Study Guide
You will need to:
Name the 4 Regions of California &
List at least 5 Facts about each region;
including natural resources, climate, and how people adapt to that region
Coast
 CA coast is about 800 miles
long if you drove along it.
(1300 miles if you walked
the beaches and cliffs from
Oregon to Mexico)
 It runs along the Pacific
Ocean
 More than ½ of CA’s
population lives along the
coast.
 mild climate
 North coast-cooler climate,
wetter(more rain), redwood
trees, rocky coast
 South coast-warmer climate,
sandy beaches, tourist visit to
enjoy surfing, fishing,
 Two major harbors on coast:
San Francisco & San Diego
 Industries include fishing,
shipping, tourism
 Most earthquakes occur
along the coast due to the
San Andreas fault.
 Resources: timber, fishing,
tourism, harbors
Desert
 CA desert is made up of
Mojave Desert, Colorado
Desert, and the Great Basin.
 Very dry climate-not much
rain
 Temperatures vary from over
100 in the summer and below
freezing in winter.
 plants and animals adapt to
the desert. For example:
cactus plants store water in
their leaves. Animals stay out
of the heat during the day and
hunt at night. They also
burrow in the ground for
shelter.
 People have adapted to the
desert by using
IRRIGATION. They have
piped water from elsewhere
to a very dry place.
 They also use air
conditioning to survive the
heat.
Mountains
 CA has several mountain
ranges: Sierra Nevada Range,
Cascade Range, Coastal
Range.
 Tallest peak in CA- Mt.
Whitney, 14,495 ft elevation
 Sierra Nevada-about 400
miles long
 Cascade Range is made up of
volcanic mountains.
 Mountains are a source of
water for the state. Melted
snow and water come down in
tributaries (small streams) and
fill the rivers.
 Tourists visit the mountains
for skiing, camping, hiking
 Resources are water, timber,
recreation areas, minerals
 People adapt to the mountains
by living in homes that keep
snow from collecting. They
wear warm clothes, and drive
cars that work in the snow.
Valley
 The Central Valley lies
between the Sierra Nevada &
Coastal Range
 Central Valley is one of the
biggest valleys in the world.
 400 miles long, 50 miles
wide
 Rich soil (a valuable
resource!) helps things grow
there. Agriculture, or
farming, is most important
industry.
 Farmers grow over 300 crops
in the Central Valley
 Population in the valley is
growing quickly.
 Many people work in the
agriculture industry.
 Also important valleys are
Napa Valley, Imperial
Valley.
 Resources include, water,
rich, fertile soil.
 People adapt to the Valley by
using the valuable soil, and
water to survive and run
businesses.