The Natural Regions of
Pennsylvania
Atlantic Coastal Plain
Region
• The Atlantic Coastal Plain region is a strip
of narrow, flat land in southeastern
Pennsylvania.
Atlantic Coastal Plain
Region
• The Delaware River flows through the
Delaware River Valley on its way to the
Atlantic Ocean.
Atlantic Coastal Plain
Region
• People settled along this river because it
was a means of transportation, or a way to
move people and goods.
Atlantic Coastal Plain
Region
Schuylkill
River
Delaware River
Philadelphia
• Philadelphia is located where the
Schuylkill River and the Delaware River
meet.
Atlantic Coastal Plain
Region
• The rivers made Philadelphia a center for
trade, or markets where people could buy
and sell goods.
Atlantic Coastal Plain
Region
• The Fall Line is the boundary between the
higher land to the west and the lower
coastal plain. Waterfalls are found there.
The Fall Line prevents large ships from
continuing up the Delaware River past
Philadelphia.
Piedmont
Region
• The word piedmont means “foot of the
mountain.”
Piedmont
Region
• The elevation of the Piedmont Region is
higher than that of the Atlantic Coastal
Plain.
• The Appalachian Mountains lie to the west
of the Piedmont Region
Piedmont
Region
• The Piedmont Region is a plateau with
gently rolling hills and valleys.
• A plateau is a large area of high, almost
level land.
Piedmont
Region
• Many Amish live in and farm this region
because the Piedmont’s soil is among the
richest in the world. It makes it ideal for
farming.
Piedmont
Region
The Amish mainly farm for a living.
Piedmont
Region
• Even without modern machinery, Amish
farms are productive.
Piedmont
Region
• Amish people do not use modern
conveniences like indoor plumbing and
electricity.
Piedmont
Region
• Horses and carriages are used by the
Amish instead of cars.
Piedmont
Region
• The Amish are a very religious people who
live as their ancestors did.
Piedmont
Region
• A canal is a human-made waterway dug
across the land. Canals usually connect
two waterways so boats can travel through
them.
South Mountain
Region
• Ridges and valleys are the two main land
features in the South Mountain Region.
South Mountain
Region
• Few people live in this region because it is
rugged and covered with forests.
Reading Prong
Region
• Low hills, steep ridges, and valleys are
found in the Reading Prong Region.
Reading Prong
Region
• Erosion is the slow wearing away of soil
and stone by wind and water.
Reading Prong
Region
• Erosion occurred slowly in this region
because the ridges are made of hard
types of rock.
Reading Prong
Region
• The Reading Prong Region is part of three
mountain ranges:
– Great Smokey Mountains
– South Mountain
– Blue Ridge Mountains
They are all part of the huge Appalachian
Mountain Range.
Ridge and Valley
Region
• This region is an area of many ridges and
valleys.
Ridge and Valley
Region
• Coal is a fossil fuel that is found in the
Ridge and Valley region that supplies
power to many of the nation’s factories.
Ridge and Valley
Region
• Coal mining is the major industry in the
Lackawanna Valley.
Ridge and Valley
Region
• Many crops are grown in the valleys of this
region. Apples, grapes, cherries, berries,
peaches, corn, hay, oats, and potatoes are
just some!
Ridge and Valley
Region
• Large roads such as the Pennsylvania
Turnpike, Interstates 80 & 81 help farmers
transport their products.
Ridge and Valley
Region
• Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania.
Ridge and Valley
Region
• Many caverns are found around
Harrisburg.
• Caverns are underground caves.
• They are formed when water from rain
mixes with soil and makes an acid which
seeps through the ground and eats away
at limestone creating a space
underground.
Ridge and Valley
Region
• There are many activities people enjoy in
the Ridge and Valley region. They include:
hiking, fishing, picnicking, skiing, whitewater rafting, boating, hunting, and
camping.
Allegheny Plateau
Region
• The Allegheny Plateau has the largest
area of any natural region in the state.
Allegheny Plateau
Region
• This region got its name from the
Allegheny Mountains along its eastern
edge.
Allegheny Plateau
Region
• The Allegheny Plateau is made up of
mountains, hills, and valleys.
Allegheny Plateau
Region
• Glaciers are huge sheets of ice. Many
years ago they cut long, deep valleys into
the plateau.
Allegheny Plateau
Region
• Even though this region is covered with
mountains, hills, and valleys, it is still
considered a plateau. A long time ago,
before glaciers cut the valleys into this
region, it was a plateau. Today all the
mountaintops are still about the same
height.
Allegheny Plateau
Region
• The waterfalls at Ricketts Glen State Park
were formed when glaciers carved out the
land.
Allegheny Plateau
Region
• Mt. Davis, the highest point in
Pennsylvania, is 3,213 feet above sea
level.
Allegheny Plateau
Region
• Fallingwater, a famous house designed
by Frank Lloyd Wright, is a famous
landmark in the Allegheny Plateau.
Allegheny Plateau
Region
• Pittsburgh is located where the Allegheny
and Monongahela Rivers meet to form the
Ohio River. These rivers provide
transportation for people and goods.
Allegheny Plateau
Region
• Pittsburgh is a center of manufacturing
and trade.
Allegheny Plateau
Region
• During the Civil War, Pittsburgh’s factories
supplied the nation with steel and glass.
Allegheny Plateau
Region
• Pittsburg is home to many
sports teams like the
Steelers, Pirates, and
Penguins.
Allegheny Plateau
Region
• Pittsburgh also has an
opera, orchestra, and
ballet.
Erie Lowland
Region
• The land in this region is low, flat land
along Lake Erie.
Erie Lowland
Region
• Lake Erie is one of five Great Lakes. They
are:
– Lake Huron
– Lake Ontario
– Lake Michigan
– Lake Erie
– Lake Superior
Erie Lowland
Region
• The Great Lakes make up the largest
group of freshwater lakes in the world.
Erie Lowland
Region
• The low, flat land of the Erie Lowland
Region makes it ideal for building
highways and railroads, making it a center
of transportation.
Erie Lowland
Region
• The Erie Lowland Region has fertile soil
which is good for growing many types of
fruits and vegetables, including grapes.
Erie Lowland
Region
• Some crops are still taken to market
through the port of Erie.
Erie Lowland
Region
• Products such as electronics, paper
goods, and transportation equipment are
produced in this region.
Erie Lowland
Region
• Presque Isle State Park and Erie National
Wildlife Refuge are two recreational areas
in the region.
Erie Lowland
Region
• There are many activities people enjoy in
this region. They include swimming,
boating, fishing, hiking, bird watching, and
ice skating.
The Natural Regions of
Pennsylvania