Name: Grassland: A Type of Natural Vegetation
Uploaded: 2019-07-19
Duration: 9 min 2 s
Description: Grassland is an area where a nearly continuous cover of grasses dominates the vegetation. It is one of the most widespread types of natural vegetation.

Question

Describe the location and extent of the prairies.

Accepted Answer

The French word "prairie" means a meadow or grassland. The prairies are found both in the USA and Canada. This gently sloping hilly land stretches from the west of the Mississippi River to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. The Great Lakes of North America lie towards the east of the prairie.

The Canadian prairies include the provinces of Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Ontario. In the USA, the prairie extends over the states of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska and Iowa.

The north-south extent of the prairies is about 6000 km, while the east-west extent is about 2000 km. The region is flat in the east and rises to a height of about 500 m in the west.

The northern part of the prairies slopes towards the Arctic Ocean, while the southern part slopes towards the Gulf of Mexico. The Prairies are mainly drained by the Saskatchewan River in Canada and the Mississippi River and its tributaries in the USA.

Describe the location and extent of the prairies.

Important Questions on Life in the Temperate Grasslands

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