According to ebizdir, Missouri is located in the American Midwest. Because of the landscape, you sometimes have the feeling of having landed in an old film about the wild west. The most important cities in this state are St. Louis and Springfield, but numerous other cities in Missouri are always worth a visit and give an insight into the American way of live.

What one often comes across in Missouri is agriculture. It plays an important role in the local economy.

On the one hand, you can enjoy life in the city in this state, on the other hand you can also gain insights into life on a typical farm. The river of the same name as well as part of the Mississippi flows through Missouri, the area around these rivers should definitely be visited on a vacation in Missouri. Both rivers are habitats for numerous plants and animals and are also scenic.

The US state of Missouri is definitely worth a visit, because even if there are relatively few sights there and sightseeing has to be limited to a few smaller things, the state has its very own charm.

Missouri key facts

Land area: 180,533 sq km (21st place of all US states)

Share of water surface: 1.17%

Population: 5.91 million (2008 estimate, ranked 18th of all states in the United States)

Population density: 33 residents per square kilometer (28th place of all states in the USA)

Member of the United States since: August 10, 1821

Capital: Jefferson City (population 39,274, 2006)

Largest city: Kansas City (475,830 residents, 2007, metropolitan area 2.05 million residents)

Highest point: 540 m, Taum Sauk Mountain

Lowest point: 70 m, St Francis River

Governor: Jay Nixon (Democrat)

Lieut. Governor: Peter Kinder (Republican)

Local time: CET -7 h. From the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November: CET -6 h.
The time difference to Central Europe is -7 h in both winter and summer.

Postal abbreviation: MO

Missouri Geography and Map

The state of Missouri – capital is Jefferson City – belongs to the Midwest and is located near the geographic center of the United States. The state owes its name to the Missouri River. The Missouri is the longest tributary of the Mississippi River and with a length of 4,130 kilometers, not only is it longer than the stream it flows into – for comparison: the Mississippi extends over 3,778 kilometers – but also the longest river in the United States. Both flow through or border on the state of Missouri. Other major rivers include the Grand River, Platte River and St. Francis and the White River.

With a total area of ​​180,533 square kilometers, Missouri ranks 21st in the size comparison with the other US states. The highest point is Taum Sauk Mountain at 540 meters above sea level. Missouri’s lowest point – at 70 meters – is on the Saint Francis River. The average altitude of Missouri is 240 meters above sea level. Northern neighbor is Iowa. Missouri borders Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east and Arkansas to the south. Western states are Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska.

Geographically, Missouri can be divided into three areas. North of the Missouri River covers a large, consisting mainly of prairie landscape and rolling hills in some level – part of the Central Plains of the United States – which extends to parts of the territories of Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas.

The Ozark Plateau lies in southern Missouri- sometimes referred to as the Ozark Mountains -, a towering, deeply cut plateau. The Ozark Plateau covers an area of ​​approximately 122,000 square kilometers and is the largest mountain region between the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachians. The area not only extends over southern Missouri but also occupies the north and northwest of Arkansas, northeastern Oklahoma and southeastern Kansas. Together with the Quachita Mountains, it forms the so-called US Interior Highlands. The Ozarkplateau consists of four regions: the Springfield Plateau, the Salem Plateau, the Saint Francois Mountains, and the Boston Mountains. The Boston Mountains are the highest part of the Ozark Plateau with peaks of up to 780 meters.

The southeast of Missouri is characterized by the alluvial plain of the Mississippi, the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, which begins there. The region has fertile, agriculturally used soils but also swampy wetlands.

Missouri Landmarks

Visitors to Missouri are mainly drawn to the magnificent landscapes of the American state, which is characterized by rugged mountains, raging rivers and vast forests.
But Missouri has more to offer than just a unique natural environment. There are a number of different sights to visit here.

A detour to the Metropolitan Square Tower, the tallest building in St. Louis, is definitely worthwhile. The tower has a height of 181 meters with 42 floors. The tower was built in 1988.

There are also several universities in Missouri.

The Jefferson National Expansion Memorial is also worth a visit. The monument is a landmark of the city of St. Louis and is intended to commemorate the Louisiana Purchase as well as the settlement of the American West. The Jefferson National Expansion Memorial is also home to The Gateway Arch. This is an arch of historic significance nearly two hundred meters high. The Museum of Westwart Expansion can be visited near the arch.

An absolute must is the Capitol in Missouri’s capital, Jefferson City.

Missouri has two national parks that should not be missed as a nature lover. The two parks would be the Culvre River State Park near St. Louis and the Johnsons Shut-Ins State Park.