PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE AMERICAN CONTINENT (1st year)

1) GEOGRAPHICAL BOUNDARIES of the AMERICAN CONTINENT and SUBDIVISIONS

- North:  The Glacial Arctic Ocean

- East:  the Atlantic Ocean

- South:  The Glacial Antarctic Ocean

-West: The Pacific Ocean

-Subdivisions:

NORTHERN AMERICA: From the Glacial Arctic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico

CENTRAL AMERICA: From the Gulf of Mexico to the Isthmus of Panama

THE CARIBBEAN: Islands and archipelagos from Florida to Venezuela

SOUTHERN AMERICA: From the Isthmus of Panama to the Glacial Antarctic Ocean

2) ELEMENTS OF THE RELIEF

Plains/plateaus:   

GREAT PLAINS, ATLANTIC PLAINS, GULF COASTAL PLAINS, PAMPAS, MATTO GROSSO

Ancient Massifs/Eastern Ranges:   

APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS, GUYANA HIGHLANDS, BRAZILIAN HIGHLANDS, PATAGONIA

Western Ranges: 

THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, SIERRA MADRE, ANDES RANGE

Deserts: 

SONORA, MOHAVE, ATACAMA

4) ELEMENTS OF THE COAST

Oceans: 

GLACIAL ARCTIC OCEAN, ATLANTIC OCEAN,SOUTHERN OCEAN, PACIFIC OCEAN

Seas:

BERING SEA, BEAUFORT SEA, SEA OF LABRADOR, SARGASSOS SEA, THE CARIBBEAN

Peninsulas: 

ALASKA PENINSULA, LABRADOR, NOVA SCOTIA, FLORIDA, LOWER CALIFORNIA, YUCATAN,

Isles:          

- Glacial Arctic Ocean:  GREEENLAND

- North Atlantic Ocean: NEWFOUNDLAND,  THE BAHAMAS

- Caribbean Greater Antilles: CUBA, JAMAICA, THE HISPANIOLA, PUERTO RICO

- South Atlantic Ocean: FALKLAND (Malvines)

- Southern Ocean: TIERRA DEL FUEGO

- South Pacific Ocean: EASTER ISLAND, ARCHIPELAGO OF GALAPAGOS

- North Pacific Ocean: VANCOUVER, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS

Gulfs and bays: 

GULF OF ALASKA, HUDSON BAY, GULF OF SAINT LAWRENCE, GULF OF MEXICO, RIVER PLATE, GULF OF CALIFORNIA

Capes:   

POINT BARROW, CAPE COD, CAPE OF  SAO ROQUE, CAPE HORNS,

Straits/Channels:  

 BERING STRAIT, DAVIS STRAIT, FLORIDA STRAIT, PANAMA CANAL, STRAIT OF MAGELLAN, STRAIT OF DRAKE

4) ELEMENTS OF THE INLAND HYDROGRAPHY

Rivers:

- Bering Sea basin: YUKON

- Beaufort Sea basin: MAKENZIE

- North Atlantic Ocean basin: SAINT LAWRENCE, HUDSON

- Caribbean Sea basin: MISSISSIPI-MISSOURI, RIO GRANDE

- South Atlantic Basin:  ORINOCO, AMAZON, PARANA, URUGUAY

Lakes:

­- Canadian lakes: GREAT BEAR LAKE, GREAT SLAVE LAKE, LAKE WINNIPEG

- Great Lakes: SUPERIOR, MICHIGAN, HURON, EIRE, ONTARIO,

- Central American lake: LAKE NICARAGUA

- South American lakes: MARACAIBO, TITICACA

 IMPORTANT NOTE: THIS IS AN ADAPTED VERSION ONLY FOR THE 1ST YEAR STUDENTS