United States

Articles and information related to the geography of the United States

A mosaic of satellite imagery showing the state of Kansas.

Geography of Kansas

Marques Hayes

Flat expanses, badlands, rolling hills, cuestas, and canyons shape Kansas' geography.

A brown wolf with yellow eyes stands in the snow in front of evergreen trees.

How Reintroducing Wolves Changed Yellowstone National Park

Mark Altaweel

Scientists have documented the trophic cascade effect of reintroducing wolves to Yellowstone National Park.

Map showing the six New England states in red and the red of the states in grey for the continental United States.

Which States are Part of New England?

Caitlin Dempsey

New England is a geographic region in the northeastern tip of the United States that contains six states.

Simple map with grey areas for countries and light blue for oceans showing the location with large dark blue triangles that are labeled with the names of tidefalls.

Waterfalls That Flow Into the Open Ocean

Caitlin Dempsey

Waterfalls that flow directly into the ocean are known as tidefalls, a rare natural phenomenon where freshwater meets the sea.

A wild turkey stands in the dried grass in front of a green bush.

Where are Wild Turkeys in California From?

Caitlin Dempsey

The wild turkeys that roam California were originally introduced from Texas.

A blackbird feeding nestlings in a nest built on top of a rusty rake. A red wooden wall is in the background and a white downspout helps to support the nest.

Synanthropes at a Horse Stable in Northern California

Caitlin Dempsey

Synanthropes are wildlife that benefit from living near humans.

A map with natural shaded relief of the United States with neighboring countries shown with a muted white overlay.

Continental vs. Contiguous United States: Key Differences Explained

Caitlin Dempsey

Continental and contiguous are two geographical words used to describe parts of the United States.

The upper body and head of a mustang at a horse stall with the BLM branding visible.

Geography of Wild Horses in the United States

Elizabeth Borneman

Wild horses continue to roam the Western United States as well as parts of the East Coast.

Fact sheet with Landsat image for the state of Rhode Island.

Geography Facts: Rhode Island

Caitlin Dempsey

Learn geography trivia about the smallest state in the United States.

Satellite image of wildfires burning in New Mexico in May 2022. Smoke can be see flowing from the site of three wildfires near Santa Fe.

Early Wildfires in New Mexico

Caitlin Dempsey

Wildfires in New Mexico are are starting earlier each year due to warmer and drier conditions.

A small brown bird with light brown chest and white stripes above the eyebrow standing in a white platform.

Bewick’s Wren

Caitlin Dempsey

The Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii) is a small songbird native to North America.

A black and white dot map of all the centers of ZIP codes in the continental United States.

ZIP Codes in the United States

Caitlin Dempsey

It’s likely that if you routinely send mail to a location within the United States, you know how critical it ...

A satellite image of the state of Iowa against a black background with the state flag and USGS and NASA logos in the upper right and left corners.

Geography of Iowa

Marques Hayes

Iowa is a state with many distinct geographies.

A choropleth map showing states in light orange that are single landlocked, medium orange that are double landlocked, and dark orange that are triple landlocked.

Which U.S. States are Landlocked?

Caitlin Dempsey

There are 27 states in the United States that are single, double, or triple landlocked.

Bald eagle flies away from the surface of the water with spray flying behind it. It grasps a fish in its talons.

Greatest Concentration of Breeding Bald Eagles in the Continental U.S.

Caitlin Dempsey

The San Juan Islands in Washington has the highest concentration of breeding bald eagles in the continental United States.

An angled view looking up the arms of a Saguaro cactus.

The Largest Cactus in the United States

Caitlin Dempsey

The Saguaro Cactus is the largest cactus in the United States

View of St. Mary Valley looking east from Logan Pass with Going-to-the-Sun road visible to the left.

Geography of Montana

Marques Hayes

The fourth largest state, Montana has a diverse geography that stretches from grass prairies to mountainous terrain.

Black and white Map from 1924 created by the US Post Office Department showing the First Transcontinental Air Mail Route stretching from New York to San Francisco.

Using Giant Arrows to Guide Airmail Flights

Caitlin Dempsey

The Transcontinental Airway System guided nighttime airmail flights before the invention of radio navigation and GPS.

Rhyolite banding, Pinnacles National Park, 2014.

Geography of Igneous Rocks in the United States

Caitlin Dempsey

About 15% of the Earth's present land surface is made up of igneous rocks.

Image showing the change in the jet stream over the western U.S. during El Niรฑo.

How El Niรฑo and La Niรฑa Affect Rain in the United States

Julian Marks

El Niรฑo and La Niรฑa are weather patterns that frequently have a considerable impact on the western and southwestern United States.

The eruption within Halema'uma'u, at Kฤซlauea summit within Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. Photo: USGS web cam, public domain.

Geography Facts about Kฤซlauea

Caitlin Dempsey

Kฤซlauea is the youngest and most southeastern volcano on Hawaii island.

Great Springs and the Roe River in Montana.

The Shortest River in the United States

Caitlin Dempsey

The shortest river in the U.S. is Montana's Roe River, which stretches only 201 feet.

A bunch of different pumpkins.

Geography of Pumpkins in the United States

Caitlin Dempsey

Pumpkins are a popular gourd for Halloween and Thanksgiving in the United States.

Ripples in the sand are created by the wind. Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, Death Valley.

Sand Dunes in the United States

Julian Marks

Discover the diverse sand dunes across the U.S., from towering Great Sand Dunes in Colorado to coastal dunes along the Atlantic and Pacific shores.

Ground disturbance in southern California after the January 17, 1994 Northridge earthquake.

Geography Facts About Earthquakes

Caitlin Dempsey

Learn about where earthquakes occur on Earth.

One source of uranium and radon in the Denver Basin aquifer system is sediments from the Pikes Peak granite, which have been weathering for millions of years.

Geology Quick Facts for Each U.S. State

Caitlin Dempsey

Listed here are the official state rock, gemstone, mineral, and fossil for each U.S. State.