The city of Philadelphia is located on Pennsylvania's Atlantic Coastal Plain.
Pennsylvania is a state located in the middle of the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Home to major cities such as Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is also geographically diverse. There are five distinct physiographic regions, ranging from flat plains to rugged peaks.
Atlantic Coastal Plain
The Atlantic Coastal Plain is a narrow strip of land in southeastern Pennsylvania. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the entire area is about 45 miles long and up to five miles wide and runs parallel to the Delaware River. Philadelphia, the largest city in Pennsylvania, is located in this region.
Piedmont
The Piedmont region is an area of gently rolling hills in southeastern Pennsylvania. The region's mild climate and moderately fertile soils have made it an important agricultural area. Roughly 45% of the physiographic area is forested, and about an equal portion is in agricultural production, says the e-Reference Desk website.
Ridge and Valley Region
The Ridge and Valley region lies between the Piedmont and the Allegheny Plateau. The area is characterized by an alternating series of ridges and valleys. Together, these form part of the much larger Great Valley of the Appalachian Mountain system. The region is famous for its fertile soils, and the conditions are ideal for growing crops and grazing cattle.
Allegheny Plateau
The Allegheny Plateau covers a large part of northern and western Pennsylvania. The area consists primarily of extensively forested uplands, says the U.S. Bureau of Land Management website. The Allegheny Plateau forms part of the larger Appalachian Plateau, and it is a popular destination for trekkers and outdoor enthusiasts. The area is home to numerous rivers and streams and wildlife such as deer and elk. It also features the Pocono Mountains and Pennsylvania's highest peak, Mount Davis, which rises to approximately 3,200 feet.
Erie Lowland
The Erie Lowland is a plain in the extreme northwest portion of Pennsylvania. It is one of the state's smallest geographic regions, hemmed in by the Allegheny Plateau and the southern shore of Lake Erie, one of the Great Lakes. Most of Lake Erie is located in Pennsylvania's neighboring states, but the lake plays an important role in Pennsylvania's economy. According to Gwenyth Swain in her book "Pennsylvania," the port city of Erie is the hub from which Pennsylvania's products travel to other cities on the Great Lakes and beyond.
Tags: Allegheny Plateau, Atlantic Coastal, Atlantic Coastal Plain, Coastal Plain, Erie Lowland
