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The Regions of the United States The United States can be divided into five geographic regions. Each region has its own physical environment, such as landforms and climate. These features set each region apart from the other ones. The Northeast region includes 11 states and the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C. (District of Columbia). The Atlantic Coastal Plain and mountain ranges are the Northeast’s major landforms. The Northeast is often divided into two subregions: New England and the Middle Atlantic States. In American history, many of the first settlers from Europe settled in the Northeast. New England is known for the early settlements by the Pilgrims and Puritans. The Middle Atlantic has some of the most densely populated areas and largest urban areas in the U.S., including New York City, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia. The Southeast includes 12 states. The Mississippi River flows through the western part of the region. A warm climate and a long growing season in the Southeast help farmers grow many different kinds of cash crops. Tobacco and cotton were some of the first cash crops for early plantation owners. Peaches in Georgia and oranges in sunny Florida are two important cash crops for modern Southeast farmers. The Midwest is a region of plains and prairies. TheGreat Plains and the Central Plains are known for their rich fields of corn, soybeans, and wheat that stretch as far as the eye can see. The Mississippi River begins there, and four of the Great Lakes are in the Midwest. Its flat land and fertile croplands make this region a center for agriculture. People often call the Midwest “the Breadbasket of the United States”. The Southwest includes Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma. The region has many arid and range areas, so it contains several deserts. There are also numerous plateaus, canyons, mesas and buttes. The Grand Canyon, one of the best known landforms in the U.S., is located in the Southwest. Finally, the West includes California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and the Mountain States. Alaska and Hawaii are in the western region, but they are separate from the continental United States. The region is a diverse area with many different environments. The Northwest is known for its long coastlines along the Pacific Ocean while the Southwest is dry and contains many deserts. Much of the Mountain States is dominated by the Rocky Mountains.