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Sonoran Desert

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	Sonoran Desert
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	Topics Sonoran Desert Topic Home The Sonoran Desert (sometimes called the Gila Desert after the Gila RiverGila River The Gila River is a tributary of the Colorado River, 630 mile long, in the southwestern United States.... or the Low Desert in opposition to the higher Mojave DesertMojave Desert The Mojave Desert occupies a significant portion of southern California and smaller parts of southwestern Utah, southern Nev... ) is a North AmericaNorth America North America is a continent in the Earth's northern hemisphere and almost fully in the western hemisphere.... n desertDesert In geography, a desert is a landscape form or region that receives little precipitation.... which straddles part of the United States-Mexico border and covers large parts of the U.S. stateU.S. state A state of the United States is any one of the fifty subnational entities referred to as a state which, along with the Dist... s of ArizonaArizona Arizona is a U.S. state located in the Southwestern United States.... and CaliforniaCalifornia California is a state spanning the southern half of the west coast of the contiguous United States.... and the Mexican states of SonoraSonora Sonora is a state in northwestern Mexico, bordering the states of Chihuahua to the east, Sinaloa to the south, and Baja Cali... and Baja CaliforniaBaja California Baja California is the northernmost state of Mexico.... . It is one of the largest and hottest deserts in North America, with an area of 311,000 km² (120,000 mi²Square mile A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile in length.... ). The desert contains a variety of unique plants and animals, such as the saguaroSaguaro The Saguaro is a large, tree-sized cactus species in the monotypic genus *Carnegiea.... cactus. On January 17, 2001, 2,008 km² (496,337 acreAcre An acre* is the name of a unit of area in a number of different systems, including Imperial units, and United States customar... s) of the Sonoran Desert was set aside as the Sonoran Desert National MonumentSonoran Desert National Monument Sonoran Desert National Monument is located in the U.S.... for the purpose of enhancing resource protection. Location The Sonoran Desert wraps around the northern end of the Gulf of CaliforniaGulf of California The Gulf of California is a body of water that separates the Baja California Peninsula from the Mexican mainland.... , from northeastern Baja CaliforniaBaja California Baja California is the northernmost state of Mexico.... through southeastern CaliforniaCalifornia California is a state spanning the southern half of the west coast of the contiguous United States.... and southwestern ArizonaArizona Summary Arizona is a U.S. state located in the Southwestern United States.... to western SonoraSonora Sonora is a state in northwestern Mexico, bordering the states of Chihuahua to the east, Sinaloa to the south, and Baja Cali... . It is bounded on the west by the Peninsular RangesPeninsular Ranges The Peninsular Ranges are a group of mountain ranges which stretch 1500 km from southern California in the United States to ... , which separate it from the California chaparral and woodlandsCalifornia chaparral and woodlands The California chaparral and woodlands is a terrestrial ecoregion of central and southern California and northwestern Baja C... and Baja California desertBaja California Desert The Baja California desert is a Desert ecoregion of Mexico's Baja California Peninsula.... ecoregions of the Pacific slope. To the north, the Sonoran Desert transitions to the cold-winter MojaveMojave Desert The Mojave Desert occupies a significant portion of southern California and smaller parts of southwestern Utah, southern Nev... , Great BasinGreat Basin The Great Basin is a large, arid region of the western United States.... , and Colorado PlateauColorado Plateau The Colorado Plateau, also called the Colorado Plateaus Province, is a physiographic region of the Intermontane Platea... deserts. To the east, the deserts transition to the coniferousTemperate coniferous forests Temperate coniferous forests are a terrestrial biome found in temperate regions of the world with warm summers and cool wint... Arizona Mountains forests and Sierra MadreSierra Madre Sierra Madre may refer to one of several mountain ranges:... Occidental forestsFacts About Sierra Madre Occidental pine-oak forests to the northeast and east, the [[Meseta Central... at higher elevations. The Sonoran-Sinaloan transition subtropical dry forest marks the transition from the Sonoran Desert to the tropical dry forests of SinaloaSinaloa Sinaloa is bordered by the states of Sonora to the north, Chihuahua to the northeast, Durango to the east, and Nayarit to th... . The desert's sub-regions include the Colorado DesertColorado Desert The Colorado Desert is a large arid depression in the southeastern part of the U.S.... and Yuma DesertYuma Desert The Yuma Desert is a section of the Sonoran Desert in the southwestern United States and the northwest of Mexico.... . In the 1951 publication, Vegetation of the Sonoran Desert, Forrest Shreve divided the Sonoran Desert into seven regions according to characteristic vegetation: Lower Colorado Valley, Arizona Upland, Plains of Sonora, Foothills of Sonora, Central Gulf Coast, Vizcaino Region, and Magdalena Region. (see An Overview of the Sonoran Desert, external link below). Many ecologists now consider Shreve's Vizcaino and Magdalena regions, which lie on the western side of the Baja California Peninsula, to be a separate ecoregionEcoregion An ecoregion, sometimes called a bioregion, is "a relatively large area of land or water that contains a geographicall... , the Baja California desertBaja California Desert Overview The Baja California desert is a Desert ecoregion of Mexico's Baja California Peninsula.... . The PBS series Reading RainbowReading Rainbow *Reading Rainbow* is an acclaimed American children's television series aired by PBS since 1983 that encourages reading am... shot its sixty-second episode Desert Giant: The World of the Saguaro Cactus here on March 27,1990. This book by Barbara Bash was narrated by Philip BoscoPhilip Bosco Philip Bosco is an American actor.... . Ecology The Sonoran Desert includes 60 mammal species, 350 bird species, 20 amphibian species, 100+ reptile species, 30 native fish species, and more than 2000 native plant species. The Sonoran Desert is considered the wettest desert in the world, receiving up to 15 inches per year in some locations. Flora Many plants not only survive the harsh conditions of the Sonoran Desert, but they actually thrive. Many have evolved to have specialized adaptations to the desert climate. The Sonoran Desert includes such plant from the agave family, palm family, cactus family, legume family, and many others. This desert is the only place in the world where the famous saguaro cactus grows in the wild. Population The desert is home to seventeen aboriginal American cultures. The largest city in the Sonoran Desert is PhoenixPhoenix, Arizona Phoenix is the capital of the state of Arizona in the Southwestern United States.... , ArizonaArizona Arizona is a U.S. state located in the Southwestern United States.... , U.S.A.United States The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., and America, is... This metropolitan area in central Arizona is one of the fastest-growing metropolitan area in the United States, with a population of 4 million. In the North Phoenix area, desert is losing ground to development at a rate of approximately 4,000 m² (1 acreAcre An acre is the name of a unit of area in a number of different systems, including Imperial units, and United States customar... ) per hour. The next largest cities are TucsonTucson, Arizona Tucson is a city and the seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States, located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix.... , in southern ArizonaArizona Arizona is a U.S. state located in the Southwestern United States.... , U.S.A.United States The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., and America, is... , with a metro area population of around 900,000, and MexicaliMexicali Mexicali is the capital of the state of Baja California, Mexico as well as the capital of the municipality of Mexicali.... , Baja CaliforniaBaja California Baja California is the northernmost state of Mexico.... , MexicoMexico The United Mexican States, generally known as Mexico is a country located in North America, bordered at the north by t... , whose municipalityMunicipalities of Mexico Summary In Mexico, two of the main types of municipalities are:... also has a population of around 900,000. The municipality of HermosilloHermosillo Hermosillo is the capital of the state of Sonora, Mexico.... , SonoraSonora Sonora is a state in northwestern Mexico, bordering the states of Chihuahua to the east, Sinaloa to the south, and Baja Cali... , MexicoMexico The United Mexican States, generally known as Mexico is a country located in North America, bordered at the north by t... has a population of around 700,000. See also List of deserts by areaList of deserts by area Overview This is a list of deserts in the world ordered by area.... List of plants by common name (Sonoran Desert)List of plants by common name (Sonoran Desert) This is a List of plants by common name, for the Sonoran Desert and local environs;... Sonoran Desert National MonumentSonoran Desert National Monument Sonoran Desert National Monument is located in the U.S.... Spanish missions in the Sonoran DesertSpanish missions in the Sonoran Desert The Spanish missions in the Sonoran Desert are a series of religious outposts established by Spanish Catholic Jesuits and ot... List of Sonoran Desert birds (Arizona)List of Sonoran Desert birds (Arizona) The following birdspecies are endemic to the Sonoran Desert, and related areas.... Yuma DesertYuma Desert Summary The Yuma Desert is a section of the Sonoran Desert in the southwestern United States and the northwest of Mexico.... External links Links to parks and recreational areas within the Sonoran Desert