Nebraska is located in the Midwestern United States, bordering the states of South Dakota to the north, Iowa and Missouri to the east, Kansas to the south, and Colorado and Wyoming to the west. It has an area of 77,220 sq mi (200,356 sq km), making it the 16th largest state by size. The state's terrain consists primarily of rolling hills and plains, with some grasslands interspersed with pine forest outliers.
The Great Plains of North America slope east from the Rocky Mountains, extending south from Canada through Nebraska, and into the state of Texas. As observed on the map, the rolling plains (hills) of eastern Nebraska (farm country) are crisscrossed by numerous small rivers and streams. In the central plains, the land is more rugged and quite hilly.
In western Nebraska, much of the land is blanketed by the Sand Hills, a large area of rolling sand dunes (formed by wind) and mostly covered by vegetation. In the far north-western corner of the state stands a small area of unusual formations of sandstone and clay known as The Badlands, which then also stretch into the state of South Dakota. Located to the southeast of Scottsbluff is the Chimney Rock - a prominent column of clay and sandstone that resembles a tall factory chimney.
The highest point in Nebraska is Panorama Point, at 5,426 feet (1,655 meters). Most of Nebraska's 1.9 million population lives in its metropolitan areas near Omaha and Lincoln. Other major cities are Bellevue and Grand Island.
The climate in Nebraska ranges from humid continental in the east to semi-arid steppe in the southwest. The two major rivers of Nebraska are the massive Missouri along its eastern borders with Iowa, Missouri, and South Dakota; and the Platte River system, a tributary of the Missouri River, that drains a large portion of Nebraska and the Great Plains. Major waterways include natural rivers as well as artificially created reservoirs (e.g., Lake McConaughy). Because much of Nebraska lies within a rain shadow caused by the Rocky Mountains, precipitation levels are relatively low throughout most of the state.
Much of Nebraska is used for agricultural purposes, with wheat and corn being important revenue-generating crops for farmers throughout the state. Livestock production is also crucial for agriculture and providing food items such as beef and dairy products for consumers across America.
Due to its location within several large Great Plains states and its strategic proximity to mountain ranges and major rivers, transportation networks have been extensively built throughout Nebraska. Many interstate highways serve traffic coming into or out of neighboring states. At the same time, passenger railroad lines provide a unique way for tourists and commuters alike to traverse through sections of rural parts that may otherwise be inaccessible by car or trucking services alone.
The State of Nebraska is divided into 93 counties. In alphabetical order, these counties are: Adams, Antelope, Arthur, Banner, Blaine, Boone, Box Butte, Boyd, Brown, Buffalo, Burt, Butler, Cass, Cedar, Chase, Cherry, Cheyenne, Clay, Colfax, Cuming, Custer, Dakota, Dawes, Dawson, Deuel, Dixon, Dodge, Douglas, Dundy, Fillmore, Franklin, Frontier, Furnas, Gage, Garden, Garfield, Gosper, Grant, Greeley, Hall, Hamilton, Harlan, Hayes, Hitchcock, Holt, Hooker, Howard, Jefferson, Johnson, Kearney, Keith, Keya Paha, Kimball, Knox, Lancaster, Lincoln, Logan, Loup, Madison, McPherson, Merrick, Morrill, Nance, Nemaha, Nuckolls, Otoe, Pawnee, Perkins, Phelps, Pierce, Platte, Polk, Red Willow, Richardson, Rock, Saline, Sarpy, Saunders, Scotts Bluff, Seward, Sheridan, Sherman, Sioux, Stanton, Thayer, Thomas, Thurston, Valley, Washington, Wayne, Webster, Wheeler, and York.
With an area of 200,356 sq. km, Nebraska is the 16th largest, the 37th most populous, and the only triply landlocked state in the USA. Located in the southeastern part of the state is Lincoln – the capital city of Nebraska. It serves as an administrative, cultural, commercial, financial, education, and health-care center of the state. It also hosts the country’s 2nd tallest capitol building. Located in the eastern part of the state, on the west bank of the Missouri River is Omaha – the largest and the most populated city in Nebraska. It houses the headquarters of four Fortune 500 and five Fortune 1000 companies; as well as the offices of some major firms like Gallup Organization, DLR Group, and HDR Inc.
The State of Nebraska is located in the central (Midwest) region of the United States. The triply-landlocked state of Nebraska is bordered by the states of Colorado in the southwest; by Wyoming in the west; by South Dakota in the north, by Iowa in the east, by Missouri in the southeast, and by Kansas in the south. The Missouri River flows along the state’s entire eastern border.
Regional Maps: Map of North America
The above blank map represents the State of Nebraska, located in the central (Midwest) region of the United States. The above map can be downloaded, printed and used for geography education purposes like map-pointing and coloring activities.
The above outline map represents the State of Nebraska, located in the central (Midwest) region of the United States. It is the only triply landlocked state in the USA.
Legal Name | State of Nebraska |
---|---|
ISO 3166 Code | US-NE |
Capital City | Lincoln |
Largest City |
Omaha (834,661) |
This page was last updated on February 13, 2023