North America

Major Rivers
Brazos
This Texas river begins in the northern part of the state in Stonewall County, and flows southeast
into Brazoria County and the Gulf of Mexico. It's (840 miles) (1,351 km) in length.
Churchill
This river of central Canada rises in northwestern Saskatchewan, then flows east into Manitoba,
and on into Hudson Bay. It passes through numerous lakes and is known for the rapids along its
path. It's (1,000 miles) (1,609 km) in length.
Colorado
Beginning in the Rocky Mountains of northern Colorado, it moves southwest, ending in the Gulf of
California. It's (1,450 miles) (2,333 km) in length and over the centuries formed numerous
canyons along its winding path. The most famous of these is the Grand Canyon in northern
Arizona. The river has more than 30 electric power plants along its run, as well as dozens of
dams and reservoirs.
Columbia
This wide, fast-flowing river begins in the Canadian Rockies of southeast British Columbia,
Canada, flowing south through the State of Washington, then forming the natural border between
Washington and Oregon. It ends in the Pacific Ocean and is (1,152 miles) (1,857 km) in length.
Hydroelectric power development in the river basin brought inexpensive electricity to the Pacific
Northwest, but it severely affected salmon spawning and local fish migration.
Fraser
This river of British Columbia, Canada, begins in the Canadian Rockies near Yellowhead Pass,
then flows in a variety of directions (generally south), finally turning west to empty into the Strait
of Georgia, just south of Vancouver. It's (850 miles) (1,368 km) in length.
Mackenzie
It's the longest river in Canada and dissects the Northwest Territories. It flows generally
northwest into Mackenzie Bay and the Beaufort Sea. This historic river was discovered by Sir
Alexander MacKenzie, and along its path are thick, green forests and dozens of major lakes. It's
(1,200 miles) (1,800 km) in length. If then combined with its tributaries - the Slave, Peace and
Finlay rivers - it extends to (2,635 miles) (4,240 km), and becomes the second longest river in
North America, second only to the Mississippi/Missouri river system combination at (3,877 miles)
(6,236 km) in length.
Mississippi
It is the major river of North America and the United States at (2,339 miles) (3,765 km) in length.
It flows from northwestern Minnesota south to the Gulf of Mexico, just below the city of New
Orleans. It is a significant transportation artery and when combined with its major tributaries (the
Missouri and Ohio rivers) it becomes the third largest river system in the world at (3,877 miles)
(6,236 km) in length.
Missouri

1
It begins in southern Montana in the Rocky Mountains, first flowing north then generally
southeast across the heart of the United States, ending at the Mississippi River, just to the north
of St. Louis, Missouri. It is the longest river in the United States (2,500 miles) (4,023 km).
Ohio
Formed by the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,
the Ohio flows generally southwest. It forms the natural borders of Ohio and West Virginia, Ohio
and Kentucky, as well as parts of the borders of Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky. It empties into the
Mississippi River at the Illinois border and is (975 miles) (1,569 km) long.
Rio Grande
It is one of the longest rivers in North America at (1,885 miles) (3,034 km). It begins in the San
Juan Mountains of southern Colorado, then flows south through New Mexico. It forms the natural
border between Texas and the country of Mexico as it flows southeast to the Gulf of Mexico. In
Mexico it is known as Rio Bravo del Norte. Used for drinking water by both countries, the river is
becoming more polluted as population centers that dot the river grow in size, and then dump
sewage and pesticides into the water.
ST. Lawrence
This river flows northeast out of Lake Ontario and on into the Gulf of St. Lawrence. It's (760
miles) (1,225 km) in length and permits the passage of deep-water ships between the Atlantic
Ocean and the Great Lakes. It includes a series of man-made canals, locks and dams, and is
considered one of the most vital shipping routes on the planet.
Yukon
It begins in the southwestern edge of the Yukon Territory of Canada, and then flows northwest
across the border into Alaska. This massive river continues southwest across central Alaska,
ending at the Bering Sea. Even at a length of (1,265 miles) (2.035 km), most of it is navigable,
however, it remains frozen from October through mid-June.
Major Landforms
Alaska Range
Mountains of south-central Alaska that extend from the Alaska Peninsula to the border of the
Yukon Territory, Canada. The highest point in North America, Mt. McKinley, 20,320 ft. (6,194 m) is
located here.
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachians, about 1,500 miles in length, extend from central Alabama in the U.S. up
through the New England states and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland
and Quebec. Significant ranges include the Cumberland Mts. in Tennessee, the Blue Ridge Mts.
in Virginia, the Alleghenies in Pennsylvania, the Catskills Mts. in New York, the Green Mts. in
Vermont and the White Mts. of New Hampshire. The highest point is Mt. Mitchell in North Carolina
at 6,684 ft (2,037 meters).
Brooks Range
Mountains of northern Alaska. Highest point is Mt. Isto, 9,060 ft. (2,760 meters)
Canadian Shield
This plateau region of eastern and northern Canada and the Great Lakes area of North America
mainly includes rough and rocky surfaces, and large areas of coniferous (evergreen) forests. In

2
addition, the northern regions along the Arctic Circle are comprised of rocky frozen tundra. The
highest elevation is estimated at 1,640 ft (500 meters)
Cascades
A mountain range stretching from northeastern California across Oregon and Washington. Major
peaks included Mt. Hood, Mt. Ranier and Mt. St. Helens.
Coast Range
Mountains running along the Pacific Ocean coastlines of California, Oregon, Washington. They
also extend along the western border of British Columbia, Canada, and the southern edge of
Alaska, all the way to Kenai Peninsula and Kodiak Island
Coastal Plain
This area of the southern and southeastern U.S extends to the continental shelf and is generally
characterized by level (flat) land with assorted mixed forests. The coastal areas include bayous,
deltas, marshes, mud flats and swamps.
Continental Divide
In North America the Western Continental Divide is an imaginary line that sits atop a continuous
ridge of mountain summits that divide the continent into two main drainage areas. Details and
map here.
Great Plains
The fertile Great Plains of North America slope east from the Rockies and extend to the edge of
the Canadian Shield and the western edges of the Appalachians. The land is generally smooth
with large treeless areas and sloping shallow river valleys. Minor hills and mountains are found in
the Ozark Plateau of Missouri, and in the Boston Mountains and Ouachita Mountains of
northwestern Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma. Sandhills and buttes cover parts of the north
central U.S. in Nebraska.
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains, about 2,000 miles in length, extend from the Mexican frontier, up through
the western United States, and on into Canada and eastern Alaska.
The Rockies include over one hundred individual mountain ranges. Major ones are the Absaroka,
Bear River, Beaverhead, Big Belt, Big Horn, Bitterroots, Canadian, Clearwater, Columbia, Front,
Guadalupe, Laramie, Lemhi, Lewis, Lost River, Medicine Bow, Monashee, Owyhee, Purcell,
Sacramento, Salmon River, San Andres, Sangre de Cristo, Sawatch, Shoshone, Steens, Stillwater,
Swan, Tetons, Unita, Wallowa, Wasatch, Wind River, Wyoming and Zuni.
The highest point in the Rockies is Mt. Elbert, located 10 miles southwest of Leadville, Colorado.
It stands at 14,433 ft (4,399 meters).
Sierra Madres
Sierra Madres include two major ranges, and one smaller one. The Sierra Madre Occidental runs
parallel to Mexico's Pacific Ocean coastline, with several peaks exceeding 10,000 ft. (3,034
meters). The Sierra Madre Oriental runs parallel to its Gulf of Mexico coastline, with a few
mountains reaching 10,000 ft. (3,034 meters). The Sierra Madre del Sur range is located in the
southern Mexican states of Guerrero and Oaxaca.
SIERRA MADRES, and mountains of the CARIBBEAN and CENTRAL AMERICA

3
The Sierra Madres also extend southeast into many of the Central America countries, with most
being rainforest-covered volcanos. Additional mountain ranges in Central America and the
Caribbean include the Cordillera Central (Dominican Republic), Cordillera de Talamanca (Costa
Rica), Cordillera Isabelia (Honduras/Nicaragua), Maya Mountains (Belize), Sierra de Bahoruco
(Haiti), Serrania de Tabasara (Panama) and the Sierra Maestra (Cuba).
SIERRA NEVADA
This mountain range of eastern California is about 400 miles in length. The highest point is Mt.
Whitney at 14,494 ft. (4,418 meters).

Taken from WorldAtlas.com