Oil
or petroleum is a very important natural resource in the Southwest region.
Petroleum is taken from an oil well. It then goes to an oil
refinery. At the refinery, machines separate the petroleum into different
liquids. It is used to plastics and chemicals. A lot oil comes from offshore
oil fields. Oil from offshore oil fields is taken from beneath the ocean
floor.
Oil
was found in Houston,
Texas in 1901. Today, Texas is the leading producer of petroleum in the
United States. When oil was discovered in Texas people rushed to the state
looking for jobs and money. Many towns grew with the oil industry. Houston
is the fourth largest city in the United States. Oil tankers ship oil out
of Texas through a large harbor called Galveston Bay. It is on the Gulf
of Mexico. Oklahoma
is another leading producer of petroleum in the United States.
Many
minerals and metals are found in the Southwest region. Turquoise
is the most valuable mineral in this region. It is a greenish-blue color.
Turquoise has been used to make jewelry in this region for a very long
time. Native Americans from Arizona and New Mexico use turquoise to make
beautiful rings, bracelets and necklaces.
Arizona
and New Mexico are important producers of silver in the United States.
It is used to make jewelry, make photographic supplies, batteries and other
more. Uranium is also found in this region. It is used in nuclear power
plants to make electricity. Copper
is found in New Mexico and Arizona too. It is a reddish chemical element.
Copper is used to make electrical products. It is also used to make coins.
Water
is a valuable natural resource in the Southwest region. The Colorado River
is important to farmers. Without irrigation, it would be almost impossible
to farm in this region. The Colorado River is blocked by dams in parts
of this region. The water is then used to make electricity. The
Hoover Dam is on the Colorado River. Hydroelectricity from this dam
is used in industries, farms and homes in this region.
There
are many industrial cities in the Southwest region. They include Houston,
Oklahoma City, Phoenix and Dallas. Major industries in the Southwest region
are petroleum, electronic equipment, and chemical production. There are
many factories that make aircraft, automotive parts, and construction equipment.
Activity
3: Natural Resources and Industry in the Southwest Region