2015-08-12
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The states of California, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, Hawaii.
It borders the Pacific Ocean & is known for its dense forests, rugged mountains, & dramatic ocean shore.
Large cities (in order of size): LA, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Seattle.
Los Angeles With a population of more than 8 mln., the “City of Angels” is the 2nd largest city in the US (after NY). The city is actually made up of nearly 100 smaller cities, including Hollywood, Santa Monica, Pasadena, and Beverly Hills.
Seattle (Washington) is located approximately 100 miles south of the US-Canadian border. The city is home to more than 3 mln people and is a cultural, commercial, and technological hub of the Pacific Northwest. It’s a major port between the USA & Asia.
The discovery of gold in 1840s & the opening of the Oregon Territory brought a stream of settlers to the Pacific Coast. New residents have continued to pour in ever since. The Chinese were building a road here, but later were forced out of the country.
The region is abundant in minerals, timber, and fish today.
Oregon economy is based on wood processing.
California, if taken separately, could have become one of the leading economic powers of the world (making it to the G8). California is considered a major centre for its motion picture, TV film & related entertainment industries.
The state is rich in oil, it has highly successful agriculture (nuts, grapes).
Most computer companies are located in California – Silicon Valley.
The Pacific North-West is one “blue” (computer – blue chips) region in the country with excellent prospects. Both Washington and Oregon enjoy considerable in-migration (population influx). The 2 states also have a more varied economy than Silicon Valley, with strong companies of Amazon, Costco & Starbucks’s, aerospace (Boeing) & software (Microsoft), all based in Seattle.
Fertile valleys produce fruits, nuts, vegetables & wine grapes.
Alaska is the largest state in the USA over twice the size of Texas. Capital city – Anchorage.
Alaska is the least densely populated state at 0,46 inhabitants per sq. km., with the next state – Wyoming - at 2.2 inhabitants per sq. km. The highest mountain – МакКин.
Alaska’s chief industries list petroleum, tourism, fishing, mining, forestry, transportation and aerospace.
The oil and gas industry dominates the Alaskan economy, with more than 80% of the state’s revenues derived from petroleum extraction.
Alaska’s main export product (excluding oil and natural gas) is seafood, primarily salmon, cod, Pollock (сайда) and crab.
Hawaii is the largest & southeastern-most of the Hawaiian Islands, a chain of volcanic Islands in the North Pacific Ocean. Sugarcane was the backbone of Hawaii’s economy for more than a century. In the mid-twentieth century, sugar plantations began to downsize. Major crops today are: Macadamia nuts, papaya, flowers, tropical & temperate vegetables & coffee beans.
Hawaii is renowned for tourism, recreation & defense (the naval base of Pearl Harbour is located on one of 8 Hawaiian Islands).
Pearl Harbor is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu.
Today the population of the pacific region includes people of European ancestry, and black and Mexican-American minority groups.
The pacific Coast States Region also has more people of Asian ancestry than any other part of the USA, & a large number of American Indians.
16. Highlight the economic & social dev-t of the US Middle Western & the Rocky Mountains Region. Outline the major cities of the regions.
