The West Region
by Jay Willis
Geography
Colorado, and New Mexico
States: The States in the west region include Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, California, and Alaska
Major Land Features: "Prior to about 1800, the crest of the Appalachian Mountains was seen as the western frontier" "In the 21st century, the states which include the Rocky Mountains and the Great Basin to the West Coast are generally considered to comprise the American West." "The West has several long rivers that empty into the Pacific Ocean, while the eastern rivers run into the Gulf of Mexico. The Mississippi River forms the easternmost possible boundary for the West today. The Missouri River, a tributary of the Mississippi, flows from its headwaters in the Rocky Mountains eastward across the Great Plains, a vast grassy plateau, before sloping gradually down to the forests and hence to the Mississippi. The Colorado River snakes through the Mountain states, at one point forming the Grand Canyon."
Climate: "As a generalization, the climate of the West can be described as overall semiarid; however, parts of the West get extremely high amounts of rain and/or snow, and still other parts are true desert and get less than 5 inches of rain per year. Also, the climate of the West is quite unstable, and areas that are normally wet can be very dry for years and vice versa."
History
Economics
Major Businesses: Technology (Silicon Valley, near San Francisco)
Timber
Fishing
Agriculture (farming)
Entertainment (movies, television)
Imports and Exports: Produce and Drugs
Transportation: Pretty much the same as the rest of the Untied States but more use for subways and trains because of the length and condition of highways/roads