Physiographic Physiographic Regions of Regions of

GeorgiaGeorgiaEQ: What are the EQ: What are the

characteristics of Georgia’s characteristics of Georgia’s five geographic regions?five geographic regions?

RegionRegion•An area on Earth’s surface An area on Earth’s surface

that is defined by certain that is defined by certain unifying characteristics unifying characteristics (cultural, physical, or human)(cultural, physical, or human)

Appalachian Appalachian PlateauPlateau

PlateauPlateau

Size/Location ElevationSize/Location Elevation300 square miles300 square milesNW corner NW corner (TAG-(TAG-TN,AL,GATN,AL,GA Corner) Corner) of Georgiaof Georgia

Part of Part of Appalachian Appalachian MountainsMountains

800-2000 800-2000 feetfeet

LandformsLandformsBroad flat topped Broad flat topped mountains separated by mountains separated by ridges of limestoneridges of limestone

Limestone caves, deep Limestone caves, deep canyons, interesting rock canyons, interesting rock formations, waterfallsformations, waterfalls

Soil/Rocks, Soil/Rocks, mineralsminerals

sandstone, shale, sandstone, shale, limestonelimestone

Resources/CropsResources/CropsAppalachian Oak Forests Appalachian Oak Forests

cover most of it.cover most of it.pasturespasturesCoal Coal

– the only source of coal in the only source of coal in GeorgiaGeorgia

Cities/Places of InterestCities/Places of InterestSand MountainSand MountainLookout MountainLookout MountainLong narrow valley Long narrow valley between these mts.between these mts.

Cloudland CanyonCloudland CanyonChickamauga-civil war Chickamauga-civil war battle sitebattle site

Ridge and Ridge and ValleyValley

Ridge and Valley

Size/Location ElevationSize/Location Elevation most of NW most of NW GeorgiaGeorgia

Part of Part of Appalachian Appalachian MountainsMountains

700-1600 700-1600 feetfeet

LandformsLandforms long, parallel ridgeslong, parallel ridgeswide rolling valleyswide rolling valleys

Soil/Rocks, mineralsSoil/Rocks, mineralssedimentary rocksedimentary rocksandstone ridgessandstone ridges limestone and shale limestone and shale valleysvalleys

Resources/CropsResources/Crops Forests, pasturesForests, pastures Apple orchards, wheat, Apple orchards, wheat, cotton, hardwoods, pines, cotton, hardwoods, pines,

4% of Georgia’s farmland4% of Georgia’s farmland timbertimber

Cities/Places of InterestCities/Places of Interest

Taylor Ridge, Pigeon Taylor Ridge, Pigeon MountainMountain

Dalton Dalton –Carpet industry – more Carpet industry – more than 70 carpet than 70 carpet manufacturing plantsmanufacturing plants

Blue RidgeBlue Ridge

Blue Ridge

Size/Location Size/Location ElevationElevation

•most of NE Georgia

•2000 square miles

•Part of Appalachian Mountains

•1600-4800 feet

LandformsLandforms•highest mountains in Appalachian highlands

•Rivers begin here.•steep slopes •waterfalls

Soil/Rocks, mineralsSoil/Rocks, minerals•clay, sand•erosion•High precipitation – provides water for the entire state

Resources/CropsResources/Crops

•Hardwood forests•apples•Small vegetable farms

Cities/Places of InterestCities/Places of Interest•Chattahoochee National Forest

•Brasstown Bald (treeless on top) 4,784 ft.

•Amicalola falls•Tallulah Gorge•Helen

Other FeaturesOther Features•Springer Mountain

–start of the Appalachian Trail which stretches from Georgia to Maine (2,144 miles)

PiedmontPiedmont““foot of the foot of the mountain”mountain”

PiedmontPiedmont

Size/Location Size/Location ElevationElevation

30% of state30% of state between the between the

Coastal Coastal Plain and Plain and the the mountainsmountains

500-1700 500-1700 feetfeet

LandformsLandforms Gently, sloping hills, Gently, sloping hills, flatlandsflatlands

valleysvalleys many streams and riversmany streams and rivers ravinesravines

Soil/Rocks, mineralsSoil/Rocks, minerals red clay, red clay, sandy loamsandy loam fertile soilfertile soil bedrock bedrock

large areas of solid rock just large areas of solid rock just below the earth’s surfacebelow the earth’s surface

often exposed where soil has often exposed where soil has washed awaywashed away

granite, gneiss, marblegranite, gneiss, marble

Resources/CropsResources/Cropsoak-hickory-pine oak-hickory-pine forestsforests

marble, granitemarble, granitecotton, soybeans, cotton, soybeans, wheat, poultry, cattlewheat, poultry, cattle

Cities/Places of InterestCities/Places of Interest AthensAthens AtlantaAtlanta MilledgevilleMilledgeville Six Flags Six Flags Zoo AtlantaZoo Atlanta Stone MountainStone Mountain

Other featuresOther features 60% of Georgia’s 60% of Georgia’s population lives here.population lives here.

Chattahoochee, Flint, Chattahoochee, Flint, Ocmulgee, Oconee Ocmulgee, Oconee RiversRivers

Coastal Coastal PlainPlain

Coastal PlainCoastal Plain

Size/LocationSize/Location ElevationElevation

•60% of 60% of statestate

•lower half lower half of the stateof the state

•0-400 0-400 feetfeet

LandformsLandforms•Two parts Two parts

– Inner Coastal PlainInner Coastal Plain– Outer Coastal PlainOuter Coastal Plain

•gentle gentle slopesslopes•wide, deep, slow riverswide, deep, slow rivers

Soil/Rocks, MineralsSoil/Rocks, Minerals

•Limestone, sand, clay Limestone, sand, clay •Outer coastal plain -- Outer coastal plain -- poorly drainedpoorly drained

•Inner Coastal plain -- Inner Coastal plain -- fertile soil, fertile soil, underground waterunderground water

Resources/CropsResources/Crops• Outer Coastal PlainOuter Coastal Plain

– wetlands (freshwater swamps, salt marshes)wetlands (freshwater swamps, salt marshes)– used for pasture and timberused for pasture and timber– shrimp and fishshrimp and fish– naval stores and pulp productionnaval stores and pulp production– Barrier IslandsBarrier Islands

• Inner Inner – grows most of Georgia’s agricultural productsgrows most of Georgia’s agricultural products– crops such as peanuts, cotton, Vidalia onions, crops such as peanuts, cotton, Vidalia onions,

corn, soybeans, peaches, pecanscorn, soybeans, peaches, pecans

Cities/Places of Cities/Places of InterestInterest

•Savannah (GA’s 1Savannah (GA’s 1stst settlement), settlement), Columbus, Macon, Augusta, Columbus, Macon, Augusta, Albany, ValdostaAlbany, Valdosta

•Deep water ports (Savannah Deep water ports (Savannah and Brunswick)and Brunswick)

•Okefenokee Swamp – Okefenokee Swamp – largest largest freshwater wetlandfreshwater wetland in N.Americain N.America

• once covered by oceanonce covered by ocean• Barrier Islands Barrier Islands

– protect mainland by blocking protect mainland by blocking sand, wind, water that might sand, wind, water that might cause erosioncause erosion

– tourism, recreation, wildlife tourism, recreation, wildlife sanctuaries (2/3 wilderness)sanctuaries (2/3 wilderness)

– Jekyll Island (state park)Jekyll Island (state park)– Cumberland Island (national Cumberland Island (national

seashore)seashore)

Other featuresOther features

• Point at which hilly or mountainous lands meet the coastal plain

• Columbus, Macon, Augusta• Waterfalls provide a power source

Fall Line

http://www.geobabble.org/~hnw/esri98/P33301.GIF