Semi-arid region of about 3.2 million sq km/1.2 million sq mi in North America, to the east of the Rocky Mountains, stretching as far as the 100th meridian of longitude through Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, and the Dakotas. The Plains, which cover one-fifth of the USA, extend from Texas in the south over 2,400 km/1,500 mi north to Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba in Canada, where they are known as the
Prairies. The Great Plains have extensive oil and coal reserves, many of which are actively worked. Ranching and wheat farming have resulted in overuse of the water resources, and the consequent process of erosion has reduced available farmland. Around 15 million people live on the Great Plains.
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