It is divided into 3 regions: the Great Plains, the High West and the Pacific Coast.

a) GREAT PLAINS made up of Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, South Dakota, Nebraska, Texas. It is a cattle country of the Old Wild West, whose legend (with its cowboys, prairies, sheriffs and outlaws) became part of the American culture. It is a pastureland (cattle, sheep).
DENVER, Col. is the largest city on the plains, manufactures mining machinery, leading sheep market in the U.S..

b) THE HIGH WEST is a mass of plateaux, mountains, canyons, deserts, salt lakes, forests, prairies and irrigated valleys (1/3 of the country). Cascade - Sierra Nevada. There are 2 huge plateaux there: the Columbia plateau (N) and the Colorado Plateau (S), with the vast Great Basin between them. There is fertile soil suitable for wheat farming, some arid areas and prosperous orchards. The most famous cities are: SALT LAKE CITY, Ut. and PHONEIX, Ariz.

c) THE PACIFIC COAST is the most important part of America. The industry and agriculture are equally developed. There is a mild climate (states: Oregon, Washington), green lands of fir forest, pastures, gain fields, orchards. Oregon is a lumber state (furniture industry). They plant horticultural crops, vegetables, fruit (grapes, subtropical fruits). The Pacific coast area is known for its shipbuilding, aircraft production and the food industry. California is a state of dynamic growth, the highest mountains, sandy beaches, the world's biggest trees (red woods), warm winters, sunshine, oranges, grapes, fertile land, petroleum, the electronic industry, aircraft factories.
LOS ANGELES is an industrial, commercial and recreational centre.
HOLLYWOOD is famous for the film industry.
SAN FRANCISCO is the ‘Gateway to the East’.

HISTORY
Ancestors of present day - Native Americans came from Asia. During the earth's last ice age a bridge connected Siberia to Alaska.

DISCOVERY AND COLONIZATION
The first european explorers of America were the Vikings. The first European contact with the ‘New World’ began in 1492. Columbus' four voyages to the New World were important in establing the Spanish presence in America. It was a navigation error to the Caribbean Sea instead to Asia. There were about 1,500,000 American Indians at that time in the territory known today as U.S.A.
John Cabot's voyage to New Foundland in 1497 marked England’s first contact with America.
Jamestown became the first permanent English settlement. Captain John Smith became the first leader of the colony.
The early 17th century was marked by a flood of immigration from Europe.