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MOMissouri Map
Missouri on the US map
Missouri sits in the Midwest region of the United States — specifically the plains subregion as defined by the US Census Bureau. With an area ranking of #21 of 50, Missouri is mid-sized for the United States. The map above highlights Missouri in gold and color-codes the 49 other states by region.
Whether you're a student studying US geography, a traveler planning a road trip, a teacher building a lesson plan, or simply curious, the goal of this page is to give you a complete picture of where Missouri is and what surrounds it. Click any other state on the map above to navigate to its dedicated page.
Capital and largest city
The capital of Missouri is Jefferson City. The largest city by population, however, is Kansas City — not Jefferson City. This pattern (capital ≠ largest city) holds for about 33 of the 50 US states, including most of the famous mismatches like California (Sacramento, not LA), Florida (Tallahassee, not Miami), and New York (Albany, not NYC).
The historical reason for these mismatches dates to the late 18th and 19th centuries. When state founders chose capitals, they often deliberately picked smaller, more centrally located towns to avoid concentrating political and commercial power in the same place. They worried that a capital in a major port or commercial city would be too vulnerable to mob influence (a real concern at the time) and would skew political decisions toward commercial interests.
Borders and neighbors
Missouri shares land borders with 8 other US states: Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska. Each link goes to that state's dedicated page where you can see its own map, history, and facts.
Geographic features at a glance
- Total area rank: #21 of 50
- Population: 5 to 10 million
- Coastline: landlocked (no ocean access)
- Mountain ranges: no major mountain ranges
- Time zone: Central
- Region: Midwest — plains subregion
- Mississippi River: bordered or crossed by
- Missouri River: bordered or crossed by
- Route 66: on the historic Route 66 corridor
Major highways and transportation
Missouri is connected to the rest of the country by the federal Interstate Highway System (planned by President Eisenhower in the 1950s). The historic Route 66 — the "Mother Road" running from Chicago to Los Angeles — passes through Missouri. Major airports serve Kansas City and Jefferson City, with regional connections to the rest of the state. Amtrak rail service connects parts of Missouri to the national passenger rail network, though geographic isolation and population density vary.
Missouri notable firsts
- Birthplace of one or more US presidents
🌟 Missouri trivia
- Kansas City has more fountains than any city in the world except Rome.
- The Gateway Arch in St. Louis is the tallest monument in the US (630 feet) — and the only one you can ride inside.
- Mark Twain was born and raised in Hannibal, MO — the model for Tom Sawyer's town.
- The ice cream cone was invented at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis.
Missouri vs similar states
How does Missouri compare with 3 other states in the same region and size category?
| State | Capital | Pop | Area rank | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri | Jefferson City | 5 to 10 million | #21 | 1821 |
| Illinois | Springfield | over 10 million | #25 | 1818 |
| Iowa | Des Moines | 1 to 5 million | #26 | 1846 |
| Kansas | Topeka | 1 to 5 million | #15 | 1861 |
Bordering states (8)
Missouri shares borders with 8 other US states, listed alphabetically below. Each link goes to the dedicated state page.
Practice US geography daily — free
Statedoku is a 3×3 daily geography puzzle. Missouri appears as an answer or constraint clue on most days that match its region, borders, time zone, or quirks. Five minutes a day.
Play today's puzzle →Similar states to Missouri
If this page interested you, you may also want to explore states with similar geography, history, or culture. These states share Missouri's region (Midwest) and similar size category: