the south (“dixieland”). physical geography: dominant landform: atlantic coastal plain (flat...

The South (“Dixieland”)

Physical Geography:

Dominant Landform: Atlantic Coastal Plain (flat topography)

Climate: Humid Subtropical The Sunbelt

Alluvial Soils b/c of floods from Mississippi R. & its tributaries

Natural Boundary betw. U.S. & Mexico: the Rio Grande River

Cultural Geography

____% of the Amer. pop. lives here MOST of all U.S. regions

Southern History British colonists & African slavesPlantation agriculture Civil War

Racial DemographicsLargest minority group =

African-Amers. Hispanic (TX & FL) Cajun (French Canadian) (southern LA)

30

Economic Geography

Primary Industries: Ag. has declined (<1/2 land & 1% of pop = ag.)

Cotton (90% of U.S. textile industry) –N.A.F.T.A. Tobacco (NC & KY)

Fossil fuels (TX & LA = 1/3 of U.S. domestic oil) Most work in the industryTERTIARY

__________labor has fueled a transition to Modern Industries:

Secondary Industries: Foreign automobile production plants

Tertiary & Quaternary Industries: Biotechnology, I.T., Finance, & Fortune 500 Companies

Research Triangle Park (NC) Virginia BioTechnology Research Park (VA) Cummings Research Park (AL)

Other type of industry: Tourism (FL)

EDUCATED

South = #1 region for recent migration (West = #2) Retirement Job opportunities

Economic Attraction of the South 1) Lower labor costs (low cost of living) 2) Transportation access

Interstate Hwy. System Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport

3) Inexpensive land 4) Low corporate taxes