Geography of the Southeast, Southwest, and Midwest Regions of the U.S.A.

The Southeast Region of the U.S.A.

States

The Southeast region includes:

  • South Atlantic:
    • Virginia
    • West Virginia
    • North Carolina
    • South Carolina
    • Georgia
    • Florida
    • Delaware
    • Maryland
    • District of Columbia
  • Southeast:
    • Alabama
    • Mississippi
    • Kentucky
    • Tennessee

Plains and Lowlands

  • The Coastal Plain: Flat land located along the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, east of the Fall Line.
  • Lake Okeechobee: Located in Florida.
  • Okefenokee Swamp: Located in Georgia.
  • The Everglades: Wetlands in southern Florida, home to many rare and endangered species of plant and animal life.

Mountains

  • The Appalachian Mountains
    • The Blue Ridge Mountains: Stretch from Maryland to Georgia.
    • The Great Smoky Mountains: Located in North Carolina and Tennessee.
    • Largest cave system in Kentucky- Mammoth Cave.

Water and River Systems

  • The Atlantic Ocean:
    • Borders the East Coast of the United States.
    • Provides access to other areas of the world.
    • Served as the highway for explorers, early settlers, and immigrants.
  • The Chesapeake Bay:
    • Located between the mainland of Virginia and the Eastern Shore.
    • The largest estuary in the United States.
  • The Gulf of Mexico:
    • Located off the southeastern coast of the United States.
    • Flows into the Atlantic Ocean.
  • Lake Pontchartrain:
    • A brackish estuary located in southeastern Louisiana.
    • The second-largest saltwater estuary in the United States.

Rivers Flowing to the Gulf of Mexico

  • The Mississippi River
  • The Savannah River
  • The Chattahoochee River
  • The James River
  • The Red River
  • The Tennessee River
  • The Alabama River

Climate

  • Generally warm and sunny.
  • Summers:
    • Usually hot, long, and humid.
    • Areas along the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coast often experience hurricanes from June through November.
  • Winters:
    • Short and often mild with some snowfall.
    • Freezing temperatures in northern areas.

Natural Resources and Industries

  • Hardwood Forests
  • Coal and oil reserves
  • Agriculture
    • Plants and products grown:
      • Tobacco (North Carolina is the center of America's tobacco industry).
      • Cotton
      • Hay
      • Soybeans
      • Sugar cane
      • Rice
      • Fruits
    • Animals
  • Fishing and fisheries
  • Shipbuilding
  • Printing and publishing
  • Tourism (The area near Orlando, Florida is home to Walt Disney World, and many other amusement parks.)
  • Mining
    • Coal
    • Phosphate rock
    • Petroleum products

Major Cities

  • New Orleans, Louisiana
  • Little Rock, Arkansas
  • Montgomery, Alabama
  • Atlanta, Georgia
  • Charleston, South Carolina
  • Richmond, Virginia
  • Nashville, Tennessee (center of country music)
  • Birmingham, Alabama
  • Charlotte, North Carolina
  • Frankfort, Kentucky
  • Louisville, Kentucky
  • Memphis, Tennessee
  • Jackson, Mississippi
  • Columbia, South Carolina
  • Savannah, Georgia
  • Baton Rouge, Louisiana
  • Tallahassee, Florida
  • Jacksonville, Florida
  • Tampa, Florida
  • Miami, Florida
  • Raleigh, North Carolina

The Mississippi River (Watershed)

  • The largest watershed in the USA lies in the following 10 US states: Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.
  • Length: Approximately 3,7663,766 km long and is the 2nd longest river in the U.S. (after the Missouri River, which flows into Mississippi).
  • It ends in the Gulf of Mexico.
  • Inflows:
    • The Illinois River
    • The Missouri River
    • The Ohio River
    • The Arkansas River
    • The Atchafalaya River
  • New Orleans:
    • City in its delta
    • The largest port in the USA

The Southwest Region of the U.S.A.

States

  • Oklahoma
  • Arizona
  • Texas
  • New Mexico

Geographical Features

  • Plateaus
  • Deserts
  • Canyons – Grand Canyon
  • Mountains
    • Colorado Plateau
    • Rocky Mountains – end in New Mexico
  • Flat plains – begin at Rocky Mountains’ end
  • Colorado River

Climate

  • Deserts, dry mostly, arid lands
  • Eastern Texas – tropical humid

Large Cities

  • Dallas, Texas
  • San Antonio, Texas
  • Houston, Texas
  • Phoenix, Arizona

Natural Resources and Industry

  • Agriculture - Farming, ranches
  • Mining – petroleum, oil
  • Tourism
  • Fishing along the Gulf coast

The Midwest Region

The Great Lakes States

  • Ohio – Columbus
  • Illinois-Springfield
  • Indiana – Indianapolis
  • Minnesota
  • Wisconsin- Madison

The Great Plains States

  • Kansas – Topeka
  • Missouri – Jefferson City
  • Nebraska – Lincoln
  • Iowa – Des Moines
  • North Dakota -Bismark
  • South Dakota - Pierre

Geography

  • Mountains:
    • The Rocky Mountains to the west
  • Rivers:
    • The Ohio River to the east and south
  • Lakes:
    • The Great Lakes to the east and north
  • Canada and the Great Lakes to the north
  • The Ohio River Valley, Arkansas and Oklahoma to the south
  • The Black Hills
  • Great Plains – a large area of nearly flat land
  • Prairies – land mostly covered in grass
  • Badlands – a heavily eroded arid region with the colorful rock formations

River System

  • The Great Lakes
  • The Ohio River
  • The Mississippi River
  • The Missouri River
  • The Illinois River

Climate

  • An extreme climate due to its location between the mountains and large bodies of water
  • Winters- cold, harsh – Lake effect snow
  • Summers- hot, humid with adequate rainfall and occasional droughts
  • Strong tornadoes, thunderstorms during the summer

Natural Resources and Industries

  • Agriculture – a major agricultural and livestock region, fertile soils-farming – wheat, corn, soya beans
  • Mine industry – coal, granite, iron ore, limestone, gold, lead
  • Oil, natural gas, wood
  • Breadbasket- production of large amount of wheat

Landmarks of the Region

  • Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland
  • Mall of America – Bloomington
  • Mt. Rushmore
  • Crazy Horse Memorial
  • Gateway Arch – St Louis