GEOGRAPHY THROUGH MAPS
Mississippi River
The Mississippi rises at Lake Itasca in Minnesota and flows south to the Gulf of Mexico. Its basin links much of the interior between the Rockies and Appalachians through major tributaries.
Fast Facts
- Missouri and Arkansas join from the right bank when facing downstream.
- Ohio joins from the left bank at Cairo, Illinois.
- The lower river forms a distributary delta, including the well-known bird-foot pattern.
Connected lessons
- Mississippi RiverMap, explanation and practice
- Missouri RiverMap, explanation and practice
- Ohio RiverMap, explanation and practice
- Arkansas RiverMap, explanation and practice
- From mountains to three ocean systemsGuided exploration
Geographical connections
- Gulf of MexicoRelated places
- Missouri RiverRelated places
- Ohio RiverRelated places
- Arkansas RiverRelated places
- Missouri RiverHas tributary
- Ohio RiverHas tributary
- Arkansas RiverHas tributary