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Arkansas is located in the Southern region of the United States, near the center of the country. The
Natural State ranks 29th largest of the U.S. states, covering 53,182 square miles (137,741 square
kilometers or 13,774,075 hectares) in total area. Land areas of Arkansas cover 52,075 square miles
(134,874 square kilometers or 13,487,363 hectares), whereas 1,107 square miles (2,867 square kilometers
or 286,712 hectares) of Arkansas are covered by water. Arkansas is bordered by Missouri to the north,
Louisiana to the south, to the east by Tennessee, Missouri, and Mississippi and the Mississippi River,
and to the west by Texas and Oklahoma.
Arkansas is divided geographically into five regions: the Ozark Plateau (or Ozark Mountains),
Arkansas Valley, the Ouachita Mountains, the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, and the West Gulf Coastal
Plain. The state is marked by highlands to the north and west, and by lowlands to the south and east.
The highest point tin the state is Mount
Magazine, at 2,753 feet (0.84 kilometers). Important rivers in Arkansas include the Arkansas,
Mississippi, Saint Francis, White, Ouachita, and Red Rivers. Arkansas is generally lush, with
abundant lakes and streams, and even mineral springs such as Hot Springs.
Arkansas’ climate is affected by topography and elevation, and its central location ensures
influences from many weather systems. Overall, Arkansas enjoys a temperature climate of four seasons,
with mild winters and hot, humid summers. Higher elevations experience cooler temperatures than
lowland areas. The average daily January temperatures range from 35 to 4 degrees F (1.7 to -15.5
degrees C), and average July temperatures are around 81 degrees F (27.2 degrees C). Precipitation
ranges from 45 inches (114.3 centimeters) annually in higher elevations, and greater in the lowlands,
with as much as 50 to 55 inches (127 to 139.7 centimeters) annually in the Delta region. An average
of 5.2 inches (13.2 centimeters) of snow falls annually in the Natural State.
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