A Geographic Profile of THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA

Chapter 11

Canada is only slightly larger in area than the U.S. Canada & U.S. share world’s longest int’l border (5,527 mi) Population

United States 311 Million (2011) Pop Density = 84/mi2

Canada 34 Million (2011) Pop Density = 9/mi2

Together, the countries have 5% of the world’s population on13% of its land surface

90% of Canadians live within 100 miles of U.S. border Canadians and Americans are overwhelmingly urban

79% of Canadians and Americans are city dwellers Megalopolis (“Boswash”) is home to 1 out of 7 Americans

500-mile-long narrow, urban belt from Boston to Washington Includes 7 metropolitan areas

11.1 Area and Population

Principal Features of the U.S. and Canada

Population Distribution of the U.S. & Canada

Population Cartogram of the U.S. & Canada

Metropolitan Populations (in millions)

11.1.1 Migration into North America

Nations of Immigrants Due to immigration, the U.S. is the only MDC in the world that is

experiencing significant population growth Each year, nearly a million legal immigrants arrive in the U.S.

and over 280,000 arrive in Canada 65,000 Guest Workers enter the U.S. Annually Illegal Aliens / Undocumented Workers Estimated 11 million illegal immigrants live in the U.S.

Controversy of Illegal Immigration in U.S. Fear of immigrants taking jobs and bleeding social services Others argue low-wage immigrants are vital for the American

economy, taking jobs shunned by most Americans, while contributing to the economy through their purchases

Measures to Handle Illegal Immigration Secure Fence Act of 2006 Secure Border Initiative and the Virtual Fence

Migration Flows into the U.S. & Canada

11.2 Physical Geography & Human Adaptations

Remarkably diverse natural environments Some of most spectacular wild landscapes on the planet Present people with a vast array of opportunities for land

use and settlement It is important to consider how these landforms

have promoted or hindered human uses andhow climates have also done the same

11.2.1 Landforms and Land Uses

Major Landforms Greenland Canadian Shield Appalachian Mountains Piedmont Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains Great Plains Rocky Mountains Columbia Plateau Great Basin Pacific Mountain Ranges Arctic Coastal Plain

Physical Geography of the U.S. & Canada

Natural Hazards of North America

Earthquakesalong the San Andreas Fault

Volcanoesin the Cascade Range

The Midwest As“Tornado Alley”

Hurricanes batter theEast Coast and Gulf of Mexico

Blizzards in theU.S. Midwest and Northeast

Droughts (1930s “Dust Bowl”)

Climates of the U.S. & Canada

Biomes of the U.S. & Canada

Land Use in the U.S. & Canada

11.2.2 Climates and Land Uses

The U.S. has more climatic types than any other country in the world, and even Canada is quite varied Tundra (Canada and Alaska) Subarctic (Canada and Alaska) Humid Continental (Midwest) Humid Subtropical (U.S. Southeast) Tropical Savanna (Southern Florida) Tropical Rain Forest (Hawaii) Marine West Coast (Coastal Pacific Northwest) Mediterranean (Central and Southern California) Semiarid / Steppe (Interior West) Desert (U.S. Southwest) Undifferentiated Highland (Rockies, Sierra Nevada)

11.3 Cultural and Historical Geographies

Migrations of Native Americans into the Region Began their migrations as Asians Started crossing what was then a land bridge between

Alaska and Siberia at least 12,500 years ago(possibly as early as 33,000 years ago)

Migration persisted until about 3,000 years ago

11.3.1 Native American Civilizations

Similarities to Indigenous Cultures of Latin America Some developed civilizations, the rather complex, agriculture-based

ways of life associated with permanent or semipermanent settlements and stratified societies

Dominant Native American Civilizations Anasazi (1200 B.C.E. – 1300 C.E.) Mogollon (300 B.C.E. – 1400 C.E.) Hohokam (100 B.C.E. – 1500 C.E.)

Mound Builder Civilizations Poverty Point (2000 B.C.E. – 200 C.E.) Adena (2000 B.C.E. – 200 C.E.) Hopewell ( 200 B.C.E. – 700 C.E.) Mississippian ( 700 C.E. – 1700 C.E.)

Anasazi Pueblo Dwelling in Arizona

11.3.2 Indigenous Culture Groups & Lifeways

Seven Native American Language Families(represented by more than 250 languages) Aztec-Tanoan Hokan-Siouan Penutian Mosan Algic Na-Dene Eskimo-Aleut

A trait apparently shared by most of the Native American groups was their deep reverence for the natural world

Native American Culture Areas

11.3.3 European Impacts on Native Cultures

Narratives of what took place in North America following 1492 Europeans: Times of settlement, development, taming the

frontier, and “civilizing the savages” Native Americans: Times of depopulation and cultural

demolition Canada

Native American peoples refer to themselves as the First Nations in acknowledgement of their pre-Columbian claims to the land

In 1999, Canada ceded ¼ of its total area to the Inuit peoples in creating the territory of Nunavut

United States Native American Reservations (“The Res”)

Home to 1/3 of Native Americans today Among poorest communities of the country Plagued by high rates of incarceration, alcoholism, drug abuse, depression,

broken families, teen suicide, and unemployment Importance of legalized gambling revenues

Modern Native American Lands

Lakota at the Wounded Knee Massacre SitePine Ridge, South Dakota

Native American CasinoAllegany Indian Reservation, New York

11.3.4 European Settlers and Settlements

Waves of European Settlement in North America Religious persecution in Europe Colonization of new lands by European powers Expansionist efforts of newly independent Canada and the U.S.

Several Territorial Acquisitions of the United States Manifest Destiny (opening of settlement all the way to the Pacific)

California Gold Rush (1849) as impetus for settlement Homestead Act (1862)

Allowed pioneer family to claim up to 160 acres of land for $10

Multiculturalism Act (1988) Recognized Canada as a multicultural society

Territorial Acquisitions of the U.S. & Canada

Major Ethnic Groups in the U.S. & Canada

11.3.5 Ethnic Minorities

Minorities comprise about 1/3 of the U.S. population 16% are Hispanic (50 million) 13% are African Americans (39 million) 4% are Asian Americans

Hispanics overtook blacks as the largest minority in the United States after the 2000 Census

Future lack of a majority By 2040s, non-Hispanic whites to drop below 50% of US population

Ethnic Urban Landscapes of the U.S.Black-run Business in Los Angeles, California

Ethnic Urban Landscapes of the U.S.Latino Neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois

Ethnic Urban Landscapes of the U.S.Chinatown in San Francisco, California

11.3.6 Nonindigenous Languages & Faiths

Language English and French are Canada’s official languages U.S. does not have an official language

(English spoken by 96% of its residents) “Spanglish”

Hybrid tongue of Spanish and English From Hispanic neighborhoods into mainstream culture of U.S.

Laws guarantee religious freedoms in both nations Both countries predominantly Christian Largest single denomination is Roman Catholicism

43% in Canada / 26% in the United States Other monotheistic faiths in the U.S.

5 million Jews and 1 million Muslims Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the U.S.

Nonindigenous Languages of the U.S. & Canada

Religions of the U.S. & Canada

11.4 Economic Geography

The U.S. and Canada are very wealthy nations United States $ 45,640 GNI PPP Canada $ 37,280 GNI PPP

Where the United States ranks: World’s largest economy World’s largest producer and consumer of goods/services World’s largest federal foreign debt World’s largest national debt With about 5% of the world’s population,

the U.S. has a third of the world’s wealth The “average” American has been going nowhere

economically for a number of years, due to inflation 15% of Americans (46 million) are considered poor

Poverty in America

11.4.1 Sources of the Region’s Affluence

Keys to Region’s Affluence Large endowments of important natural assets Large population represents pool of labor and talent as well as a market Mechanized economies Peace and stability within and between these countries Overall sense of internal unity and track record of continuity in political,

economic, and cultural institutions

Imbalance in the Distribution of National Wealth Wealthiest 1% of Americans take in 20% of country’s total income

Protested in the form of the 2011 Occupy Wall Street movement Poorest 10% of Americans take in less than 2% of total income While 15% of Americans live below the poverty line,

less than 10% of Canadians are below its poverty line However, this is a region where most people enjoy the “good life”

11.4.2 An Abundance of Resources

U.S. and Canada resemble European environments and their potential for production of wheat, cattle, and other products

Largest food-exporting region of the world U.S. has more arable land than any other country A much smaller proportion of Canada is arable,

but it has more farmable land than many other countries

Resource Rich: Forests (Canada is world’s largest exporter of wood) Mineral Resources Energy Resources Oil (Including Shale Gas) Natural Gas

Occupy Wall Street Movement

Canadian Timber En Route to East Asia

Principal U.S. Shale Gas Reserves

Tar Sands Locations in Canada

Oil Production at the Athabasca Tar Sands Facility

11.4.3 Mechanization, Services, and IT

Transition to Service Sector / Information Technology Although raw materials contribute much to their wealth,

the U.S. and Canada have become prosperous becauseof machines and mechanical energy, complemented bya boom in IT

Most Americans and Canadians employed in service sector Finance, Medical Care, Retail Sales, Entertainment, etc.

Manufacturing now only accounts for 10% of U.S. economy Rust Belt

U.S. profits from a “knowledge economy” Designing products, but not making them

Steel Mill in South Korea, Not Pittsburgh!

11.4.4 U.S.-Canadian Economic Relations

Vital Trading Partners Canada is much more dependent on the U.S. Canada is the leading country in total trade with the U.S. Main pattern of trade is the exchange of Canadian raw and

intermediate materials for American manufactured goods Economic Disputes

Wheat War Salmon War Lumber Dumping

Despite occasional disagreements, the trend hasbeen toward more cooperation and free trade

Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (1988) North American Free Trade Agreement (1994)

11.4.5 Transportation Infrastructure

Transcontinental railroads first linked the coasts

Interstate Highway System (Late 1950s) Primary network for the trucking of cargo across the U.S. Reflects American love affair with the automobile

Public transportation is popular only in cities Gridlock makes it an attractive alternative to driving

Highway and Railway Network

11.5 Geopolitical Issues

Historical Relations between the U.S. and Canada The United States’ Place in the World

11.5.1 Historical Relations

Friction following the American Revolution Northern colonies failed to join the Revolution

British used those colonies as bases during the war Many in the north came from Tory stock

Wanted to maintain political connections with British government Tensions were high over who would have ultimate control of the

central and western reaches of the continent War of 1812 fought largely as U.S. effort to conquer Canada Canada’s emergence as a unified nation came partly as a

result of U.S. pressure Hostility between U.S. and Canada did not immediately end

with the establishment of an independent Canada,but relations improved gradually

Today these countries are strong allies

11.5.2 The United States’ Place in the World

U.S. displays its power through military action and trade Isolationism

Geographic advantage of being far away from world’s hot spots Entered both world wars late

Attacks of September 11, 2001 Policy of Preemptive Engagement

U.S. remains world’s sole superpower Strongest economy Military expenditures larger than

those of next 14 countries combined Dominance of global popular culture World’s best universities Headquarters to many of the world’s

leading international organizations

12.6.1 Canada: Quebec

The Québec Separatist Movement The French were earliest European settlers in the Québec area of Canada In 1763, a major British military victory resulted in a broad sweep of British

language and culture across Canada Cultural dichotomy developed that gave the French dominant influence in

Québec but little elsewhere in Canada In Québec, 82% speaks French as a preferred language

After the end of WWII, French Canadian dissatisfaction spread Led to the formation of the separatist political party Parti Québécois (PQ)

Party is dedicated to the full independence of Québec from Canada Québec refused to ratify the country’s 1982 constitution Twice the separatists forced the country to hold referenda on Québec’s

independence, but both failed A 1995 vote of provincial voters also failed, but by a small margin

Canada has officially recognized Québec as a “distinct society” within Canada

12.6.2 Canada: Atlantic Region

Atlantic Provinces include Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island

Importance of the fishing industry Waters located off the Atlantic coast from near Cape Cod to the

Grand Banks were always exceptionally rich in fish In 1977, worried about overfishing, the Canadian government

began enforcing a 200-mile offshore jurisdiction prohibiting foreign competition in the fishing of the Grand Banks

Still, in the 1990s and early 2000s, overfishing of cod and other species in the banks led to a decline in fishing productivity

In 2003, the government completely closed several cod-fishing grounds in Newfoundland waters Tens of thousands of fishers and fish processors lost their jobs

Fishing tradition may be restored only if fish stocks can themselves be replenished

12.6.3 Canada: The Arctic

Canada has a vast Arctic territory and wants to explore it to maximum advantage This is becoming possible as global warming

frees the Arctic Ocean of summer sea ice Also becoming possible is a Northwest

Passage for ship navigation through themaze of Canada’s Arctic islands This potential sea route would be an

enormous boon to shipping interests Canada could charge shipping fees

Canada and Russia are also talking about opening the Arctic Bridge Shipping route from Churchill, Canada to

the Russian port of Murmansk Considerations:

Warming Arctic Ocean waters will mean new fishing grounds will open

Estimated 1/4 of world’s undiscovered oil and gas reserves lie in the Arctic

Recent dramatic reductions in sea ice cover,and hopes of abundant resources, have countries staking territorial claims and

drawing future trade routes.

12.6.4 Greenland

Greenland is geologically part of North America because of its proximity to Canada Danish province World’s largest island There are estimates that

Greenland may have oil reserves as great as Libya’s

About 80% of the island is covered by an icecap up to 10,000 feet thick

Between 2003 and 2011, an average of about 50 mi3 ofthis icecap were lost eachyear due to global warming

12.6.5 The United States:Changing Geography of Settlement

Although the American population has more than tripled between 1900 and 2010, 25% of U.S. counties lost population Trend of movement from rural areas to larger cities

Walmart Effect Walmart and other large retailers drove out diverse businesses in

small and middle sized towns by offering consistently lower prices and a wider selection of merchandise

Exurbanization This is a trend of re-embracing rural life, but in response to

urban conditions City dwellers who are priced out of suburbs or drawn to wider

spaces move to the “exurb”, an outer suburb of the city typically so far out as to stand almost alone

Population Change by U.S. County 2000-2010

12.6.6 United States: A Tale of Two Cities

New York City, NY (“The Big Apple”) Largest city in the United States (8 million) Unchallenged in size, commerce, and economic impact Today, more than 35% of the city’s population are foreign-born, with the

largest contingents coming from the Dominican Republic, China & Jamaica Offsets out-migration of longer-resident New Yorkers (e.g., Asians moving to

West Coast, retiring whites to Florida, blacks moving back to the South, Puerto Ricans returning to home island)

9/11 attacks on World Trade Center Mayor Michael Bloomberg unveiled a plan in 2006 to make New York a

greener “sustainable city” and pledged affordable housing San Francisco, California

Population of about 7 million, with roughly 20% being Asian Americans San Francisco Bay Area plays a vital role in California’s economy

A major domestic and international tourist destination Manufacturing is varied, but in recent decades, computer-related and other

electronics businesses have boomed (“Silicon Valley” is home of Apple) Home to University of California at Berkeley and Stanford University Dot-com bubble popped at turn of 21st century

12.6.7 United States: Thirsty West

The American West has some environment challenges: Dry climates Rough topography A lack of water transportation except along the Pacific Coast

Settlement is clustered in places where water is adequate Explosive suburban populations have surpassed local water supplies New resources had to be found or redirected from elsewhere Region’s largest water source is the

Colorado River, carrying snowmeltfrom mountain peaks in the Rockies

In many cases, dams, reservoirs, andirrigation projects have been used tosupply needs

Water allocation is a zero-sum game,meaning that any benefit to one partyequals a loss to another

Glen Canyon Dam, Arizona

12.6.8 United States: Hurricane Katrina

Hurricane Katrina was the worst natural disaster in U.S. history On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall as a Category 3

storm along Gulf of Mexico coast from SE Louisiana to Alabama New Orleans was the hardest hit by the storm

Geographically, New Orleans is extremely vulnerable to hurricanes The city already lies an average of 9 feet below sea level It continues to slowly sink at a rate of 3 feet each century

Preparations for the storm were inadequate, and the emergency response was tragically inept 1,577 lives were lost Economic costs of repair and cleanup were over $80 billion Nearly 1 million people were made homeless along the Gulf Coast 300,000 were made jobless

As New Orleans continues to rebuild, it will need to use adaptation and mitigation to help protect the city in the future

Hurricane Katrina Overwhelmed New Orleans

12.6.9 United States: ANWR

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) This 12,500 square mile refuge was set aside as wilderness in 1980 Fate of oil beneath tundra ecosystem left for Congress to decide at later time Subject of ANWR’s oil has been a bitter and polarizing debate ever since

One side argues that the U.S. must develop these reserves to give the U.S. more independence from Middle Eastern oil

The other side argues that oil production in ANWR will do irreparable damage to the coastal plain’s unique environment and the indigenous people who depend on it

The main Native American group is the Gwich’in Insist that oil drilling and related activity will endanger their way of life

The indigenous perspective on ANWR is not united, however: An Inuit group, the Inupiat, supports oil production because of the jobs

it would bring them Meanwhile, attention is turning to two other potential oil sites in Alaska:

The North Slope’s Teshekpuk Lake And central Alaska’s Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge