FIGURE 2.17 Agriculture in North America. Throughout much of North America, some type of agriculture is possible. The major exceptions are the northern reaches of Canada and Alaska and the dry mountain and basin region (the Continental Interior) that lies between the Great Plains and the Pacific coastal zone. However, in some marginal areas, such as Southern California, southern Arizona, and the Utah Valley, irrigation is needed for cultivation. (Hawaii is not included here because it is covered in Oceania, Chapter 11.)