Geography of the United States Term Paper

"Between and beyond these two large areas lie two more fields of great importance, the East Texas field and the Panhandle field in northwest Texas. Separate from these fields but also of major importance are those located in southern California. In the mid-1960s, exploitation of deposits of petroleum and natural gas was begun along the north Alaska slope." (Birdstall & Florin, 1992)

This is not enough to sustain the American economy, as Americans consume about 25% of the world's total energy production. The United States imports half the petroleum it consumes, an increasing share of the iron ore and natural gas used, nearly all of its tin and aluminum, and large quantities of many other mineral ores.

This dependence upon oil has spawned conflict within the United States political system in terms of its dependence on foreign oil, and also fears of damage to the U.S. environment because of fossil fuels that create damage to the ozone layer and the threat of oil spills.

However, as the United States grows larger over the years, it also has grown more tightly connected, from the railways of the 19th century to the Internet of today. The United States' affiliation with national disasters, from the California mudslide of recent date, to the threat of terrorism from the all too permeable borders of New York City has created a sense of unity in an increasingly interconnected nation, linked through telecommunications in the form of the World Wide Web. Again, as the United States manifests itself in greater and greater diversity though immigration it also demonstrates the possibility of connection in the face of diversity, as its citizens respond creatively to the spread out nation of the United States with making use of new forms of communication. (U.S. Internet Geography, 2002) Thus, today, an individual located in freezing Alaska can communicate with her mother in sunny California, or someone in a nearby valley can establish communication with someone upon the very top of the highest peak of the nation, Mt. Rainer, if he or she has a cell phone. Where once regional differences provoked war, and cultures within the large nation continue to have conflicts, the ability of people through technology to mend at least some of the rifts that exist, across geographical boundaries remains.

Works Cited

About.com. (2005) American Geography. Retrievable online on 16 Jan 2005 at http://geography.about.com/library/cia/blcusa.htm

Birdstall, Steven S. & Florin, John. (1992) An Outline of U.S. Geography. John Wiley & Sons. Retrievable online on 16 Jan 2005 at http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/geography/geog02.htm

The Columbia Gazetteer of North America, edited by Saul B. Cohen. New York: Columbia University Press, 2000. Retrievable online on 16 Jan 2005 at www.bartleby.com/69/.

From Sea to Shining Sea." U.S. Online Government Publication. Retrievable online on 16 Jan 2005 at http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/facts/factover/ch2.htm.

U.S. Internet Geography. (2002) Retrievable online on 16 Jan 2005 at http://www.telegeography.com/products/usig/index.php