The United States of America is the world’s 3rd largest country in terms of Area. It has a total area of 9,826,675 km2 (3,794,100 sq mi). The country is located in North America. The Geography Map of the USA shares borders with the Pacific Ocean in the west and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. It also shares land borders with Canada and Mexico and maritime borders with Russia, Cuba, the Bahamas, and other countries.
The United States and Canada’s land border is the world’s longest international border. It has a total area of 8,891 kilometers (5,525 mi), of which 2,475 kilometers (1,538 mi) is the border of Alaska with British Columbia and Yukon. Mexico–United States border has a total length of 3,145 kilometers (1,954 mi).
The United States is divided into 50 states, plus the District of Columbia. Sometimes called the lower 48 states or the contiguous states, all of the states except Hawaii and Alaska. Hawaii is an island state located in the Pacific Ocean and Alaska is located northwest of Canada.
USA Major Geography Facts
- The Highest Mountain: Mount Denali, formerly called Mount McKinley, is 6,190 m/ 20,310 ft high and located in Alaska.
- The Longest River of the USA: Missouri River with 3,767 km/ 2,341 miles. The Missouri River flows through seven states of the USA: Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri. Together with the Mississippi River, it forms one of the largest river systems in the world.
- The Hottest Place in the USA: Death Valley. The Death Valley’s Badwater Basin is also the lowest point in North America. It has a hight of 86 m/ 282 ft.
- The largest lake of the USA: Lake Superior, which is shared by Canada (to the north) and the United States (to the east, south, and west). Lake Superior is also considered the largest freshwater lake by area in the world.
- Highest Waterfalls in the USA: The Colonial Creek Falls in Washington State with a hight of 783 m/ 2,568 ft. However, the Oloupena Falls in Hawaii have unofficially named North America’s highest waterfalls with a drop of 900 m/ 2,952 ft.
- The largest U.S. state by land area is Alaska.
- The Most Populous U.S. State is California with almost 40 million inhabitants.
- The Least Populous State is Wyoming with about 580,000 inhabitants.
Geographic Region of the United States
The region of New England features the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Vermont. This region is home to rugged mountains, winter snowfall, fantastic seafood, gables churches. The Mid-Atlantic is comprised of the states of Pennsylvania, Delaware, New York, New Jersey, and Maryland, and the Federal District of Washington. It is renowned for its rolling mountains, seaside resorts, valleys, and Pine Barrens.
The South is home to the states of Arkansas, Alabama, Kentucky, Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, North and South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, and Tennessee. It is famous for blues, swamps, plantations, and mountains. The state of Florida is a region itself and is known for its sandy beaches, Everglades, the tropical Caribbean-style city of Miami.
In the Midwest, the states of Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Missouri, and Ohio. The Midwest is famous for its charming towns, farmland, forests, and of course the Great Lakes. The state of Texas is also a region itself and known for its mountain and desert terrain, southeastern swamplands.
The Great Plains region features the states of North and South Dakota, Kansas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. This region offers stunning vast landscapes that begin with forests that give way to prairies. The Rocky Mountains region has Colorado, Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming. It is known for its snow-capped rugged mountains and as a great place to hike, raft, and snow ski.
The Southwest features the states of Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. This is home to amazing natural attractions including Death Valley, the Grand Canyon, and Red Rock Canyon. California is another region that offers everything from famous cities to deserts, snowy mountains, rainforests, and beautiful beaches. Finally, the Pacific Northwest is home to Oregon and Washington. It is an excellent mix of coastline, deserts, volcanoes, mountains, and even rainforests.
Major Geographic Features of the USA
Mountain Ranges
- Rocky Mountains
- Appalachian Mountains
- Sierra Nevada
- Cascade Range
- Columbia Mountains
- Klamath Mountains
- Salmon River Mountains
- Black Hills
- Adirondack Mountains
- Front Range
- Ouachita Mountains
Plains And Plateaus
- Great Plains
- Columbia Plateau
- Colorado Plateau
- Ozark Plateau
- Edwards Plateau
- Coastal Plains
Lakes
- Great Lakes
- Finger Lakes
- Great Salt Lake
- Crater Lake
- Lake Tahoe
Rivers
- Mississippi River
- Rio Grande
- Colorado River
- Tennessee River
- Snake River
- Missouri River