8/10/16 Lesson 1-1: States and Regions

A Nation of 50 States 48 of the 50 states are contiguous, next to each other, and share at least one border with another state. Two states, Alaska and Hawaii, are separated from the other states. The United States can be separated into smaller regions, areas in which many features are similar. The states are separated into five regions. The relative location of a place is where it is compared to other places.

Regions of the United States

The West The West Region is made up of the following states: Alaska -- Nevada California -- Oregon Colorado -- Utah Hawaii -- Washington Idaho -- Wyoming Montana The population of the West is about 60 million people.

Pacific Coast Rocky Mountains The West Pacific Coast Rocky Mountains

The Southwest The Southwest Region is made up of the following states: Arizona New Mexico Oklahoma Texas The Southwest Region includes mountains, deserts, plains, and forests. The population of the Southwest is about 34 million people.

The Southwest Desert Grand Canyon

The Midwest The Midwest Region is made up of the following states: Iowa -- Missouri Indiana -- Nebraska Illinois -- Ohio Kansas -- North Dakota Michigan -- South Dakota Minnesota -- Wisconsin The Mississippi River and its major tributaries, the Missouri and Ohio Rivers, are important trade routes. The population of the Midwest Region is about 66 million people.

Corn Mississippi River The Midwest Corn Mississippi River

The Northeast The Northeast Region is made up of the following states: Connecticut -- New Jersey Delaware -- New York Maine -- Pennsylvania Maryland -- Rhode Island Massachusetts -- Vermont It is the oldest region, home to the first American colonies and it is a very urban area (cities). The population of the Northeast Region is about 56 million people.

The Northeast Lobster New York City

The Southeast Region The Southeast Region is made up of the following states: Alabama -- Louisiana Arkansas -- Maryland Florida -- Mississippi Georgia -- Kentucky North Carolina -- Tennessee The Southeast Region has a combination of rural and urban areas (country and cities). The population of the Southeast Region is about 80 million people.

The Southeast Farming Gulf of Mexico Atlanta

A Country in North America The United States is located in the continent of North America. There are seven continents, or large land masses, that make up Earth. The United States is one of the largest countries in North America. You can measure the size of a country in two different ways: land area population (number of people) In land area, Canada is the largest country in North America (USA is 2nd). In population, the United States is the largest country in North America (Mexico is 2nd).

North America

Canada Canada is a country located north of the United States. Canada and the United States share similar histories, as both were explored by the French and British and were once under British rule.

Mexico In land area, Mexico is smaller than both Canada and the United States. However, Mexico has more people than Canada. Mexico’s capital, Mexico City, is one of the world’s largest cities. Mexico and the United States also share a history.