How many regions are there: United States Regions | National Geographic Society

5 US Regions Map and Facts

The United States of America is a country made up of 50 States and 1 Federal District. These states are then divided into 5 geographical regions: the Northeast, the Southeast, the Midwest, the Southwest, and the West, each with different climates, economies, and people.

Map of the 5 US regions with state abbreviations, including Hawaii and Alaska (not to scale).

USA State Names Abbreviations and Regions:

Abbreviations of the 50 US States (as per the U. S. Postal Service) – Take our United States map quiz.

We define regions by looking at the areas’ climate, landscape, and location. The regions of the US are very vast, so much that sometimes it can be difficult to tell where one state ends and another begins. Each region may also have a unique culture and accent. Southerners have the most distinct regional accent in the country.

The Northeast is the most populated region in America, followed by the Southeast. Then comes the Midwest, located between the East and West coasts, and known for its agriculture.

The least populated regions are the Southwest and West. Let’s take a more in-depth look at the 5 regions of the United States.

Northeast

The Northeast region is also known as the ‘North East’ or simply as ‘The Northeast’. This regional division has some of the country’s most populated and heavily industrialized cities, including New York City, Philadelphia, and Boston. The Northeast is also one of the wealthiest parts of the United States in terms of per capita income and average household disposable income.

Forestry is here, especially in Maine and Pennsylvania – where they produce a large amount of paper. Fishing and shellfish also have importance in the economy of this region. Boston and New York City are big players in the region’s economy. 

The biggest industries are pharmaceuticals, technology, and education, while the service industry grows rapidly. Tourism also plays a big part in this region’s income as many people flock to New York all year.

Name brands like Dunkin’ Donuts, Baskin Robbins, and Krispy Kreme started in this region. The Northeast also has some of the top higher education institutions in the world. Harvard University, Yale University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology host top students.

The dense population, high production capability, and first-class infrastructure of this region mean that the Northeast is home to some of the largest seaports in the world.

It has access to waterways via the Hudson River, which runs through New York City and is connected to states in the Northeast by major rivers, including the Potomac River.

The states of this region include:

• Massachusetts
• Rhode Island
• Connecticut
• Vermont
• New Hampshire
• Maine
• Pennsylvania
• New Jersey
• New York

Key Cities: Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore;

Weather/Climate

This part of the country has all four seasons. Summers are hot and humid, while winters are cold with lots of snowfall. Leaves change color in the fall. Hurricanes sometimes hit the coasts in the late summer.

Southeast

The Mason-Dixon line, which was agreed upon in the 1760s, divided the North from the South. States like Maryland and Delaware that are close to this line have a more northern climate, with colder winters and less extreme heat in the summer. Maryland and Delaware also make up a subregion known as the Mid-Atlantic area.

Related: US Southeast Map

For a long time, the primary industry of this area was agriculture. Its fertile soil, flat ground, and long growing season are all factors that contribute to its great growth potential. Most of the year, farmers here can produce crops. Citrus, peaches, rice, cotton, tobacco, sugar cane, and peanuts are just a few examples of the plants that come from this region.

It is also a popular tourist destination due to its climate, beaches, and history. Some of the most popular beaches include Siesta Key, Miami Beach, Myrtle Beach, and Hampton Beach. Let’s not forget about the Outer Banks of North Carolina – the only barrier islands off the east coast of the US.

This region has lower costs of living than the Northeast or the West Coast but is more expensive than other parts of the South. The Southeast is also home to many national parks, such as the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Everglades National Park.

The states of this region include:

• Washington DC ( federal district)
• Georgia
• North Carolina
• South Carolina
• Virginia
• West Virginia
• Kentucky
• Tennessee
• Mississippi
• Alabama
• Delaware
• Maryland
• Florida
• Louisiana
• Arkansas

Key Cities: Atlanta, Tampa, Miami, New Orleans, Raleigh, Charlotte

Weather/Climate

The climate of the Southeast is humid subtropical. The area has hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters. It receives abundant rainfall all year long. Hurricanes are also common in the summer and fall.

Midwest

The Midwest is often described as “America’s Heartland.” Some of the largest cities in the country, such as Chicago and Minneapolis, are here.

This region has agriculture and mining. Aside from the Great Lakes, which is where most of the biodiversity is located within this region, it is also home to important ecosystems such as the Western Prairie and Eastern Woodlands.

The Midwest sits midway between the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachians. It is also north of the Ohio River and the 37th parallel. This region has also produced groundbreaking musical acts such as B.B. King, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer James Brown, The Jacksons, Prince, and Motown Music Studios.

The states of this region include:

• Minnesota
• Wisconsin
• Illinois
• Ohio
• Indiana
• Michigan
• Missouri
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Nebraska
• North Dakota
• South Dakota

Weather/Climate

The summers are hot and humid in this region. Winters are usually cold, with lots of snowfall. The region is known for its tornado outbreaks, too.

Key Cities: Minneapolis, Chicago, Cincinnati, Columbus, Cleveland, Detroit, St. Louis

Southwest

The Southwest region is home to some beautiful landscapes, from arid deserts to canyons and plateaus. This region is also known for its ghost towns, which were once homes to hearty pioneers who settled the area.

National parks include the Grand Canyon National Park, Chaco Culture National Historical Park, and Petrified Forest National Park, to name a few.

Albuquerque, Phoenix, and Tucson are all popular tourist destinations. The red sand of Sedona in Arizona, which was formed by the erosion of red rocks, is another famous tourist spot.

Texas, a state in this region, is known for its famous music scene. Austin City Limits or South by Southwest are very popular music festivals.

The states of this region include:

• New Mexico
• Arizona
• Oklahoma
• Texas

Weather/Climate

Most of this region is an arid desert, so it is usually hot and dry. However, in higher altitudes, you can see snow in the mountains.

Key Cities: Phoenix, Oklahoma City, Dallas, Houston, Austin, Salt Lake City

The West

In the Western states, most of the water is used for irrigation. The West has plenty of mineral reserves, including coal and uranium ore. This region also produces oil and gas. The Alaska pipeline carries oil from the North Slope of Alaska all the way to market in Valdez.

This region is also home to many national parks such as Yellowstone National Park, Glacier National Park, the Grand Canyon, Crater Lake National Park, and Bryce Canyon National Park.

Silicon Valley is located in California and is one of the most bustling tech hubs in the world. This region also has a major influence on culture, especially Hollywood and other forms of media such as rock and roll and country music.

States such as Alaska and Hawaii are also politically part of the West but are geographically isolated. Those two states are part of the non-continental US.

The states of this region include:

• California
• Colorado
• Nevada
• Hawaii
• Alaska
• Oregon
• Utah
• Idaho
• Montana
• Wyoming
• Washington

Weather/Climate

Most of the region is arid, except for the Northwest, which has heavy rain and lush vegetation. The summers are typically hot, but winters are mild to cold, depending on the state. Colorado and Wyoming have cold and snowy weather. Southern California has hot weather all year. Mudslides and earthquakes are also common in California.

Key Cities: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Honolulu, San Diego, Las Vegas, Denver, Billings, Phoenix, Salt Lake City

Census Map

As we look at the 5 regions of the United States, one can see how they differ. However, when we look at the Census map, we don’t see 5 regions of the United States – we only see 4 regions:

Map of the United States split into Census regions and divisions. Region definition, widely used for data collection and analysis.

The standout difference on the Census Map is in the southern region. Instead of dividing the South into the Southeast and the Southwest, it is only one southern region.

US 4 Regions Map: West, Midwest, South, Northeast.

The census map notes the regional subdivisions such as The Mid-Atlantic and New England regions that make up the Northeast. The Midwest has the East North and West North Central divisions. 

The South contains the South Atlantic, East South Central, and West South Central Divisions. Mountain and Pacific divisions make you the Western states. The West Coast Pacific States include California, Oregon, and Washington.

In conclusion, the United States is a massive country with regions and subdivisions. Regarding climate, economy, and geographical changes, you can expect something different based on what part you’re in. 

How the US Government Defines the Regions of the US

How the US Government Defines the Regions of the US

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The United States is divided into many different regions and subregions — and not everyone agrees on where each state falls.

mangostock / Shutterstock

• The United States is made up of many different regions and subregions.
• Government agencies have different ways of grouping the states based on geography, culture, or other factors.
• We compiled several maps that show the different ways US states are grouped into regions.

The United States is an enormous country comprising several different regions and subregions. 

There are countless ways to divide the US on cultural, geographical, and even racial lines. There are so many ways, in fact, that different government agencies all seem to have different ways of doing it.

The US Census Bureau, for example, considers there to be four regions of the US: the Northeast, the Midwest, the South, and the West. Meanwhile, the Bureau of Economic Analysis uses a map that splits the country up into eight regions, from New England to the Rocky Mountains to the Great Lakes.

Read on to see all the different ways US states are grouped, and see where your state falls:

… the Midwest …

Andy Kiersz/Business Insider

The Midwest consists of Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas.

… the South …

Andy Kiersz/Business Insider

The South claims more states than any other region: Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, and Oklahoma.

Washington, DC, is also included in the South, according to the Census Bureau.

Related: Why no one can agree on where the South really is

… and the West.

Andy Kiersz/Business Insider

The West comprises Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and Hawaii.

But that’s not the only way to divide up the country. Several federal agencies use this map of the 10 “Standard Federal Regions” drawn up by the Office of Management and Budget.

Wikimedia Commons

Some of the agencies that use the OMB’s map are the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.

No one said regions had to be culturally similar. Time zones count too, and the US is divided into six of them.

Wikimedia Commons

The four time zones in the contiguous US are Eastern, Central, Mountain, and Pacific. Alaska and Hawaii each have their own time zones, too.

The US federal courts system divides the US into 11 regions, each one containing a US court of appeals.

uscourts.gov

There are 13 courts of appeals in total — the federal court and the DC court, representing the nation’s capital, are the other two.

The Federal Reserve splits up the US into 12 districts, each containing a Federal Reserve Bank.

Wikimedia Commons

The Federal Reserve Banks are located in Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Richmond, Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Kansas City, St. Louis, Dallas, and San Francisco.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis goes with this eight-region map of the US. Its regions are New England, the Mideast, the Southeast, the Great Lakes, the Plains, the Southwest, the Rocky Mountains, and the Far West.

Wikimedia Commons

The BEA uses this map to compare economic data between regions.

Lastly, the Petroleum Administration for Defense uses this map of five regions, originally drawn up in 1942 to ration the country’s gasoline.

EIA

Today, the PAD uses the regional divisions to analyze the movement of crude oil and petroleum products throughout the country.

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List of regions (subjects, regions) of Russia 2023-2022 of the Russian Federation with codes according to the data of the Federal Tax Service in alphabetical order

January 2023

Services (FTS). For the latest changes in the guide, see below.
Also, the list of subjects of the Russian Federation is enshrined in the Constitution of the Russian Federation – Article 65, part 1.

Download : SSRF_W.ARJ (ARJ archive, reference itself in Word: doc) SSRF.ARJ (ARJ archive, reference in TXT)

In total, there are 89 regions in Russia – subjects of the Russian Federation, including 48 regions, 24 republics, 9 territories, 3 cities of federal significance, 1 autonomous region (Jewish Autonomous Region), 4 autonomous districts (Nenets, Chukotsky, Yamalo- Nenets and Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug – Yugra).
As a rule, there are more positions than 89, namely 91, in Rosstat reports by regions. statistics are given both for the Tyumen region as a whole (including Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug and YNAO) and separately. The same situation with the Arkhangelsk region – both together with the Nenets Autonomous Okrug, there and separately). Although the Tyumen region, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug and YNAO are separate regions. Also, the Arkhangelsk region and the Nenets Autonomous Okrug are separate regions. Tyumen region is a subject of the Russian Federation. The Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Yugra (KhMAO) and the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug (YNAO) are located on the territory of the Tyumen Region, which received the status of equal subjects of the Russian Federation in 1993, but territorially part of the Tyumen region [Wikipedia]. The Nenets Autonomous Okrug is a subject of the Russian Federation. According to the Charter of the Arkhangelsk region, it is also part of the Arkhangelsk region, being both a subject of the Russian Federation and an integral part of the region [Wikipedia].
There are 90 positions in the list. Code 99 – Other territories, including the city and the Baikonur cosmodrome – is not a region of Russia.
List of Russian regions by population on this page.

Subjects of Russia on the map. Federal structure of Russia

12 Republic of Mari EL 13 Republic of Mordovia 14 Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)

North Ossetia – Alania

Tatarstan) 17 Republic of Tyva 19 Republic of Khakassia 61 Rostov Region0002 List of recent changes in the reference book “SSRF”
• On the basis of the Federal Constitutional Law of March 25, 2004 No. 1-FKZ “On the formation of a new constituent entity of the Russian Federation as part of the Russian Federation as a result of the merger of the Perm Region and of the Komi-Perm Autonomous District “(As amended by the Federal Constitutional Law of June 30, 2005 No. 5-FKZ), the reference book was amended accordingly (Notice No. 002).
• On the basis of Federal Constitutional Law No. 6-FKZ dated October 14, 2005 “On the formation of a new constituent entity of the Russian Federation as part of the Russian Federation as a result of the of the Krasnoyarsk Territory , of the Taimyr (Dolgano-Nenets) Autonomous District and of the Evenki Autonomous District “corresponding changes have been made to the directory (notice No. 003).
• On the basis of the Federal Constitutional Law No. 2-FKZ dated July 12, 2006 “On the formation of a new subject of the Russian Federation as part of the Russian Federation as a result of the merger of Kamchatka Oblast and Koryak Autonomous Okrug ”, the reference book was amended accordingly (Notice No. 004) . nine0005 • On the basis of Federal Constitutional Law No. 6-FKZ dated December 30, 2006 “On the formation of a new constituent entity of the Russian Federation as part of the Russian Federation as a result of the merger of Irkutsk Region and Ust-Orda Buryat Autonomous Okrug ”, the directory was amended accordingly (notice No. 005).
On the basis of Federal Constitutional Law No. 5-FKZ dated July 21, 2007 “On the formation of a new subject of the Russian Federation as part of the Russian Federation as a result of the merger of the Chita region and of the Aginsky Buryat Autonomous Okrug ”corresponding changes have been made to the directory (notice No. 006).
• On the basis of the Federal Constitutional Law No. 6-FKZ dated March 21, 2014 “On the Admission of the Republic of Crimea to the Russian Federation and the Formation of New Subjects of the Republic of Crimea and of the Federal City of Sevastopol within the Russian Federation”, the reference book was amended accordingly (Notice No. 008). nine0005 • On the basis of Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of March 27, 2019 N 130 “On the inclusion of a new name of the subject of the Russian Federation in Article 65 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation” to include the new name of the subject of the Russian Federation – Kemerovo Region – Kuzbass in part 1 of Article 65 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation instead of name Kemerovo region.
• On the basis of Federal Constitutional Law No. 5-FKZ dated 04.10.2022 “On the Admission of the Donetsk People’s Republic to the Russian Federation and the Formation of a New Subject in the Russian Federation of the Donetsk People’s Republic ” dated 04.10.2022 No. 6-FKZ “On the admission to the Russian Federation of the Lugansk People’s Republic and the formation in the Russian Federation of a new subject of the Lugansk People’s Republic ” dated 04.10.2022 No. 7-FKZ “On admission to the Russian Federation of the Zaporozhye region and the formation in the Russian Federation of a new subject of the Zaporizhzhya region ” dated 04.10.2022 No. 8-FKZ “On the admission of the Kherson region to the Russian Federation and the formation of a new subject in the Russian Federation of the Kherson region “corresponding changes have been made to the directory (notice No. ….).

List of regions with codes, ordered by code

9003

9003

20 9030

9003 Mansi Autonomous Okrug – Yugra

Code	Name 2022-10-05
Republic of Adygea (Adygea)
2
3	Republic of Buryatia
4	Republic of Altai
13	Republic of Mordovia
14	Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)
Republic of North Ossetia – Alania
16	Tyva Republic
18	Udmurt Republic
19	Republic of Khakassia
77	City of federal significance Moscow
78	City of federal significance St. Petersburg
79	Autonomous Oblast
Khana
87	Chukotka Autonomous Okrug
89	Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug

list of regions of the Russian Federation, subjects and regions of the Russian Federation

The Russian Federation has a very intricate administrative-territorial division. It would be more correct to call it national-territorial. Because this division is partly based on the territorial principle, but there are subjects of the federation that are formed according to a different principle – the national one. These are republics. But here, too, not everything is clear.

Subjects of the Russian Federation

Of the 24 Russian republics, 21 are national, and 3 are territorial – Crimea, the Donetsk National Republic and the Luhansk National Republic. There are 9 territories, 4 autonomous districts, 1 autonomous region, 3 federal cities and 48 regions. In total, there are 89 subjects in the Russian Federation.

Detailed description of each region – below on the page by links.

The ethnic composition of the population of the regions is very diverse and constantly changing.

In addition to ethnic diversity, Russian regions are very different in climate. Citizens of Russia of various nationalities live in 4 climatic zones – from polar to tropical – and actively move around the country. They are not afraid of a temperature difference of 100 degrees. In the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) in the village of Oymyakon, the average January temperature is minus 48 degrees Celsius, and sometimes drops to minus 64! But in the Republic of Kalmykia in the village of Yashkul in summer the temperature often reaches plus 44 degrees Celsius. The strongest winds blow here in the Murmansk region. At 130 km from the capital of the Russian Saami – Lovozero – a wind speed of 187 km / h was recorded – this is 52 m / s! nine0003

Our territory is washed by 13 seas out of 3 oceans.

The multinational people of Russia live in 10 time zones: when midnight in Kamchatka in Kaliningrad is only the middle of the day – 2 pm.

The regions of Russia differ from each other in nature and cultural monuments, but each of them is multinational in its own way!

Table of regions of Russia

A
Altai Territory
Amur Region
Arkhangelsk Region
Astrakhan Region

B
Belgorod region
Bryansk region

in
Vladimir region
Volgograd region
Vologda region
Voronezh region

Donetsk People’s Republic

9000 9000
Trans-Baikal Territory
Zaporozhye Region

I
Ivanovo Region
Irkutsk Region

K
Kabardino-Balkarian Republic
Kaliningrad region
Kaluga region
Kamchatka Territory
Karachay-Cherkessian Republic
Kirovo Region
Kostroma Region
Krasnodar Territory
Krym
Kurgan region 9000 Kurgan region

9000 9000 L
Leningrad Region
Lipetsk Region
Lugansk People’s Republic

M
Magadan region
Moscow
Moscow region
Murmansk region

Nenets Autonomous Okrug
Nizhny Novgorod region
Novosibirsk region

9000 Penza Region
Perm Territory
Primorsky Territory
Pskov Region

R
Republic of Adygea
Republic of Altai
Republic of Bashkortostan
Republic of Buryatia
Republic of Dagestan
Republic of Ingushetia
Republic of Kalmykia
Republic of Karelia
Republic of Komi
Republic of Mordovia
Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)
Republic of North Ossetia – Alania Republic of Tatarstan
Republic of Khakassia
Rostov region
Ryazan region

С
Samara region
St.