Map of the United States: physical, population and economic regions
GeographyRegions & CountriesAges 16–17
Use it with your class: students open it from a link or a QR code, with no account needed.
Next in Regions & Countries
A self-drawn map of the United States built from latitude/longitude coordinates, divided into the four census regions — Northeast, Midwest, South and West — with inset panels for Alaska and Hawaii. Click a region to see its area, average rainfall, population for 2000, 2010 and 2020, and its share of national GDP; switch data layers to see how the physical landscape changes from west to east, how population has shifted toward the Sun Belt in the south and west, and where the leading farming, manufacturing and high-tech regions are.
Lesson: Location, physical geography, population, society and economy of the United States
What it shows
The map divides the United States into the four census regions used by the US Census Bureau: Northeast, Midwest, South and West. It links physical geography with human patterns. Rainfall is high along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, decreases across the Interior Plains and is lowest in the dry basins of the western Cordillera. Population data for 2000, 2010 and 2020 show growth concentrated in the South and West, the Sun Belt, driven by internal migration, jobs and immigration, while the older industrial Northeast and Midwest grew slowly. Shares of national GDP show where economic activity is concentrated.
How to use
Start with the Physical layer and click each region to compare average rainfall. Switch to Population and press Run to step through 2000, 2010 and 2020 while watching the bar chart, and note which regions gain most. Then switch to Economy and compare each region's share of GDP with its share of the population. Turn on Show major economic centres to link cities with the industries of each region.
Parameters you can change
- Data layer Physical – average annual rainfall, Population – population by region, Economy – share of national GDP
- Census year 2000–2020 year
- Selected region View whole country, Northeast region, Midwest region, South region, West region
- Show Alaska and Hawaii insets
- Show major economic centres
Questions to explore
- Which region gained the most people between 2000 and 2020, and what attracts people there?
- Why does average rainfall decrease from the Atlantic coast towards the western interior?
- Compare the South's share of the population with its share of GDP. What might explain any difference?
