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Kentucky is located in the Southeastern region of the United States and ranks as the 37th largest state
in total area by covering 40,411 square miles (104,664 square kilometers or 10,466,401 hectares).
Land areas of Kentucky cover 39,732 square miles (102,905 square kilometers or 10,290,541 hectares),
whereas 679 square miles (1,759 square kilometers or 175,860 hectares) of Kentucky are covered by
water. Kentucky is bordered by Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, to the south by Tennessee,
by West Virginia and Virginia to the east, and by Missouri to the west.
Geographically, the state is divided into five regions: the Bluegrass Region of north-central
Kentucky, with rolling meadows and sandstone formations called "knobs"; the Cumberland Plateau, part
of the multi-state Appalachian Plateau and a region of mountains, plateaus, and valleys; the Western
Coal Field of northwestern Kentucky, so named for substantial coal deposits; the Pennyroyal or
Pennyrile Region, along the state’s southern border, and consisting of flat lands with rolling hills
and underground cave systems; and the Jackson Purchase Region in the far western corner of the state,
which is part of the Gulf Plains Region of the nation and is comprised of flood plains and low hills.
The highest point of Kentucky is Black
Mountain, at 4,139 feet (1.26 kilometers) above sea level. Major rivers in the Bluegrass State
include the Mississippi, Ohio, Kentucky, Cumberland, and Green Rivers; major lakes include Lake
Cumberland, Lake Barkley, and Kentucky Lake.
Kentucky’s climate is influenced by its location in the southeastern U.S., particularly by the Gulf
of Mexico, and is affected by a typical path of storm systems for the region. The climate is
typically moderate, but quite humid, and experiences abundant rainfall. More southern, lowland areas
experience warmer temperatures than higher elevations. Louisville experiences average temperatures
ranging from 33 degrees F (0.56 degrees C) in January to 76 degrees F (24.4 degrees C) in July. Most
of the average of 46 inches (116.8 centimeters) of precipitation falls in the form of rain, mostly in
Spring, and with higher averages in the southern portion of the state. Storms can occur throughout
the year, but mostly occur between March and September. The state receives approximately 18 inches
(45.7 centimeters) of snow per year.
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