VII -VIII -GEOGRAPHY

Exploring Continents

North America, South America , Australia, Africa, Antarctica`

Prepared by Vishnukumar S , Chennai,05- 9047415284

• North America and South America referred as – New world

• They discovered late 15th Century.
• 1492 America discovered – Christopher Columbus -Trying to find out new sea routes to India.
• Land mass after named America in 1507 after the Italian explorer America Vespucci continent.

NORTH AMERICA

• continent of North America lies between 7°N and 84°N latitude which lie entirely in the Northern
Hemisphere.
• The Tropic of Cancer(23 ½°N) passes through the Mexico and Arctic Circle (66 ½°N) runs through
northern part of Canada.
• Longitudinally it extends between 53°W and 180°W lies entirely in the western hemisphere.
• Great longitudinal extent which results in Seven Time Zones.
• 24,709,000 Sq. km. it occupies 16.50 percent of the entire land area.
Boundaries

• Pacific Ocean in the West,

• the Atlantic Ocean in the east,
• Arctic Ocean in the north South
• America in the south.
• North America is joined with the South America by the Isthmus of Panama.
• The Bering Strait separates North America from Asia.

Political Division

• North America is the third largest continent

• It has three large countries
• Canada is largest country
• seven small countries which lies to the south of Mexico are referred to as central America.

Physiography

• Highest Peak – Mount McKinley – 6197m

• Lowest part of the continent- Death Valley : 86m below the sea level
• It has the oldest and the youngest rocks in the word

Divisions
1. The Rocky Mountains
2. The Great Plains
3. The Appalachian Highlands
4. The Coastal Plains

The Rocky Mountains

• Western part of the continent

• Long ranges of young folded mountains interspersed with high plateaus
• Mountain Range : 4800 Km from Alaksa in the North to the Panama Strait in the south.
Sierra Nevada
• Mountain Range: Western US Between – Central Valley of California and the Greatest Basin
• Mexico- Sierra Madre

Rockies and the Coast Range – Western Cordilleras - High inter montane Plateaus .
Prominent Ranges

• Mexican Plateau
• Colorado Plateau
• Columbian Plateau

Isthmus – narrow stretch of Land Joining two large land masses

Strait – A narrow stretch of Water joining two large water bodies
Cordilleras – Part of the fire ring of the pacific .Its important for Active volcanos and Earthquakes

The Great Plains

• Location : East of the Rockies and west of the Applachian Mountains, Arctic ocean in North to the Gulf
of Mexico in the South
• Covers Three fifth of the continent
• High Plains - Western part of the plain : Spreading roughly over the foothills of Rockies.
• Source for the Rivers of this region
• Rivers : Mississippi and Missouri

The Appalachian Highlands

• Don’t form a continuous Chain

• High Plateaus of Greenland
• Labrador or Laurentian Plateau in Canada
• Appalachian Mountains in the US
• Old fold Mountains – worn down by weathering and lower than the western highland
• Mineral resorvior : Coal , iron ore, copper
• Plays a vital role in American economy

The Coastal Plains

• Sandy Soil in naturally infertile

• Swamps and Marshes -abundent
• Many Important sea ports

Drainage:

• Mississippi and Missouri rivers – Longest rivers in North India

These two forms the Fourth Longest River System in the World.
• Second largest drainage Basin of North America – Mackenzie River
Source: Great Slave lake and drains into Arctic ocean
• Origin of St. Lawerence – Lake Ontario : Flows north east and drains into the Atlantic ocean
• Canyons : River Columbia and its tributary forms many gorges
• Great canyon cut by the river Colorado- flows over the plateau of Columbia
• Rivers form a barrier to communication
• River Yukon rising in the north west of western mountain system if frozen for 8 months in year
• River Rio Grande – Fows to Gulf of Mexico and forms a boundary between USA and Mexico.

Lakes: Lakes are smaller and used for recreational purposes

• Lakes are founded in the glaciated parts of the continent – North Minnesota
Most Important Chain consists 5 Lakes

• Biggest Lake and Largest freshwater lake in the world – Superior

Lakes in Canada:

• Lake Winnipeg
• Great Bear Lake
• Lake Athabasca
Big Muddy – The Mississippi river
Climate

• Very Long cold winter and Very hot Summer

• Rockies run north to south Which don’t form climatic barrier and don’t prevent the icy winds from the
arctic region
• Penerating the central plains – Very long cold winter and very short hot summer
• South – warm:
• Summer rain from the North east Trades – Mouth of the Missippi- Missouri and the Gulf Coast
• Warm moist South westerlies gives rainfall and make it warms.
• Warm Alaskan Current keeps the north west coast ice free
• State of California in USA has a Mediterranean Climate with moist winter and Dry Summer.
• Westerliers or Antitrades : Prevailing winds from the west toward the east
Natural Vegetation

• Well Developed industries in Canada – Lumbering

• Major Producer of Timber, Plywood ,woodpulp and Paper – North America

Agriculture

• Most Productive agriculture in the world – America

• Extensive agriculture system and Major exporter of wheat : Canada and USA

Wheat :

• Introduced by the European settlers in North America

• Largest exporter of Wheat – North America
• Vast Wheat producing area – Wheat belt

Maize

• Native Food Crop of North America – Main staple food grains in Mexico
• North America produces more than the half of the total world

Barley and oats : - Cattle Fodder

• Temperate crops – withstand Cold climate and needless water

• Barley grown in US and Produced- Minnesota , North Dakota , Wshington

Cotton

• Warm summer with frequent rain fall and fertile soil – Conditions for growth for Cotton
• Grows : Southern and western states

Sugar Cane

• Cultivation : Along the Gulf of Mexico, Parts of Central America and west indies.
• Cash Crop of West indies
• Sugar bowl of the world and Largest exporter of sugar – Cuba
Soya Beans – Used for Extraction of edible oil
Potatoes and Sugar Beet

• Prairie Region , North Dakota , and Minnesota – Producers.

• Sugar beet used for Sugar

Cattle rearing

• Richer pastures – used for cattle and poorer sparse pastures used for sheep.
• Largest meat producer – North America &of the fourth of the world population
• Dairy farming – Important industry of USA and Canada

Fisheries - Grand Bank

• World’s best fishing ground

• World’s largest and richest resource area – renowned for both valuable fish stock and petroleum
reserves
• Located : Islamd of Newfoundland in Canada

Minerals
Leading mineral producers :

• Iron ore , petroleum , Natural Gas, Copper , Silver, Sulpher, Zinc, Bauxite, Manganese, Lead and
Uranium
• Vast deposit of oil and Natural Gas

World top oil Producers

• US
• Canada
• Mexico
Industries:

• One of the most industrialized countries in the world – United States

• United state ranks first in Iron and steel Industy

Major Industries in North India

Iron and steel Industry

• World’s most important Iron and steel industrial centre

• Pittsburgh, Chicago, Birmingham – Important centres US and Hamilton in Canada

Heavy Engineering Industries

• Automobile Industries, Aircraft Industries, Ship building Industries, Railway Wagon Industries,
• Farm Equipment Industries
• Largest Producer of Automobiles – USA

Wood Pulp and Paper Industry

• World’s 50% of wood pulp and newspaper is produced by North America

• Largest Producer and exporter of all Kinds of paper in the world – Canada
• Paper industries – Ontario and Canada
Textile Industries

• Largest Producer of Cotton Textiles – United States

• Cool and wet climate of this area – More suitable for spinning snd weaving
• Woolen Textile Industries located – East of the Alleghany Plateau
• 70 % of Woolen textile region – New England
• Second largest Producer of Synthetic fibers – North America
• Cellulose obtained from Wood pulp – Rayon and other Synthetic fibers
The Meat – Packing Industry

• Important industry in Canada and USA – Cattle rearing is done on a large scale in the prairies

Population

• Descendants of settlers from other parts of the world – North America

Population distribution

• Largest Country by Land area – Canada

• Largest City by population- Mexico City

Population Density – 20 Percent per Sq.Km

• Eskimos – Lives very cold and inhospitable region

• Igloos – Designed a house by ice

Transport
Roadways :

• Best laid roadways in the world – North America especially USA and Canada
• Free ways or Super ways
• Pan Americsn highway rums from -Alaska to Panama

Railways

• Efficient network of railway – North America

• Biggest railway Junction in the world – Chicago
• One of the busiest railway station in the world – New York

Waterways

• Most important inland waterway

• Great Lakes region along St.Lawerence and Mississippi rivers
• Important Inland Ports:
Quebec City, Montreal,Boston,New York, Philaelphia, Charlston,New Orleans
• Most Important Port along the East coast – New York
• Important Ports on the West coast of North America ; Vancouver and San Francisco

Panama Canel:

• 1914- Canal cut across the Isthmus of Panama – 80 Kms long connects the Atlantic with Pacific Ocean
• It reduced the distance between Europe and west Coast of North and South America
New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Toronto, Montreal, Mexico City International airways

Trade:

• North America exports a host of agriculture and Industrial Products

South America

• Largest Countries in the world : Asia Africa North America South America
• Fourth Largest Country in the world
• Southern Continent because of lies in the Southern hemisphere
• Isthmus of Panama connects South America with North America
Location

• 12°N and 55°S latitudes and 35°W and 81°W Longitudes

• Equator Passes through the mouth of the Amazon River
• Tropic of Capricorn (231/2°S Longitude) – Passes through the Rio de Janeiro in Brazil
• Inverted triangular Shaped landmass
• 12 percent of world’s Land Population
• 17,840,000Sq.Kms
Physiography:

• Oldest and the Youngest rocks of the world

• Divisions
o The Andes Mountains
o The River Basin or Central Plains
o The Eastern Highlands
The andes mountains

• Longest mountain range in the world and extends for more than 6440 km along the pacific coast
• Highest peak: aconcagua {an extinct volcano} in argentina border
• Mountains run very close to the coast – chile
• Great volcanic eruption and earth quake activities : part of pacific ring of fire
• Active volcanoes : cotopaxi(5991 m)- andes range
• Rich minerals : copper, tin and precious gems - emeralds
The river basins or the central plains:

• Three great river drain into the atlantic ocean

• Biggest : the amazon
• Amazon basin : alluvial deposits -thickly forested part of the world
• Orinoco basin is separated from the amazon basin by low interfluves
• Most productive parts of the continent
• Parana -paraguay plain – ancient rocky surface covered with alluvial deposits and is rich in petroleum
deposits.

The Eastern Highlands

• Older than andes

• Lie between the north and south of the amazon river
• Guiana highlands – located in the northern part of the continent – has a number of water falls-
Angel falls
• South of the amazon basin – Brazilian Highlands
Climate

• Eternal Spring
• Hot in Brazil Argentina – cooler climate -more in southerly lattitudes
• Trade winds brings lot of rain to the east coast and westerlies to the west coast.
• Amazon basin gets rainfall daily because of Equatorial location
o 4’o Clock rains -covectional rains , Rainfall decreases towards the interior
Drainage:
• Longest river system in the world and greatest river -amazon(6450 km)
• Important tributaries
o River rio negro
o Madeira
o Tapajos
• Orinoco river orginates in the Guiana highlands and flows to the northwards into the Caribbean
sea
• Platte river system
• River Paraguay main tributaries parana and Uruguay rivers
Natural vegetation

Four main natural vegetaion :

o Amazon basin (the selvas)
o Eastern highlands
o Gran chaco
o Slopes of the andes
• The selvas of the equatorial regions – lungs of the world
• Largest – amazon rain forest
• Drug to cure malaria – bark of chichona tree used for making quinine
• Leaves of yerba mate trees used for make a tea
• Thick deciduous forest – Gran chaco region
• Quebracho tree – axe breaker – Important hardwood tree
o Tree yields tannin used for tanning leather
• Montana forest : Valuable softwood for the paper and pulp industry

Wild life:
o Largest bird prey- the condor: Rhea -flightless bird
o Most largest snakes in the world : anaconda
o Flesh eating fish – piranha found in the amazon

Agriculture

• Subsitence farming practiced in this country

• Well developed agriculture
• Argentina, Uruguay,Brazil
• One of the most leading agriculture countries of south america Argentina
Wet pampas
• Geo- Climatic condition of pampas – ideal for agriculture
• Extensive forms in the agrgentina pampas
o Wheat and maize
• Cash crops :
o Coffee , cocoa, sugarcane , banana , cotton
Wheat

• Extensively grown on – pampas of Argentina

• Largest producer and exporter of wheat in the world – Argentina
Sugarcane:

• Cultivated in the humid trophics of south America

• Spanish introduced sugarcan to the west indies and brazil
• Largest Producer of sugar in south America - Brazil

Maize

• Maize is known as corn

• Warn climate and frequent showers in summer
• One of the largest producer and exporter of maize in the world – argentina

Coffee and cocoa

• Most important crops of south america

• Warm temperature with frequency heavy rainfall and well drained soil
• Grow well in red soil of brazilian highlands
• An agarian country – brazil
• First in the production of coffee – south america
• Third in the production of cocoa – south america
• Coffee pot of the world - Minas Gerais, Sao Paulo
• Large quantities of coffee- colambia, Venezuela
• Cocoa grown in Ecuador and colambia
Cotton

• Important cash crop of South America

• Second most important crop in brazil - cotton
• Warm climate with frequent rainfall – suitable condition
• Half of the country’s total cotton – Sao Paulo
• Important growing countries : Equator, Venezuela, peru

Barley , Rye and oats

• Grown extensively in pampas

• Member of the grass family and major cereal grain grown in temperate climate
• Argentina, Uruguay , chile, oats ,Andean region, highlands of Bolivia, Ecuador, peru
• In most countries oats important as fodder for livestock in the field

Animal rearing

• Important activity in south America

• Estancias
o Breeds raised on large pasture lands
• Reared in the drier parts of south America – sheep
• Important sheep rearing countries : Argentina , Uruguay
• Largest exporters of beef in the world – Argentina
Fisheries

• World’s largest producers of tropial fish – peru

• Great aquarium – river amazon

Minerals

• Chile World’s only natural deposits of sodium nitrate - important ingredient of fertilizers

Iron ore

• One fifth of the world’s iron ore of the world

• Massive deposit of iron ore – brazil and chile
• Second largest iron ore deposits in the world -brazil
• First largest iron ore deposits in the world – Russia

Manganese

• Largest deposits of manganese – brazil

Petroleum

• Rich in petroleum deposits – Venezuela

• Only the mineral produced in substancial quantity
• Self sufficient in petroleum – Argentina
• World’s leading producers of oil and largest oil exporter outside the middle east – Venezuela
Copper

• Third largest producer of copper in the world – chile

• Biggest copper mines of the world – peru(Atacama desert)

Bauxite

• Third largest bauxite producing country – brazil

• It used for aluminium production
Roadways

• Largest network of roads belonging to the pan American highway system – brazil

Water ways
Two inland waterway system of national importance

1. Paraguay – Uruguay basin – territory in four countries

2. Amazon basin include six countries

Population

• World’s most mixed population

• 5th rank among the continents of total population
• Songs:
o Samba from brazil
o Tango from Argentina
o Uruguay and cumbia from colambia

North America South America

Major countries Canada , USA , Mexico Argentina, brazil chile ,
Paraguay peru , Uruguay and
Venezuela
Smallest country Gernada Suriname
Highest point Mount McKinley Lake Maracaibo
Surrounding waterbodies Arctic ocean, pacific Pacific ocean , Atlantic ocean,
ocean,Atlantic ocean, gulf of Caribbean sea , southern ocean
mexico
Major rivers Mississippi river, Missouri river Amazon, parana, madeira,
Colorado river , rio grande , Tocantins , Orinoco
Yukon river
Largest lake Lake superior Portuguese, Spanish, dutch,
English, French
Major deserts Great basin, Mojave, Sonoran Atacama deserts , Patagonian
and chihuahuan deserts deserts
Major crops grown Maize, wheat , soyabean Wheat, maize,rice potato

Africa:

Location and size:

• Second largest and second populous continent

• 37° 21 ' North latitude to 34° 51' south latitude
• 17°33' West Longitude to 51°27' East Longitude
• 20.2% of the world’s land area – 30.36 million Square kilometers
• Equator passes through middle of Africa
• Only one continent passes – Tropic of cancer , equator , Tropic of Capricorn
• Prime meridian passes – accra the capital of Ghana in the west
• First explorer
o H.M.Stanlee
o David living stone
• Mother continent – oldest inhabited continent on earth
• Heterogeneous culture
• 54 countries
• West Africa , north Africa, central Africa , eastern Africa ,southern Africa
• Maghreb : west in arabian language
Physiological divisions
Sahara

o Sahara desert is located northern part of Africa – largest hot desert in the world
o Extinct volcano in chad – highest point in the sahara – mount koussi (3445m)
o Sahara’s deepest depression - Qattara depression in Egypt (133m below the sea level)
o Young fold mountain – atlas mountain
o Separates mediterranean sea and Atlantic ocean
o Highest point : mount Toubkal(4167m)

Sahel
o Border or margin
o Semi arid tropical savanna region : north – sahara desert, south : savanna grassland

Savanna

o Tropical dry grass lands with scattered trees

o Located near the equator and cover almost half of the region
o One of the largest plain in the world – Serengeti – open air zoo
o The great rift valley and the great lakes of Africa
o Large crack in the earth’s surface – shifting of tectonic plates
o One of the major geographical and geological features of Africa
o Series of lakes found in the rift valley – African great lakes (7 lakes)
o Great lakes have 25% of plant’s unfrozen surface fresh water
o Largest fresh water body in Africa and world’s second largest – lake Victoria
o First largest water body – lake superior in USA
o Source of river nile
o Longest and deepest fresh water lake in the world – Tanganyika
East African Highlands

o Highest peak – mt. Kilimanjaro(5895m)

o Mt.kenya and Mt.Ruwenzori – Important mountains
Swahili coast
o African and arab mixed culture – Swahili culture and people called swahili
The congo basin or zaire basin – world’s second largest river basin
Southern Africa

o Drakensberg mountain located

o Highest peak – thabana ntlenyana (3482m)
o Veld – grassland
o Kalahari desert – not an actually a desert
o Nushy scrubland sitauated between the orange and zambezi rivers
o Sheep rearing in semi arid region -karoos

Drainage of Africa

River nile
o Longest river in the world -length(6650m)
o Two tributaries:
o White nile – orginates from Burundi
o Blue nile – originates from Ethiopia
o Father of African rivers
River congo or zaire - Second largest river of Africa
River niger – major river in west Africa
River zamberi

o Fourth largest river in Africa

o World famous waterfall- Victoria formed here – river of life
Climate

climate Description
Arid and semi arid climate o Northern and southern Africa
o Rainfall is scanty
Tropical savanna climate o Tropical wet and dry climate
Equatorial climate o Equatorial region – congo river basin and
east African highlands
o In all year temperature and rainfall is
high
Temperate climate o Southern tip of south Africa
o Climate is equable
Mediterranean climate o North western and south western tips of
Africa
o Rainfall in winter and hot and dry in
summer
Tropical monsoon climate o Eastern shore of Africa
o Summers are hot – monsoon winds :
rainfall
o Winters cool and dry

Floura and fauna

• Baobab , fever tree and sausage – major trees of Africa

• Harmattan – hot and dry dusty local wind blowing from the sahara desert
• Sirocco – hot local wind blowing from sahara to Mediterranean sea
• Jewel of the earth and world’s largest pharmacy – tropical rain forest

Agriculture

• Major economic activity of the African continent

• Chief cash crop of Africa – cotton
• Best quality long staple cotton in the world – Egypt and sudan
• Chief producer of cocoa – Ghana
• Oil palm – west African countries

Minerals:
South of sahara & plateaus of Africa – major mineral region - diamonds are founded

Population :
World’s second most population continent
Major tribes of Africa:

• Afar , Fatwa , Bushmen, Dinka, Masai, Pygmies, Zulu,Tswan , Efe

Australia

• Largest island and smallest continent in the world

• Only country completely occupies a single country
• Discovered : captain James cook -1770

Location and size:

• 10 °4' south – 39° 08' south lattitudes and 113°09' east and 153 °39' east longitudes
• Tropic of Capricorn cuts equal parts
Political divisions

• Capital territory – Canberra

• Each territory has its own state constitution

Physical Divisions :
The Great western plateau:

• Largest physical division

• Largest monolith rock in the world- ayers rock or uluru: central part
• One of the natural wonders of Australia
• Pinnacles – Pointed limestone pillars
• McDonnell and Musgrave ranges – located in plateau
• Treeless region of Nullarbor plain located in southern part
• Largest desert in Australia – the great Victoria
The central low lands :

• Gulf of Carpentaria- north , Indian ocean – south

• Centre of low lands lies – large inland drainage basin
• Largest salt lake – Lake eyre
• Murray – darling river system
The eastern highlands

• Great dividing range

• Largest mountain range – austrlian alps
• Highest peak – Mt.kosciuszko(2230m)- located new south waves

The great artesian basin

• Largest and deepest basin in the world

• West of the great dividing range
• Major source for water
Great barrier reef

• Formed by tiny coral polyps

• One of the natural wonders of the world

Drainage

• River murray and tributary – major drainage system

• Interior part of the lowlands
• Longest river in the world – river murray
Climate

• Second largest and of extremely arid land in the world

Places climate
Northern half and southern half Warm tropical zone and cool temperate zone
Northern coastal region Monsoon type of climate – heavy rainfall during
summer
East coastal region Good rainfall from south east trade wind
Cenrral low lands to western shores Hot desert climate(25cm -less than)
Southern tip of Australia Mediterranean type of climate
Tasmania Westerly wind

Flora and fauna

• Xerophytes – adapted dry conditions and can survive for long period without water
• National animal of Australia – kangaroo
• Jackaroos – people work with sheep stations
• Indigenous people of Australia – aborigines

Economic activity

• Chief grain crop – wheat

• Apple island – Tasmania
• Merino sheep rearing – southern Australia
• Popular fishing activity in entire coastal regions – marine fishing
• Cash crop -wool

Mineral sources

• Largest export item – mineral

• World’s ;leading producer : bauxite, limonite, rutile, zircon
• Second largest producer – gold, lead, lithium, manganese ore and zinc
• Third largest producer- iron ore and uranium
• Fourth largest producer – black coal
Industries - Primary industries: food and beverge manufacturing industry

Transport - Highly depend on road transport

Population south eastern part – density populated region

Antarctica
Location and size:

• No country and unique continent – doesn’t have any native population

• Fifth largest continent in the world
• Located polar region and coldest continent
• Trans – Atlantic mountain(3200km) divides continent into two halves
• West and east antarctica
• Active volcano – Mt.Erbus : located – Ross island
• White continent
• Continent of science
• 70% of earth’s fresh water is in the Antarctic ice cap
• Largest piece of ice on the earth
• vinson massif (5140m) : located – sentinel range
• Largest glacier in the world- lambert glacier

Flora and fauna

• Small red fish – krill

• Largest animal – blue whale and feeds on plankton
• Animals and birds have a thick layer of fat – blubber:withstands the cold condition
• Penguins – webbed feet and flipper

Expedition to antarctica

• First Indian scientific research station was established – Dakshin Gangotri

( left - 6 December 1981 and landed 9 January 1982)
• Maitri and Bharathi – research stations of india in Antarctica

Aurora

• Natural curtain of combination of bright pink, red and green colour light – north and south
magnetic poles
• Interaction of charged particles from the sun with atoms in upper atmosphere
• Aurora australis or southern lights in southern pole
• Aurora borealis or northern lights in north pole
• Colours appears :
• High latitudinal countries :
• Alaska in the north
• New zealand of Falkland in the south

VII – I TERM - GEOGRAPHY

Interior of the Earth

Prepared by Vishnukumar S , Chennai,05- 9047415284