File:The earth and its inhabitants (1894) (14579657888).jpg

Identifier: earthitsinhabita941recl (find matches)
Title: The earth and its inhabitants ..
Year: 1894 (1890s)
Authors: Reclus, Elisée, 1830-1905 Ravenstein, Ernest George, 1834-1913 Keane, A. H. (Augustus Henry), 1833-1912
Subjects: Geography
Publisher: New York, D. Appleton and company
Contributing Library: MBLWHOI Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Boston Library Consortium Member Libraries

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ern division of the New World, althoughoccupying a larger superficial area, is inferior to the southern continent in theextent of its habitable lands. Not more than two-thirds of its surface is really atthe service of civilised man. The Seaboakd. Till recently all geographers, in common with Carl Ritter, pointed to the morediversified character of its coast-lines as a great advantage enjoyed by the northernover the southern continent. One-half of its seaboard abounds in islands andpeninsulas, such as the Polar Archipelago, the Aleutian group, the West Indies,California, Florida, and Central America, whereas the southern continent presentsa scarcely indented coast-line, with but few and small peninsulas, unless thePata-gonian extremity itself may be considered as a sort of peninsular region. Theislands, nowhere numerous except on the austral coasts, are disposed close to themainland, so as to scarcely disturb the general uniformity of the shore-lines. ^^^ fimmmKîii ill lillllsifiili^^
Text Appearing After Image:
HYDEOGEAPHY OF SOUTH AMEEICA. 3 Nevertheless, this difference in the relative proportion of indentations andarchipelagoes fringing the two continents does not possess the importance whichhas been claimed for it. An abundance of islands and peninsulas does not neces-sarily constitute an advantage in itself, and may even be a drawback. Every-thing, in fact, depends on the special conditions presented by each of the geo-graphical divisions. Thus the West Indies have become the Jewel of the NewWorld, thanks to their happy position at the confluence of the oceanic currentsand in the forefront of the Caribbean Sea ; thanks also to their climate, to theirnatural resources, and to the facilities of communication from port to port. But the snowy lands of the Far North, washed by the Frozen Ocean, remainabsolutely uninhabitable ; nor is it likely that they can ever attract any settlers.They may at most continue to be visited by seekers for gold and peltries, or by afew travellers anxious to stu

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