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Tennessee
The Geography of Tennessee
 Its boundaries touch eight of its sister
states.
 They are Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia,
Kentucky, Mississippi , Missouri, North
Carolina, and Virginia.
 Tennessee is 34th in size of all the states
in the nation.
The Geography of Tennessee
 Tennessee is divided into ninety-five
counties.
 The western boundary of Tennessee
follows the Mississippi River.
 The eastern boundary of Tennessee
follows the Unake Mountain.
The Three Parts of Tennessee
 There are three grand divisions of the state,
they are East, Middle, and West Tennessee.
 East Tennessee is divided from middle
Tennessee by the Cumberland plateau. The
Tennessee River separates Middle Tennessee
from West Tennessee.
 East Tennessee was the first section of the
state to be settled.
Natural Regions
 Modern geologists have divided Tennessee
into six natural regions. They are:
 1. The Unaka Mountains
 2. East Tennessee Valley and Ridge
 3.The Cumberland Plateau
 4.The Highland Rim
 5.The Central Basin
 6.The Gulf Coastal Plain
Natural Regions
 The Unaka Mountains
 Also known as the
Great Smoky
Mountains
 Clingman’s Dome is
the Unakas’ highest
point
 Cade’s Cove is
located in this region
 East Tennessee Valley
and Ridge
 Immediately west of
the Unaka Mountains
 Series of valleys and
ridges
Natural Regions
 The Cumberland Plateau
 Its settlement came
late.
 The northeast border
of the plateau, where
Tennessee, Kentucky,
and Virginia meet, is
known as the
Cumberland Gap
(1,200 ft).
 The Highland Rim
 This is the largest
region.
 Is a geographic term
for the area in
Tennessee
surrounding the
Central Basin.
Natural Regions
 The Central Basin
 Shaped like the
bottom of a bowl.
 This is the smallest
region.
 Most fertile soil in the
state.
 Coastal Plain of West
Tennessee
 Between Tennessee
and Mississippi
Rivers.
 Agricultural heart of
the state.
Rivers Systems
 The Mississippi River serves as the main
drainage route for the region.
 The Tennessee River rises in East
Tennessee, runs through North Alabama,
and loops back to form the boundary
between Middle and West Tennessee.
 Another system involves the Cumberland
River.
Reelfoot Lake
 Reelfoot Lake was formed by a severe
earthquake in 1811.
 Reelfoot Lake was named after a
Chickasaw chief.
 Reelfoot Lake covers 14,500 acres.
Time Zones and Climate
 Time Zones
 Divided into two times
zones.
 All of East
Tennessee, lies in the
Eastern Time Zone.
 The rest of the state
is in the Central Time
Zone.
 Climate
 Moderate climate.
Summers are not
excessively hot, nor
are winters
exceedingly cold.
 Average rainfall is 40
to 50 inches a year.
 Average annual
snowfall is 8 inches.