The regions of North America are very diverse, with few similarities and lots of differences. In this section, we will compare the regions with each other.
The landscape of most regions varies greatly. The Appalachian is has many low, eroded mountain; the St Lawrence Lowland has flat plains; the Interior Plains are a vast plain that has hills and river valleys; the Canadian Shield has rocky platforms, rivers, lakes, swamps, and bogs; the Cordillera consists of taller mountains, valleys, and plateaus; the Intermountain region is made of high plateaus and deserts; and lastly, the Arctic has a combination of lowlands and mountains.
The climates and vegetation of the many regions in North America are also very different from each other. In fact, different parts in each region have different climates and vegetation.
Generally, the Appalachian has mild weather, with lots forests of coniferous and deciduous trees.
The St. Lawrence Lowland has a very humid weather and a large variety of trees.
The Interior Plains has hot summers, cold winters, and little precipitation. In this region, deciduous, evergreen trees, and in some places, tall prairie grass grows here.
The weather in the Canadian Shield varies greatly in this large area. As a rule though, the farther you go north, the colder it gets. This region has boreal forests, with small and weak trees, that are not suitable for lumbering. Go even north, and there are no trees at all, due to permafrost.
The Cordillera has a maritime climate, which means high precipitation, and small annual temperature range. This region is the home to a variety of trees and other vegetation.
In the Intermountain Region, the climate depends on the elevation, although there is little precipitation throughout the region. Few plants grow in the area, other than sparse grasslands and thin pine forests.
The Arctic has very extreme weather. The winters can last up to ten months and summers are short and cool. The arctic is actually a desert because it gets very little precipitation. The only things that can grow in such harsh climate are lichen, shrubs, and moss.