SKILLS: CLIMATIC REGIONS

Climate is the make-up of weather conditions averaged over a long period of time. We can gain knowledge about a group of countries located together by examining various climatic regions.

It is possible for one climatic region to cover several countries. The climate of a country or an area of a country remains the same even if a change In government occurs. Although governments, languages, and cultures of peoples in different countries are not identical, people living in the same climatic regions are alike in many ways. in a given climatic region certain similar crops can be grown and occupations of people are alike.

Climatic regions are very important in the history and development of any country on any continent.

You may use the information on this chart to help you draw maps of your country.  However, before you begin any maps, “color key” your climatic regions by writing different colors in the spaces in the COLOR KEY column.

CLIMATIC REGIONS CHART

CLIMATIC REGION

COLOR
KEY

CLIMATE

CROPS AND
OCCUPATIONS

VEGETATION

Polar Marine (tundra)

 

short, cool summers, with long, dark, cold winters

fishing, hunting, trapping

shrubs, lichens, mosses

Northern Forest
(taiga)

 

short, warm summers, with long, cold winters with little snow

lumbering, trapping, herding

evergreen and broadleaf trees
 

Humid
Continental

 

Four distinct seasons

agriculture (grain), dairy farming, livestock, lumber

forests of evergreen and broadleaf trees

Semi-Arid

 

short, mild winters with 10-20 inches of rain

herding, grazing

desert     scrub plants, short grasses

Marine
West Coast

 

Wet and mild

lumbering, fishing, dairy farms, ship- building

shrubs, grass, various forests (healthy region)

Mediterranean

 

dry, hot summers with mild, rainy winters

wheat, grapes, olives

deep-rooted trees with healthy bark and leaves