the pacific states

California, Sacramento

Washington, Olympia

Hawaii, Honolulu

Oregon, SalemAlaska, Juneau

The Pacific States

Mr. Zunic 7th Grade Geography

What are some things that all of the Pacific States have in common?

• An environment characterized by mountains, volcanoes, and earthquakes

• Cultural, political, and economic similarities

• Each state is working to protect fragile wilderness areas

What are the four regions of California? Describe them.

• Coast Ranges- rugged coast line along the Pacific

• Sierra Nevada- one of the longest highest mountain ranges in the U.S. (Mt. Whitney is highest peak in the lower 48 states)

• Central Valley- plain stretches more than 400 miles and is irrigated by rivers that flow from the Sierra Nevada

• Desert Basins and Mountain Ranges- includes Death Valley (lowest point in North America

Describe the geography of the Oregon and Washington State.

• Dominated by four landform regions: • Coast Ranges-near the ocean • Lowlands- Puget Sound in Washington and

Willamette Valley in Oregon• Cascades- volcanic mountain range including

Crater Lake (a caldera [large depression] formed by a major eruption)

• Dry Basins and Mountains- Columbia Basin drained by the Columbia River

Describe the geography of Alaska and Hawaii.

• Alaska sits on a huge peninsula in the northwestern U.S.

• Includes the volcanic Aleutian Islands

• Alaska has over 3,000 lakes; ice fields cover 4% of the state

• Hawaii: volcanic islands

How many different climates are found in the Pacific States?

• Seven…….ranging from tropical to tundra• Describe the climate types of California. –Northern coast has a Marine West Coast – South and central part are Mediterranean

(temperatures are warm all winter) –Basins of California and the Cascades

experience Desert and Steppe climates

Describe the climate types of Oregon and Washington.

• Western sections of both states have a Marine West Coast climate – *cloudy rainy winters;

warm, sunny summers; mild temperatures all year

• Eastern sections of both states have a drier, steppe climate

Describe the climate types of Alaska and Hawaii.

• Alaska – Southeast coast has Marine West Coast – Interior of state has subarctic (short

summers; long, severe winters) –Northern part has tundra

• Hawaii – Island chain is humid tropical with heavy

rainfall– Little daily or seasonal temperature changes

Explain the economy of the Pacific states

• California is the leading agricultural and industrial center – * crops include cotton, nuts, vegetables, and fruits;

industry includes aerospace, software, entertainment

• Forestry and fishing are important to Oregon and Washington

• Alaska’s economy is based on oil, forests, and fishing

• Hawaii’s volcanic solids are good for growing pineapple, sugarcane, and coffee