Geographic Regions and Major Cities of the United States
There are five regions in the United States that are grouped together based on their geographic location on the continent of North America. A region is an area that shares common characteristics that distinguish it from the areas around it.
Like other regions, America's are defined by their physical features, climate, history, and culture.
The five regions of the United States are the Northeast region, the Southeast, the Midwest, the Southwest, and the West.
The Northeast
This region is made up of nine states: Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Maine.
The climate of the Northeast is known for hot humid summers with cold winters where snowfall can remain on the ground for over a month.
Some of the major geographical features of the Northeast include the Atlantic Ocean, Great Lakes, and the Appalachian Mountains.
There are about 57 million people in this region and major cities including New York City, Boston, and Philadelphia.
New York City is the most populated city in the country with over 8 million people. New York was also the first capital of the United States. It is the home of several landmarks including the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, One World Trade Center, and the United Nations Headquarters.
Philadelphia is the second most populated city in this region with over 1.5 million people. Philadelphia was where the U.S. Constitution was signed and was the second capital city of the United States.
Boston is the third most populated city in the Northeast with over 600,000 people. Boston was also the site of the Boston Tea Party and the Boston Massacre, which were two important events that played a role in the American Revolution.
The Southeast
This region includes Washington, D.C., Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana.
Prior to the United States, there were over 20 Native American nations in this area, including the Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, Cherokee, and Seminole people.
Most of this region experiences a humid subtropical climate and is prone to hurricanes. The summers here are hot, wet, and humid with the winters being dry and cool.
The Appalachian Mountains are also found in the upper part of this region with the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico making up its coastlines. The Mississippi River can be found in the lower western portion of this region, with the lower part of this region containing wetlands and swamps. There are about 90 million people in this region.
There are many significant cities in this region including Jacksonville, FL, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Georgia, and Memphis, Tennessee.
Jacksonville is the largest city in the Southeast with a population of over 900,000 people, and the largest city in the contiguous United States in terms of area covering 840 square miles.
Washington, D.C. has over 670,000 people and is the current capital of the United States. Washington is the home of the White House, the Capitol Building, as well as landmarks such as the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial.
Atlanta, Georgia has nearly 500,000 people and is the birthplace of Martin Luther King, Jr. It was the site of the Battle of Atlanta, a major battle in the Civil War and the current home of the Center for Disease Control (CDC).
Memphis, Tennessee is the fifth largest city in the Southeast region with over 655,000 people. It was the site of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination and played a significant role in the Civil Rights Movement. Memphis is home to Graceland and the National Civil Rights Museum.
The Midwest
This region consists of 12 states: Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, and Missouri. Summers in this region are hot and humid with frigid winters and heavy snowfall. The area is also prone to tornadoes. This region contains the Great Lakes in the northern area, the Great Plains in the west, and the Mississippi River running through the middle from Minnesota until it empties into the Gulf of Mexico. There are about 70 million people in this region, and was explored by French fur traders in the 1500 and 1600’s.
There are several major cities located in the Midwest including, Chicago, Illinois, St. Louis, Missouri, Detroit, Michigan, and St. Paul, Minnesota.
Chicago is the third largest city in the United States with over 2,600,000 people and is located on Lake Michigan. Chicago is known as the “Windy City” and is a major hub for transportation, finance, and commerce.
St. Louis was founded by French fur traders in 1764 as a major port on the Mississippi River. It was the starting point for the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1804 and is known as the “Gateway to the West.” St. Louis was the site of the first Olympics held in the United States and also the famous Gateway Arch.
Detroit is located on the Detroit River is a major shipping channel involved in trade between the United States and Canada. Detroit is also known as the “Motor City” as it has been the center of the American automobile industry for over a hundred years.
St. Paul is one of the “Twin Cities” (along with Minneapolis) and is the first major port that was established on the Mississippi River in 1838.
The Southwest
This region is made up of Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Arizona. This area is mostly made up of arid and semi-arid climates and can change with the elevation of the mountains. This area is very dry and receives little rain. The summers can be very hot and dry, while the winters are cool and dry. Texas has a coastline along the Gulf of Mexico, and the lower Rocky Mountains can be found in New Mexico. The Grand Canyon and several deserts are also found in this region. There are about 42 million people living in this region and was first colonized by Spain.
The Southwest has many major cities including Houston, Texas, San Antonio, Texas, and Phoenix, Arizona.
Houston is the fourth largest city in the United States with over 2,200,000 people. Houston was the capital of the Republic of Texas before the country was annexed by the United States in 1846. Houston is also home to NASA’s Johnson Space Center.
San Antonio is home to over 1,500,000 people. It is the second largest city in Texas and third largest in the Southwest. San Antonio was the site of the Battle of the Alamo during the Texas Revolution in 1836.Â
Phoenix is the second largest city in the Southwest region and is home to over 1,600,000 people. The area was first settled by the Hohokam Civilization in the first century CE. Phoenix is an area known as The Valley of the Sun and has strong ties with Native American culture and history.
The West
The West Region is made up of Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and Hawaii. The climates in this region vary from semi-arid and arid, to areas with hot and dry summers with cool and wet winters, to a temperate rainforest in Washington, subarctic and arctic climates in Alaska, and a tropical climate in Hawaii.
Some of the geographical features in this area include the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Rocky Mountains, temperate rainforests in Washington, deserts, glaciers, tropical rainforests, the Colorado River, and the Pacific Ocean. There are about 69 million people living in this area and was colonized by the Spanish Empire in the 1500s.
There are several major cities in the West region of the United States including Los Angeles, California, San Francisco, California, Salt Lake City, Utah, and Seattle, Washington.
Los Angeles is the second largest city in the Unites States with over 3,700,000 people. Spanish settlers first arrived in Los Angeles in 1781 and continues to have a rich Latin cultural heritage today. Los Angeles is famous for its movie production industry in its Hollywood district.
San Francisco has over 700,000 people with the first evidence of human existence there dating back to 3000 BCE. San Francisco is known for its rich cultural influence in the arts and literature as well as famous landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz.
Salt Lake City was originally inhabited by several Native American tribes and was officially settled by Mormon pioneers in 1847 led by Brigham Young. The city became a hub for trade and commerce during America’s westward expansion era. This area is also home to the Great Salt Lake which can be seen from space.
Seattle is the largest city in the region of the West known as the Pacific Northwest. Seattle was founded in 1851 on Puget Sound and named after Chief Seattle. He was a prominent leader of both the Suquamish and Duwamish Native American tribes. Seattle is home to Mount Rainer, the tallest mountain in the Cascade Mountain Range. Seattle is also famous for the Space Needle, Pike Place Market, and for being the birthplace of Starbucks.
The geographic regions of the United States are important because they help to define the country’s cultural and historical identity.
The regions can also be seen as fluid. Some people recognize the Southwest as a subregion of the West much like the Pacific Northwest. Some recognize Maryland and Delaware as part of the North Region. For that reason, America’s geographical regions are an excellent example of perceptual regions.