Western Cordillera
The Western Cordillera is located in western Canada, from north to south. The major cities are Vancouver, Victoria, Whistler and Whitehorse.
In this landform region the types of rocks that can be found are Igneous, Metamorphic, and Sedimentary rock. The physical features include Plateaus, valleys and plains, forests, as well as rugged mountains. The Western Cordillera was formed when the larger Pacific Plate converged with the smaller North American Plate. Since the North American Plate is smaller it went on top of the Pacific Plate. The smaller plate went up pushing the lager one into the mantle. As the plate went up in created mountains. That is how the western Cordillera was formed.
The economy in the Western Cordillera is based off many different things. Mainly, it is based off mining, tourism, forestry, and fishing. Mining is common in the western cordillera because the area is rich in different minerals and materials. The tourism industry is also a huge part of the economy because of all the fantastic views and mountain ranges for both the summer and winter. In the winter it is very common to see people coming from all over the world to go skiing or snowboarding. Forestry and fishing are also a part of the economy because of the large forests and the ocean right next to the area.
One tourist destination in Whistler-Blackcomb, it is a ski resort in British Columbia.
The main climate factors affecting the western cordillera include, ocean currents and nearness to water, elevation, latitude, wind, and relief rainfall. The location of this landform is beside the pacific ocean, which means the ocean will have a moderating affect and the currents will affect the temperatures. The elevation of the mountains make it colder at the top of mountains or cities that are high in elevation. Relief rainfall is also a factor because of the jet stream blowing east and the mountain ranges. For this reason lots of cities get lots of rain all year round.
This image shows the temperature increase over time. By 2080 the average temperature in most of British Columbia will above 4 degrees from -6 in the north. This will cause forest fires, droughts, fish moving away, glaciers melting, and unpredictable growing seasons.
Sources:
Acton, Donald, et al. “Physiographic Regions.” The Canadian Encyclopedia, 27 Feb. 2012, www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/physiographic-regions.
“Four Ways B.C. Is Experiencing the Impacts of Climate Change Right Now | CBC News.” Climate Change Is a Growing Concern in B.C., Says Scientist, CBC/Radio Canada, 4 Aug. 2015, www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/climate-change-is-a-growing-concern-in-b-c-says-scientist-1.3177871.
Miall, Andrew. “Geological Regions.” Geological Regions | The Canadian Encyclopedia, 7 Feb. 2006, www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/geological-regions.
“Relief.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 8 Dec. 2020, www.britannica.com/place/Canada/Relief.
Williams, Matt. “Mountains: How Are They Formed?” Universe Today, 4 May 2017, www.universetoday.com/29833/how-mountains-are-formed/.
