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East South-Central States: Kentucky, Tennessee

Geography Kentucky is an inland state in the east- central United States. The state is about 380 miles (610 km) long and 140 miles (225 km) wide. Kentucky shares a border with seven other states. The eastern side touches the tip of Virginia and is separated from West Virginia by the Big Sandy and Tug Fork rivers. The northern border with Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois is formed by the Ohio River. The Mississippi River separates Kentucky from Missouri on the southwest. On the south, the state shares a long, straight border with Tennessee. The eastern part of Kentucky is in the Eastern Time Zone. The western part is in the Central Time Zone. Kentucky contains five land regions. The Cumberland Plateau is the easternmost region. The land is mountainous, with high, flat land (plateaus) separated by deep valleys. Black Mountain, the highest point in the state, is in this region. The Cumberland Plateau also contains the Eastern Kentucky Coal Field. The Cumberland Gap is at the southeast

Did You Know?

corner of the Plateau. Thousands of pioneers used this break in the moun- tains to reach the West. The Bluegrass Region in the north central part of the state is the most heavily populated region. The Inner Bluegrass has rolling fields and rich farmland. This area is known for its Thoroughbred horse farms. The Outer Bluegrass is a hillier region that sur- rounds the Inner Bluegrass. Beyond the Outer Bluegrass is a narrow band What’s so special about Kentucky bluegrass? To start with, the grass isn’t blue. The leaves are green, but if the grass is allowed to grow tall, it sends up seed stalks that have bluish color. The soil in the Bluegrass Region con- tains a lot of calcium. As bluegrass grows, it absorbs some of this calcium. Horses grazing on Kentucky bluegrass use that calcium to build strong, healthy bones. This gives them an advantage over horses raised in other areas. Bluegrass has helped make Lexington the Horse Capital of the World.