Hardwood forests once occurred in the more humid areas of the United States region, but now only a few remnants are visible in the woodland scenery of the region consisting of chestnuts, hickory etc. North China has lost its entire forest cover as a result of consumption for fuel and building material purpose. Only Manchurian region is covered with forests and that too on the mountain slopes. Both deciduous and conifers are found here on the margins of the plain and at higher elevations respectively.
Margins of north European plain, eastern part of North American region, northern Manchuria and Hokkaido, a Japanese island are the most densely populated areas with fertility of land favoring agriculture and mineral deposits favoring industry. As regards the agriculture, the farming is widespread. North America has two very important agricultural regions namely spring wheat region and Hay and Dairy region. Wheat is the topmost crop. Next come the crops of barley, hay and flax in the spring wheat region. In the dairy region the farms with 100 to 150 acres are used for raising the feed and pastures for dairy cows numbering 20 to 40. Both fluid and condensed milk is sold. Potatoes and fruits are also produced in large quantities. The northern Manchuria produces Soybean and wheat. Wheat, barely, rye, oats and sugar beets are produced in a very mechanized farm. In Hokkaido beans ranks first in production. The dairy industry of Japan is also mostly concentrated in Hokkaido.
Soft wood trees favor lumbering on modern lines using machinery. Logs are utilized for manufacturing wood pulp and paper. Cleared areas are replanted systematically so as to give a sustainable yield.
Fishing has developed on a commercial scale along the coast of north-eastern United States and Japan. There are rich fishing grounds as planktons grown in abundance in the area of convergence of warm and cold currents. As the shoreline is irregular, there are many harbors. Fish forms a stable item in the diet of the Japanese people. Japan is also a major exporter of fish.
Rich fishing economy has been able to get success in the field of fishing. Hokkaido is the most fertile fishing ground at present in Japan supplying for most of the needs of the country. Soviet Union has also paid attention towards the fishing industry in its Far East Border and it is well organized. In long summer humid continentals, fishing industry is common-on Atlantic coasts and in the river of Mississippi Valley. Herring, Shad and Mackerel are some of the most important species in the Atlantic coast and cat fish, carp and buffalo fish are in abundance in the rivers of Mississippi Valley. In Japan and China too fishing industry is common but in comparison to U.S.A. and Europe it is not so widespread.
Forest industry in the form of lumbering is there since the inception of colonial period in Northern America. Pulp mills get a lot of raw material from the neighboring forest Logging in both U.S. and Canada is done during winter. In comparison to short summer humid continentals, the long summer continentals have less lumbering industries. Only a few hardwood mills are seen in the rougher upland areas of the Appalachians and in Ozarks industry is naught as the mountains are bare. Manchuria has immense possibilities of lumbering.
North American region has its concentration of iron ore deposits in the Lake Superior District. The Mesabi Range of Minnesota is outstanding in iron ore deposits. Lignite coal deposits are found in the Prairie Provinces of Canada. Alberta has major petroleum field. The world's largest nickel deposits and production takes place in Sudberry area of Ontario. Platinum and Copper are also mined in this area. New England is famous for its high quality granite marble and slate and therefore stone industry is at top. In European region particularly in central Europe, Upper Silesia is one of the most important coal producing areas. Iron deposits are also rich here. Moscow basin and St Petersburg have rich deposits of coal and lignites. Southern Ural has large iron ore deposits. The greatest coal deposits of Russia are centered in the Kuznetsk Basin. Between the Volga River and the western flanks of Urals lies an oil field as important as Baku oil fields. Ishikri plain of Hokkaido has one of the largest coal deposits in Japan.
The first, lake Erie division contains the industrial centres of Hamilton, Toronto, Buffalo and Niagara. The main industries run in this district are iron and steel, flour milling, electro-chemical and metallurgical. The second, Detroit industrial district is famous for automobiles. About 90% of the automobiles and automobile parts of North America are produced in this area. The third, the lower St. Lawrence industrial district has three manufacturing cities namely Ottawa, Montreal and three Rivers. Three Rivers is popular throughout the world as one of the worlds largest paper manufacturing centres. It has rich iron deposits but lacks coal deposits and as a result of this heavy industry is not possible. Expensive glassware, automobile, fine steel cutting etc. are the various types of articles produced here at Eskiestuna. Leningrad is famous for ship building, machinery and wood products. The Central Industrial District around Moscow is one of the most significant industrial
centres of Russian Urals region has many major industrial cities known as Magnitogorok, Sverdlovsk and Chelyabinsk. Kuznetz Basin is a new industrial Centre. Vladivostok is a very important centre in the Far East, which specializes in steel and ship building industry.
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