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| CATEGORIES ABOUT WESTERN UNITED STATES | |
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, the western United States includes 13 states: Alaska , Arizona , California , Colorado , Hawaii , Idaho , Montana , Nevada , New Mexico , Oregon , Utah , Washington , and Wyoming .]] The Western United States—commonly referred to as the '''American West''' or simply '''The West'''—traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost States of the United States (see Geographical Terminology section for further discussion of these terms). Since the United States has Expanded Westward since its founding, the definition of the West has evolved over time. The Mississippi River is often referenced as the easternmost possible boundary of the West. The "West" had played an important part in American History ; the Old West is embedded in America's folklore. GEOGRAPHY in St. Louis , also known as the "Gateway to the West", commemorates the westward expansion of the United States.]] In its most expansive definition, the western U.S. is the largest region, covering more than half the land area of the United States. It is also the most geographically diverse, incorporating geographic regions such as the Pacific Coast , the temperate Rain Forest s of the Northwest , the Rocky Mountains , the Great Plains , most of the tall-grass prairie eastward to Illinois , the western Ozark plateau, the western portions of the southern forests, the Gulf Coast , and all of the desert areas located in the United States (the Mojave , Sonoran , Great Basin , and Chihuahua deserts). The region encompasses much of the Louisiana Purchase , most of the land ceded by Britain in 1818, some of the land acquired when the Republic Of Texas joined the U.S., all of the land ceded by Britain in 1846, all of the land ceded by Mexico in 1848, and all of the Gadsden Purchase . Variation and regionalism As the largest region in the United States there is variation to such an extent in the west that it is often broken down into regions. Arizona, Colorado, California, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas, and Utah or regions of those states are sometimes considered part of the Southwest , while all or part of Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming can be considered part of the Northwest , more narrowly part or all of those same states, with the exception of Wyoming and the eastern portions of Montana and Idaho, and the addition of Northern California , and the Canadian province of British Columbia comprise the Pacific Northwest . The west can be divided into the Pacific States ; Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington, with the term West Coast usually restricted to just California, Oregon, and Washington, and the Mountain States , always Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. Alaska and Hawaii, being detached from the other western states, have few similarities with them, but are usually also classified as part of the West. Western Texas in the Chihuahuan Desert is also traditionally considered part of the Western U.S.. Some western states are grouped into regions with eastern states. Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota are often included in the Midwest , which also includes states like Iowa , Illinois and Wisconsin . Texas and Oklahoma are often considered part of the Southwest, and Texas and Louisiana are also considered part of the South. It is rare for any state east of the Mississippi River to be considered part of the modern west. Historically, however, the Northwest Territory was an important early territory of the U.S., comprising the modern states of Ohio , Indiana , Illinois , Michigan and Wisconsin , as well as the northeastern part of Minnesota . NATURAL GEOGRAPHY |
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