The Southern Coastlands

The coastline in Miami, FL

(Source: http://www.visitusa.com/florida/images/miamipic.jpg)

The Southern coastlands provide a variety of similarities that one could experience in California. However, when comparing the two, the small differences within the similarities are quite surprising, when you think about it.

The Pacific Coastline in California
(Source: http://www.treehugger.com/california-coastline.jpg)

For starters, the climate in the two regions are very similar to one another. Throughout the year, both the Pacific and Southern coastland regions experience warm weather year-round, which is ideal for growing various types of fruits and vegetables. Citrus fruits are the mainly grown crop in the South, while California's biggest crop is Strawberries. Both regions are responsible for growing foods that are exclusive to their regions, as well. According to a leading site on facts about California, the state exclusively grows produce such as "almonds, artichokes, dates, figs, kiwifruit, olives, persimmons, pistachios, prunes, raisins, clovers, and walnuts." (BeachCalifornia.com) The Southern Coastlands do not have any produce that is grown exclusively in the region, but do have specialty crops that are grown in the region. Some of these crops include sugarcane, which can only be grown in a tropical environment (and therefore do not have the ability to be grown in California), rice which helps feed the majority of the midwest and east coasts, and items that can only be grown in very sunny conditions, such as avocados and cucumbers.

Avocado trees in California
(Source: http://lh3.ggpht.com/_cH-zOpvDDF8/RniJxmaAOVI/AAAAAAAAACw/6JcXCKteDhw/Temecula-+Day+1+023.JPG)

However, though both climates do have warm weather, the type of climate is different in both areas. The Southern Coastlands enjoy warm but humid weather year-round, making it easier to grow more tropical produce such as sugarcane, which requires a humid climate in order to grow properly. The humidity in these areas can reach 90-100 for the majority of the year. The rainfall for these areas generally exceeds 50 inches per year, with rain falling year-round. However, in the lower Pacific climates where California is located, the area is generally both warm and dry. The annual average rainfall in California is 22 inches throughout the state, making it the 40th wettest state in the United States. The rainfall here normally only occurs during the fall, winter, and spring, and rarely occurs during the summer. Because the amount of rainfall per year is so low, the area is mostly hot and dry, especially during the summertime.

Map of rainfall that occurs in the Southern Coastland region
(Source: http://coaps.fsu.edu/climate_center/specials/images/flheavyrain/map1.png)

The next comparison that we can make is between the amount of trade that goes through the Southern Coastlands versus the trade that goes through California as a whole. Thanks to the placement of the Southern Coastlands, combined with the natural canal to the Mississippi River through New Orleans to the states in the Midwest, this area is a large transport connection between the southern states and northern states, as well as a connection between the United States and the rest of the world. The Port of New Orleans, for example, is one of the largest ports in the entire world, moving over 500 million tons of cargo each year, according to the Port of New Orleans website (portno.com). California, however, has its own large ports as well, with one of the world's largest being stationed in Los Angeles. According to the Port of Los Angeles website, the port has been number one for decades in container throughput in the country, and employs over 1 million people (portoflosangeles.org)

Port of New Orleans
(Source: http://lh3.ggpht.com/_MV3XaiIYwTw/SXuWQXTC3bI/AAAAAAAACm0/ywxr7j-pTXc/IMG_2244.JPG)

However, the way that these two ports transfer their goods varies. The majority of shipments that come through the Southern Coastlands are shipped up the Mississippi River to other states, thanks to the fact that the Mississippi River is one of the easier way to ship goods to the midwest. This, combined with the railroad lines that run through the area, make it easy to ship items to anywhere in the United States. However, the Port of Los Angeles has only limited access to nearby North American cities, since it does not have a natural river that runs through the nation like the Mississippi. Therefore, it must rely on ground transportation such as railroads and large trucks in order to get shipments from one side of the country to the other.