CulturalGeographyofU.S.andCanada

Chapter6.3

CulturalCharacteris:cs•  Freedomofreligion

– MostChris:ans• ProtestantinUS• RomanCatholicinCanada

•  Officiallanguages

– U.S.:English– Canada:EnglishandFrench• Bothhavemanyotherlanguagesstemmingfromtheirimmigrantpasts

TheArts• Musicevolvedfromvariousculturesintheregions

• U.S.becameworld’ssourceforentertainment

•  Canadaisknownforinnova:vedocumentaries

•  Canada:ShakespeareanFes:val• US:Broadway

Lifestyles•  Twooftheworld’swealthiestcountries– Highstandardofliving

•  HealthcareisadministereddifferentlyintheU.S.andCanada

– Canada:governmentpaysforhealthcare– U.S.:mustprovideowninsurancethroughpurchasingit,throughemploymentorotherorganiza:ons

– ManyU.S.ci:zenscannotaffordhealthcarecosts

Lifestyles•  Bothhavepublicandprivateschools•  Bothhave12grades•  Bothhave97%literacyrates•  Sports:U.S.:footballandbaseball

Canada:IceHockey

•  U.S.andCanadasetasideparksforconserva:onandrecrea:on

•  IndependenceDay:U.S.•  CanadaDay:Canada

TheUnitedStatesandCanada

EconomicGeography

NaturalResources•  TheUnitedStatesandCanadahavearichsupplyofmineral,energy,andforestresources.•  TheU.S.hasabundantsuppliesofcoal,copper,lead,iron,naturalgas,:mber,bauxite,anduranium.•  18%ofthelandintheU.S.isarableland.

Economies •  Bothhavefreemarketeconomies

– Peoplehavethefreedomtoown,operateandprofitfromtheirownbusiness

•  Industrializedeconomies•  PostIndustrializedeconomies:moreemphasisonhigh‐techbusiness

AgricultureS:llExists•  Mostfarmersinbothplacesarefamilyownedandoperated

•  2%ofAmericaandand4%ofCanadiansworkinagriculture

•  U.S.andCanadaworld’sleadersinbeef,milk,eggs,corn,wheatandca^le

ManufacturingandServiceIndustries

•  Manufacturingmakesupabout20%ofboththeU.S.andCanada– Employs20%ofregionalworkforce

•  Bothexporttransporta:onequipmentandmachinery

•  ServiceIndustriesmakeupabout75%ofbothregion’sworkforce– Servicejobssuchashealthcare,educa:on,government,tourism,entertainment,bankingandrealestate

Post‐IndustrialEconomies•  Bothproducehigh‐techcomputerequipmentforuseincomputerscienceandtelecommunica:ons

– California’sSiliconValley• 20oftheworld’slargesthigh‐techcompanies

– Texas• Morethan1000sodwarecompanies

– Researchtriangle:Raleigh,DurhamandChapelHill,NC

• Biotechnology,research– Canada:Ontario,manythrivingtelecommunica:onsandinternetbusinesses

Infrastructure/Transporta:on•  TheUnitedStatesandCanadahavehighly

developedinfrastructuresthatinclude:•  Automobile:Mostpopularwaytogetaround•  U.S.morethan3.9millionmilesofstreets,

roadsandhighways•  Canada:smaller,moreconcentrated

popula:on550,000milesofroads–  Trans‐CanadianHighway:runsfrom

Victoria,BCtoSt.John’sNewfoundland

Trade:expor:ngandimpor:ng

•  U.S.issecondtoEuropeinexportsandprovidesmorethan10%ofallworldexports– Chemicals,agriculturalandmanufacturedgoods,rawmaterials

•  Canadaexportsmanyofthesamegoodsaswellasseafoodand:mber

Exports/Imports

• U.S.hasgrowingpopula:onandgrowingindustries=costlyenergypurchases

– TradeDeficits•  Canada:lessenergyneedsbecausesmallerpopula:on

– Tradesurplus!

NAFTA• U.S.andCanadaareeachother'slargesttradepartners

• NAFTA–1994:NorthAmericanFreeTradeAgreement

– Removedanytraderestric:ons– Ledtooutsourcing• Cheapergoodsproducedoverseas