U.S. States Bordering The Most Other States
States with Most Shared Borders
50 states make up the country of US of which 48 of are contiguous in nature. Two of the states do not share borders with any other state; one is an island and the other borders Canada. However, two states in the country share borders with eight other states! This fact is a record in the US as no other state shares so many borders. The two are Tennessee and Missouri; they even share borders with each other. This article will take a look at each state and give a little background information about them.
Tennessee
Tennessee is located in the eastern US and is considered an Appalachian state. To the north, Tennessee shares borders with Kentucky and Virginia. To the east is North Carolina (which Tennessee once belonged to) and to the west, the border is shared with Arkansas and Missouri. The border is shared with Georgia, Mississippi, and Alabama to the south. Tennessee is popular for its role in shaping music legends. From blues to rock and everything in between, many famous artists, like Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash, got their start in Tennessee. The Appalachian mountains are found in the eastern part of the state. The mountains create the geographical border between the east and the midwest regions. This region is also where the Great Smoky National Park (the most visited national park in the country) is located. Some other points of interest include Jack Daniel’s Distillery, Dollywood (founded by Dolly Parton), and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Not to mention the excellent barbecue, this state has a little bit of everything.
Missouri
One of the states with which Tennessee shares a border is Missouri. This state is the second one to share eight borders with other states. Missouri is considered a midwestern state. The northern border is shared with Iowa. Kentucky, Tennessee, and Illinois are to the east though separated by the Mississippi river. The southern border touches Arkansas; Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Kansas are to the west. Missouri is named after the river of the same name which, in turn, was named for the local indigenous tribe, the Missouri Indians. The state provides the backdrop for two famous novels: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. These books were by Mark Twain, a Missouri native. Other famous individuals from Missouri include Sheryl Crow, Tina Turner, and Eminem. Missouri is also home to the Gateway Arch, which is an iconic symbol for St. Louis and the country. The Gateway Arch is considered the gate to the west and symbolizes leaving the Midwest and entering the western US.
The Missouri/Tennessee Border
The border between Missouri and Tennessee is formed by the Mississippi river. A unique thing has happened here with regards to another state, Kentucky, and its border. The Mississippi River winds along until suddenly moving into an oxbow loop. This region is when the river almost creates a full circle, leaving a piece of land surrounded by water on three sides (similar in shape to a peninsula). That little 26.9 square mile land which juts out into the Mississippi River and is connected to Tennessee is called the Kentucky Bend. The Kentucky Bend is an exclave of the state of Kentucky. The mailing address for the area is Tiptonville, Tennessee, but the nearest populated area is New Madrid, Missouri.
