The Amazing Americas
The Americas
Key Vocabulary
• The Americas are two separate
biomes A large geographical area which is home continents consisting of North
America and South America.
to certain plants and animals, specially
adapted to suit the environment. • North America contains 23 CANADA
different countries. USA Ottawa
climate The usual or average weather conditions Washington DC
over a long period of time. • The Americas cover a huge area
of the globe, extending over MEXICO Mexico City
continent A large landmass made up of many several lines of latitude and
countries. longitude. PERU BRAZIL
Lima Brasilia
• The characteristics of different
country An area that is controlled by its own
countries and regions vary Buenos Aires
government. significantly, including weather, ARGENTINA
equator An imaginary line around the globe at land use and flora and fauna.
latitude 0° north dividing the earth into
northern and southern hemispheres. How Can You Compare Different Places?
flora/fauna Plant and animal life. Physical Geography Human Geography
The natural features of a place Features of an environment that have
latitude Imaginary parallel lines which circle the or environment. been shaped by people.
globe from east to west.
• oceans and coastlines • country/region boundaries
longitude Imaginary lines which run north to
• rivers and lakes • buildings, roads and land use
south across the globe from pole to pole.
• mountains and volcanoes • changes to river courses
weather The specific atmospheric conditions
on a given day including temperature • flora and fauna • language/signs
and rainfall. • land-form • religion, government, art and music
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The Amazing Americas
Climate Groups
The Köppen System is a climate classification system. It is split into five main groups which each consist of a range of climate types:
• Temperate - hot dry summers, and cooler wetter winters, Mediterranean e.g. United Kingdom Polar 60° - 90°
• Continental - long, cold winters and short, hot summers, inland areas e.g parts of Turkey Temperate 40° - 60°
Sub-tropics 23.5° - 40°
• Polar - long periods of extreme cold, tundra, ice cap e.g. Antarctica Tropical 0 - 23.5°
• Tropical - hot and humid, wet, rainforest e.g. Brazil The four main climate zones, Sub-tropics 23.5° - 40°
Temperate 40° - 60°
• Dry - arid, desert e.g. Saudi Arabia determined by latitude.
Polar 60° - 90°
The New Seven Wonders of the World
Christ the Machu Chichen The The Great
Taj Mahal, India Petra, Jordan
Redeemer, Brazil Picchu, Peru Itza, Mexico Colosseum, Italy Wall of China
Some of the Natural Wonders of the Americas
Grand Niagara Falls, Angel Yosemite Valley, Great Blue Amazon
Kilauea, Hawaii
Canyon, Arizona Ontario/New York Falls, Venezuela California Hole, Belize Rainforest, Brazil
Great Blue Hole - Belize by Larry Malvin is licensed under CC BY 2.0
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