Few states have as many neighbors as does Kentucky, which lies between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River. It is bordered by the midwestern states of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Missouri and by the eastern states of West Virginia, Virginia, and Tennessee. Nicknamed the Bluegrass State, Kentucky is famous for its farming regions, tobacco, coal, and Kentucky Derby horse race.
Kentucky is also known for its diverse landscapes, combining Appalachia with the Midwest. Eastern Kentucky lies within Appalachia. Central and western Kentucky lie within the Central Lowlands that stretch west and north to the Great Plains and Great Lakes.
The Appalachian portion of Kentucky is called the Cumberland Plateau. This is a rugged, forested region that covers about one quarter of eastern Kentucky.
West of the Cumberland Plateau is a crescent-shaped region of steep ridges and conical hills known as the Knobs. This region surrounds the lowland Bluegrass region in north-central Kentucky. It is in the Bluegrass region that Kentucky’s richest farmlands occur.
The Mississippi or Pennyroyal Plateau sprawls across southern Kentucky. Like the Bluegrass region, the Pennyroyal Plateau also has much good farmland. Few streams are found here. Instead, rainwater sinks into the ground and slowly eats away the limestone, forming caves. The world’s longest known cave system, Mammoth Cave sprawls like a giant, underground city.
The winding Ohio River forms most of Kentucky’s northern border. A two-mile stretch of dangerous rocks and rapids called the Falls of the Ohio once caused boats to stop and unload. Here is where Louisville, Kentucky’s largest city, grew up.
The Ohio River shelf is a narrow region that borders the river. Bordering the Ohio River in northwestern Kentucky is the Western Coalfield. This is Kentucky’s most important coal mining area. Kentucky is the nation’s leading producer of bituminous coal.
Besides being a part of the Appalachians and the Midwest, Kentucky is a southern state! The western tip of Kentucky lies within the Gulf Coastal Plain which stretches up from the South. This is called the Mississippi Embayment or Jackson Purchase area.
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