Page 82 - BBC Focus Earth From Above - 2017 UK
P. 82
NORTH AMERICA
US A
Continental divide
The Rocky Mountains formed about 70 million years ago. Usually mountain ranges
are created close to the coast, but geologists think that in this case the Pacific Plate
‘subducted’ at a shallow angle beneath the North American Plate, causing the
Rockies to form further inland.
PHOTO:NASA
Sin City suburbia USA CANADA
The Rockies
Arranged like flower beds, over 3,300 homes make up the Desert Shores Community
in the shadow of the foothills of northwest Las Vegas. The city is not only the driest
USA
in the country, but also one of the highest consumers of water. The green strips at the
bottom of the image are artificial lakes, while at the top is an irrigated golf course.
PHOTO: GETTY/DIGITAL GLOBE Las Vegas
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