Tennessee

1
Tennessee
2
The Geography of Tennessee

• Its boundaries touch eight of its sister states.
• They are Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky,
  Mississippi , Missouri, North Carolina, and
  Virginia.
• Tennessee is 34th in size of all the states in
  the nation.

3
The Geography of Tennessee

• Tennessee is divided into ninety-five counties.
• The western boundary of Tennessee follows the
  Mississippi River.
• The eastern boundary of Tennessee follows the
  Unake Mountain.

4
The Three Parts of Tennessee

• There are three grand divisions of the state,
  they are East, Middle, and West Tennessee.
• East Tennessee is divided from middle Tennessee
  by the Cumberland plateau. The Tennessee River
  separates Middle Tennessee from West Tennessee.
• East Tennessee was the first section of the state
  to be settled.

5
Natural Regions

• Modern geologists have divided Tennessee into six
  natural regions. They are
• 1. The Unaka Mountains
• 2. East Tennessee Valley and Ridge
• 3.The Cumberland Plateau
• 4.The Highland Rim
• 5.The Central Basin
• 6.The Gulf Coastal Plain

6
Natural Regions

• The Unaka Mountains
• Also known as the Great Smoky Mountains
• Clingmans Dome is the Unakas highest point
• Cades Cove is located in this region

• East Tennessee Valley and Ridge
• Immediately west of the Unaka Mountains
• Series of valleys and ridges

7
Natural Regions

• The Cumberland Plateau
• Its settlement came late.
• The northeast border of the plateau, where
  Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia meet, is known
  as the Cumberland Gap (1,200 ft).

• The Highland Rim
• This is the largest region.
• Is a geographic term for the area in Tennessee
  surrounding the Central Basin.

8
Natural Regions

• The Central Basin
• Shaped like the bottom of a bowl.
• This is the smallest region.
• Most fertile soil in the state.

• Coastal Plain of West Tennessee
• Between Tennessee and Mississippi Rivers.
• Agricultural heart of the state.

9
Rivers Systems

• The Mississippi River serves as the main drainage
  route for the region.
• The Tennessee River rises in East Tennessee, runs
  through North Alabama, and loops back to form the
  boundary between Middle and West Tennessee.
• Another system involves the Cumberland River.

10
Reelfoot Lake

• Reelfoot Lake was formed by a severe earthquake
  in 1811.
• Reelfoot Lake was named after a Chickasaw chief.
• Reelfoot Lake covers 14,500 acres.

11
Time Zones and Climate

• Time Zones
• Divided into two times zones.
• All of East Tennessee, lies in the Eastern Time
  Zone.
• The rest of the state is in the Central Time
  Zone.

• Climate
• Moderate climate. Summers are not excessively
  hot, nor are winters exceedingly cold.
• Average rainfall is 40 to 50 inches a year.
• Average annual snowfall is 8 inches.