Covering a total area of 47,689 square miles, Mississippi is the thirty-second largest state in the United States. Leake County is the geographical center of the state.
General Features
Located in the southern United States, Mississippi is bordered by Tennessee on the north, Gulf of Mexico on the south, Alabama on the east, and Arkansas and Louisiana on the west. It covers a total area of 47,689 square miles. The geographic center of the state is located in Leake County. Lowlands make up most of the landscape of Mississippi.
These lowlands can be divided into two regions:
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Mississippi Alluvial Plain:
Popularly known as the Delta, the Mississippi Alluvial Plains extend eastward from the Mississippi River. The region is composed of rich soil made up of silt deposited by the floodwaters.
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Gulf Coastal Plain:
Covering almost the entire state, the Gulf Coastal Plain includes several sub-regions; the Red Clay Hills of north-central Mississippi and the Piney Woods of the south and southeast are the most extensive of these sub-regions.
The western part of the state is rich in yellow-brown loess soil while the northeast is composed of fertile black soil. Mississippi has an extensive coastline that includes large bays at Bay St. Louis, Biloxi and Pascagoula.
Geographical Facts About Mississippi
| Area | 48, 434 square miles |
| Land Area | 46,914 square miles |
| Water Area | 1,520 square miles |
| Mean Elevation | 91 meters |
| Highest Point | Woodall Mountain (246 meters) |
| Lowest Point | Gulf of Mexico |
| Geographic Center | Leake County |
Climate of Mississippi
Mississippi is characterized by a humid subtropical climate with long, humid summers. The winters are short and mild. The monthly average temperatures range from about 35°C in July to 9°C in January. The highest recorded temperature in Mississippi is 46.1 °C; this was on July 29, 1930, at Holly Springs. The lowest temperature in the state was recorded at Corinth on January 30, 1966 at about ‘28.3 °C.
The state has heavy snowfall, particularly during the New Year’s Eve. Also, the state is prone to severe weather conditions like hurricanes, tornadoes, and other destructive storms. Hurricanes generally occur in late summers in the southern part of the state. Hurricane Camille in 1969 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005 have been the most destructive in the state, causing immense damage around Gulfport, Biloxi and Pascagoula.
Mountains
Mississippi has many high mountain peaks. The highest point in the state is Woodall Mountain, followed by Lebanon Mountain, and Tippah Hills.
The other major mountains in the state include:
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Rivers
The major rivers in Mississippi are:
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Lakes
There are about 1,100 lakes, ponds and reservoirs in the state of Mississippi. The major lakes include:
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