Great Plains: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Photos and Videos

Map showing the Mississippi River basin and its extensive drainage network across the central United States, with major tributaries labeled, physical features such as mountain ranges and plains indicated by color-coded elevation, and state boundaries outlined. The map includes a locator inset highlighting the region within North America.

Nebraska grasslands

George Catlin: Buffalo Hunt, Chase

Map showing the traditional territories of Indigenous peoples of the North American Plains, outlined in red and spanning parts of present-day Canada and the central United States. Tribal names such as Blackfoot, Crow, Cheyenne, Pawnee, Osage, Comanche, and Wichita are labeled within their respective regions. Major rivers like the Missouri, Mississippi, and Rio Grande are also shown for geographic context.

Discover how vaqueros and the Colt six-shooter contributed to the evolution of the American cowboy

Learn about the disastrous and deadly power of tornadoes

See All Videos and Images →

Topics

Colorado Plateau High Plains Llano Estacado Cumberland Plateau Plains of Abraham Columbia Plateau Allegheny Plateau Mesa Central Appalachian Plateau Cape Breton Highlands