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Maps of Ohio

Physical map of Ohio. It shows the physical features of Ohio including its mountain ranges, major rivers and lakes.

The state of Ohio is located in the midwestern region of the United States. Michigan borders it to the north, West Virginia and Kentucky to the south, Pennsylvania to the east, Indiana to the west, and Lake Erie to the north. The land area of Ohio is approximately 44,825 square miles, with a population estimated at 11.7 million. 

Ohio consists of four distinct geographical regions: The Bluegrass Region in the south-central part of Ohio; The Appalachian Plateau in the southeastern part of Ohio; The Glaciated Plain in northwestern and central parts of Ohio; and The Great Black Swamp located in northwest Ohio. 

The Bluegrass Region is also known as the Inner Bluegrass due to its well-draining soils, which are very suitable for growing grass and trees. This region is characterized by rolling hills and meadows dotted with large farms and small towns and villages. 

The Appalachian Plateau is located mainly in the southeastern portion of Ohio along its border with West Virginia and Pennsylvania. It has a rugged landscape that includes steep ridges known as cuestas created from erosion, mostly from streams whose directions have been changed from glaciation events thousands of years ago. Other features include narrow valleys known as "hollows" caused by stream erosion, further accentuating relief in this region. 

The Glaciated Plain covers most parts of the Central and Northwestern part of Ohio. This region was formed millions of years ago when glaciers moved over this land, creating many layers upon layers of glaciofluvial deposits such as gravel, sand, silt, and clay, thus covering much topographic relief and creating a flat landscape consisting primarily of agricultural fields with interspersions with pastures throughout this region. Human activities have altered these areas' natural habitats, which now support much of the state's population, making its soils very fertile for growing corn, wheat, and barley oats, among other crops that help supply food needs nationwide. 

The Great Black Swamp is situated in the northern part of Lake Erie and was once a vast wetland filled with cedar woodlands dating back centuries. After draining efforts undertaken during the 19th century, it became one of the most extensive swamps covering an area of more than 950 thousand acres. Nowadays, its major ecosystems include cypress swamps, lakes, marshes, shrublands, wetlands, and more. These habitats provide homes for aquatic species such as fish, herons, beavers, frogs, and other animals. In addition, animal reserves, zoos, and national parks that are all surrounding Lake Erie help protect this essential natural resource. 

As observed on the map, scattered sand dunes are found across Ohio’s Lake Erie shoreline. Slightly elevated clay bluffs also front the lake and are situated to the east of Cleveland. The Bass Islands are a group of small, mostly limestone islands, located off the state's northern coastline. Situated about 5 miles off the coast, Kelleys Island - is the largest freshwater American island in Lake Erie.

The most significant river is the Ohio River, which forms the state’s entire southern border, and much of its eastern border. Other major rivers of note include the Cuyahoga, Miami, Sandusky, Maumee, Muskingum, and Scioto rivers. 

Counties Map

The State of Ohio is divided into 89 counties. In alphabetical order, these counties are: Adams, Allen, Ashland, Ashtabula, Athens, Auglaize, Belmont, Boone, Brown, Butler, Carroll, Champaign, Clark, Clermont, Clinton, Columbiana, Coshocton, Crawford, Cuyahoga, Darke, Defiance, Delaware, Erie, Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Fulton, Gallia, Geauga, Greene, Guernsey, Hamilton, Hancock, Hardin, Harrison, Henry, Highland, Hocking, Holmes, Huron, Jackson, Jefferson, Knox, Lake, Lawrence, Licking, Logan, Lorain, Lucas, Madison, Mahoning, Marion, Medina, Meigs, Mercer, Miami, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Morrow, Muskingum, Noble, Ottawa, Paulding, Perry, Pickaway, Pike, Portage, Preble, Putnam, Richland, Ross, Sandusky, Scioto, Seneca, Shelby, Stark, Summit, Trumbull, Tuscarawas, Union, Van Wert, Vinton, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Williams, Wood, and Wyandot.

With an area of 116,096 sq. km, Ohio is the 34th largest and the 7th most populous state in the USA. Located in the central part of the state is Columbus – the capital, the largest and the most populous city in Ohio. It is the 14th biggest city in the United States and the 2nd biggest city in the Mid-West region. It is also the nation’s 3rd most populated state capital. The capital city also boasts of a diverse and robust economy based on education, health care, insurance, food, medical research, defense, fashion, aviation, and technology.

Where is Ohio?

Map showing location of Ohio in the world.

The State of Ohio is located on the northeastern corner of the Midwest region of the United States. Due to its strategic location, Ohio is also known as the "Gateway to the Midwest". Ohio is bordered by the state of Pennsylvania in the east; by the Ohio River and the states of West Virginia in the southeast and Kentucky in the southwest; by Indiana in the west, and by Michigan in the northwest. It is also bounded by Lake Erie in the north.

Regional Maps: Map of North America

Outline Map of Ohio

The above blank map represents the State of Ohio, located on the northeastern corner of the Midwest region of 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 Ohio, located on the northeastern corner of the Midwest region of United States. Ohio has been nicknamed as the "Buckeye State", for the prevalence of Ohio Buckeye trees (Aesculus glabra) within the state's borders. 

Key Facts

Legal Name State of Ohio
ISO 3166 Code US-OH
Capital City Columbus
Major Cities
  1. Cincinnati (1,775,009)
  2. Cleveland (1,764,030)
  3. Columbus, Ohio (1,707,606)
  4. Dayton (745,788)
  5. Akron (565,605)
  6. Toledo (510,543)
  7. Youngstown (352,456)

This page was last updated on February 14, 2023

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