Geographical location

North America is one of the two large land tracts constituting the American continent. In the late glacial age it was connected with Asia by a wide isthmus – a land “bridge” which existed in place of the modern Bering Strait. It was across that isthmus that people first came here 14-15 thousand years ago. Many types of animals also migrated both directions using this way. Thus, the North-American caribou deer is the descendant of our reindeer that came to America in the late ice age. 

The west of North America is taken up by a massive Cordilleras mountain range (the Rocky Mountains) that stretches from Alaska to Mexico. Parallel to the east coast stretch the ancient low Appalachians. The territory between the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachians is a valley gradually lifting from east to west. Its main, bare part adjusting the Rocky Mountains is called the Great Valleys. The South-East of the USA from Texas to Florida is occupied by the Mississippi plain.

The tundra zone which stretches along the Arctic Ocean coast then turns into taiga and to the south of the Great Lakes region – into deciduous forests. In the lower course of the Mississippi River and in Florida there prevails luxuriant sub-tropical vegetation. From the Atlantic to the Rocky Mountains there is less and less rainfall, and therefore the central part of the continent is formed by steppes and semi-deserts.  

The North American continent is in many ways similar to Eurasia, but the variety of species is accumulated here on a smaller territory. In the north, near the Arctic Ocean the climate is characterized by cold winters and cool summers. In the south-east and along the Atlantic Ocean coast due to high humidity the temperatures around 30 Centigrade are endured quite hard. On the other hand, California with its moderate and dry climate seems a kingdom of eternal spring. During to a huge temperature difference between the warm Mexican gulf in the south and the cold Hudson Gulf in the north, tornado storms literary terrorize the east of North America. In the winter masses of cold air intrude the Great Valleys from the Arctic, so that the temperatures fall to -40 Centigrade as in the north taiga and the Arctic tundra

Dakota man. USA. Mid-to late 19th cent.		Dakota man.  USA. Mid-to late 19th cent.		Dakota man.  USA. Mid-to late 19th cent.		Boy in the Water. USA. The Dakota. End of 19th c.
Humming Bird Song		The Eagle's Bed		Curley. USA. The Dakota. End of 19th c.