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The Midwestern United States (or Midwest) is a name for the north-central states of the United States of America. The states that are part of the Midwest are: North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio.

The word Midwest has been in common use since the late 19th century. Other names for the area are no longer used. These names include the "Northwest" or "Old Northwest", "Mid-America," or "the Heartland".

The land in the Midwest is generally thought of as consisting of rolling hills with some mountainous and flat regions like the Great Plains states. The far northern part of the Upper Mississippi valley is known as the Driftless Area, a region of very rugged hills centered primarily western Wisconsin, though the region includes small parts of northeast Iowa, Southeast Minnesota, and northwest Illinois. The Ocooch Mountains of Wisconsin contain the highest peaks in the Driftless Region. Also, the northern part of the Ozark mountain range is in southern Missouri. Prairies cover most of the states west of the Mississippi River, with buttes, rugged rocky areas, and hills in western North Dakota and South Dakota ( Theodore Roosevelt National Park and Badlands National Park), and the foothills of the Rockies in western Kansas and Nebraska. Less rain falls in the western Midwest than in the eastern part. This causes different types of prairies. Most of the Midwest can now be called either " urban areas" or " agricultural areas". Areas in northern Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin, and the Ohio River valley are not very developed.

Chicago is the largest city in the region, followed by Detroit and Indianapolis. Some other important cities in the region are: Minneapolis- St. Paul, Cleveland, St. Louis, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Columbus, Des Moines, and Madison.

Midwesterners are sometimes viewed as open, friendly, and straightforward, or sometimes as stubborn and uncultured. Midwest values were shaped by religious beliefs and the agricultural values from the people who settled in the area. The Midwest today is a mix of Protestantism and Calvinism, untrusting of authority and power.[source? ]

Between 19 and 29% of the Midwest is Catholic. 14% of the people in Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan, 22% in Missouri and 5% in Minnesota are Baptists. 22-24% of people in Wisconsin and Minnesota are Lutherans. 1% or less of the people in the Midwest are Jewish and Muslim, with slightly more Jewish or Muslim people in major cities, such as Chicago, Detroit, and Cleveland. 16% of the Midwest's population do not follow any religion.

Politics in the Midwest are very divided. With many states leaning liberal and others conservative. The Great Lakes area, which has more large cities than the rest of the Midwest, tends to be the most liberal area of the Midwest. However, the rural Great Plains states, are more conservative. Traditionally, the larger cities tend to lean to the left while those in the rural countryside lean farther right.

Because of 20th century African American migration from the South, many African Americans live in most of the area's large cities. However, there are still more African Americans living in the Southern United States than in the Midwest. The mix of industry and cultures in those cities led to new types of music in the 20th century in the Midwest, including jazz, blues, rock and roll. Jazz was invented in New Orleans, but started to develop and grow in Kansas City. Techno music came from Detroit and house music and blues came from Chicago.

Today the population of the Midwest is 65,971,974, or 22.2% of the total population of the United States.

The accents of the Midwest are often clearly different from the accents of the South and many urban areas of the American Northeast. The accent of most of the Midwest is thought by many to be "standard" American English. Many national radio and television shows in the U.S. like this accent more than many other accents. This may have started because many television show hosts - such as Walter Cronkite, Johnny Carson, David Letterman, Tom Brokaw and Casey Kasem - came from this area.

In some parts of the Midwest, the accents are quite different from the " neutral" accent of the rest of the Midwest. These accents usually are because of the of the area. For example, Minnesota, western Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula have strong Scandinavian accents, which get stronger the farther north one goes. Many parts of Michigan have Dutch-flavored accents. Also, people from Chicago are known to have their own "" accent. The same is true of St. Louis. In the most southern parts of the Midwest, such as southern Indiana, Southern accents are common in addition to the standard Midwest accent. The same can be said of Southern Illinois, particularly below U.S. Highway 50 and south of St. Louis. Missouri is also an example of a Midwest state with southern culture. Missourians usually have either a Southern or Midwestern accent, or a combined dialect of both, but accents tend to be distinctly Southern in the Southeastern and Bootheel sections of the state.

References

Further reading

Buley, R. Carlyle. The Old Northwest: Pioneer Period 1815-1840 2 vol (1951), Pulitzer Prize

Cayton, Andrew R. L. Midwest and the Nation (1990)

Cayton, Andrew R. L. and Susan E. Gray, Eds. The American Midwest: Essays on Regional History. (2001)

Frederick; John T. ed. Out of the Midwest: A Collection of Present-Day Writing (1944) literary excerpts

Garland, John H. The North American Midwest: A Regional Geography (1955)

Jensen, Richard. The Winning of the Midwest: Social and Political Conflict, 1888-1896 (1971)

Fred A. Shannon, "The Status of the Midwestern Farmer in 1900". The Mississippi Valley Historical Review. Vol. 37, No. 3. (Dec., 1950), pp. 491-510. in JSTOR

Richard Sisson, Christian Zacher, and Andrew Cayton, eds. The American Midwest: An Interpretive Encyclopedia (Indiana University Press, 2006), 1916 pp of articles by scholars on all topics covering the 12 states;

Terre Haute Tribune-Star (West Central news daily)

Meyer, David R. "Midwestern Industrialization and the American Manfucaturing Belt in the Nineteenth Century". Vol. 49, No. 4 (Dec., 1989) pp. 921-937. The Journal of Economic History, [1], JSTOR.

Other websites

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The Midwestern United States (or Midwest) is a name for the north-central states of the United States of America. The states that are part of the Midwest are: North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. The word Midwest has been in common use since the late 19th century.

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Overview

The Northwest is best known for its vast Pacific coastline and rainy weather. The region is home to the Cascade Mountain Range that runs north-south through Washington and Oregon, resulting in large climatic differences on the western and eastern sides of the range. West of the mountains, year-round temperatures are mild, winters are wet, and summers are dry. East of the mountains, it is typically sunnier and drier throughout the year, winters are colder, and summers can be significantly hotter.

Over the last century, the average annual temperature in the Northwest has risen by about 1.3°F. Temperatures are projected to increase by approximately 3°F to 10°F by the end of the century, with the largest increases expected in the summer. Precipitation in the region has seen a decline in both the amount of total snowfall and the proportion of precipitation falling as snow. Declines in snowpack and streamflows have been observed in the Cascades in recent decades. In Washington state, record low snowpack values were measured in April 2015 and in seventy-four percent of long-term monitoring stations. Changes in average annual precipitation in the Northwest are likely to vary over the century. Summer precipitation is projected to decline by as much as 30%, with less frequent but heavier downpours.

Impacts on Water Resources

A reliable supply of water is crucial for energy production, agriculture, and ecosystems. Much of the Northwest's water is stored naturally in winter snowpack in the mountains. The snowpack melts and replenishes streams and rivers in the late spring and summer, when there is very little rainfall. Climate change threatens this natural storage by changing the timing of snowmelt and the amount of water available in streams and rivers (streamflow) throughout the year. Warmer springs contribute to earlier melting of the snowpack, higher streamflows in late winter and early spring, and lower flows in summer. Spring snowmelt is projected to occur three to four weeks earlier by mid-century and summer streamflows are likely to decline. In the Cascade Mountains, measurements of snowpack taken on April 1 (when snowpack is usually at its peak) have decreased by about 20% since the 1950s.

Climate change can also lead to changes in the type of precipitation. Warmer winters cause more precipitation to fall as rain instead of snow, particularly at lower elevations. This reduces soil moisture, snow accumulation, and the amount of water available from snowmelt. Further, increased flood risks around rivers that receive waters from both winter rains and peak runoff in late spring are expected.

Changing streamflows are likely to strain water management and worsen existing competition for water. Competing demands for water currently include hydropower, agricultural irrigation, municipal and industrial uses, and protection of ecosystems and threatened or endangered species. Increasing temperatures and populations could deepen demand and further stress urban water supplies that are already at risk of diminishing because of climate change.

Forty percent of the nation's hydropower is generated in the Northwest. Lower streamflows will likely reduce hydroelectric supply and could lead to large economic losses in the region. Reduced streamflows combined with rising temperatures and a growing population are raising concerns about the ability to meet increased air conditioning and other electricity demands.

For more information on climate change impacts, please visit the Water Resources Impacts or the Energy Impacts pages.

Impacts on Coastal Resources

Climate change is damaging the Northwest coastline. Projections indicate an increase of 1 to 4 feet of global sea level rise by the end of the century, which may have implications for the 140,000 acres of the region that lie within 3.3 feet of high tide. Sea level rise and storm surge pose a risk to people, infrastructure, and ecosystems, especially in low lying areas, which include Puget Sound. Warming waters and ocean acidification threaten economically important marine species and coastal ecosystems.

Flooding, seawater inundation, and erosion are expected to threaten coastal infrastructure, including properties, highways, railways, wastewater treatment plants, stormwater outfalls, and ferry terminals. Coastal wetlands, tidal flats, and beaches are likely to erode or be lost as a result of seawater inundation, which heightens the vulnerability of coastal infrastructure to coastal storms.

Some coastal habitats may disappear if organisms are unable to migrate inland because of topography or human infrastructure. This is expected to affect shorebirds and small forage fish, among other species. Warmer waters in regional estuaries, including Puget Sound, may contribute to an increase in harmful algal blooms, which could result in beach closures and declines in recreational shellfish harvests. Ocean acidification is also expected to negatively impact important economic species, including oysters and Pacific salmon.

For more information on climate change impacts on coastal resources, please visit the Coastal Resources page.

Impacts on Ecosystems and Agriculture

Higher temperatures, changing streamflows, and increases in pests and disease threaten forests, agriculture, and fish populations in the Northwest.

Forests make up nearly half of the Northwest landscape. These areas provide important habitat for fish and wildlife and support local economies, recreation, and traditional tribal activities. Forests have become warmer and drier due to rising temperatures, changes in precipitation, and reduced soil moisture. These stresses make trees more susceptible to insect outbreaks and disease and make forests highly flammable. An increase in the number and size of wildfires has been observed in the region in recent decades. These impacts are expected to worsen in the future, resulting in larger areas burned each year and expanded spread of pests, including the mountain pine beetle. Some types of forests and other ecosystems at high elevations are also expected to disappear from the region by the end of the century from inability to survive changing climatic conditions. These changes are likely to have significant effects on local timber revenues and bioenergy markets.

Commercial fish and shellfish harvested in the Northwest were valued at $480 million in 2011. Warming waters have already contributed to earlier migration of sockeye salmon in some streams and earlier growth of algal blooms in some lakes. Warmer waters are likely to increase spring and summer disease and mortality in Chinook and sockeye salmon in some river basins. Species that spend all or part of their lives in rivers, including salmon, steelhead, and trout, will suffer from decreased summer flows and increased flooding and winter flows. Projections suggest that suitable habitat for the four trout species in the region will decline by an average of 47% near the end of this century, compared to past decades.

Ocean acidification is also expected to negatively impact shellfish, including oysters, and others species, including Pacific salmon, resulting in economic and cultural implications. Warmer coastal waters may alter migratory patterns and areas of suitable habitat for marine species, resulting in changes in abundances.

Agriculture is an important economic and cultural component in rural areas of the Northwest. In the short-term, a longer growing season and higher levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide may be beneficial to crops. In the longer-term, reduced water availability for irrigation, higher temperatures, and changes in pests, diseases, and weeds may harm crop yields.

Threatened Salmon Populations

For more information on climate change impacts on forests, please visit the Forests Impacts page.

For more information on climate change impacts on agriculture and food supply, please visit the Agriculture and Food Supply Impacts page.

References
[1] U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (2011). Climate Change in the Pacific Northwest . [2] USGCRP (2014) Mote, P., A. K. Snover, S. Capalbo, S. D. Eigenbrode, P. Glick, J. Littell, R. Raymondi, and S. Reeder, 2014: Ch. 21: Northwest. Climate Change Impacts in the United States: The Third National Climate Assessment, J. M. Melillo, Terese (T.C.) Richmond, and G. W. Yohe, Eds., U.S. Global Change Research Program, 487-513. [3] U.S. Department of Agriculture. Natural Resources Conservation Service, Washington. Accessed June 1, 2015. [4] US EPA (2016). Climate Change Indicators in the United States: Trends in April Snowpack in the Western United States, 1955-2016. [5] USGCRP (2009). Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States. Karl, T.R., J. M. Melillo, and T. C. Peterson (eds.). United States Global Change Research Program. Cambridge University Press, New York, NY, USA.

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The Northwest is best known for its vast Pacific coastline and rainy weather. The region is home to the Cascade Mountain Range that runs north-south through Washington and Oregon, resulting in large climatic differences on the western and eastern sides of the range.

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The Southwestern United States, also known as the American Southwest, Desert Southwest, or simply The Southwest, is the informal name for a region of the western United States. Definitions of the region's boundaries vary a great deal and have never been standardized, though many boundaries have been proposed. For example, one definition includes the stretch from the Mojave Desert in California (117° west longitude) to Carlsbad, New Mexico (104° west longitude), and from the Mexico-United States border to the southern areas of Colorado, Utah, and Nevada (39° north latitude). The largest metropolitan areas are centered around Phoenix (with an estimated population of more than 4.7 million as of 2017), Las Vegas (more than 2.2 million), Tucson (more than 1 million), Albuquerque (more than 900,000), and El Paso (more than 840,000). Those five metropolitan areas have an estimated total population of more than 9.6 million as of 2017, with nearly 60 percent of them living in the two Arizona cities-Phoenix and Tucson.

Most of the area was part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain in the Spanish Empire before becoming part of Mexico. European settlement was almost non-existent outside New Mexico in 1848, when it became part of the United States through the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, while southern areas of Arizona and southwestern New Mexico were added in the later Gadsden Purchase.

Regional geography

The geography of the region is mainly made up by four features: the Mojave, Sonoran, and Chihuahuan Deserts, and the Colorado Plateau; although there are other geographical features as well, such as a portion of the Great Basin Desert. The deserts dominate the southern and western reaches of the area, while the plateau (which is largely made up of high desert) is the main feature north of the Mogollon Rim. The two major rivers of the region are the Colorado River, running in the northern and western areas, and the Rio Grande, running in the east, north to south.

Formed approximately 8000 years ago, the Chihuahuan Desert is a relatively dry desert, although it is slightly wetter than the Sonoran Desert to the west. The Chihuahuan Desert spreads across the southeastern portion of the region, covering from southeastern Arizona, across southern New Mexico, and the portion of Texas included in the Southwest. While it is the second largest desert in the United States, only a third of the desert is within the United States, with the rest in Mexico. El Paso is the major city in this desert, with other smaller cities being Las Cruces and Roswell in New Mexico.

The elevation in the Chihuahuan varies from 1970 to 5500 feet, as there are several smaller mountain ranges contained in the area, namely the San Andres and Doña Anas in New Mexico, and the Franklin Mountains, which span Texas and New Mexico in the Southwest region. The Chihuahuan is a "rain shadow" desert, formed between two mountain ranges (the Sierra Madre Occidental on the west and the Sierra Madre Oriental on the east) which block oceanic precipitation from reaching the area. The Chihuahuan Desert is considered the "most biologically diverse desert in the Western Hemisphere and one of the most diverse in the world", and includes more species of cacti than any other desert in the world. The most prolific plants in this region are agave, yucca and creosote bushes, in addition to the ubiquitous presence of various cacti species.

When people think of the desert southwest, the landscape of the Sonoran Desert is what mostly comes to mind. The Sonoran Desert makes up the southwestern portion of the Southwest; most of the desert lies in Mexico, but its United States component lies on the southeastern border of California, and the western 2/3 of southern Arizona. Rainfall averages between 4-12 inches per year, and the desert's most widely known inhabitant is the saguaro cactus, which is unique to the desert. It is bounded on the northwest by the Mojave Desert, to the north by the Colorado Plateau and to the east by the Arizona Mountains forests and the Chihuahuan Desert. Aside from the trademark saguaro, the desert has the most diverse plant life of any desert in the world, and includes many other species of cacti, including the organ-pipe, senita, prickly pear, barrel, fishhook, hedgehog, cholla, silver dollar, and jojoba. The portion of the Sonora Desert which lies in the Southwestern United States is the most populated area within the region. Six of the top ten major population centers of the region are found within its borders: Phoenix, Tucson, Mesa, Chandler, Glendale, and Scottsdale, all in Arizona. Also within its borders are Yuma and Prescott Arizona.

The most northwest portion of the American Southwest is covered by the Mojave Desert. Bordered on the south by the Sonoran Desert and the east by the Colorado Plateau, its range within the region makes up the southeast tip of Nevada, and the northwestern corner of Arizona. In terms of topography, the Mojave is very similar to the Great Basin Desert, which lies just to its north. Within the region, Las Vegas is the most populous city; other significant areas of human habitation include Laughlin and Pahrump in Nevada, and Lake Havasu City, Kingman, and Bullhead City in Arizona. The Mojave is the smallest, driest and hottest desert within the United States. The Mojave gets less than six inches of rain annually, and its elevation ranges from 3000 to 6000 feet above sea level. The most prolific vegetation is the tall Joshua tree, which grow as tall as 40 feet, and are thought to live almost 1000 years. Other major vegetation includes the Parry saltbush and the Mojave sage, both only found in the Mojave, as well as the creosote bush.

The Colorado Plateau varies from the large stands of forests in the west, including the largest stand of ponderosa pine trees in the world, to the Mesas to the east. Although not called a desert, the Colorado Plateau is mostly made up of high desert. Within the Southwest U.S. region, the Colorado is bordered to the south by the Mogollon Rim and the Sonoran Desert, to the west by the Mojave Desert, and to the east by the Rocky Mountains and the Llano Estacado. The Plateau is characterized by a series of plateaus and mesas, interspersed with canyons. The most dramatic example is the Grand Canyon. But that is one of many dramatic vistas included within the Plateau, which includes spectacular lava formations, "painted" deserts, sand dunes, and badlands. One of the most distinctive features of the Plateau is its longevity, having come into existence at least 500 million years ago. The Plateau can be divided into six sections, three of which fall into the Southwest region. Beginning with the Navajo section forming the northern boundary of the Southwestern United States, which has shallower canyons than those in the Canyonlands section just to its north; the Navajo section is bordered to the south by the Grand Canyon section, which of course is dominated by the Grand Canyon; and the southeastern-most portion of the Plateau is the Datil section, consisting of valleys, mesas, and volcanic formations. Albuquerque is the most populous city within the portion contained in the Southwest region, but Sante Fe, New Mexico and Flagstaff, Arizona, are also significant population centers.

Geographer D. W. Meinig defines the Southwest in a very similar fashion to Reed: the portion of New Mexico west of the Llano Estacado and the portion of Arizona east of the Mojave- Sonoran Desert and south of the "canyon lands" and also including the El Paso district of western Texas and the southernmost part of Colorado. Meinig breaks the Southwest down into four distinct subregions. He calls the first subregion " Northern New Mexico", and describes it as focused on Albuquerque and Santa Fe. It extends from the San Luis Valley of southern Colorado to south of Socorro and including the Manzano Mountains, with an east-west breadth in the north stretching from the upper Canadian River to the upper San Juan River. The area around Albuquerque is sometimes called Central New Mexico.

Meinig calls the third subregion "El Paso, Tucson, and the Southern Borderlands". While El Paso and Tucson are distinctly different cities, they serve as anchor points to the hinterland between them. Tucson occupies a large oasis at the western end of the El Paso-Tucson corridor. The region between the two cities is a major transportation trunk with settlements servicing both highway and railway needs. There are also large mining operations, ranches, and agricultural oases. Both El Paso and Tucson have large military installations nearby; Fort Bliss and White Sands Missile Range north of El Paso in New Mexico, and, near Tucson, the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. About 70 miles (110 km) to the southeast are the research facilities at Fort Huachuca. These military installations form a kind of hinterland around the El Paso-Tucson region, and are served by scientific and residential communities such as Sierra Vista, Las Cruces, and Alamogordo. El Paso's influence extends north into the Mesilla Valley, and southeast along the Rio Grande into the Trans-Pecos region of Texas.

The fourth subregion Meinig calls the "Northern Corridor and Navajolands". A major highway and railway trunk which connects Albuquerque and Flagstaff. Just north of the transportation trunk are large blocks of American Indian land.

Phoenix, Tucson, and Las Vegas dominate the westernmost metropolitan areas in the Southwest, while Albuquerque, and El Paso dominate the easternmost metropolitan areas.

Vegetation and terrain

The region has an extremely diverse bird population, with hundreds of species being found in the American Southwest. In the Chiricahua Mountains alone, in southeastern Arizona, there can be found more than 400 species. Species include Canadian ( Branta canadensis) and snow geese, sandhill cranes ( Grus canadensis), and the roadrunner, the state bird of New Mexico and most famous bird in the region, is found in all states of the Southwest. Birds of prey include the red-tailed hawk ( Buteo jamaicensis), Cooper's hawk ( Accipiter cooperii), the osprey ( Pandion haliaetus), golden eagles ( Aquila chrysaetos), Harris's hawk ( Parabuteo unicinctus), American kestrel ( Falco sparverius), peregrine falcon ( Falco peregrinus), the gray hawk ( Buteo plagiatus), the barn owl ( Tyto alba), the western screech owl ( Megascops kennicottii), the great horned owl ( Bubo virginianus), the elf owl ( Micrathene whitneyi), and the burrowing owl ( Athene cunicularia)

Other bird species include the turkey vulture ( Cathartes aura), the black vulture ( Coragyps atratus), the northern cardinal ( Cardinalis cardinalis), the blue grosbeak ( Passerina caerulea), the house finch ( Haemorhous mexicanus), the lesser goldfinch ( Spinus psaltria), the broad-billed hummingbird ( Cynanthus latirostris), the black-chinned hummingbird ( Archilochus alexandri), Costa's hummingbird ( Calypte costae), Gambel's quail ( Callipepla gambelii), the common raven ( Corvus corax), the Gila woodpecker ( Melanerpes uropygialis), the gilded flicker ( Colaptes chrysoides), the cactus wren ( Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus), and the rock wren ( Salpinctes obsoletus). Four types of doves call the Southwest home: the white-winged dove ( Zenaida asiatica), the mourning dove ( Zenaida macroura), the common ground dove ( Columbina passerina), and the Inca dove ( Columbina inca).

Mammal species include the bobcat, coyote, black bear, black-tailed jackrabbit, desert cottontail, desert bighorn sheep, mule deer, white-tailed deer, gray fox, mountain lion, river otter, long-tailed weasel, western spotted skunk, pronghorn, raccoon, and Ord's kangaroo rat, all of which can be found in parts of every southwestern state. Elk are found in parts of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona. White-nosed coati, coati, and collared peccary-or javelina-in the Southwest are normally found in southern areas of Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas near the Mexican border. Jaguars can be found in the bootheel region of Southwestern New Mexico. The Mexican wolf ( Canis lupus baileyi) was reintroduced to Arizona and New Mexico in 1998. A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service study reported a minimum population of 109 Mexican wolves in southwest New Mexico and southeast Arizona at the end of 2014.

There is a large contingent of snakes native to the region. Among them include: the rosy boa ( Lichanura trivirgata); several sub-species of the glossy snake ( Arizona elegans); the Trans-Pecos ratsnake ( Bogertophis subocularis); several sub-species of shovel-nosed snakes; several sub-species of kingsnake, including the desert kingsnake ( Lampropeltis getula splendida) and the Arizona mountain kingsnake ( Lampropeltis pyromelana); the Arizona coral snake ( Micruroides euryxanthus); the western diamondback rattlesnake ( Crotalus atrox); the Trans-Pecos copperhead ( Agkistrodon contortrix pictigaster); the Sonoran sidewinder ( Crotalus cerastes cercobombus); the Arizona black rattlesnake ( Crotalus oreganus cerberus); the western rattlesnake ( Crotalus viridis); the Grand Canyon rattlesnake ( Crotalus oreganus abyssus), found only in Arizona; several sub-species of the ridge-nosed rattlesnake ( Crotalus willardi), the most recent rattlesnake species to be discovered in the United States, including the New Mexico ridge-nosed rattlesnake ( Crotalus willardi obscurus), and the Arizona ridge-nosed rattlesnake, the state reptile of Arizona; and the desert massasauga ( Sistrurus catenatus edwardsii).

Other reptiles in the region include lizards and turtles. Lizards are highly represented in the region, the most distinctive denizen being the Gila monster, native only to the American Southwest and the state of Sonora in Mexico. Other lizards include: Sonoran collared lizard ( Crotaphytus nebrius); several types of geckos, including western banded gecko ( Coleonyx variegatus), the common house gecko ( Hemidactylus frenatus), and the Mediterranean house gecko ( Hemidactylus turcicus), the last two species being non-native to the region but have been introduced; the desert iguana ( Dipsosaurus dorsalis); the chuckwalla ( Sauromalus ater); the greater earless lizard ( Cophosaurus texanus scitulus); several sub-species of horned lizards ( Phrynosoma); numerous species of spiny lizards ( Sceloporus); Gilbert's skink ( Plestiodon gilberti); the western skink ( Plestiodon skiltonianus); Trans-Pecos striped whiptail ( Aspidoscelis inornata heptagrammus); and the Arizona night lizard ( Xantusia arizonae). Turtles are less numerous than their other reptilian counterparts, but several are found in the region, including: the western painted turtle ( Chrysemys picta bellii); the Rio Grande cooter ( Pseudemys gorzugi); the desert box turtle ( Terrapene ornata luteola); the Big Bend slider ( Trachemys gaigeae gaigeae); the Sonora mud turtle ( Kinosternon sonoriense); and the desert tortoise ( Gopherus agassizii).

Amphibians include numerous toads and frogs in the American Southwest. Toads which can be found in the region include: the Great Plains toad ( Anaxyrus cognatus); the green toad ( Anaxyrus debilis); the Arizona toad ( Anaxyrus microscaphus); the New Mexico spadefoot ( Spea multiplicata stagnalis); and the Colorado River toad ( Incilius alvarius), also known as the Sonoran Desert toad. Frog representation includes: western barking frog ( Craugastor augusti); the canyon tree frog ( Hyla arenicolor); the Arizona treefrog ( Hyla wrightorum); the western chorus frog ( Pseudacris triseriata); Chiricahua leopard frog ( Lithobates chiricahuensis); and the relict leopard frog ( Lithobates onca). There are quite a few salamanders throughout the region, including: the Arizona tiger salamander ( Ambystoma mavortium nebulosum) and the painted ensatina ( Ensatina eschscholtzii picta).

The southwestern United States features a semi-arid to arid climate, depending on the location. Much of the Southwest is an arid desert climate, but higher elevations in the mountains in each state, with the exception of West Texas, feature alpine climates with very large amounts of snow. The metropolitan areas of Phoenix, Tucson, Las Vegas, and El Paso hardly ever receive any snow at all, as they are strictly desert lands with mountains. Albuquerque receives less snow than other cities, but still receives significant snowfalls occasionally in the winter time. Although it snows in this region, the snow in this part of the United States melts rapidly, often before nightfall. This is due mainly to the higher altitude and abundant sunshine in these states.

Nevada and Arizona are both generally arid with desert lands and mountains, and receive large amounts of snow in the higher elevations in and near the mountains. New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado are generally arid, with desert lands and mountains as well. They all receive decent amounts of snow and large amounts of snow in the high elevations in the mountains, although some areas in far southwestern and southern New Mexico do not receive much snow at all at lower elevations. West Texas is generally arid as well but does not receive the same amount of snow that the other southwestern states receive at their high elevations. The terrain of western Texas in the Southwest is the flat, rolling land of the plains, which eventually turns into a desert with some hills. There are significant mountains as well in west Texas upon reaching the Trans-Pecos area.

The term "High Desert" is also synonymous with this region. The High Desert is generally defined as the Mojave Desert, which extends from inland southern California into southern Nevada, and southwestern Utah. The High Desert also extends into other parts of the Northwest, such as the Red Desert in southwestern Wyoming. The High Desert is very different from the general desert lands found in Arizona, in the Sonoran Desert. This area of the desert land generally sits at a very high elevation, much higher than the normal desert land, and can receive very cold temperatures at night in the winter (with the exception of California, southern Nevada and southwestern Utah), sometimes near zero degrees on very cold nights. The High Desert also receives a decent amount of snowfall in the winter (with the exception of California, southern Nevada and southwestern Utah) but melts very quickly.

Other areas of the Southwest may also be referred to as the "High Desert" such as the Colorado Plateau. The desert lands found in Eastern Utah, Northern Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico are usually referred to as the high desert. Colorado has scattered desert lands found in southern, southwestern, western, and the northwestern parts of the state. These scattered desert lands are located in and around areas such as, the Roan Plateau, Dinosaur National Monument, Colorado National Monument, Royal Gorge, Cortez, Dove Creek, Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, Four Corners Monument, Montrose, Blue Mesa Reservoir, Pueblo, San Luis Valley, Great Sand Dunes and Joshua Tree National Park. Besides the Chihuahuan Desert, lands in southwestern and southern New Mexico, they also have scattered desert lands in the northwestern and northern portions of their state, which is referred to as the high desert.

During El Niño, winters and springs are generally colder and wetter across southern portions of the region, while the northern portion stays warmer and drier due to a southern jet stream. Under La Niña, the opposite happens, meaning the cool and wet weather tends to stay further north.

National parks, monuments and forests

Southern California parks and monuments include Death Valley and Joshua Tree national parks; the national monuments of Castle Mountains, Mojave Trails, Sand to Snow, and San Gabriel Mountains; and Mojave National Preserve.

Nevada has one national park at Great Basin, and the national monuments of Basin and Range, Gold Butte, and Tule Springs Fossil Beds. Other federal areas include Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, and Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.

West Texas has two national parks, at Big Bend and Guadalupe Mountains. Other federal park areas include Chamizal National Memorial and Fort Davis National Historic Site.

Utah national parks include Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion. National monuments include Bears Ears, Cedar Breaks, Grand Staircase-Escalante, Hovenweep (also in Colorado), Natural Bridges, and Rainbow Bridge. Other federal areas include Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Dixie National Forest, and Manti-La Sal National Forest.

Hispanic Americans (mostly Mexican Americans, with large populations of Spanish Americans) can be found in large numbers in every major city in the Southwest such as El Paso (80%), San Antonio (63%), Albuquerque (47%), Phoenix (43%), Tucson (41%), Las Vegas (32%), and Mesa (27%).

Very large Hispanic American populations can also be found in the smaller cities such as Eagle Pass (96%), Las Cruces (56%), Yuma (55%), Blythe (53%), Pueblo (48%), Santa Fe (48%), and Glendale (36%). Many small towns throughout the southwestern states also have significantly large Latino populations.

The largest African American populations in the Southwest can be found in Las Vegas (10%), San Antonio (7%), and Phoenix (5%).

The largest Asian American populations in the southwest can be found in Nevada and Utah, with some significant Asian population in Phoenix. The most significant American Indian populations can be found in New Mexico and Arizona.

Cities and urban areas

The area also contains many of the nation's largest cities and metropolitan areas, despite relatively low population density in rural areas. Phoenix is the fifth most populous city in the country, and Albuquerque and Las Vegas were some of the fastest-growing cities in the United States. Also, the region as a whole has witnessed some of the highest population growth in the United States, and according to the US Census Bureau, in 2008-2009, Utah was the fastest growing state in America. As of the 2010 Census, Nevada was the fastest growing state in the United States, with an increase of 35.1% in the last ten years. Additionally, Arizona (24.6%), Utah (23.8%), Texas (20.6%), and Colorado (16.9%) were all in the top ten fastest growing states as well.

The five largest cities of the American Southwest (2010 census)

Largest cities and metropolitan areas (2010 census)

Images for kids

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Southwestern United States Facts for Kids

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The Southwestern United States, also known as the American Southwest, Desert Southwest, or simply The Southwest, is the informal name for a region of the western United States. Definitions of the region's boundaries vary a great deal and have never been standardized, though many boundaries have been proposed.

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The American Southwest is filled with some of the country's most impressive national parks and monuments. One of the best ways to experience them is to head out on the road, an adventure of a lifetime with many destinations within relatively easy driving distance. From the Grand Canyon to fiery red rock landscapes and beyond, putting these must-visit parks and monuments on your itinerary is sure to make for the ultimate road trip.

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9 National Parks and Monuments in the American Southwest - TripsToDiscover

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The American Southwest is filled with some of the country's most impressive national parks and monuments. One of the best ways to experience them is to head out on the road, an adventure of a lifetime with many destinations within relatively easy driving distance. From the Grand Canyon to fiery red rock landscapes and beyond, [...]

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The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West, the Far West, or simply the West, traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because European settlement in the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time. Prior to about 1800, the crest of the Appalachian Mountains was seen as the western frontier.

Since then, the frontier generally moved westward and eventually lands west of the Mississippi River came to be referred to as the West. Though no consensus exists, even among experts, for the definition of the West as a region, the U.S. Census Bureau's definition of the 13 westernmost states includes the Rocky Mountains and the Great Basin to the West Coast, and the outlying states of Hawaii and Alaska.

The West contains several major biomes. It is known for arid to semi-arid plateaus and plains, particularly in the American Southwest - forested mountains, including the major ranges of the American Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains - the massive coastal shoreline of the American Pacific Coast - and the rainforests of the Pacific Northwest.

Defining the West

The Western U.S. is the largest region of the country, covering more than half the land area of the United States. It is also the most geographically diverse, incorporating geographic regions such as the, the temperate rainforests of the Northwest, the highest mountain ranges (including the Rocky Mountains, and the Sierra Nevada, the Great Plains, and all of the desert areas located in the United States (the Mojave, Sonoran, Great Basin, and Chihuahua deserts). Given this expansive and diverse geography it is no wonder the region is difficult to specifically define. Sensing a possible shift in the popular understanding of the West as a region in the early 1990s, historian Walter Nugent conducted a survey of three groups of professionals with ties to the region: a large group of Western historians (187 respondents), and two smaller groups, 25 journalists and publishers and 39 Western authors. A majority of the historian respondents placed the eastern boundary of the West east of the Census definition out on the eastern edge of the Great Plains or on the Mississippi River. The survey respondents as a whole showed just how little agreement there was on the boundaries of the West.

Subregions

Within a region as large and diverse as the Western United States, smaller areas with more closely shared demographics and geography have developed as subregions. The region is split into two smaller units, or divisions, by the U.S. Census Bureau:

Other classifications distinguish between Southwest and Northwest. Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Colorado and Utah are typically considered to be part of the Southwest, though Texas and Oklahoma are frequently considered part of the Southwest as well. Meanwhile, the states of Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington can be considered part of the Northwest or Pacific Northwest.

The term West Coast is commonly used to refer to just California, Oregon and Washington, whereas Alaska and Hawaii are more geographically isolated from the other states of the region and don't necessarily fit in any of these subregions.

Outlying areas

West Texas in the Chihuahuan Desert may be considered as part of the Western U.S., as from a climatological perspective the West might be said to begin just west of Austin where annual rainfall drops off significantly from what is typically experienced in the East, with a concurrent change in plant and animal species. Fort Worth has long laid claim to be "Where the West Begins."

Demographics

The population distribution by race in the Western United States (2010):

As defined by the United States Census Bureau, the Western region of the United States includes 13 states with a total 2013 estimated population of 74,254,423.

The West is still one of the most sparsely settled areas in the United States with 49.5 inhabitants per square mile (19/km²). Only Texas with 78.0 inhabitants/sq mi. (30/km²), Washington with 86.0 inhabitants/sq mi. (33/km²), and California with 213.4 inhabitants/sq mi. (82/km²) exceed the national average of 77.98 inhabitants/sq mi. (30/km²).

The entire Western region has also been strongly influenced by European, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Native Americans; it contains the largest number of minorities in the U.S. While most of the studies of racial dynamics in America such as riots in Los Angeles have been written about European and African Americans, in many cities in the West and California, Whites and Blacks together are less than half the population because of the preference for the region by Hispanics and Asians. African and European Americans, however, continue to wield a stronger political influence because of the lower rates of citizenship and voting among Asians and Hispanics.

The West also contains much of the Native American population in the U.S., particularly in the large reservations in the Mountain and Desert States.

The largest concentrations for African Americans in the West can be found in San Diego, Los Angeles, Oakland, Sacramento, San Francisco, Seattle, Tacoma, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Denver, and Colorado Springs.

The Western United States has a higher sex ratio (more males than females) than any other region in the United States.

Because the tide of development had not yet reached most of the West when conservation became a national issue, agencies of the federal government own and manage vast areas of land. (The most important among these are the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management within the Interior Department, and the U.S. Forest Service within the Agriculture Department.) National parks are reserved for recreational activities such as fishing, camping, hiking, and boating, but other government lands also allow commercial activities like ranching, logging, and mining. In recent years, some local residents who earn their livelihoods on federal land have come into conflict with the land's managers, who are required to keep land use within environmentally acceptable limits.

The largest city in the region is Los Angeles, located on the West Coast. Other West Coast cities include San Diego, San Bernardino, San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, Bakersfield, Sacramento, Seattle, Tacoma, and Portland. Prominent cities in the Mountain States include Denver, Colorado Springs, Phoenix, Tucson, Albuquerque, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, Boise, El Paso, and Cheyenne.

Natural geography

Along the Pacific Ocean coast lie the Coast Ranges, which, while not approaching the scale of the Rocky Mountains, are formidable nevertheless. They collect a large part of the airborne moisture moving in from the ocean. East of the Coast Ranges lie several cultivated fertile valleys, notably the San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys of California and the Willamette Valley of Oregon.

Beyond the valleys lie the Sierra Nevada in the south and the Cascade Range in the north. Mount Whitney, at 14,505 feet (4,421 m) the tallest peak in the contiguous 48 states, is in the Sierra Nevada. The Cascades are also volcanic. Mount Rainier, a volcano in Washington, is also over 14,000 feet (4,300 m). Mount St. Helens, a volcano in the Cascades erupted explosively in 1980. A major volcanic eruption at Mount Mazama around 4860 BC formed Crater Lake. These mountain ranges see heavy precipitation, capturing most of the moisture that remains after the Coast Ranges, and creating a rain shadow to the east forming vast stretches of arid land. These dry areas encompass much of Nevada, Utah, and Arizona. The Mojave Desert and Sonoran Desert along with other deserts are found here.

Beyond the deserts lie the Rocky Mountains. In the north, they run almost immediately east of the Cascade Range, so that the desert region is only a few miles wide by the time one reaches the Canada-US border. The Rockies are hundreds of miles (kilometers) wide, and run uninterrupted from New Mexico to Alaska. The Rocky Mountain Region is the highest overall area of the United States, with an average elevation of above 4,000 feet (1,200 m). The tallest peaks of the Rockies, 54 of which are over 14,000 feet (4,300 m), are found in central and western Colorado.

The West has several long rivers that empty into the Pacific Ocean, while the eastern rivers run into the Gulf of Mexico. The Mississippi River forms the easternmost possible boundary for the West today. The Missouri River, a tributary of the Mississippi, flows from its headwaters in the Rocky Mountains eastward across the Great Plains, a vast grassy plateau, before sloping gradually down to the forests and hence to the Mississippi. The Colorado River snakes through the Mountain states, at one point forming the Grand Canyon.

The Colorado River is a major source of water in the Southwest and many dams, such as the Hoover Dam, form reservoirs along it. So much water is drawn for drinking water throughout the West and irrigation in California that in most years, water from the Colorado River no longer reaches the Gulf of California. The Columbia River, the largest river in volume flowing into the Pacific Ocean from North America, and its tributary, the Snake River, water the Pacific Northwest. The Platte runs through Nebraska and was known for being a mile (2 km) wide but only a half-inch (1 cm) deep. The Rio Grande forms the border between Texas and Mexico before turning due north and splitting New Mexico in half.

According to the United States Coast Guard, "The Western Rivers System consists of the Mississippi, Ohio, Missouri, Illinois, Tennessee, Cumberland, Arkansas, and White Rivers and their tributaries, and certain other rivers that flow towards the Gulf of Mexico."

Climate and agriculture

Most of the public land held by the U.S. National Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management is in the Western states. Public lands account for 25 to 75 percent of the total land area in these states.

As a generalization, the climate of the West can be described as semiarid; however, parts of the West get extremely high amounts of rain and/or snow, and still other parts are true desert and get less than 5 inches (130 mm) of rain per year. Also, the climate of the West is quite unstable, as areas that are normally wet can be very dry for years and vice versa.

The seasonal temperatures vary greatly throughout the West. Low elevations on the West Coast have warm to very hot summers and get little to no snow. The desert southwest has very hot summers and mild winters. While the mountains in the southwest receive generally large amounts of snow. The Inland Northwest has a continental climate of warm to hot summers and cold to bitter cold winters.

Annual rainfall is greater in the eastern portions, gradually tapering off until reaching the Pacific Coast where it increases again. In fact, the greatest annual rainfall in the United States falls in the coastal regions of the Pacific Northwest. Drought is much more common in the West than the rest of the United States. The driest place recorded in the U.S. is Death Valley, California.

Agriculture varies depending on rainfall, irrigation, soil, elevation, and temperature extremes. The arid regions generally support only livestock grazing, chiefly beef cattle. The wheat belt extends from Texas through the Dakotas, producing most of the wheat and soybeans in the U.S. and exporting more to the rest of the world. Irrigation in the Southwest allows the growing of great quantities of fruits, nuts, and vegetables as well as grain, hay, and flowers. Texas is a major cattle and sheep raising area, as well as the nation's largest producer of cotton. Washington is famous for its apples, and Idaho for its potatoes. California and Arizona are major producers of citrus crops, although growing metropolitan sprawl is absorbing much of this land.

Local and state government officials started to understand, after several surveys made during the latter part of the 19th century, that only action by the federal government could provide water resources needed to support the development of the West. Starting in 1902, Congress passed a series of acts authorizing the establishment of the United States Bureau of Reclamation to oversee water development projects in seventeen western states.

During the first half of the 20th century, dams and irrigation projects provided water for rapid agricultural growth throughout the West and brought prosperity for several states, where agriculture had previously only been subsistence level. Following World War II, the West's cities experienced an economic and population boom. The population growth, mostly in the Southwest states of New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and Nevada, has strained water and power resources, with water diverted from agricultural uses to major population centers, such as the Las Vegas Valley and Los Angeles.

The Pacific states are the most geologically active areas in the United States. Earthquakes cause damage every few to several years in California. While the Pacific states are the most volcanically active areas, extinct volcanoes and lava flows are found throughout most of the West.

The Western United States has been populated by Native Americans since at least 11,000 BC, when the first Paleo-Indians arrived. Pre-Columbian trade routes to kingdoms and empires such as the Mound Builders existed in places such as Yellowstone National Park since around 1000 AD. Major settlement of the western territories developed rapidly in the 1840s, largely through the Oregon Trail and the California Gold Rush of 1849. California experienced such a rapid growth in a few short months that it was admitted to statehood in 1850 without the normal transitory phase of becoming an official territory.

One of the largest migrations in American history occurred in the 1840s as the Latter Day Saints left the Midwest to build a theocracy in Utah.

Both Omaha, Nebraska and St. Louis, Missouri laid claim to the title, "Gateway to the West" during this period. Omaha, home to the Union Pacific Railroad and the Mormon Trail, made its fortunes on outfitting settlers; St. Louis built itself upon the vast fur trade in the West before its settlement.

The 1850s were marked by political battles over the expansion of slavery into the western territories, issues leading to the Civil War.

The history of the American West in the late 19th and early 20th centuries has acquired a cultural mythos in the literature and cinema of the United States. The image of the cowboy, the homesteader, and westward expansion took real events and transmuted them into a myth of the west which has shaped much of American popular culture since the late 19th century.

Writers as diverse as Bret Harte and Zane Grey celebrated or derided cowboy culture, while artists such as Frederic Remington created western art as a method of recording the expansion into the west. The American cinema, in particular, created the genre of the western movie, which, in many cases, use the West as a metaphor for the virtue of self-reliance and an American ethos. The contrast between the romanticism of culture about the West and the actuality of the history of the westward expansion has been a theme of late 20th and early 21st century scholarship about the West. Cowboy culture has become embedded in the American experience as a common cultural touchstone, and modern forms as diverse as country and western music have celebrated the sense of isolation and independence of spirit inspired by the frontiersmen on virgin land.

20th century

The advent of the automobile enabled the average American to tour the West. Western businessmen promoted U.S. Route 66 as a means to bring tourism and industry to the West. In the 1950s, representatives from all the western states built the Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Center to showcase western culture and greet travelers from the East. During the latter half of the 20th century, several transcontinental interstate highways crossed the West bringing more trade and tourists from the East. Oil boom towns in Texas and Oklahoma rivaled the old mining camps for their rawness and wealth. The Dust Bowl forced children of the original homesteaders even further west.

The movies became America's chief entertainment source featuring western fiction, later the community of Hollywood in Los Angeles became the headquarters of the mass media such as radio and television production.

California has emerged as the most populous state and one of the top 10 economies in the world. Massive late 19th-20th century population and settlement booms created two megalopolis areas of the Greater Los Angeles/ Southern California and the San Francisco Bay Area/ Northern California regions, one of the nation's largest metropolitan areas and in the top 25 largest urban areas in the world. Four more metropolitan areas of San Bernardino- Riverside, San Diego, Denver, Phoenix, and Seattle have over a million residents, while the three fastest growing metro areas were the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, the Las Vegas metropolitan area; and the Portland metropolitan area.

Although there has been segregation, along with accusations of racial profiling and police brutality towards minorities due to issues such as illegal immigration and a racial shift (i.e. White flight and now black flight) in neighborhood demographics, sometimes leading to racially based riots (i.e. the 1992 Los Angeles Riots and 1965 Watts Riots), the West has a continuing reputation for being open-minded and for being one of the most racially progressive areas in the United States.

Los Angeles has the largest Mexican population outside of Mexico, while San Francisco has the largest Chinese community in North America and also has a large LGBT community, and Oakland, California has a large percentage of residents being African-American, as well as Long Beach, California which also has a large Black community. The state of Utah has a Mormon majority (estimated at 62.4% in 2004), while some cities like Albuquerque, New Mexico; Spokane, Washington; Tucson, Arizona and Billings, Montana are located near Indian Reservations. In remote areas there are settlements of Alaskan Natives and Native Hawaiians.

The border states-California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas-and other southwestern states such as Colorado, Utah, and Nevada all have large Hispanic populations, and the many Spanish place names attest to their history as former Spanish and Mexican territories. Mexican-Americans have also had a growing population in Northwestern states of Oregon and Washington, as well as the southern states of Texas and Oklahoma.

Alaska-the northernmost state in the Union-is a vast land of few people, many of them native, and of great stretches of wilderness, protected in national parks and wildlife refuges. Hawaii's location makes it a major gateway between the U.S. and Asia, as well as a center for tourism.

Oregon and Washington have also seen rapid growth with the rise of Boeing and Microsoft along with agriculture and resource based industries. The desert and mountain states have relatively low population densities, and developed as ranching and mining areas which are only recently becoming urbanized. Most of them have highly individualistic cultures, and have worked to balance the interests of urban development, recreation, and the environment.

Culturally distinctive points include the large Mormon population in the Mormon Corridor, including southeastern Idaho, Utah, Northern Arizona, and Nevada; the extravagant casino resort towns of Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada; and the numerous American Indian tribal reservations.

Major metropolitan areas

These are the largest Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) with a population above 500,000 in the 13 Western states with population estimates as of July 1, 2015 as defined by the United States Census Bureau:

Other population centers

The MSA of El Paso, Texas, although belonging to a state considered part of the Southern United States, is sometimes also considered part of the Western United States. Its estimated population is 838,972.

The Mexican border cities of Tijuana (part of the San Diego MSA) and Mexicali (part of the Yuma, AZ-El Centro, CA MSA) in the Mexican state of Baja California.

The Canadian border cities of Vancouver, British Columbia (the nearest US cities are Bellingham and Port Angeles, both in Washington) and Victoria in the Canadian province of British Columbia.

The largest MSA in Alaska is Anchorage; it has an estimated population of 399,790, as of July 2015.

Images for kids

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The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West, the Far West, or simply the West, traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because European settlement in the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time.

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Midwest includes 12 states of North Central United States. This region is home to more than 60 million people. The Midwest is covered by forests, grasslands, the Great Lakes and rivers. Three major river systems of the region are Ohio, Missouri and Mississippi River System. The average air temperature in the Midwest has increased. Northern areas are the most affected by this temperature increase.
Facts you didn't know: -

The eastern part of the region gets the highest precipitation and western part gets the least.

Heavy downpours are very common in this region.

In the Midwest, climate change is affecting human health in a negative way and creating new health challenges.

Heat stress is continuously increasing and resulting in continuous rises in temperatures and humidity.

Over the last 60 years, major heat waves became more frequent in this region.

The Great Lakes are a major source of drinking water in Midwestern states. Warming water is encouraging the growth of blue-green and toxic algae that results in reduced water quality.

Change is the climate is also affecting the agriculture and ecosystems in the Midwest negatively by increasing carbon dioxide levels.

Over the last century, extreme rainfall and floods have become very common in the Midwest region.

Increased flooding will cause more contamination of rivers and other water bodies.

Due to the increased climate change, dry regions are getting drier and wet regions keep getting wetter.

Houses in the Midwestern region are designed for colder temperatures. They tend to hold heat in rather than shed it.

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Midwest includes 12 states of North Central United States. This region is home to more than 60 million people. The Midwest is covered by forests, grasslands, the Great Lakes and rivers. Three major river systems of the region are Ohio, Missouri and Mississippi River System. The average air temperature in the Midwest has increased.

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Burger. Elk Burger. Montana. ...

Chicken Dish. Amish Chicken. Utah. ...

Salad. Frog Eye Salad. Utah. ...

Feast. Santa Maria-Style Barbecue. ...

Technique. Kalua Pig. ...

Crab Dish. Dungeness Crab Cake. ...

Hot Dog. Seattle Dog. ...

Assorted Small Dishes or Ritual. Pu Pu Platte

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The Midwest, known as America's heartland, comprises 12 US states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Although the Midwest doesn't spend much time in the spotlight, it's home to dramatic landscapes, national monuments and unique man-made creations. From Mount Rushmore to Willis Tower, here are the 15 most interesting landmarks in the Midwest.

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Mount Rushmore, South Dakota

Mount Rushmore is one of the most famous national memorials in the US. It consists of a 60ft-high (18m) sculpture carved into the Black Hills mountain range in South Dakota, featuring the faces of four former American presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt. Mount Rushmore was constructed by a team of 400 sculptors between 1927 and 1941, on the basis of a plan devised in the 1920s to draw tourists to the South Dakota area. It worked: nearly three million people visit this historic site every year.

Chimney Rock, Nebraska

Nebraska's Chimney Rock served as a marker along the Oregon, California and Mormon wagon routes in the mid-19th century. Now officially a historic national monument, it is a testament to thousands of years of erosion in the North Platte Valley, composed of layers of volcanic ash and million-year-old clay rising 4,228ft (1,289m) above the ground (including spire). To learn about the history of the Overland Trails and the significance of Chimney Rock, head to the visitor center near the town of Bayard.

Gateway Arch, Missouri

The Gateway Arch in St Louis reigns supreme as the tallest manmade monument in the United States, at 630ft (192m) high. Designed by architect Eero Saarinen, the stainless steel structure was completed in 1965, celebrating the accomplishments of early westward pioneers and St Louis's role as the "gateway to the West." The Gateway Arch sits on the west bank of the Mississippi River - a location chosen to help revive the riverfront - and houses a museum, as well as a tram that takes you to the top.

Badlands National Park, South Dakota

Badlands National Park, an awe-inspiring geological wonder once home to the rhino and the saber-toothed cat, is the largest expanse of grasslands in the US, covering nearly a quarter-million acres of wilderness. The Badlands draw in visitors from all over the world, who come to admire the protected wildlife, striking spires and pinnacles and rich fossil beds bursting with 65 million years of geological history. The park is home to animals such as bison, prairie dogs and bighorn sheep, as well as nearly 400 different species of plants and 70 different kinds of butterfly.

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The Mackinac Bridge, Michigan

The Mackinac Bridge, a 5mi-long (8km) suspension bridge connecting Michigan's Upper and Lower Peninsulas, is the longest suspension bridge in the Western Hemisphere and the fifth-longest suspension bridge in the world. Built to withstand severe wind conditions, the Mackinac Bridge boasts a remarkable design, and on windy days, drivers can feel the movement of the bridge, gently swaying 200ft (61m) over the Straits of Mackinac. Head here at dusk for memorable sunset views and bridge lights glistening over the water.

Como Park Conservatory, Minnesota

Como Park Conservatory, also known as the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory, is a half-acre of gardens and art galleries located on the grounds of the Como Park Zoo in Saint Paul. Key features include a Bonsai Gallery, a butterfly garden, a Japanese Garden, a Palm Dome filled with over 150 species of palm trees, a tropical garden featuring plants and animals from Central and South America, along with an array of grasses, flowers and trees. Head to the Sunken Garden for breathtaking views of the glass greenhouse brimming with colorful flowers and lush foliage.

Cave of the Mounds, Wisconsin

Cave of the Mounds, a striking limestone cavern in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin, is a million-year-old geological marvel. It's lined with striking mineral formations called speleothems, including soda straws, flowstones, curtains, lily pads, Oolites and Helictites, exhibited in a brilliant array of colors from red and brown to blue and gray. A National Natural Landmark, the Cave of the Mounds is formed from limestone over 480 million years old, and with guided tours available every day, guests can get an up-close experience of Wisconsin's geological history.

Willis Tower, Illinois

Chicago's Willis Tower became the tallest building in the world upon completion in 1973, taking the title from New York's World Trade Centre. Despite now having slipped to 23rd in the rankings, it's still home to the highest observation platform in the United States - the Skydeck, located on the 103rd floor at an elevation of 1,353ft (412m). Glass boxes extend 4ft (1m) over the edge of the building - meaning that there's nothing between your feet and the ground except a transparent floor.

Sleeping Bear Dunes, Michigan

One of Michigan's most spectacular natural landmarks is the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, located a 40-minute drive west of Traverse City. Here, the shoreline of Lake Michigan is dominated by sand dunes formed by glaciers thousands of years ago, the tallest of which stand 450ft (137m) above sea level. Soak up their beauty on the Dune Climb, a 3.5mi (6km) path that leads to the lakeshore, or by biking along the Bear Heritage Trail. The Philip A. Hart Visitor Center is located in the town of Empire.

Enchanted Highway, North Dakota

One of North Dakota's most bizarre must-sees is the Enchanted Highway, a 32mi (51km) stretch of road between Gladstone and Regent. It's lined by towering metal sculptures designed and built by former headmaster Gary Greff, who started work on the collection in 1989. Perhaps the most remarkable of these gigantic artworks is Geese in Flight, located at exit 72 of Interstate 94 and named the world's largest scrap metal sculpture by the Guinness Book of Records in 2002. Other key Greff pieces include Grasshoppers in the Field and Deer Crossing.

Northern Lights, Minnesota and Michigan

Visitors to Minnesota and Michigan throughout winter and spring might be lucky enough to see the Northern Lights (aurora borealis), a natural phenomenon more often connected with Iceland or Norway. One of the best spots is Cook Country in Minnesota, especially from Oberg Mountain in the Superior National Forest, where you can see the lights illuminate Lake Superior. You could also head to Michigan's Upper Peninsula, to see the lights from the port town of Marquette or the Keweenaw Peninsula, located 115mi (185km) to the north.

Starved Rock State Park, Illinois

Located a 90-minute drive southwest from Chicago, Starved Rock State Park is one of Illinois' most beautiful areas. Its key draw is 18 dramatic canyons, carved by glacial meltwater over the millennia and hemmed in by vertical, moss-covered cliffs. There are 13mi (21km) of trails within the park to hike or bike, which provide access to 14 gushing waterfalls (some of which freeze in mid-motion during winter), natural springs and overlooks with knee-weakening views. Starved Rock is also a popular spot for hunting, fishing and camping.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Ohio

Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is housed in an angular, glass-covered building designed by Chinese-born American architect IP Pei. It opened in 1995 to celebrate the role of prominent musicians and explore rock's cultural, political and historical significance. Exhibits are spread over six floors and include instruments, stage props and costumes used by artists such as Elvis, Jimi Hendrix and David Bowie, as well as album art, posters and photographs. Rock stars are only eligible for induction into the Hall once 25 years have passed since their first release.

The Great Lakes

Lakes Michigan, Superior, Huron, Erie and Ontario collectively form the awesome geographical region known as the Great Lakes. Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota all boast shorelines on these vast lakes, which together account for 21 percent of the planet's freshwater. Recreational activities in the area center on watersports and include everything from cruising and fishing to swimming and diving. Explore the landscapes by walking on the 300mi-long (483km) Lake Superior Hiking Trail or driving on the Great Lakes Scenic Tour, which connects all the lakes as well as the St Lawrence River.

Amish villages

Amish villages are a hallmark of the Midwestern states, especially Ohio (in the Adams, Geauga, Holmes, Hardin, Wayne and Tuscarawas counties) and Indiana (in the Elkhart, Middlebury, Goshen, Bristol, Shipshewana, Nappanee and Wakarusa counties). The best way to explore these regions - and to learn about a way of life that hasn't changed for centuries - is to drive along Indiana's Heritage Trail, a 90mi (145km) loop scattered with Amish-run bed and breakfasts, restaurants and shops. Drive it during fall, when the Midwest scenery is at its most beautiful.

Additional reporting by Mark Nayler

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The Midwest's Most Interesting Landmarks

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The Midwest known as Americas heartland comprises 12 US states Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Michigan Minnesota Missouri Nebraska North Dakota Ohio South...

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Of great industrial importance are the large deposits of copper, zinc, lead, molybdenum, and uranium found in this western region, as well as smaller deposits of tungsten, chromite, manganese, and other minerals