Southwestern United States The Southwestern United

Southwestern United States

The Southwestern United States (also known as the American Southwestor simply the Southwest) is a region defined in different ways by different sources. Broad definitions include nearly a quarter of the United States, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah.

Southwest is centered around the Four Corner states, with parts of the other states making up the beginnings and endings of the Southwest. The five main southwestern states; Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and Nevada are also all considered part of the Mountain West, as well as the southwest. The total population of these states is roughly 19 million people.

Climate The Southwestern United States features a semi-arid to arid climate, depending on the location. Much of the southwest is an arid desert climate, but higher elevations in the mountains in each state, with the exception of West Texas, feature alpine climates with very large amounts of snow.

Wildlife There is a wide variety of wildlife in the Southwestern United States. Bighorn sheep, bobcat, coyote, bear, jackrabbit, cottontail rabbit, mule deer, white-tailed deer, gray fox, mountain lion, river otter, porcupine, pronghorn, raccoon, armadillo, Mexican wolf, and gray wolf can be found in all states across the southwest. Snakes are also found all over the southwestern United States

Ethnicity The Southwest is ethnically varied, with significant Anglo American and Hispanic American populations in addition to more regional African American, Asian American, and Native American populations.

Arizona located in the southwestern region of the country. Arizona is one of the Four Corners states. Arizona is the sixth most extensive and the 16 th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is noted for its desert climate in its southern half, where there are very hot summers and quite mild winters.

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is eight of the nation's fifty most populated cities. The population of California was 37, 691, 912. The capital city is Sacramento. California's climate varies from Mediterranean to subarctic. Much of the state has a Mediterranean climate, with cool, rainy winters and dry summers. California boasts several superlatives in its collection of flora: the largest trees, the tallest trees, and the oldest trees.

Colorado is the 8 th most extensive and the 22 nd most populous of the 50 United States. The population of Colorado was 5, 116, 796 on July 1, 2011. The state was named for the Colorado River. From west to east, the land of Colorado consists of desert lands and desert plateaus, then alpine mountains with National Forests, then some scattered desert land in the southern mountain areas in the state.

New Mexico is the 5 th most extensive, the 36 th most populous, and the 6 th least densely populated of the 50 United States. The state's total area is 121, 412 square miles. The population of New Mexico was 2, 082, 224. The climate of New Mexico is generally semi-arid to arid, though there areas of continental and alpine climates, and its territory is mostly covered by mountains, high plains, and desert. New Mexico contains extensive habitat for many plants and animals, especially in desert areas and pinon-juniper woodlands.

Nevada is the 7 th most extensive, the 35 th most populous, and the 9 th least densely populated of the 50 United States. Nevada's capital is Carson City. Nevada is the driest state in the USA. The population of Nevada was 2, 723, 322. The center of population of Nevada is located in southern Nye County.

Texas is the second most populous and the second most extensive of the 50 statesin the United States of America, and the most extensive state of the 48 contiguous United States. Located in the South Central United States. Population - 25, 674, 681. Capital. Austin, largest city- Houston. The large size of Texas and its location at the intersection of multiple climate zones gives the state highly variable weather.

Oklahoma is the 20 th-largest state in the United States, covering an area of 69, 898 square miles. Two of the fifty largest cities in the United States are located in Oklahoma, Oklahoma City(capital) and Tulsa. The population of Oklahoma was 3, 791, 508. Oklahoma is a major producer of natural gas, oil, and agriculture. Oklahoma is located in a temperate region and experiences occasional extremes of temperature and precipitation typical of a continental climate.

Utah is the 13 th-most extensive, the 34 th-most populous, and the 10 th-least-densely populated of the 50 United States. Utah is bordered by Arizona on the south, Colorado on the east, Wyoming on the northeast, Idaho on the north and Nevada on the west. It also touches a corner of New Mexico. Capital (and largest city) - Salt Lake City. Utah is the most religiously homogeneous state in the Union. The state is a center of transportation, education, information technology and research, government services, mining, and a major tourist destination for outdoor recreation. Population - 2, 817, 222.