Mississippi's shape is almost rectangle. Louisiana cuts a small notch into Mississippi's rectangular shape. The Mississippi River forms the state's western boundary. As the river weaves in and out, so does the state's western border.
Three important physical features shaped Mississippi's landscape. The southern end of the Appalachian Mountains, a long mountain chain that runs along the United States' eastern seabord, turns into hills in Mississippi. One peak, Woodall Mountain, rises 806 feet above sea level, Mississippi's highest point.
An even greater influence than the Appalachians on Mississippi's land is its major river. The Mississippi River begins as a narrow streat, just 20 to 30 feet wide, up north in Minnesota. By the time its waters reach the state of Mississippi, over 400 miles later, the river is 2 miles wide in some parts. For thousands of years, the river's ever-changing waters have built up a broad flat delta in the western part of Mississippi.
The Mississippi River has also created special water features called oxbow lakes. Many of these lakes formed naturally over a long period of time. The loops became cut off from the rest of the river and formed small, curved lakes.
To the south of the state lies the Gulf of Mexico. Measured in a straight linr, Mississippi's coastline is 40 miles long. However, its coastline is anything but straight. Many bays and coves cut into the land along the southern coastline.
To learn interesting facts about Mississippi, visit History.com.