1.

Survey of American geography

The USA is the 4th largest country in the world (after Russia, Canada and China). It is situated in
central North America and stretches from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean. It borders on Canada in
the north and Mexico in the south and has a sea-border with Russia. It also includes Alaska and
Hawaii. The total area of the country is 9,4 million square kilometres.
The USA is a federal republic, a union of 50 states. The capital of the country Washington is
situated in a special federal area called the District of Columbia.
The U.S. borders both the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans and is bordered by Canada
and Mexico. It is the third-largest country in the world by area and has a varied topography. The
eastern regions consist of hills and low mountains, while the central interior is a vast plain (called
the Great Plains region). The west has high rugged mountain ranges (some of which are volcanic in
the Pacific Northwest). Alaska also features rugged mountains as well as river valleys. Hawaii's
landscape varies but is dominated by volcanic topography.
The population of the country is about 260 million people. They are the people of all races and
nationalities, either descendants of immigrants or immigrants who have come to America from all
the countries of the world in search of independence and self-realization. It’s impossible to
generalize about the weather, the landscape and the way of living because the nation occupies
nearly half of a continent, which is divided into 4 time zones and has almost every type of climate.
If you look at the map of the USA you’ll see snow-topped mountains and flat prairies, fertile valleys
and deserts, the areas of tropical heat and arctic cold.
The West is a mountainous area of the Rocky Mountains, the Cordillera and the Sierra Nevada.
The highest peak is Mount McKinley in Alaska (6,000 metres). As compared with the Appalachians
in the east, the Rocky Mountains are sharp and. rugged, over 4,000 metres high, rich in gold,
copper, lead, silver and other minerals.
The Mississippi River is one of the most important rivers in the United States. It flows 2,340
miles north to south from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico in Louisiana. The Missouri River is the
longest river in the United States at 2,540 miles long. Together with the Mississippi River, it forms
the fourth largest river system in the world. It begins in Western Montana and flows to the
Mississippi River just north of St. Louis. It travels through several states including Montana, North
Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri. The Rio Grande flows 1,900 miles
from Colorado to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it travels through New Mexico and serves as
the southern border of Texas between the United States and Mexico. Major tributaries of the Rio
Grande include the Rio Conchos, the Rio Chama, and the San Juan River. The Yukon River is the
third longest river in the United States at 1,980 miles. It begins at Llewellyn Glacier in Canada and
flows north to Alaska where it proceeds to travel west across the state to the Bering Sea. The
Colorado River flows 1,450 miles from the Rocky Mountains of Colorado to the Gulf of California.
Along the way it passes through Utah, Arizona, Nevada, California, and Mexico. The river is
famous for carving out the Grand Canyon over the course of millions of years. 
2. The Family

 The family unit is generally considered the nuclear family, and is typically small (with
exceptions among certain ethnic groups).
 Extended family relatives live in their own homes, often at great distances from their children.
 Individualism is prized, and this is reflected in the family unit.
 People are proud of their individual accomplishments, initiative and success, and may, or may
not, share those sources of pride with their elders.
 
Social Stratification

 America in theory is not a ‘class’ based society.

 ‘The American Dream’ is based on the premise that anyone, from any background can achieve
anything.
 ‘Rags to riches’ stories are very popular in the US as a result.
 In reality some social stratification does exist mainly based on economics and ethnicity.
 Poor areas are clearly visible in the US as are distinctions between where people of a certain
colour or race might live.
 Although ‘class’ per se does not exist, elements of it can be seen through discrimination over
accents, clothing, manners, etc.
 
Gender Roles

 In theory genders are equal within American society and law.

 Women as a whole however do not receive the same social and economic status or benefits as
men.
 Although most women do work, they are also generally still responsible for areas such as child-
rearing, cooking and housecleaning.
 Occupations tend to be defined along gender lines with secretarial or low-level administrative
jobs overwhelmingly staffed by women.
 Within the blue-collar sector, women are underrepresented in jobs considered to require
physical strength, such as the construction industries and firefighting.
 Women are greatly underrepresented in elected political offices and are statistically more likely
to live in poverty.
 

Socialization

 Infant care depends on economic status first and foremost.

 Less affluent families rely on the mother or extended family to look after and raise children.
 Wealthier families will often have nannies or use day care centres.
 Children can attend school from the age of age five to eighteen, with it being compulsory until
the age of sixteen.

3. Northeast

 States included: Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire,

Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland
 Climate: Humid continental climate with cool summers in the northernmost areas. Snow
falls during the winter as the temperatures are regularly below freezing.
 Major geographical features: Appalachian Mountains, Atlantic Ocean, Great Lakes, borders
on Canada to the north

Southeast

 States included: West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South
Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Florida
 Climate: Humid subtropical climate with hot summers. Hurricanes can reach landfall in the
summer and fall months along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.
 Major geographical features: Appalachian Mountains, Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico,
Mississippi River

Midwest

 States included: Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Missouri, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa,
Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota
 Climate: Humid continental climate throughout most of the region. Snow is common during
the winter, especially in the northern areas.
 Major geographical features: Great Lakes, Great Plains, Mississippi River, borders Canada
to the north

Southwest

 States included: Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona

 Climate: Semiarid Steppe climate in the western area with a more humid climate to the east.
Some of the far western areas of the region have an alpine or desert climate.
 Major geographical features: Rocky Mountains, Colorado River, Grand Canyon, Gulf of
Mexico, borders Mexico to the south

West

 States included: Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Utah, Nevada,
California, Alaska, Hawaii
 Climate: A range of climates including semiarid and alpine along the Rocky and Sierra
Mountains. The coastline in California is a Mediterranean climate. Desert climates can be
found in Nevada and Southern California.
 Major geographical features: Rocky Mountains, Sierra Nevada Mountains, Mohave Desert,
Pacific Ocean, borders Canada to the North and Mexico to the south

Other Regions

Here are some other sub-regions that are often referred to:

 Mid-Atlantic - Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey

 Central Plains - Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska
 Great Lakes - Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan
 New England - Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island,
Connecticut
 Pacific Northwest - Washington, Oregon, Idaho
 Rocky Mountains - Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, Montana