy Rawrl MAGEE spain o sb0km & poe ASIA GIBRALTAR (U.K.)_\. ToNIstA 7 ¢ ay MoRocco! Mediterranean Sea ASIA © 800km se i wesTERW ALGERIA s SAHARA upva | eover (MOROCEO) oN CAPE VERDE MAURITANIA 2 Mau z ve s SENEGAL NIGER Arabian cAMBIAS ‘cuay /. supan (SACOM GUINEA-BISSAU a Spynoyrt Of? Atlantic euunea| on DuIBoUTI opoaen SIERRALEONE-S1/ GHANA) )(MIGERIA Se oo cr topin » LIBERIA, her, SUDAN . oo —“1060_-€ aMEROON \ cote D'ivoIRE Somalia Wonveors _ta.cumeaChr aig, usand) re —— RWAND, ENYA’ ; bs AND PRINCE GABON guRUNDIe Indian Ocean DEM. REP. OF GARINDA THE CONSO ANGOLA < t , TANZANIA seycuttiss SOUTH A sroctn Hee) » COMOROS AMERICA tA ZAMBIA \ { ‘wozamajaue Mauritius Nawal BMBABWE { } MADAGASCAR = BOTSWANA yoo “Eswaziane SOUTH (>~LesoTHo BFRICA |Atlas Mountains + Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia, THE MOUNTAINS OF AFRICA. ‘The Atlas Mountains were formed by converging African and Eurasian tectonic plates. ‘The mountains contain a wealth of minerals, including phosphate rock, iron, zinc, copper, and antimony, JRuwenzori Mountains |+ Between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo Margherita Peak (5,109-m) summit of Mount Stanley, is the highest point in the range and the third highest peak in Africa. [Mount Cameroon + Active volcano in western Cameroon near the Gulf of Guinea Recognized as a biological diversity ‘hotspot! due to the variety of endemic plant species and endangered fauna. Mount Kilimanjaro Volcano in East Afric | | | Kilimanjaro National Park is a World Heritage Site, and together with Kilimanjaro Forest Reserve, is renowned for its natural beauty and biodiversity NotesWorld Regional Geography by Aamir Mahar OTHER GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES OF AFRICA Great Rift Valley * Great Rift Valley a geological fault system stretching about 6,400 km from the valley of the Jordan River in south western Asia to the Zambezi River in Mozambique. It is the longest fault system in the world. * Elevations range from about 400 m below sea level in the Dead Sea to more than 1,800 m above sea level in southern Kenya, * South of Ethiopia the Great Rift Valley divides into an eastern and a western branch, The eastern branch, which runs through Kenya and Tanzania, has many volcanoes and several shallow lakes, * The western branch, which runs along the Democratic Republic of the Congo's eastern frontier, is marked by a chain of large, deep lakes and has few volcanoes, The branches converge at Lake Nyasa, in southeastern Africa, and continue south as one system to central Mozambique. * The deep rift valleys of the Eastern Highlands hold a great series of lakes. This equatorial lake system includes Lakes Turkana, Albert, Tanganyika, and Nyasa (Malawi). * Lake Victoria, the largest lake in Africa and the third largest in the world, is, however, not part of this system. Victoria Falls The waterfall is in southern Africa on the Zambezi River, on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe. ‘The fall is higher and wider than Niagara Falls measuring 1,600 m across and drop about 107 m in some parts Cape of Good Hope + Itis southern end of Cape Peninsula in southwestern Africa. * It is 48 km south of Cape Town (South Africa) and 160 km northwest of Cape Agulhas. * The Cape of Good Hope for centuries was a landmark indicating to navigators that they were at the ‘meeting of the Atlantic and Indian oceans Cape Aguthas + It is in South Africa and is southernmost point of Africa. * It lies where the Atlantic and Indian oceans meet and is 160 km southeast of the Cape of Good Hope. + The name Agulhas (Portuguese for " ‘on which many ships have been lost Sinaj Peninsula ieedles") refers to the jagged reefs and sunken rocks around the cape, * An area of Asia that forms a land bridge to Africa. + It is part of Egypt. The Sahara Desert * Sahara, the vast desert of northern Africa, and the world’s largest arid region. It occupies much of the broad northern half of Africa and covers 9,000,000 km2 NotesWorld Regional Geography by Aamir Mahar * Northern boundaries of Sahara desert are the Atlas Mountains and the Mediterranean Sea and stretches upto 17° north of the Equator for 1,900 km. * From the Red Sea on the east to the Atlantic Ocean on the west it stretches more than 5,600 km. * It isa low plateau with an uplifted center that has several mountainous areas, Elevations over much of the Sahara average only 300 to 450 m above sea level. * Except for the Nile and the Niger, which flow along the desert margins, there are no permanent rivers. * Central Sahara is dominated by mountainous like Akaggar (in Algeria), and Tibesti (in Chad). These rugged and barren highlands of volcanic origin have been eroded by wind and water into many strangely shaped peaks. * The extinct volcano of Emi Koussi, in the Tibesti, reaching 3,415 m, is the Sahara's highest point. Kalahari Desert + Itis an arid region in southern Afri an area of 310,000. km2, comprising parts of Botswana, South Africa, and Namibia covering * The northeastern part of the Kalahari receives the most rain up to 500 mm annually. Rainfall declines toward the southeast, where some areas receive virtually no rain, Summer daytime temperatures often teach more than 100° F (38° C.), Libyan Desert * It is a part of the Sahara covering 1,300,000 km2 in Libya, Egypt, and Sudan. * Elevations generally vary from 150- 900 m. In the northeast, in Egypt, the Qattara Depression drops to 133 m below sea level-one of the lowest points in Africa. * The Libyan Desert is extremely dry; it often receives no rain for several years at a time. Namib Desert * An arid coastal region in Namibia extending about 1,600 km from Angola in the north to South Africa in the south. + It is 130 km wide and lies between a high inland plateau and the Atlantic Ocean * The weather is generally cool because of westerly winds moving inland from cold offshore water, morning fog is common, + Annual rainfall is less than 1 inch (25 mm). * Two rivers, the Orange and the Kunene, cross the desert on its extreme northern and southern edges * Diamonds are mined in the alluvial sands along the coast. Except for a few mining towns and ports, the area is virally uninhabited DRAINAGE IN AFRICA [iver Originate Drains Flows through Nile River | Confluence of Blue Nile (originates at Lake Tana in Ethiopia) and White Nile (originates at Lake Victoria) 4 Mediterranean Sea Ethiopia, Sudan, Egypt, Uganda, Congo-Kinshasa, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, Eritrea NotesWorld Regional Geography by Aamir Mahar [Conse River] [ Aanae ‘Ocean ]Assotn, Barundi;:> Caaeroon: (Central African Republic,Congo-Kinshasa, Gabon, Congo-Brazzaville, __| Rwanda,Tanzania, Zambia Niger River Guinea Highlands Atlantic Ocean Mali, Nigeria, Benin, Niger and sel Guinea Zambezi River |Zambezi Source National Indian Ocean Zambia, Angola, Namibia, [Forest Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique JOrange River |Maloti Mountains Alexander Bay, Lesotho, South Aftica, Namibia [Atlantic Ocean | Limpopo River |Marico and Crocodile Indian Ocean South Africa, Botswana, _[Zimbabwe, Mozambique L sel DIVISION OF AFRICA 1. North Africa lies north of the Sahara and runs along the Eastern coast. 7 NORTH AFRICA ae wos 4 eaasr WEST AFRICA SOUTHERN AFRICA NotesWorld Regional Geography by Aamir Mahar 2. West Africa is the portion roughly west of 10° east longitude, excluding Northern Africa and the Maghreb, 3. East Africa stretches from the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa to Mozambique, including Madagascar but excluding the southem and northern edges of the continent. 4 Central Africa is the large mass at the center of Africa, which either does not fall squarely into any other region or only partially does so. 5 Southern Afriea consists of the portion generally south of 10° latitude and the great rainforests of Congo. NORTH-WEST AFRICA * Comprises of Morocco, N. Algeria and Tunisia Called Barbary States, * The relief and climate of this region make it unique. + The chain of mountains is Atlas Mountains. * The Chief agriculture product is vine followed by tobacco, Pastoral activity is also important + The Sahel is one of the most important regions in the world for the production of Olives, NORTH EAST AFRICA Egypt + Nile river is the most important geographical feature. * The Western deserts, comprising % of the total areas of Egypt. The eastern desert occupies the comparatively long and narrow region lying between the Nile valley and the Red sea * Cotton is the most important agricultural product of Egypt. Maize sugarcane, vegetables and rice are grown. * Cairo is the chief town and capital of Egypt, Alexandria the chief harbor and leading commercial center Sudan * The largest country of Africa (in area) * Over 80% inhabitants derive their income from the farming. * Cotton is the most important agricultural product followed by peanuts, sesames seeds and gum * Khartoum is the capital, Omdurman is another town. The Sahara Desert * Meaning “wilderness” extending 1600 km in north-south and 4800 east-west across the entire continent from Atlantic Ocean to Red sea. + Djanet Oasis in Southern Algaria is considered as the most beautiful Oasis in the world * AI Azisiya is the hottest place in the world lying 40 km south of Tripoli (Libya). * Chad lake is highly functioning size varies between 1000 km2 to 25000km2 NotesWorld Regional Geography by Aamir Mahar WEST AFRICA Guinea Republic * _ Itis very important in bauxite production: it is viewed that half of the world's bauxite is stored here. 60% of the country exchequer comes from the export of bauxite, Wory Coast + Itis one of the most prosperous countries in west Africa- Coffee, Cocoa, Banana and rubbers are main agricultural Products. Ghana * Formerly named Gold coast one of the leading exporters of manganese in the world + One of the leading producer of cocoa in the world. Nigeria + Ivis the largest country of Africa in population + Palm oil, peanuts and Cocoa are chief products. + Laos is the capital and chief sea port Sierra Leone + Diamond is major export item + Freetown is the capital and most beautiful port of Africa EAST AFRICA Comprises the countries of Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania along-with Rwanda and Burundi. Uganda + Lake Victoria is in this country. * Ruwenzori range which is the highest non-volcanic peak of Africa (5119m) the mountain is also called mountain of moon". Kenya + Lies between 4° N and 4° $ of equator. + It has been named after famous peak Mount Kenya. * Major export items are coffee tea, maize, wheat, sugar; sisal and cotton are chief products. ‘Tanzania + Affica's highest peak Mt. Kilimanjaro lies here, * It is largest producer of sisal in the world. Cotton, Coffee, tea tobacco are also gown * Zanzibar and Pemba are known as islands of cloves. They are the largest producer of clove in the world, * Zanzibar Port (Malindi Port) is the main of the five ports situated on the Zanzibar Island. NotesWorld Regional Geography by Aamir Mahar CENTRAL AFRICA * It lies in the northeast of lake Tanganyika, Batusti (Tutsi) and Batula (Tatu) are two major ethnic groups. ‘Twa is the third major ethnic group. * Coffee is by far the most important export item, followed by cotton and tobacco. Zambia + Itis a land locked country and is one of the largest producer of copper. + The Zambezi and the Kafue are the chief river basins. Malawi + Formerly known as Nyasa land, + Itis a landlocked country. Mozambique * It has a long coastline facing the Indian ocean-crossed by Zambeei and the Limpopo riven * Limpopo river was once called "The valley that trembles" because of the herd of elephants in the region. * Sugarcane, cotton, copra, sisal, and cashew nuts are the chief agricultural products HORN OF AFRICA * Tt the term denote that horn shaped part of Africa surrounded by Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in the East, Indian Ocean in South and Sudan in West + It consists of Ethiopia, Somalia, Eritrea and Djibouti * Formed mostly of volcanic rocks and some portion are characterized by the fault scrap. * Ethiopian economy is agrarian 90% of the total area is cultivated. Coffee is the must important commercial output SOUTHERN AFRICA Comprises most the regions lying between latitude 17° as 35° S, ‘The Countries are South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland, The Republic of South Africa * The cape region is the Mediterranean region with mild-moist winters and hot dry summers. * The Namib is the arid coastal strip between the plateau of South west Africa and the Atlantic. It is a true desert. * Velde is the tropical Savana region south of the equatorial rainforest in Africa- the region lies on the highest ground in South Africa. * Kalahari desert lies in the western and north western part, * Kimberley is a noted famous diamond mining center lies in the northem part + Cope town is a port and center of country's legislature, NotesWorld Regional Geography by Aamir Mahar + Johannesburg is famous for gold. + Pretoria is the capital of South Africa + Krunger is a National Park, a large wild game preserve, is also located In the Transvaal. * Natal is located on the eastern; lies under the highest part of the Drakensburg Escarpment, Most of the Indian population lives in this state. Namibia * Capital city of Namibia is Windhoek. * The country is rich in diamond mineral. Copper, lead and Zine are also mined. Botswana + Itis a land locked country. The country has a very rough topography, * Majority of the people work in South African mines, Swaziland + Gold, coal, asbestos and iron ore are mined. + Sugarcane and fruits are chief farm products. THE AFRICAN ISLANDS The Azores + Forms part of Portugal. * It lies in the Addantic between 25°. 30° W longitude and 36°-39° N latitude + The island is of volcanic origin, The Modiras + It is between 33°- 34° N latitude + It is volcanic in origin + It has Mediterranean type of climate, ‘The Canary Islands + Forms part of Spain. * It lies 50 miles away from the African coast, between 27°.29° N latitude * The Islands comprise seven inhabited and six uninhabited islands The Cape Verde Islands Group of 10 inhabitated and 4 unihabited islands lies between 14-17° N Harmattan is the prevailing wind. Madagascar Itis the fifth longest islands of the world after green land, New Guinea, Bosnia and Baffin Islands. It is separated from Mozambique by the Channel of the Dame. NotesNotes World Regional Geography by Aamir Mahar AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND AUSTRALIA, The 7,686,850 km? Australian landmass is on the Indo-Australian Plate and is surrounded by the Indian, Southern and Pacific oceans, and separated from Asia by the Arafura and Timor seas, with total of 25,760 km of coastline, Facts about Australia: * The land area of Australia is about 3 million square miles (7,773,000 km2). It is similar in size to the United States, excluding Alaska and Hawai * More than one-third of the country lies within the Tropics and overall it extends from 10° § latitude to nearly 45°S latitude. * The Foveaux Strait flows between Stewart Island and South Island. * A portion of the south Pacific known as the Tasman Sea separates Australia and New Zealand. * Mawson is Australia’s oldest Antarctic station, established in 1954 and named after Antarctic explorer and geologist Sir Douglas Mawson. * Australia is currently moving north east at a rate of 73 millimetres per year. Geoscience Australia monitors regional earthquake risk by measuring the movement of tectonic plates. The Australian continent is part of the Indian-Australian tectonic plate, which is slowly moving, carrying the continent with it * Tasmania is separated from mainland Australia by Bass Strait and is the smallest state in Australia, + Western Australia is the largest state in area. The east of the state is mostly desert while on the west, the state is bound by 12, 889 kilometres of the world’s most pristine coastline. * Located just off the coast of southern Queensland, Fraser Island is the largest sand island in the world. * South Australia is known as the ‘Festival State’, with more than 500 festivals taking place there every year. * Mt Kosciusko (7,328 feet, or 2,234 m), in the southeastern comet of the continent, is the highest point in Australia * New South Wales is Australia’s oldest and most populous state. Its capital, Sydney, is the nation’s largest city. * Hot summers and mild winters characterize the temperature patterns of Australia. The location straddling the Tropic of Capricorn assures much intense sunshine for the entire continent, especially during the high sun period,World Regional Geography by Aamir Mahar Notes ae PRUNE ve INDONESIA } at INDIAN OCEAN PE comacoeyyee_ rt Physiographic regions of Australia ‘The three major physiographic regions of Australia are: A. The Great Dividing Range The Eastern Highlands region of Australia is the highest part of Australia, being a series of hills, mountains and plateaux. This area is also known as the Great Dividing Range. ‘These ranges include the New England Plateau, the Australian Alps, the Snowy Mountains (which are considered to be a part of the Australian Alps), the Blue Mountains and the Grampian Mountains. These landforms were made due to uplifting, folding and volcanic processes in the Earth’s crust. Australia’s tallest mountain is Mount Kosciuszko, which is found in New South Wales in the Australian Alps. Mount Kosciuszko stands at 2228 metres (m), which is less than half the height of the tallest mountain found in Europe. ‘The Central Lowlands The Central Lowlands are very dry because rainfall is blocked by the Eastern Highlands. The Central Lowlands region consists of a series of basins, low-lying land, lakes, and old lakebeds, Most of the land lies below 500 feet (153 m) elevation.World Regional Geography by Aamir Mahar * The surface of Lake Eyre is the lowest point in the region, at about 40 feet (12 m) below sea level ‘The region contains two large basins: the larg Basin. est is the Great Artesian Basin, the other is the Murray * The Simpson Desert, which extends for 170 000 square kilometres (km2), is in the Central Lowlands, large red sand dunes and salt pans, which are intermittent (occasionally This desert is famous for i appearing) lakes that only have water in them when it rains, Wh pans dry up, leaving behind white salts. ien there is no rain, however, the salt * The Central Lowlands have few tall mountains, but Flinders Range is located about 1100 km north of Adelaide and extends for 800 km. Its tallest peak, St. Mary Peak, is 1171 m tall C. The Western plateau * The Western Plateau is also home to many deserts, Due to cold water currents off the coast of Western Australia, this region is very dry. * Some of the deserts in this region include the Gibson, Tanami Victoria Deserts. i, Canning, Great Sandy and Great Desert State/Territory < Great Victoria Desert Great Sandy Desert Western Australia, South Australia Western Australia Tanami Desert Western Australia, Northern Territory Simpson Desert Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia Gibson Desert Little Sandy Desert Western Australia Western Australia Strzelecki_ Desert South Australia, Queensland, New South Wales Sturt Stony Desert South Australia, Queensland, New South Wales Tirari_Desert South Australia Pedirka Desert South Australia The Great Barrier Reef * The world's largest coral reef system is the Great Barrier Reef * The Great Barrier Reef is home to a large number of species * The Great Barrier Reef is a system of 2900 smaller reefs, 618 continental islands and 300 cays + The reef is built on a foundation of coral * Scientists believe the Great Barrier Reef has existed for over 18 million years + There are many organisms living in the coral reefs * Damage to one part of the coral reef ecosystem can cause damage to other parts of the reef NotesWorld Regional Geography by Aamir Mahar Climate Australia is considered to be one of the driest continents on earth However, because of its insular position and lack of natural features such as high mountain ranges, there are generally no extremes of climate. Climate varies because of the size of the continent. The temperature ranges from 23°-26°C above the Tropic of Capricorn to 38°C in the arid plateaus and deserts of the interior. The southern areas are more temperate, although subject to wide variations such as high rainfall, great heat and irregular flooding and drought. EL Nino usually occurs in summer. Cold currents flow up the Peruvian coast from Antartica and are warmed by equatorial currents circulating across the Pacific from Australia. Warmed winds blowing across the current’s surface pick up moisture and deposit it on the Peruvian coast, The warm winds proceed across the central Pacific and in turn deposit rain on eastern Australia. Every three to eight years the equatorial current is exceedingly strong and noticably warmer off the coast of Peru, resulting in strong winds bringing heavy rains and floods. At this time, waters off Australia become noticably cooler and winds weaken and are turned towards the Pacific, reducing the rain-bearing clouds across eastern Australia, resulting in drought La Nina is the opposite phenomenon, which results in abnormally strong winds over the western Pacific blowing across unusually warm currents off the east coast of Australia, resulting in flooding rains, Rivers Australia’s major rivers flow through the Central Lowlands region. River Originate Drains Region covered + Murray River Australian Alps Southern Ocean New South Wales, Victoria.South Australia After the Nile and Amazon rivers, Murray ranks third among the world's longest fe navigable rivers. Darling River Confluence of Barwon | Confluence with Murray | New South Wales and Culgoa Rivers near | River near Wentworth Brewarrina ‘Murrumbidgee River | Peppercorn Hill Confluence with Murray |New South Wales, River near Boundary Australian Capital Territory Bend Lachlan River Great Dividing Range | Murrumbidgee River New South Wales Warrego River Mount Ka Ka Mundi, | Darling River Queensland, New South Carnarvon Range Wales Paroo River Mariala National Park | Confluence with the Queensland,New South Darling River in wetter _| Wales __| seasons NotesWorld Regional Geography by Aamir Mahar NEW ZEALAND In New Zealand, about four-fifths of south Island and one-fifth of North Island contain mountain landforms. Most of the remainder of North Island consists of steep hills and dissected plateaus. Plains are not prominent features of either island. The mountains of the Southern Alps of south Island are the highest of Australasia. The tallest peak, Mount Cook, and numerous other mountains in the range exceed 10,000 feet. The highest point of North Island is Mount Ruapehu, which reaches 9,175 feet (2,797m). Most of New Zealand receives between 40 and 80 inches (100-200 cm) of precipitation annually, with little seasonal variation. The west coast of South Island is the wettest part of the country. The prevailing westerly winds push moist Pacific air onto the southern Alps, and the resulting uplift caused by the mountains produces Precipitation that totals more than 120 inches (300 cm) a year, ‘The temperature patterns of New Zealand are cooler than those for Australia and, as with precipitation, there are fewer extremes. New Zealand has no hot regions like Australia's deserts, but the higher island mountains get much colder than anywhere in Australia, 175°E COxtord cartographers © 100 200miles tsland © t= a mee 165E IME 0 100 200kitometres —7e-w Summers in New Zealand are relatively short and cool, but the winters in the inhabited areas are mild, The natural vegetation on New Zealand is about half temperate rainforest and half grassland. The forest includes such trees as conifers, beech, and tree ferns, as well as lianas (vines) and epiphytes, Areas of scrub Vegetation are found between the forests and the grasslands, NotesWorld Regional Geography by Aamir Mahar The 10 longest rivers and most important rivers of New Zealand + Waikato River - 425 km, it is the longest river of New Zealand. + Clutha River or Matau River - 322 km + Whanganui River - 290 km + Taieri River - 288 km + Rangitikei River - 241 km + Mataura River - 240 km + Waiau River, Southland - 217 km + Clarence River - 209 km + Waitaki River - 209 km + Oreti River - 203 km Lakes of the New Zealand Name Region | Important Features a} Lake Taupo Waikato Largest lake in New Zealand and the North Island, largest freshwater lake in Oceania Lake Te Anau Southland Largest lake in the South Island Lake Wakatipu Otago Lake Wanaka Otago Lake Ellesmere Canterbury ‘Te Whanga Lagoon Chatham Island Largest lake in the Chatham Islands Lake Manapouri Southland Lake Hawea Otago Lake Tekapo | Canterbury Lake Pukaki Canterbury World Regional Geography by Aamir Mahar NotesWorld Regional Geography by Aamir Mahar Notes NORTH AMERICA North America is the third largest continent in the world. It is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean in the east, Gulf of Mexico in the south, the Pacific Ocean in the west and the Arctic Ocean in the north. To the north, it is separated from the eastern most tip of Siberia by the Bering Strait SALIENT FACTS * Two of the world’s largest countries in area, i.e. the USA and Canada are present in this continent, * North America mainly includes three countries: the USA, Canada and Mexico, * Central America: Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama, + Its greatest extent, north to south 7400km and east to west 5700 Km. + It was discovered by Columbus in 1492. + Itis bounded by the Arctic, Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans in the north, east-and west respectively, while in south, it connected With South America through the Isthmus of Panama. * Culturally, it is divided into the Anglo America (Canada and U.S.A.) and Latin America (south of U.S.A.) including Mexico and Central American Countries, North America can also be divided into four great regions: 1. Great Plains: stretching from the Gulf of Mexico to the Canadian Arctic; 2. The geologically young, mountainous west: including the Rocky Mountains, the Great Basin, California and Alaska; the raised but relatively flat plateau of the Canadian Shield in the northeast; 3. The varied eastern region: including the Appalachian Mountains, the coastal plain of the Atlantic Seaboard, and the Florida peninsula 4. Mexico and its long plateaus and cordilleras fall largely in the western region, although the eastern coastal plain does extend south along the Gulf. + The Western Cordilleras The Western Cordilleras are young fold mountain ranges spread from Alaska to Mexico. It consist of the Rocky Mountain range in the east, the Sierra Nevada range at the center of the continent, the Coastal range in the west and the Alaskan range in the north. The highest peak of North America is Mount Mickinely. The plateaus surrounded by mountain ranges are the Columbia plateau, the Colorado plateau and Mexican plateau. The Great Basin also lies in the Western Cordilleras. The plateau of Colorado lies to its south. There are many gorges in the Colorado plateau, and many of them are almost 1,800 metres deep.Very deep gorges with wall-like sides are called canyons.The Canyon of Colorado in the largest canyon in the world. This area consists of the Appalachian Mountains and their extension to Labrador and New Foundland.World Regional Geography by Aamir Mahar + The Great Central Plains The Great Central Plains are located between the Western Cordilleras and the Eastern Highlands, the Great Central Plains show a variety of physical features. The North American Great Central Plains also contain the hot and dry deserts of Arizona and Mexico towards the south and also the famous Niagara falls. The Crater Lake is a spectacular mountain lake located in the Cascade Mountains of the United States of America. Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States and the seventh deepest in the world. It is known to terrify visitors with its oppressive stillness These plains also host the five big lakes of North America- The Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huran, Lake Brie and Lake Ontario. These provide the plains with an ample supply of fresh water. The Great Central Plains contain the vast and flat Mississippi river basin in its central and southern parts, + The Eastern Highlands ‘The Eastern Highlands include the Appalachian ranges and the Labrador plateau. To east of the Appalachian The Piedmont and the Atlantic coastal plains are located. The Appalachian ranges and the Labrador Plateau are separated by the St. Lawrence Valley. Arctic Ocean ASIA GREE! ‘ 1D = Wa SREB ASA any y . bear haasea ten CANADA 1 PUERTO RICO(U.S.) 2 VIRGIN ISLANDS (U.S. 6 U.K.) Atlantic 3 NETHERLANDS ANTILLES (NETH.) Z 4 ARUBA (NETH) t UNITED STATES: Ocean HAWArI(U.8.) agRwuoais, “DOMINICAN REPUBLIC BANAMAS / ST KITTS AND NEVIS < oP tAtn Vy aerrah ate Pacific Ocean CAYMAN, aanBuea Mexico ‘hewsa a! Aauinica Jhwaics,/ — hrasetgeiens gcuddoR) : GALAPacos's. Amee - (ECUADOR) eee BRAZIL Pacific | Ocean BOLIVIA | PARAGUAY ead) urdéuay ARGENT NU Atlantic Ocean 9 1,000 mi we ISLAS MALVINAS) J wey © 1,000km IMPORTANT RIVERS Rivers [originate Drains Pass through Amazon River] Andes Mountains Atlantic Ocean Peru, Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador Orinoco River | Parima Mountains Atlantic Ocean Colombia, Venezuela Parana River | Paranaiba River Rio de ta Plata, Angentina, Brazil, Paraguay Atlantic Ocean Uruguay River | Starts in the Serra do Mar | Rio de la Plata, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay in Brazil, where the Canoas | Atlantic Ocean River and the Pelotas River are joined Madeira River | Confluence of Beni and Amazon River Bolivia, Brazil Mamoré, Near Guayaramerin DESERTS OF SOUTH AMERICA + La Guajira Desert ~ a desert in northern Colombia, * Patagonian Desert ~ the largest desert by area in the Americas, located in Argentina and Chile, + Atacama — a desert in Chile and Peru, the driest place on Earth, + Sechura Desert — a desert located along a portion of the northwestern coast in Peru, South America, * Monte Desert — in Argentina, a smaller desert above the Patagonian * Peruvian Desert. in Peru and Chile the Pompos of South America ore @ grassland biome. is found primarily in Argentina and extends into Uruguay.