lecture 9 美国概况.ppt

Lecture 9 General Introduction to the United States Country name The United States of America (USA) US, the States, America Uncle Sam melting pot Location Situated in the southern part of the Continent of North America borders Canada to the North, Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. Stretches from the Atlantic Ocean on the east to the Pacific Ocean on the west. （long coast line） The Territory of the U.S. An area of 9, 826, 675 square kilometers, which includes 2 overseas states: Alaska Hawaii (far away from the continental US) Fourth/third largest in the world in size? Alaska: in the northwestern part of North America, borders Canada to the east, only 82 km from the former USSR Administrative Areas 50 states a special district: Washington D.C. Including 2 overseas states: Alaska Hawaii. Alaska is the largest in area. But on the mainland Texas is the largest sate of the country. The location of WA, CA, FL, TX, NY, MA, Geographic Features Eastern part: Appalachian Range(阿巴拉契亚山脉), The Atlantic Coast plain (most heavily populated area and retains strong traces of its European heritage) Western part: high plateaus and mountainous region Cordillera Range科迪勒拉山脉, Rocky Mountains落基山脉, (the backbone of the North American Continent, the Continental Divide.) Sierra Nevada内华达山脉 Colorado Plateau科罗拉多高原 （the Grand Canyon), Columbia Plateau 哥伦比亚高原 Central Part: vast plains between Appalachian range and Rocky Mts. the Mississippi River—longest in US the Great Plains(大平原)—to the west of Mississippi the Central Lowland (中央低地)—to the east of Mississippi the central north-east – Great Lakes (Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario) ps. Among the fives lakes, only Lake Michigan belongs to USA. The other 4 belong to both USA Canada; Lake Superior is the largest fresh water lake in the world the famous Niagara Falls Important Rivers Mississippi River-- father of waters