Definitions of regions

[mubs]

At the risk of sounding like a complete retard, what states are included in the following definitions:

Midwest
Northeast
Southeast
Northwest
Southwest
Southern
East
West

I'm referring to the U.S. of course. While some of these may seem obvious, I have doubts like how much west does the definition of east go, and how much east does the definition of west go, etc.

Thanks.

 

[sechs]

I'm not sure that you're going to get agreement here, especially as those who live in the Old Northwest insist that they are in the Midwest.

 

[mubs]

Jeeze, that's why I posted here, because the definitions seem to vary on where I looked for answers!

 

[timwhit]

Midwest:
North Dakota
South Dakota
Nebraska
Kansas
Minnesota
Iowa
Missouri
Wisconsin
Illinois
Michigan
Indiana
Ohio

Northeast:
Connecticut
Maine
Massachusetts
New Jersey
New Hampshire
New York
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Vermont

Southeast:
Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia
Florida
Tennessee
Alabama
Mississippi
Louisiana

Northwest:
Washington
Oregon
Idaho
Montana
Wyoming

Southwest:
California
Nevada
Utah
Arizona
Colorado
New Mexico
Oklahoma
Texas

Southern:
Alabama
Arkansas
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maryland
Mississippi
North Carolina
Oklahoma
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Virginia
West Virginia

East:
Wisconsin
Illinois
Kentucky
Tennessee
Mississippi
Alabama
Florida
Georgia
North Carolina
South Carolina
Virginia
West Virginia
Ohio
Indiana
Michigan
Maryland
Delaware
Pennsylvania
New Jersey
Connecticut
Rhode Island
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
Vermont
Maine

West:
Texas
Oklahoma
Kansas
Nebraska
South Dakota
North Dakota
New Mexico
Arizona
Colorado
Nevada
Utah
Wyoming
Idaho
Montana
Idaho
Washington
Oregon
California

Freak States:
Alaska
Hawaii

 

[Buck]

"Freak States" - good one timmy! :lol: Although I like Hawaii a lot.

Mubs, everything East of the I-15 and everything West of the Appalachians is the Mid West. (Sorry, I know I'm not being very helpful.)

 

[mubs]

Thanks for the painstaking reply, Tim. I'm presuming the list you made is reasonably accurate?

This is why I get confused: Michigan, Indiana, Ohio et al are considered Midwest states?? When I look at a map, they are in the easternmost quarter of the mainland. I guess I'll never understand this one. I've saved Tim's list for reference. Thanks buddy.

 

[sechs]

See what I mean about people in the Old Northwest?

 

[blakerwry]

i think some of the confusion comes from the fact that ohio, michigan and indiana all used to be in the west, and then the US was expanded further and further.

West, midwest, east, SW, etc are all very loose terms.

 

[ddrueding]

And there is no way I'll be bunched in with:

Texas
Oklahoma
Kansas
Nebraska
South Dakota
North Dakota

Are you kidding? West? If you can't get to the pacific on a tank of gas, you aren't "west".

I always considered Colorado to be "Mid-West".



And me? I'm Nor-Cal 8)

 

[blakerwry]

anything with The rocky mountains or west thereof is considred west in my book. Kansas, Nebraska, the dakotas, missouri, Ohoio, Indiana are mid-west.

Arazona, new mex are south west. Texas and oklahoma etc are south.

which leaves about half states in the east.

 

[timwhit]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Western_states

Western states lie west of the Mississippi River. Everyone know that. Except those that live in the those states I guess.

 

[mubs]

Yay! I've proven my point!

I get really upset when I see references (in written communications) to places using these terms; it's so bloody vague. Why can't people be more specific.

Seriously, guys, is there an offical definition by Big Brother? Maybe the Census Bureau, maybe another dept.? Anybody know of one?

update: looking at Wikipedia right now; there are entries for midwest and southwest. Again, has a lot of sometimes, maybe, but etc.

 

[timwhit]

Read this page for a good reference of what the Midwest encompasses: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midwest.

 

[timwhit]

Yay! I've proven my point!

I get really upset when I see references (in written communications) to places using these terms; it's so bloody vague. Why can't people be more specific.

Seriously, guys, is there an offical definition by Big Brother? Maybe the Census Bureau, maybe another dept.? Anybody know of one?

update: looking at Wikipedia right now; there are entries for midwest and southwest. Again, has a lot of sometimes, maybe, but etc.

The entries I listed for Midwest, Northeast, South, and West are the official US Census Bureau regions of the US. So all you that think Kansas is not part of the West can bite me.

On a side note I will be traveling to Kansas in the next couple of days to visit my Grandparents. I'll be in KC for a few days as well to visit my sister. Anything I should see Blake?

 

[Fushigi]

Should Hawaii be in the Southwest? It is both the farthest west and the farthest south state. :lol:

 

[mubs]

Tim, thanks for your help. I am most certainly not belittling you. It's just that so much confusion exists. I'm happy with the Census Bureau defs., except they don't seem to define all the regions I listed in my original post.

 

[bahngeist]

Sort of goes to show that where one lives often determines what states/provinces coinicide with a given region. Regions often thus often tend to be arbitrary and/or are relative to demographic or, more particularly, economic shifts.

As a library cataloger, I often have to assign regional subject headings to books and documents. Ironically enough, Missouri is generally not regarded as being a Midwest State, whereas Kansas is. Sounds counterintuitive, but even many Midwest organizations (trade, agricultural, etc.) generally follow that same pattern -- e.g., The Council of Midwest States.

In Canada, someone from Alberta would generally regionalize the country as follows: B.C., The Prairies, Eastern Canada (Ontario and Quebec) and The Maritimes. Conversely, someone in Toronto would divide the country up as follows: Western Canada, Central Canada (Ontario and Quebec), and Eastern Canada. A Quebecois would generally define Canada as being any of the above exluding Quebec, excepting when a greater amount of transfer payments from the former is desired

It's all a matter of perspective.

 

[sechs]

So all you that think Kansas is not part of the West can bite me.

When will you be available?

 

[ddrueding]

I'll bite you, but there's no way in hell I'm going to Kansas. Come out west and we'll talk.

 

[blakerwry]

If you're form Kansas you will say you're from the midwest. Half the country is west of here....



Kansas City has the plaza, it's a nice place with a few interesting buildings, shops, restraunts (cheese cake factory is a favorite) and some nice fountains. just a block away is the Nelson-Atkins Museum of art...

If you're going to be here any speciic dates you might check out a travel guide.. i know there will be the kansas city symphony playing at union station for memorial day(on the 30th)... in a couple weeks(the weekend of the 18th) is the crawfish festival, which is always nice if you're into cajun food and music.

 

[mubs]

I know Tim asked to be bitten, but I didn't think Sechs and DD had cannibalistic notions...

 

[Mickey]

I know Tim asked to be bitten, but I didn't think Sechs and DD had cannibalistic notions...

Could be vampiric tendencies, too.

 

[ddrueding]

I know Tim asked to be bitten, but I didn't think Sechs and DD had cannibalistic notions...

Could be vampiric tendencies, too.

Not necissarily, I did live in San Francisco for a while.... :wink: ........ ..... :eekers:



Kidding of course, just got home from a 28 hour day...WTF am I doing posting this?

 

[timwhit]

Kansas City has the plaza, it's a nice place with a few interesting buildings, shops, restraunts (cheese cake factory is a favorite) and some nice fountains. just a block away is the Nelson-Atkins Museum of art...

If you're going to be here any speciic dates you might check out a travel guide.. i know there will be the kansas city symphony playing at union station for memorial day(on the 30th)... in a couple weeks(the weekend of the 18th) is the crawfish festival, which is always nice if you're into cajun food and music.

Went to the Nelson-Atkins art museum today and saw the KC symphony play at Union Station (there were fireworks also). Drove through the plaza and ate at a bbq restaurant. Nice city so far.

 

[sechs]

I'd like to mention to the geographically challenged that Kansas City, as most people know it, is in the State of Missery.

Kansas has its own Kansas City, which, I suppose is a fun place to drive through, on your way to the real Kansas City.