Regions of Texas

Regions of Texas

How many regions are in Texas?

Mountains and Basins

Great Plains

Coastal Plains

North Central Plains

4

What region is Klein in?

Can you name the 4 Regions of Texas?

Mountains and Basins

High Plains

Coastal Plains

North Central Plains

4. Mountains and Basins

1. 2.

3.

Texas RegionsGreat Plains

12

4 3

North Central Plains

Coastal Plains

Texas is the 2nd largest state in the United States.

Traveling across Texas you will see everything from forests to mountains to beaches to plains.

Regions of Texas

• Each region has different natural resources.

• This allows Texas to be one of the most self-sufficient states in the country!!!

NORTH CENTRAL PLAINS

NORTH CENTRAL PLAINS

• Location– Northeast Texas

North Central PlainsCities

• Abilene• Waco • Fort Worth

North Central PlainsPhysical Features

–Prairies–Rolling Plains and Hills–Variety of trees–Small shrubs – Limestone rock- Thick grass

NORTH CENTRAL PLAINSCLIMATE

–moderate rain– cold winters– tornadoes

• In the summer, one of the favorite activities is floating down a creek or river in an inner tube.

• Spring is a time for residents to drive the winding back roads and take in the rainbow of colors produced by the blooming wildflowers, including Bluebonnets and Indian paintbrush.

• In the fall and winter, hunters visit in hopes of taking home a white-tailed deer.

• Some of the favorite local cuisines are barbecue and a variation on traditional Mexican food affectionately referred to as Tex-Mex.

North Central Plains

NORTH CENTRAL PLAINSPLANTS

-bluebonnets -Indian Paintbrush

North Central Plains Animals

• Bobcat• White-tailed

deer• Turkeys• Screech Owl• Mexican Freetail

Bat• Cliff Swallow

NORTH CENTRAL PLAINS

• Crops: Cotton, corn, and other grains.

• Resources: Limestone, sand, gravel, oil, gas, and clay.

• Grow: Peaches, hay, peanuts, wheat, and sorghum.

NORTH CENTRAL PLAINS ECONOMY

The fertile soil produces crops for a large portion of its industry

NORTH CENTRAL PLAINS PHYSICAL FEATURES AFFECT

INDUSTRY

• Fertile soils support farm industries.• Spacious land supports ranching industries.

North Central Plains

Where are the North Central Plains?

COASTAL PLAINS

COASTAL PLAINS• largest of the 4

Texas regions

Location of Coastal Plains• Southeast Texas

COASTAL PLAINS CITIES

– Austin– Dallas– Houston– San Antonio

Coastal PlainsPhysical Features

–Woods & Forest– Beaches– Grassy Plains and Prairies– Has lots of fishing and shrimping– It is the largest of the four regions in Texas– Gets the most rainfall– Has citrus groves

COASTAL PLAINS• The land along the Gulf Coast is very

near sea level. It is hard for water to drain off the land, since there is nowhere lower for the water to go. Much of the coast of Texas is made up of marshes----wetlands where a variety of tall grasses grow.

• lots of rain• warm• hurricanes

COASTAL PLAINS CLIMATE

COASTAL PLAINS ANIMALS

Many kinds of animals live in the coastal plains region…–Quail, Hawks, Owls, Bald Eagles and

hundreds of other birds–White tail deer–Foxes, Bobcats, Skunks–River otters–Alligators in the marshes!!! Some

weigh up to 500 lbs!!!

Coastal Plains Animals….

COASTAL PLAINSAGRICULTURE

– Timber, dairy, cattle, hogs, poultry, grain, sorghum, cotton, corn, peanuts, roses, fruits, hay, fish, sheep, wheat, vegetables, rice, citrus, and shrimp

– People, lots of rain, rivers, lumber and paper mills, chemical plants, ports, and oil

COASTAL PLAINS Economy Way of life:

fishing, timber, oil and gasThe gulf coast is a major center of economic activity. The marshlands provide breeding grounds for ocean life, which make the fish and shrimp businesses very important.

The port of Houston is one of the 10 busiest ports in the world.

The Houston Ship Channel is the 3rd largest port in the nation.

COASTAL PLAINS• Oil and Gas Along the coastal region you will find many

oil rigs that are on-shore and off-shore.

The ocean gives easy access to ship the oil and gas to where it needs to go.

THE GULF COAST PLAINS ADAPTS TO ENVIRONMENT

• Houston – petrochemicals, shipping, manufacturing

• Dallas – banking, manufacturing, corporate headquarters

• Laredo – trade, farming • San Antonio – tourism, military, retail

Coastal Plains

Where are the Coastal Plains?

GREAT PLAINS

GREAT PLAINS• Region is located mostly in the panhandle

area of Texas.

• This area is very flat with a high elevation that features canyons. It is a barren area with very few trees.

GREAT PLAINSLOCATION

– Northwest Texas

GREAT PLAINS CITIES

• Amarillo• Lubbock

GREAT PLAINSGEOGRAPHIC FEATURES

-Rolling grassy lands -Thick grasses -Cross Timbers area - large areas of

hardwood trees -Limestone rock -Higher elevation because limestone

doesn't wear down easily

GREAT PLAINS• Climate–Windy, Dry Air

GREAT PLAINS PLANTS

-Prickly pear -Yucca -Indian Paintbrush -Cactus

GREAT PLAINS ANIMALS• Pronghorn• Prarie Dog• Snakes• Toads

GREAT PLAINS PLANTS

-Prickly pear -Yucca -Indian Paintbrush -Cactus

GREAT PLAINS ANIMALS• Pronghorn• Prarie Dog• Snakes• Toads

Great Plains Economy Way of Life

• Cattle ranching and cotton farming are major sources of commerce in this area

• Farming - fruits, vegetables, watermelons, oats

• Ranching - cattle, goats• Cedar trees – fence posts • Oil and gas

TEXANS HAVE ADAPTED TO THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE GREAT PLAINS

• Used grasslands for farming• Pumped water for irrigating crops

• Drilled for oil and gas• Built cities

Great Plains

Where are the Great Plains?

MOUNTAINS AND BASINS

MOUNTAINS AND BASINSLOCATION

• Far west Texas

MOUNTAINS AND BASINS CITIES

– Alpine– El Paso

MOUNTAINS AND BASINSPHYSICAL FEATURES

• Towering Peaks, Rocky Canyons, and flowering cacti.

• Mountains and Basins have dry, rocky soils.

• Places: Big Bend National Park, Guadalupe National Park, and Davis Mountains

MOUNTAINS AND BASINS• Guadalupe Peak

is the highest point in Texas

MOUNTAINS AND BASINS PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

• Dry desert climate• Rocky soil• Mountains, Canyons, Basins• Plateaus• Limited Plant Life

-Driest part of state -Hot days, cool nights

MOUNTAINS AND BASINS CLIMATE

-Some sagebrush

MOUNTAINS AND BASINS PLANTS

MOUNTAINS AND BASINS ANIMALS

• mountain lions• mountain goats• falcons• rattlesnakes

Ranching-cattle, sheep, goat Farming - cotton, fruits, vegetables,

Oil and gas

MOUNTAINS AND BASINSWAY OF LIFE

Mountains and Basins

Where are the Mountains and Basins?

Benefits• Each region contains different natural

resources. From the cotton fields of the Mountain and Basin and Great Plains regions to the ports of the Coastal/Gulf Plains, each area is rich with essential resources. This range of resources is a huge benefit as it allows Texas to be one of the most self-sufficient states in the country.