Climate
The United States, with its large size and geographic variety, includes most climate types. East of the meridian 100 west, the climate varies from humid continental in the north to humid subtropical in the south. The southern tip of Florida is tropical, like Hawaii. The Great Plains west of longitude 100 are semiarid.Much of the western mountains are alpine. The climate is arid in the Great Basin, desert in the Southwest, Mediterranean along the California coast and ocean on the shores of Oregon and Washington and southern Alaska.
Most of Alaska is subarctic or polar. Extreme weather are not uncommon; the Gulf of Mexico are prone to hurricanes and tornadoes most of the world occur within the country, mostly in Tornado Alley (Alameda Tornado "), in the Midwest.
Wildlife and natural resources The United States is considered a "mega-diverse country": about 17 000 vascular plant species occur in the Continental U.S. and Alaska, and over 1,800 plant species are found in Hawaii, some of which occur on the continent. The United States is home to over 400 species of mammals, 750 birds and 500 reptiles and amphibians. About 91,000 species of insects have been recorded.
The Endangered Species Act of 1973 protects threatened species and their habitats, which are monitored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. There are 58 national parks and hundreds of other parks, forests and natural areas managed by the federal government. In total, the government owns 28.8% of the land area of the country.The most of this area is protected, though some are leased for drilling for oil and gas, mining, logging or farming, 2.4%is used for military purposes.
The United States, with its large size and geographic variety, includes most climate types. East of the meridian 100 west, the climate varies from humid continental in the north to humid subtropical in the south. The southern tip of Florida is tropical, like Hawaii. The Great Plains west of longitude 100 are semiarid.Much of the western mountains are alpine. The climate is arid in the Great Basin, desert in the Southwest, Mediterranean along the California coast and ocean on the shores of Oregon and Washington and southern Alaska.
Most of Alaska is subarctic or polar. Extreme weather are not uncommon; the Gulf of Mexico are prone to hurricanes and tornadoes most of the world occur within the country, mostly in Tornado Alley (Alameda Tornado "), in the Midwest.
Wildlife and natural resources The United States is considered a "mega-diverse country": about 17 000 vascular plant species occur in the Continental U.S. and Alaska, and over 1,800 plant species are found in Hawaii, some of which occur on the continent. The United States is home to over 400 species of mammals, 750 birds and 500 reptiles and amphibians. About 91,000 species of insects have been recorded.
The Endangered Species Act of 1973 protects threatened species and their habitats, which are monitored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. There are 58 national parks and hundreds of other parks, forests and natural areas managed by the federal government. In total, the government owns 28.8% of the land area of the country.The most of this area is protected, though some are leased for drilling for oil and gas, mining, logging or farming, 2.4%is used for military purposes.
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