Thegeography ofArkansas varies widely. The state is covered by mountains, river valleys, forests, lakes, and bayous in addition to thecities of Arkansas.Hot Springs National Park features bubbling springs of hot water, formerly sought across the country for their healing properties.^[1][2]Crowley's Ridge is a geological anomaly rising above the surrounding lowlands of theMississippi embayment.

TheBuffalo National River, as it flows throughThe Ozarks to theWhite River, is a popular tourist attraction. It was designated the first national river in 1972 after years of conservation efforts in opposition to aUnited States Army Corps of Engineers plan to dam the river. TheArkansas River enters the state nearVan Buren and flows southeast throughLittle Rock to empty into theMississippi River nearArkansas Post. Most of the river serves barge traffic toTulsa, Oklahoma, as theMcClellan–Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System.^[3] Through south Arkansas, theOuachita River and theSaline River run roughly parallel to the Arkansas, and the major rivers in northeast Arkansas are the White River andSt. Francis River. TheRed River runs through the southwest corner of the state.

Arkansas has many manmade lakes across the state, many are the basis forstate parks,wildlife management areas, or other recreation.Bull Shoals Lake,DeGray Lake,Lake Dardanelle,Lake Ouachita all have state parks along their shores, andBeaver Lake,Table Rock Lake,Greers Ferry Lake,Lake Hamilton and Lake Catherine are also major recreation lakes in the state.^[4]

The Ozarks is a broad term for many mountainous counties in northwest Arkansas. This region is usually referred to the Ozarks because the term Northwest Arkansas is the colloquial name for theFayetteville–Springdale–Rogers Metropolitan Area, includingBenton,Madison,Washington counties in Arkansas andMcDonald County, Missouri.^[5] The Ozark, however, span from the Arkansas River in the south through north central Arkansas. TheBoston Mountains subset contain highest peaks in the Ozarks.^[6]

Arkansas is located in the southeastern United States, in theWest South CentralCensus Bureau division. Arkansas covers an area of 53,179 square miles (137,733 km²) and ranks as the 29th largest state by size.^[7] The state borders sixU.S. states:Missouri to the north,Tennessee andMississippi across theMississippi River to the east,Louisiana to the south,Oklahoma to the west, andTexas to the southwest.

First added to theUnited States of America as part of theLouisiana Territory of theLouisiana Purchase in 1803, Arkansas later became part of theMissouri Territory upon its establishment in 1812.^[8] This was further divided into theArkansaw Territory on March 2, 1819, as everything south ofParallel 36°30′ north (except theMissouri Bootheel) to theLouisiana state line. This new territory also included most of present-day Oklahoma until gaining its current boundaries in the 1840s. The slight oddity in Arkansas's western boundary results from a dispute with theChoctaw Nation in 1824. The Choctaws wanted the western boundary of Arkansas to start 100 paces east of Fort Smith and run south to the Red River, claiming the land had little timber and poor soil. Despite protests fromHenry Conway, PresidentJames Monroe signed the bill into law on January 20, 1825.^[9]

Arkansas's regions are defined using many different criteria. Distinct natural regions of Arkansas includeThe Ozarks,Ouachita Mountains,Arkansas River Valley,Gulf Coastal Plain,Crowley's Ridge, theArkansas Delta,Arkansas Timberlands, andCentral Arkansas. Arkansans usually identify as being from one of five regions: northwest, southwest, northeast, southeast, or central Arkansas. These directional regions are not specifically defined by county.

Northwest Arkansas contains the southern half ofthe Ozarks, including the steeperBoston Mountains and the more gentleSpringfield Plateau. These mountains are heavily forested by anoak-hickory ecosystem and less than 25% has been cleared for agriculture.^[10] TheOzark National Forest, administered by theNational Forest Service, preserves 1,200,000 acres (490,000 ha) of land in northwest Arkansas, including Arkansas's highest point,Mount Magazine inMount Magazine State Park. Also within northwest Arkansas is theArkansas River Valley including the tri-peaks tourist region ofMount Nebo, Mount Magazine,Petit Jean Mountain, andLake Dardanelle.^[11] Federal and state protected areas such as theBuffalo National River,Buffalo National River Wilderness,Bull Shoals–White River State Park, andHobbs State Park – Conservation Area preserve the northwest Arkansas Ozarks in their natural state.

Population is anchored by theFayetteville–Springdale–Rogers Metropolitan Area andFort Smith metropolitan area, with sparsely populated mountainous areas defining the remainder of the region. The Ozark culture, such asOzark Folk Festival held annually inMountain View, defines much of the rural parts of northwest Arkansas. TheOzark Folk Center in Mountain View is dedicated to preserving northwest Arkansas's folk heritage.^[12] Other cultural centers areBentonville, home toCrystal Bridges Museum of American Art, andFayetteville, home to theUniversity of Arkansas andWalton Arts Center.^[13]

Northeast Arkansas is generally characterized as the area east of the Ozark Mountains and north ofInterstate 40. The land is adjacent to theMississippi River and generally flat, fertile, swampy lands sometimes called theArkansas Delta. The exception is Crowley's Ridge, a geological remnant from thePleistocene era that raises around 200 feet (61 m) above the surrounding delta lowlands.^[14] Crowley's Ridge is more populated than the sparsely populated delta, including larger citiesJonesboro,Paragould,Forrest City, andWynne. Primary waterways in the region include theCache River,St. Francis River, and theBlack River. Protected areas of northeast Arkansas includeCache River National Wildlife Refuge,Bald Knob National Wildlife Refuge,Wapanocca National Wildlife Refuge,Lake Charles State Park, andLake Poinsett State Park.

Tourists can explore some of the localNative American culture at theNodena site,Parkin Archaeological State Park, andHampson Museum State Park. Following settlement, most of the area relied oncotton as the primary cash crop, and was home to many powerful plantation owners in the antebellum period. After theCivil War, agriculture became based onsharecropping andtenant farming, allowing plantation owners to keep their workers in poverty and maintain their political power. Much of this history is alive today at museums like theSouthern Tenant Farmers Union Museum inTyronza. The rivers served as highways for commerce and communication in the early days, and steamboat towns of days past have been restored for visitors to enjoy, includingJacksonport State Park andPowhatan Historic State Park along the Black River.Davidsonville Historic State Park preserves one of the state's first settlements as a frontier town, also located on the Black River. The primary population center of the region is theJonesboro metropolitan area, withJonesboro serving as the principal city.

Southeast Arkansas is generally characterized as the area east of Little Rock and south of Interstate 40. The land is adjacent to theMississippi River and generally flat, fertile, swampy lands sometimes called theArkansas Delta. This region is sparsely populated, with an economy primarily driven by agriculture. The western side of Southeast Arkansas includes thePiney Woods, a region known for densepine andcypressforests. Silviculture and agriculture are prominent in this section of the region. Population centers includePine Bluff,Stuttgart,Monticello,Warren andCrossett. Primary waterways in the region include the Arkansas River,Bayou Bartholomew, Mississippi River and the White River. Protected areas of southeast Arkansas includeCane Creek State Park,Delta Heritage Trail State Park,Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge,Lake Chicot State Park,Mississippi River State Park,Overflow National Wildlife Refuge andWhite River National Wildlife Refuge.

The flat topography and fertile soils of Southeast Arkansas have been important to the region throughout its history, first to theNative American that inhabited the region. This history is available today at museums like thePine Bluff/Jefferson County Historical Museum. The area was one of the first explored and settled in Arkansas; including the territorial capital atArkansas Post. Following widespread settlement, most of the area was put intocotton cultivation due to the region's fertile soils. The staple's high market value made many plantation owners wealthy in the antebellum period; this history is available to visitors at museums such as theLakeport Plantation. After the Civil War, agriculture became based on sharecropping and tenant farming, allowing plantation owners to keep their workers in poverty and maintain their political power and social dominance. In the 1950s, mechanization reduced the need for laborers on the farm, driving much of the region's population elsewhere in order to find jobs. Throughout much of Southeast Arkansas, population has continued to decline and economies have continued to shrink ever since. The primary population center of the region is thePine Bluff metropolitan area, with Pine Bluff serving as the principal city.

Southwest Arkansas is largely covered in a thickpine,hickory, andoak forest known as thePiney Woods, with much of the land being preserved in theOuachita National Forest. Manmade lakes dot the region, includingLake Ouachita,Lake Hamilton,Millwood Lake, andDeGray Lake. Population centers includeHot Springs, a popular tourist destination known for the naturalhot springs protected withinHot Springs National Park,Oaklawn Park racing resort, and historic buildings; andTexarkana, which straddles theTexas state line in the southwest corner of Arkansas. Most of Southwest Arkansas is sparsely populated, with small towns separated by long roadways through stands of pine trees.

Arkansas generally has ahumid subtropical climate (Cfa in theKöppen climate classification). All months average above freezing and at least one month averages above 22°C (71.6°F). According to theTrewartha climate classification the majority of the state is humid subtropical (Cf), while areas that only have seven months above 50°F (10°C) (mainly northern areas and in theBoston Mountains) areoceanic (Do.)

While not bordering theGulf of Mexico, Arkansas is still close enough to the warm, large body of water for it to influence the weather in the state. Generally, Arkansas has hot, humid summers and slightly drier, mild to cool winters. InLittle Rock, the daily high temperatures average around 93 °F (34 °C) with lows around 73 °F (23 °C) in July. In January highs average around 51 °F (11 °C) and lows around 32 °F (0 °C). InSiloam Springs in the northwest part of the state, the average high and low temperatures in July are 89 and 67 °F (32 and 19 °C) and in January the average high and low are 44 and 23 °F (7 and −5 °C).

Annual precipitation throughout the state averages between about 40 and 60 inches (1,000 and 1,500 mm); it is somewhat wetter in the south and drier in the northern part of the state. Snowfall is infrequent but most common in the northern half of the state.^[15] The half of the state south of Little Rock is apter to see ice storms. Arkansas's record high is 120 °F (49 °C) atOzark on August 10, 1936; the record low is −29 °F (−34 °C) atGravette, on February 13, 1905.^[16]

Arkansas is known for extreme weather and frequent storms. A typical year brings thunderstorms, tornadoes, hail, snow and ice storms. Between both theGreat Plains and theGulf States, Arkansas, receives around 60 days of thunderstorms. Arkansas is located inTornado Alley, and as a result, a few of the most destructive tornadoes in U.S. history have struck the state. While sufficiently far from the coast to avoid a direct hit from a hurricane, Arkansas can often get the remnants of atropical system, which dumps tremendous amounts of rain in a short time and often spawns smaller tornadoes.^{[citation needed]}

TheNatural Resources Conservation Service has noted that amounts of rainfall in Arkansas are characterized by marked differences along a northeast/southwest dividing line. The northeast is characterized as arid-semiarid climate, and the southwest as aGulf-influenced humid-subhumid climate.^[31] The area that receives the most rain in the state is the area south of theOuachita Mountains, which form anorographic effect (commonly known asrain shadow) when storms move north from the Gulf.

TheArkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) describes Arkansas's water resources by using six ecoregions. Of the six, the Boston Mountain, Ouachita Mountain and Ozark Highlands ecoregions generally contain waterways with "exceptionally high quality water", including many of the state's extraordinary resources waters (ERWs). The Arkansas River Valley, Gulf Coastal and Delta ecoregions have seen adverse water quality effects from agriculture andsilviculture but are generally compliant with the goals of theClean Water Act.^[32]

Arkansas contains approximately 515,000 acres (208,000 ha) of surface waters, including 28,408 miles (45,718 km) of perennial streams and 87,618 miles (141,008 km) of total streams. ADEQ uses six ultimate receiving streams to subdivide the state into primary watersheds:Arkansas River,Mississippi River,Ouachita River,Red River,St. Francis River, andWhite River. This six basins collect water from over 1600 smaller watersheds throughout the state via tributary streams, as described below.^[32]

• Arkansas River: flows south-southeast, roughly bisecting the state. Major tributaries include Bayou Meto, Cadron Creek,Fourche LaFave River, Petit Jean River,Poteau River, andIllinois River.
• Mississippi River: flows south and forms much of the state's eastern boundary on its way to theGulf of Mexico. Major tributaries include the Arkansas, St. Francis, and White.
• Ouachita River: flows southeast intoLouisiana. Major tributaries include theAntoine River,Boeuf River,Bayou Bartholomew,Little Missouri River, and theSaline River.
• Red River: located in southwest Arkansas, flows southeast into Louisiana. Major tributaries include:Dorcheat Bayou, Bodcau Bayou, Lower Middle Red River, Lower Red River,Sulphur River, McKinney Bayou,Little River, andMountain Fork
• St. Francis River: located in northeast Arkansas, flows east into the Mississippi River. Major tributaries include theL'Anguille River andLittle River.
• White River: flows from northwest to southeast Arkansas, including a brief turn intoMissouri. Major tributaries includeBayou De View,Bayou des Arc,Black River,Buffalo River,Cache River,Eleven Point River,Kings River,Little Red River,Spring River,Strawberry River, Village Creek, Wattensaw Bayou.

• 
  Arkansas River
  at Little Rock
• 
  Mississippi River
  at Lake Village
• 
  Ouachita River in the
  Ouachita National Forest
• 
  Red River
  at Lewisville
• 
  St. Francis River
  at Parkin
• 
  White River
  at Buffalo City

Groundwater accounts for over 60% of water use in Arkansas, and shallow aquifers providing high quality groundwater can be found throughout the state. In many upland regions of Arkansas, surface water interacts with groundwater viakarst topography common to the Ozarks and Ouachitas. Groundwater monitoring is subdivided into twelve areas. Of the twelve, the Athens Plateau (Hempstead County), Frontal Ouachita, Hardy, Omaha, Ouachita, North Central, and Pine Bluff monitoring areas have a water quality described as "generally good".

^[32]

Arkansas has many protected natural areas administered by several different organizations. TheOzark Mountain forests have been subdivided into theOzark National Forest, St. Francis National Forest, and theOuachita National Forest, maintained by theUnited States Forest Service.^[33][34] The Forest Service also maintains theBlack Fork Mountain Wilderness,Blanchard Springs Caverns, and several other recreational areas within the forests.

Administered by theNational Park Service (NPS),Hot Springs National Park was the nation's first national park. The park includes structures from when it was a flourishing resort:Bathhouse Row is a formerly bustling avenue ofGilded Age architecture bathhouses; each drew on the spring water of the site with claims to cure dozens of ailments. There was also a racetrack and associated resort nearby.

The NPS also maintains threeNational Historic Sites in Arkansas:Fort Smith National Historic Site,Little Rock Central High School, and thePresident Clinton Birthplace.Pea Ridge National Military Park is the only National Military Park, andArkansas Post National Memorial is the only National Memorial in the state.

TheArkansas Department of Parks and Tourism maintains 52 state parks in Arkansas as well asPoison Springs State Forest.^[4] Parks range from large forested areas for hiking enthusiasts, to lakes and rivers for watersports, to interpretive historical sites, to cemeteries celebrating historically significant Arkansans. Some of the most frequently visited parks includeMount Magazine State Park,DeGray Lake Resort State Park,Crater of Diamonds State Park,Pinnacle Mountain State Park,Petit Jean State Park,Devil's Den State Park,Crowley's Ridge State Park, andLake Ouachita State Park.

• Arkansas Geological Survey

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