地形

全洲海拔200米以下的平原约占20%，海拔200-500米的平原和丘陵约占22%，海拔500米以上的高原和山地约占58%，全洲平均海拔700米。大陆地形的基本特征是南北走向的山脉分布于东西两侧与海岸平行，大平原分布于中部。地形明显地分为三个区。

东部山地和高原：圣劳伦斯河以北为拉布拉多高原，以南为阿巴拉契亚山脉，地势南高北低，海拔一般为300-500米。阿巴拉契亚山脉东侧沿大西洋有一条狭窄的海岸平原，西侧逐渐下降与中部平原相接。

中部平原：位于拉布拉多高原、阿巴拉契亚山脉与落基山脉之间，北起哈得孙湾，南至墨西哥湾，纵贯大陆中部。平原北半部多湖泊和急流，南半部属密西西比河平原。平原西部为世界著名的大平原。

西部山地和高原：属科迪勒拉山系的北段，从阿拉斯加一直伸展到墨西哥以南，主要包括三条平行山地，东带为海拔2000-3000米以上的落基山脉，南北延伸5000千米，是北美洲气候上的重要分界线；西带南起美国的海岸山岭，向北入海，形成加拿大西部的沿海岛屿，海拔一般为500-1000米；中带包括北部的阿拉斯加山脉、加拿大的海岸山脉、美国的内华达山脉和喀斯喀特岭等。美国阿拉斯加州的麦金利山海拔6193米，为北美洲最高峰。

东带和中带之间为高原和盆地，大盆地底部海拔800-1300米，盆地南部的死谷低于海平面86米，为西半球陆地的最低点。北美洲平均海拔较高，地势起伏较大，地形分为三大南北纵列带：西部是高大的山系，中部是广阔的平原，东部是低缓的高地。

火山与地震

北美洲西部沿海地区是太平洋沿岸火山带的一部分。北美洲有活火山90多座，其中阿留申群岛有28座，阿拉斯加有20座，中美洲有40多座。北美洲西部也是世界上地震频繁和多强烈地震的地带。

水系

北美洲的外流区域约占全洲面积的88%，其中属大西洋流域的面积约占全洲的48%，属太平洋流域的约占20%。除圣劳伦斯河外，所有大河都发源于落基山脉。落基山脉以东的河流分别流入大西洋和北冰洋，以西的河流注入太平洋。内流区域（包括无流区）约占全洲面积的12%，主要分布在美国西部大盆地及格陵兰岛。密西西比河是北美洲最大的河流，按长度为世界第四大河。其次为马更些河、育空河、圣劳伦斯河和格兰德河等。其它较为重要的河流有：科罗拉多河、俄亥俄河、哥伦比亚河等。

北美洲的河流上多瀑布，落差最大的瀑布是美国西部约塞米蒂国家公园的约塞米蒂瀑布，落差739米。尼亚加拉瀑布，落差54米，宽1160米。北美洲是个多湖泊的大陆，淡水湖总面积约40万平方公里，居各洲首位。湖泊主要分布在大陆的北半部。中部高原区的五大湖：苏必利尔湖、休伦湖、密歇根湖、伊利湖、安大略湖，总面积为245273平方公里，是世界上最大的淡水湖群，有“北美地中海”之称。其中以苏必利尔湖面积最大，为世界第一大淡水湖。

地域分为东部地区、中部地区、西部地区、阿拉斯加、加拿大北极群岛、格陵兰岛、墨西哥、中美洲和西印度群岛九区。以白令海峡与亚洲为界，以巴拿马运河与南美洲为界。

东部地区

东濒大西洋，海岸曲折，有很多港湾，北美洲大部分港口集中在这一地区，圣劳伦斯河谷以北为拉布拉多高原，海拔300-600米，多冰川湖，有湖泊高原之称；以南为阿巴拉契亚山脉，一般海拔1000-1500米，山脉西侧为阿巴拉契亚高原，山脉与大西洋问有狭窄的山麓高原和沿海平原。众多短小湍急的河流经山麓硬、软岩层的交接处，形成瀑布，因而从纽约向西南至哥伦布一线有“瀑布线”之称。本区是北美洲工业和农业发展最早的地区，也是重要的工商业和金融中心。

中部地区

位于拉布拉多高原－阿巴拉契亚山脉与落基山脉之间，北起丘吉尔河上游，南达墨西哥湾，长约3000千米，宽约2000千米的地区。是北美洲小麦、玉米、大豆、棉花最集中的产区及肉用畜牧业最发达的地区之一。

西部地区

由高大的山脉和高原组成，属美洲科迪勒拉山系的北段，落基山脉是本区地形的骨架。多火山、温泉，地震频繁。内地气候干旱，以畜牧业为主，太平洋沿岸地区种植亚热带果品的园艺业十分发达，本区采矿业占重要地位，制造工业以飞机、造船等为重要。

阿拉斯加

阿拉斯加位于北美洲西北部。大陆部分，山脉分列南北，中部为育空高原，太平洋沿岸地区多火山，地震频繁。矿物主要有石油、金、锡、铜、煤等。经济以采矿业、渔业和皮毛业为主。阿留申群岛是阿拉斯加西南的一群火山岛，地震频繁。有皮毛兽的驯养和渔业。

加拿大北极群岛

是北美大陆以北，格陵兰岛以西众多岛屿的总称。面积约160万平方公里。人口稀少，主要居民是因纽特人。各岛之间有许多海峡，其中巴芬岛与拉布拉多半岛之间的哈得孙海峡，是哈得孙湾通大西洋的海上交通要道。各岛坚岩裸露，多为海拔500-1000多米的山地，长期受冰川作用，多冰川地形和冰川作用形成的湖泊。沿海平原狭窄，海岸曲折多峡湾。气候严寒，年平均降水量不足300毫米。居民以捕鱼和捕海兽为生。

墨西哥

位于北美洲的南部，是剑麻、银胶菊等栽培植物的原产地。

中美洲

是中亚美利加洲的统称，指墨西哥以南、哥伦比亚以北的美洲大陆中部地区。东临加勒比海，西濒太平洋，是连接南、北美洲的桥梁，包括危地马拉、洪都拉斯、伯利兹、萨尔瓦多、尼加拉瓜、哥斯达黎加和巴拿马。面积约52万平方公里，人口约2984万，全区以高原和山地为主。山地紧靠太平洋岸，属美洲科迪勒拉山系的中段，最高处海拔达4000米以上，多火山，有活火山40余座，地震频繁（详见中美诸国图幅文字说明）。中美洲是甘薯的原产地。

西印度群岛

位于大西洋及其属海加勒比海、墨西哥湾之间。15世纪末，意大利航海家哥伦布到此，误认为这里是印度附近的岛屿因位于印度以西的西半球，便称为西印度群岛，一直沿用。包括巴哈马国、古巴、牙买加、海地、多米尼加共和国、安提瓜和巴布达、多米尼克国、圣卢西亚、圣文森特和格林纳丁斯、巴巴多斯、格林纳达、特立尼达和多巴哥、圣基茨和尼维斯等，此外还包括美国、英国、法国和荷兰的十多个属地。面积约24万平方公里。

这些群岛分为三大组：一、巴哈马群岛，由14个较大的岛屿、700个小岛和暗礁以及2400个环礁组成。岛上主要居住黑种人。各岛海拔最高不到60米。属热带雨林气候。二、大安的列斯群岛，包括古巴、海地、牙买加、波多黎各诸岛及其附属岛屿。一半以上为山地。海地岛和波多黎各岛地震频繁。各岛北部属热带雨林气候，南部属热带草原气候。三、小安的列斯群岛，包括背风群岛、向风群岛和委内瑞拉北面海上许多岛屿。多为火山岛，地震频繁。属热带雨林气候。

格陵兰岛

位于北美洲东北，介于北冰洋与大西洋之间。面积约217.56万平方公里，是世界第一大岛。常被称为格陵兰次大陆。人口80%是格陵兰人。全岛约4/5的地区处于北极圈内，面积84%为冰雪所覆盖。中部偏东最高海拔3300米，边缘地区海拔1000-2000米。气候严寒。矿物有冰晶石、铁、锌、铅、锆、褐煤等。在南部发现钼、铀、钍等矿物。著名的动物有麝牛、驯鹿、北极熊等，居民以渔业为主，南部地区有少量牧羊业、鱼类加工、采矿业尤以南端冰晶石的开采最重要。首府戈特霍布（努克）。

terrain

The plain below 200 meters above sea levelaccounts for about 20%, the plain and hills between 200 and 500 meters abovesea level accounts for about 22%, and the plateau and mountains above 500meters account for about 58%, with an average elevation of 700 meters. Thecontinental terrain is characterized by north-south mountain ranges runningparallel to the coast on the east and west sides, and the Great plains in themiddle. The terrain is clearly divided into three zones.

Eastern mountains and Plateaus: TheLabrador Plateau to the north of the St. Lawrence River, the AppalachianMountains to the south, the terrain is high in the south and low in the north,and the altitude is generally 300-500 meters. There is a narrow coastal plainalong the Atlantic Ocean on the eastern side of the Appalachian Mountains,which gradually descends to meet the central Plain on the western side.

Central Plain: Between the LabradorPlateau, the Appalachian Mountains and the Rocky Mountains, extending fromHudson Bay in the north to the Gulf of Mexico in the south through the middleof the continent. The northern half of the plain is covered with lakes andrapids, while the southern half is covered by the Mississippi River plain. Thewest of the plains is the world famous Great Plains.

Western mountains and plateaus: It is thenorthern section of the Cordillera system, stretching from Alaska to the southof Mexico, mainly including three parallel mountains. The eastern belt is theRocky Mountains with an altitude of 2,000-3,000 meters above sea level,extending 5,000 kilometers from north to south, which is an important dividingline of North America's climate. The western belt starts from the coastmountains of the United States in the south, and enters the sea in the north toform the coastal islands of western Canada. The altitude is generally 500-1000meters; The mesosphere includes the Alaska Range in the north, the Coast Rangein Canada, and the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Ridge in the United States. MountMcKinley in Alaska, the United States, is 6,193 meters above sea level, thehighest peak in North America.

Between the eastern belt and the middlebelt, there are plateaus and basins. The bottom of the Great Basin is 800-1300meters above sea level, and Death Valley in the southern part of the basin is86 meters below sea level, the lowest point of land in the Western hemisphere.North America has a higher average altitude and larger terrain fluctuations.The terrain is divided into three major north-south vertical belts: the west isa tall mountain system, the middle is a broad plain, and the east is a lowplateau.

Volcanoes and earthquakes

The coastal region of western North Americais part of the Pacific Ring of Fire. There are more than 90 active volcanoes inNorth America, including 28 in the Aleutian Islands, 20 in Alaska and more than40 in Central America. The western part of North America is also the area ofthe world where earthquakes are frequent and strong.

drainage

The outflow area of North America accounts forabout 88% of the whole continent, of which the area belonging to the Atlanticbasin accounts for about 48% of the whole continent, and the area belonging tothe Pacific basin accounts for about 20%. All major rivers, except the St.Lawrence, rise in the Rocky Mountains. Rivers east of the Rockies drain intothe Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, respectively, while those west drain into thePacific Ocean. The inflow area (including the no-flow area) accounts for about12% of the whole continent, mainly distributed in the Great Basin of thewestern United States and Greenland. The Mississippi River is the largest riverin North America and the fourth longest in the world by length. It is followedby the Mackenzie River, Yukon River, St. Lawrence River and the Rio GrandeRiver. Other important rivers are the Colorado River, the Ohio River, and theColumbia River.

There are many waterfalls on rivers inNorth America. The largest waterfall is Yosemite Falls in Yosemite NationalPark in the western United States, which drops 739 meters. Niagara Falls, 54meters wide, 1160 meters wide. North America is a continent with many lakes.The total area of fresh water lakes is about 400,000 square kilometers, rankingfirst among all continents. Lakes are found mainly in the northern half of thecontinent. The Great Lakes in the central Plateau Region: Lake Superior, LakeHuron, Lake Michigan, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, with a total area of 245,273square kilometers, is the largest group of freshwater lakes in the world, knownas the "North American Mediterranean". Lake Superior is the largestfreshwater lake in the world.

The region is divided into nine regions:Eastern region, Central Region, Western region, Alaska, Canadian ArcticIslands, Greenland, Mexico, Central America and West Indies. It is bounded bythe Bering Strait and Asia, and by the Panama Canal and South America.

The eastern region

East Atlantic, coast twists and turns,there are many harbors, most ports in North America concentrated in this area,the St. Lawrence Valley north for the Labrador plateau, 300-600 meters abovesea level, more glacial lake, lake plateau said; South of the AppalachianMountains, generally 1000-1500 meters above sea level, the west side of themountains for the Appalachian plateau, the mountains and the Atlantic Oceanhave narrow foothill plateau and coastal plain. Many short, fast-flowing riverspass through the hard and soft rock at the foot of the mountain to form awaterfall, so the southwest from New York to Columbus line called the"waterfall line." This region is North America's earliest industrialand agricultural development area, is also an important industrial, commercialand financial center.

The central region

Located between the Labrador Plateau,Appalachian Mountains and Rocky Mountains, from the upper Churchill River inthe north to the Gulf of Mexico in the south, an area about 3,000 kilometerslong and 2,000 kilometers wide. It is one of the most concentrated producingareas of wheat, corn, soybean and cotton in North America and one of the mostdeveloped areas of meat animal husbandry.

In the western region

Composed of tall mountains and plateaus, itis the northern section of the American Cordillera system, and the RockyMountains are the skeleton of the terrain in this area. Many volcanoes, hotsprings, frequent earthquakes. Inland CLIMATE IS DRY, mainly ANIMAL husbandry,THE Pacific COAST area planting SUBTROPICAL fruits of HORTICULture is verydeveloped, mining plays an important role in this area, manufacturing industryto aircraft, shipbuilding and other important.

Alaska

Alaska is in the northwest of NorthAmerica. The mainland part, the mountains are divided into north and south, thecentral Yukon Plateau, the Pacific coast region more volcanoes, earthquakes arefrequent. The main minerals are petroleum, gold, tin, copper, coal and so on.The economy is dominated by mining, fishing and fur industry. The AleutianIslands are a group of volcanic islands southwest of Alaska that are prone toearthquakes. The domestication and fishing of furry beasts.

Canadian Arctic Islands

A group of islands north of the NorthAmerican continent and west of Greenland. The area is about 1.6 million squarekilometers. The population is small and the main inhabitants are Inuit. Thereare many straits between the islands, among which the Hudson Strait betweenBaffin Island and Labrador Peninsula, is the Hudson Bay through the AtlanticOcean maritime traffic arteries. The exposed hard rocks of each island aremostly mountainous areas with an altitude of 500-1000 meters. They are lakesformed by long-term glaciation, multi-glacial topography and glaciation. Thecoastal plain is narrow and the coast is tortuous with fjords. The climate iscold, the average annual precipitation is less than 300 mm. The inhabitantslive by fishing and catching sea animals.

Mexico

Located in the southern part of NorthAmerica, is the origin of sisal, guayule and other cultivated plants.

Central America

It is a general term for Central America,which refers to the central part of the American continent south of Mexico andnorth of Colombia. Facing the Caribbean Sea to the east and the Pacific Oceanto the west, it is a bridge connecting North and South America, includingGuatemala, Honduras, Belize, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama.With an area of about 520,000 square kilometers and a population of about 29.84million, the region is dominated by plateaus and mountains. The mountain isclose to the Pacific coast, and belongs to the middle part of the Cordilleramountain system in America. The highest point is more than 4,000 meters abovesea level.