The
Southwest region has many kinds of physical
features. Plains cover a lot of this region. Plains are flat and grassy
areas of land. Most of Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico is covered with plains.
Texas is the only state in this region with a coastal plain. The
Great Plains and the Gulf Coastal Plain are in this region. Many
grasslands
are
disappearing in the Southwest region.
The
Rocky Mountains run through New Mexico. Wheeler Peak, in the Rocky Mountains,
is the highest peak in the Southwest. There are many smaller mountain
ranges in this region. These mountain regions are separated by broad, flat
valleys called basins. Basins look like big bowls. This is desert
land. The Great Basin
Desert is the largest desert in the United States. It covers parts
of Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. The Great Basin consists of long mountain
ranges alternating with bowl shaped areas.
The
largest plateau in the United States is the Colorado
Plateau. A plateau is a raised, level piece of land that covers a large
area. The Colorado River runs through the Colorado Plateau. This river
and others cut many deep canyons into the surface of the Colorado
Plateau. The Grand Canyon is a beautiful canyon in this region. The
Grande Canyon is called "Nature's Greatest Sculpture."
Rivers
play an important role in the Southwest region. The
Rio Grande is one of the longest rivers in North America. Rio Grande
is spanish for "Big River." The Rio Grande is 1885 miles long. It begins
in Colorado and flows through New Mexico. It forms the border between the
country of Mexico and the state of Texas. The
Colorado River is the most important waterway on the Southwest side
of the Rockies. The river begins in the state of Colorado and forms the
border of Arizona.
