This publication considers the physical environment of the United States — landforms, climate, soils, and vegetation — in terms of its impact on the country's cultural, regional, and political development.

Themes and Regions

The Physical Environment

Foundations of Human Activity

Megalopolis

The Manufacturing Core

The Bypassed East

Appalachia and the Ozarks

The Deep South

The Southern Coastlands

The Agricultural Core

The Great Plains and Prairies

The Empty Interior

The Southwest Border Area

California

The North Pacific Coast

The Northlands

Hawaii

(This is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://iipdigital.usembassy.gov/iipdigital-en/index.html)