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Geography >> US Geography >> US State History
regions
The United States is often divided up into geographical regions. Using these regions can help to describe a larger area and also helps to group together states that are similar in features such as geography, culture, history, and climate.
While there are some official government regions, such as those used by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Standard Federal Regions, most people use five major regions when dividing up the states. They are the Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Southwest, and West.
Because these aren't officially defined regions, some border states may appear in different regions depending on the document or map you are looking at. For example, sometimes Maryland is considered part of the Southeast, but we include it in the Northeast on our map.
Major Regions
Northeast
- States included: Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland
- Climate: Humid continental climate with cool summers in the northernmost areas. Snow falls during the winter as the temperatures are regularly below freezing.
- Major geographical features: Appalachian Mountains, Atlantic Ocean, Great Lakes, borders on Canada to the north
Southeast
- States included: West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Florida
- Climate: Humid subtropical climate with hot summers. Hurricanes can reach landfall in the summer and fall months along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.
- Major geographical features: Appalachian Mountains, Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Mississippi River
Midwest
- States included: Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Missouri, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota
- Climate: Humid continental climate throughout most of the region. Snow is common during the winter, especially in the northern areas.
- Major geographical features: Great Lakes, Great Plains, Mississippi River, borders Canada to the north
Southwest
- States included: Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona
- Climate: Semiarid Steppe climate in the western area with a more humid climate to the east. Some of the far western areas of the region have an alpine or desert climate.
- Major geographical features: Rocky Mountains, Colorado River, Grand Canyon, Gulf of Mexico, borders Mexico to the south
West
- States included: Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Utah, Nevada, California, Alaska, Hawaii
- Climate: A range of climates including semiarid and alpine along the Rocky and Sierra Mountains. The coastline in California is a Mediterranean climate. Desert climates can be found in Nevada and Southern California.
- Major geographical features: Rocky Mountains, Sierra Nevada Mountains, Mohave Desert, Pacific Ocean, borders Canada to the North and Mexico to the south
Other Regions
Here are some other sub-regions that are often referred to:
- Mid-Atlantic - Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey
- Central Plains - Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska
- Great Lakes - Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan
- New England - Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut
- Pacific Northwest - Washington, Oregon, Idaho
- Rocky Mountains - Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, Montana
More on US geographical features:
Regions of the United States
US Rivers
US Lakes
US Mountain Ranges
US Deserts
Geography >> US Geography >> US State History
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FAQs
The U.S. Census Bureau groups the 50 states and the District of Columbia, for statistical purposes, into four geographic regions and nine divisions based on geographic proximity (see Figure).
What are the 6 geographic regions of the United States? ›
The country is divided into six regions: New England, the mid-Atlantic, the South, the Midwest, the Southwest, and the West.
What are the 5 regions of the USA states? ›
Language, government, or religion can define a region, as can forests, wildlife, or climate. A common way of referring to regions in the United States is grouping them into 5 regions according to their geographic position on the continent: the Northeast, Southwest, West, Southeast, and Midwest.
What are the 9 geographic divisions of the United States? ›
Map of the nine Census Regions and Divisions in the US. They are: Pacific, Mountain, West North Central, West South Central, East North Central, East South Central, South Atlantic, Middle Atlantic, and New England.
What is the geographic region of the United States? ›
While there are some official government regions, such as those used by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Standard Federal Regions, most people use five major regions when dividing up the states. They are the Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Southwest, and West.
What geographic region is the United States? ›
Geography of the United States
| Continent | North America |
|---|
| Coordinates | 38.000°N 97.000°W |
| Area | Ranked 3rd/4th |
| • Total | 9,826,675 km2 (3,794,100 sq mi) |
| • Land | 93.24% |
14 more rowsThe US Census Bureau, for example, considers there to be four regions of the US: the Northeast, the Midwest, the South, and the West. Meanwhile, the Bureau of Economic Analysis uses a map that splits the country up into eight regions, from New England to the Rocky Mountains to the Great Lakes.
What geographical locations are important in the United States? ›
Three significant geographic features of the United States are the Great Lakes, the Mississippi River, and the Rocky Mountains. The Great Lakes are the largest source of freshwater on the planet.
What states are in each region? ›
Regions of the U.S.
| New England | Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont |
|---|
| Midwest | Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin |
| Southwest | Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas |
3 more rowsApr 17, 2019
The Different US Regions for Kids
There are 5 main regions in the US that people recognise when dividing up the states. These US regions for kids are the Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Southwest, and West. Whilst people use these regions when describing the United States, they are not officially defined reasons.
Answer and Explanation:
Rocky Mountain Region is named after the Rocky Mountains, which cover 6 states.
What are the 4 major geographic regions of the United States? ›
The United States can be divided into several regions, or areas of land. The United States Census Bureau, for example, divides the United States into four regions: the Northeast, the Midwest, the South, and the West.
How many states are in the USA 50 or 52? ›
There are fifty (50) states and Washington D.C.The last two states to join the Union were Alaska (49th) and Hawaii (50th). Both joined in 1959. Washington D.C. is a federal district under the authority of Congress. Local government is run by a mayor and 13 member city council.
Are there 5 or 7 regions of the United States? ›
A common way of referring to regions in the United States is grouping them into 5 regions according to their geographic position on the continent: the Northeast, Southwest, West, Southeast, and Midwest.
