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TNTennessee Map
Tennessee on the US map
Tennessee sits in the South region of the United States — specifically the upland south subregion as defined by the US Census Bureau. With an area ranking of #36 of 50, Tennessee is mid-sized for the United States. The map above highlights Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee is Nashville — which is also the largest city in the state. About 17 of the 50 US state capitals also hold the title of largest city; Tennessee is one of them.
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
Tennessee shares land borders with 8 other US states: Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri. 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: #36 of 50
- Population: 5 to 10 million
- Coastline: landlocked (no ocean access)
- Mountain ranges: appalachians
- Time zone: Eastern (spans multiple)
- Region: South — upland south subregion
- Appalachian range: yes
- Mississippi River: bordered or crossed by
Major highways and transportation
Tennessee is connected to the rest of the country by the federal Interstate Highway System (planned by President Eisenhower in the 1950s). Major airports serve Nashville, with regional connections to the rest of the state. Amtrak rail service connects parts of Tennessee to the national passenger rail network, though geographic isolation and population density vary.
Tennessee notable firsts
- Birthplace of one or more US presidents
🌟 Tennessee trivia
- Nashville is "Music City" — home to country music, the Grand Ole Opry, and over 180 recording studios.
- Memphis gave the world both Elvis Presley's Graceland and the Civil Rights Museum (at the Lorraine Motel where MLK was assassinated).
- Tennessee whiskey (Jack Daniel's, George Dickel) is legally distinct from bourbon — it requires maple charcoal filtering.
- The state has the highest concentration of black bears in the eastern US (Great Smoky Mountains).
Tennessee vs similar states
How does Tennessee compare with 3 other states in the same region and size category?
| State | Capital | Pop | Area rank | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | Nashville | 5 to 10 million | #36 | 1796 |
| Alabama | Montgomery | 1 to 5 million | #30 | 1819 |
| Arkansas | Little Rock | 1 to 5 million | #29 | 1836 |
| Florida | Tallahassee | over 10 million | #22 | 1845 |
Bordering states (8)
Tennessee 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. Tennessee 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 Tennessee
If this page interested you, you may also want to explore states with similar geography, history, or culture. These states share Tennessee's region (South) and similar size category: