- Landscape regions (Physiographic provinces):
The landscape features of the northeast United States can be summarized (and simplified) in the map and outline below.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain:
Where: Long Island (including Brooklyn, Queens, Nassau & Suffolk Counties), plus part of Staten Island;
continuing north into coastal parts of eastern Connecticut, all of Rhode Island, easternmost Massachusetts, and coastal N.H. & ME
also continuing south into coastal parts of New Jersey and other coastal states as far as Florida.
Features: Largely unconsolidated sands and gravels; generally low elevation. Well inhabited. Little agriculture.
- New England Highlands Province (Metamporphic region):
Where: Eastern part of N.Y. State (including Hudson Valley and Taconic Mountain Range), but excluding Long Island;
continuing north and east into most of interior New England;
also continuing south into northern New Jersey and parts of easternmost Pennsylvania.
Features: Mostly hilly country (lots of woodlands, not great for agriculture);
bedrock geology is mostly metamorphic rocks of Paleozoic era (530-270 million years old).
- Adirondack Province:
Where: Most of northern N.Y. State.
Features: Heavily forested and mountainous; bedrock geology is very old (Proterozoic), intensely metamorphosed rock.
- Interior Lowlands:
Where: Central and western N.Y. State near Lake Ontario, also north and south of Adirondacks.
Features: Mostly flat land, well-suited for agriculture (see below).
Bedrock is mostly sedimentary, of Ordovician and Silurian age; soil rich in nutrients for plants.
- Allegheny Plateau:
Where: Central and western N.Y. State south of 43oN Latitude, continuing south into Pennsylvania.
Features: Mostly flat land, but at somewhat higher elevation; well-suited for agriculture (see below).
Bedrock is mostly sedimentary, of Devonian age; soil rich in nutrients for plants.
- AGRICULTURE in New York State:
Central and western New York State has rich soil and supports significant agriculture ($3.6 billion annually).
Major crops include dairy, apples, cabbage, cauliflower, wine, corn, and maple syrup.
New York State is the nation's #1 producer of Cottage Cheese, the #2 producer of apples and cabbage, and the #3 producer of milk, wine, and maple syrup.
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