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Table of Contents
The Gulf of Mexico, which spans about 1,500 kilometers or 810 nautical miles, is the world’s ninth-largest body of water. It consists of several separate intertidal shallow areas called basins, where its deepest level, Sigsbee Deep, has a depth of approximately 17,000 feet.
See the fact file below for more information on the Gulf of Mexico or alternatively, you can download our 22-page Gulf of Mexico worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
GEOGRAPHICAL DATA
- The Gulf of Mexico naturally formed the gradual sinking of the seafloor, creating basins, about three hundred million years ago.
- It is a gulf bordered by the United States, Mexico, and the island nation of Cuba, and it is connected to the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea by the straits of Florida and the Yucatan Channel, respectively.
- The Gulf Stream, the world’s strongest ocean current, was formed in the Gulf of Mexico. The water passes into the Yucatan Channel in the region of the gulf and leaves the gulf (the water exits and enters the Gulf Stream) after it circulates into the current of the pipe.
- The gulf’s climate is either tropical or subtropical.
- Being a very warm body of water that hurricanes need to increase in strength, the gulf is said to be a site of strong storms. It has already generated more than eight hundred named storms in the Atlantic basin.
- There were many hurricanes that did not actually form in the gulf, but rather in the North Atlantic. As the hurricane travels with the wind and passes through the gulf, the characteristic of the gulf’s water increases the hurricane’s strength.
- The gulf contains water flowing in from many different rivers.
- Its salt content also varies depending on where the water flowing in comes from.
BIODIVERSITY
- The warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico have made it home to thousands of aquatic creatures. This produces a high degree of biodiversity.
- As of 2009, scientists recorded 15,419 various species in the gulf, ranging from microscopic to gigantic.
- One of the species in the gulf is the mangrove tree. These coastal trees adapted to the saltwater environment and dropped leaves in shallow bays and estuaries.
- The leaves provide food for decomposers — organisms that consume dead matter in a process called decay.
- This tree can withstand salt water flooding, which makes it different from other trees.
- The red ones excrete salt from the base of their roots using filters, whereas black and white mangrove trees extract their salt in the leaves through special glands. Dead leaves falling from the mangrove trees give energy to the ecology of the gulf.
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONTEXT
- The richness of the Gulf of Mexico in its biological and mineral wealth led to the development of the Gulf Coast economy.
- Industries that benefit from the gulf are tourism, commercial fishing, and shipping, which employ millions of people and contribute significantly to the gulf’s economy.
- Over 90% of U.S. oil and gas output is found in the Gulf of Mexico, providing billions of dollars to the regional economy.
- Shipping and ship building are also multi-billion dollar industries, with two of the world’s largest ports, Houston and New Orleans, being located on the Gulf of Mexico.
- Much of the economic activity of the Gulf Coast depends on, or is related to, a healthy gulf ecosystem.
- Coastal and marine planners in the gulf region face a complex environment in which decisions can be taken on the protection, restoration, enhancement, and management of the various coastal and natural resources.
- The Gulf of Mexico contributes trillions of dollars annually to the U.S economy, but if not properly balanced and nurtured, challenges to the healthy ecosystem and its natural functions may arise.
DISTURBANCE
- Since 1950, the demand for freshwater and the production of waste in areas around the gulf have been continuously increasing, as more people started to live near the gulf.
- Modern agricultural practices also contributed to the gulf’s damage, as well as oil spills that affect the marine life in the gulf.
Gulf of Mexico Worksheets
This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Gulf of Mexico across 22 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Gulf of Mexico worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Gulf of Mexico which spans about 1,500 kilometers or 810 nautical miles and is the world’s ninth-largest body of water. It consists of several separate intertidal shallow areas called basins, where its deepest level, Sigsbee Deep, has a depth of approximately 17,000 feet.
Complete List Of Included Worksheets
- Gulf of Mexico Facts
- Puzzle
- Gulf Coast Beaches
- Mapping Time
- Gulf’s Benefit
- Fill in the Blank
- Stronger Hurricanes
- Biodiversity
- Nurturing the Gulf
- News Writing
- Poster Making
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Link will appear as Gulf of Mexico Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, August 26, 2020
Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.