Unit 1: Regions

The Coastal Plains

◆ Coastal Plains

➢

Information

•Most populated region
•Largest region
•Covers 1/3 of TX
•Divided into 5 subregions

• Wettest part of Texas receives the most rainfall. 20-58

inches annual average
• Supports forests areas

• Mild weather (close to the Gulf of Mexico)
• Intracoastal Waterway (helps economy)

◆ Coastal Plains

➢

Climate

•Dense forests (National Forests)
•Grassy Prairies
•Rich soil
•Low & marshy (Bayous) in some areas near the coastlines

◆ Coastal Plains

➢

Soil/Vegetation

Nacogdoches

Caddo Lake near

Marshall,TX

◆ Coastal Plains

•Banking (Federal Reserve Bank in Dallas), trade,
tourism, sports

•Ranching: cattle, poultry, & hogs
•Lumber
•Farming: rice, cotton, corn, grain, sugarcane
•Fruits & vegetables: grapefruit & oranges

(especially in Rio Grande Valley with fertile soil, warm, freezing rare)

•Fishing, shrimping & shipping (many ports for international

shipping)
•Petrochemical: Oil & oil refining (Spindletop and E. TX Oilfield)
•Minerals: coal, lignite, natural gas, granite, sand

◆ Coastal Plains

➢

Economy/Resources

Shrimp boats near Galveston

◆ Coastal Plains

➢

Economy/Resources

Oil rig near Galveston

◆ Coastal Plains

➢

Economy/Resources

•Houston (largest city in TX)
•San Antonio
(2nd largest city)
•Beaumont
•Galveston
•Corpus Christi

Houston

◆ Coastal Plains

Cities

​San Antonio

The North Central Plains

•Divided from Coastal Plains
by Balcones Escarpment

•“Where the West Begins”

Slogan relates back to a treaty signed when the Republic of Texas and
nine Native American groups signed Bird’s Fort Treaty. Under this
treaty, the Native Americans agreed to stay west of what is now Fort
Worth. At the time, the location marked the western frontier of
settlement and explains, in part, why some people think of Fort Worth
as being in West Texas.

◆ North Central Plains

➢

Information

•Light rainfall
•Hot summers
•Cold winters
•Not affected by the Gulf of Mexico (too far away)

◆ North Central Plains

➢

Climate

•Rolling Prairies, shrubs, small trees
•Soil

✓stony soil in some areas (not good for farmers)

◆ North Central Plains

➢

Soil/Vegatation

•Ranching: cattle (beef/dairy), hogs, sheep,
poultry, goats

•Fort Worth Stockyards

•Farming: cotton, wheat, grains, & peanuts

•Manufacturing: airplanes, helicopters, &
electronics

◆ North Central Plains

➢

Economy/Resources

Mineral Resources:
• sand
• gravel
• coal
• limestone

◆ North Central Plains

➢

Economy/Resources

•Fort Worth (est. in 1849 as an army fort on the Texas frontier)
•Abilene
•Wichita Falls

Fort Worth

◆ North Central Plains

➢

Cities

The Great Plains

•Separated from the North
Central Plains by the
Caprock Escarpment

•Covers the Panhandle of TX

•Divided into 2 subregions

◆ Great Plains

➢

Information

•Part of TX w/ the coldest and longest winter
(further from Gulf & higher in elevation)

•Mild sun

•Dry region – drought often a problem

◆ Great Plains

➢

Climate

•Varied landscape:

•Flat and treeless (called a “Sea of Grass”)
•Hilly & rugged
•Palo Duro Canyon
•Escarpment

•Rocky soil (hard layers of limestone)

◆ Great Plains

➢

Soil/Vegetation

•Farming w/ irrigation from Ogallala Aquifer:
cotton & grain (wheat)
•Ranching: sheep, goats, cattle
•Oil & Natural Gas

◆ Great Plains

➢

Economy/Resources

•Amarillo
•Lubbock
•Odessa
•Midland

Red Butte near Amarillo

Near Lubbock

◆ Great Plains

➢

Cities

Mountains and Basins

Close cultural and economic ties to Mexico

Presidio Chapel in San Elizario

◆ Mountains & Basins

➢

Information

•Driest part of TX
•Desert
•Hot Summers
•Cold Winters
•Average rainfall: 9” per year

❖ Rain comes as air moves up in elevation, it cools,

and rains

Red Sands (near El Paso)

◆ Mountains & Basins

➢

Climate

•Dry, rocky soil
•Desert plants (cactus) & mesquite trees
•Farmers irrigate crops with water from the Rio
Grande River
•Dramatic landscape:

•Canyons
•Mountains
•Plateaus
•Basins

Franklin Mountains

◆ Mountains & Basins

➢

Soil/Vegetation

•Ranching: cattle, sheep, goats
•Minerals: oil, sulfur, & silver
•Farming: cotton, pecan trees, alfalfa, &
vegetables
•Tourism: Big Bend & Guadalupe Mountains
National Parks

◆ Mountains & Basins

➢

Economy/Resources

•El Paso
•Marfa
•Alpine

El Paso

◆ Mountains & Basins

➢

Cities