The USA major rivers and lakes

The longest river in the United States is the Missouri River*. The Missouri River starts in Montana and covers 4 090 km before flowing into the Mississippi River, the second longest river in the United States. The Mississippi (3 770 km) flows to the south and empties into the Gulf of Mexico at New Orleans.

The Missouri-Mississippi river system is the third longest river in the world.

Another important river of the United States is the Hudson River which flows across the northeastern part of the country and empties into the Atlantic Ocean at New York.

The rivers in the west of the country are unsuitable for navigation because they flow through deep canyons and are cut by numerous rapids, which fact, however, makes them a good source of electric power. These rivers start in the Cordilleras and empty into the Pacific Ocean. The largest among them are the Columbia River and the Colorado River.

World-famous is the region of the Great Lakes, situated in the north-east of the United States bordering Canada. It is a system of five great lakes (Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario) joined together by natural channels. These are fresh lakes. Lake Superior is the largest lake that’s partly in the United States at 82 413 km². The largest lake entirely contained in the United States is Lake Michigan, 58 016 km².

Great Salt Lake, located in the northern part of the U.S. state of Utah, is the largest salt lake in the western hemisphere. Although it has been called “America’s Dead Sea”, the lake provides habitat for millions of native birds, brine shrimp, shorebirds, and waterfowl.

3.2. The USA major mountains ranges

The country has three major mountain ranges. The Appalachians extend from Canada to the state of Alabama, a few hundred miles west of the Atlantic Ocean. They are the oldest of the three mountain ranges, and offer spectacular sightseeing and excellent camping spots. The Rockies are the highest in North America, extending from Alaska to New Mexico, with many areas protected as national parks. They offer hiking, camping, and sightseeing opportunities. The combined Sierra Nevada and Cascade ranges are the youngest. The Sierras extend across the “backbone” of California, with sites such as Lake Tahoe and Yosemite National Park, then give way to the even younger volcanic Cascade range, with some of the highest points in the country.

The highest mountain in the USA is Denali/Mountain McKinley (6,194 m) in south central Alaska.

Date: 2015-01-02; view: 3151