Geography of Oklahoma - wikipedia Geography of Oklahoma Oklahoma topographical map Geographic map of Oklahoma The Geography of Oklahoma encompasses terrain and ecosystems ranging from arid plains to subtropical forests and mountains. Oklahoma contains 10 distinct ecological regions, more per square mile than in any other state by a wide margin. It is situated in the Great Plains and U.S. Interior Highlands region near the geographical center of the 48 contiguous states. Usually considered part of the South Central United States, Oklahoma is bounded on the east by Arkansas and Missouri, on the north by Kansas, on the northwest by Colorado, on the far west by New Mexico, and on the south and near - west by Texas. The state has four primary mountain ranges : the Arbuckle Mountains, the Wichita Mountains, the Ozark Mountains and the Ouachita Mountains. Part of the U.S. Interior Highlands region, the Ozarks and Ouachitas form the only major highland region between the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachians. A portion of the Flint Hills stretches into north - central Oklahoma, and in the state 's southeastern corner, Cavanal Hill is officially regarded as the world 's tallest hill ; at 1,999 feet ( 609 m ), it fails the definition of a mountain by one foot. More than 500 named creeks and rivers make up Oklahoma 's waterways, and with 200 lakes created by dams, it holds the highest number of reservoirs in the nation. Oklahoma covers an area of 69,898 square miles ( 181,030 km ), with 68,667 square miles ( 177,850 km ) of land and 1,231 square miles ( 3,190 km ) of water, making it the 20th - largest state in the United States. Generally, it is divided into seven geographical regions : Green Country, or Northeast Oklahoma, Southeastern Oklahoma, Central Oklahoma, South Central Oklahoma, Southwest Oklahoma, Northwest Oklahoma, and the Oklahoma Panhandle. Contents 1 Topography 2 Flora and fauna 3 Protected lands 4 Climate 5 See also 6 Additional reading 7 References Topography The Ouachita Mountains cover much of southeastern Oklahoma. See also : Lakes in Oklahoma and List of rivers of Oklahoma Situated between the Great Plains and the Ozark Plateau in the Gulf of Mexico watershed, Oklahoma tends to slope gradually downward from its western to eastern boundaries. Its highest and lowest points follow this trend, with its highest peak, Black Mesa, at 4,368 feet ( 1,516 m ) above sea level, situated near the far northwest corner of the Oklahoma Panhandle. The state 's lowest point is on the Little River near its far southeastern boundary, which dips to 289 feet ( 88 m ) above sea level. Most of the state lies in two primary drainage basins belonging to the Red and Arkansas rivers, though the Lee and Little rivers also contain significant drainage basins. In the state 's northwestern corner, semi-arid high plains harbor few natural forests and rolling to flat landscape with intermittent canyons and mesa ranges like the Glass Mountains. Partial plains interrupted by small mountain ranges like the Antelope Hills and the Wichita Mountains dot southwestern Oklahoma, and transitional prairie and woodlands cover the central portion of the state. The Ozark and Ouachita Mountains rise from west to east over the state 's eastern third, gradually increasing in elevation in an eastward direction. Oklahoma had few natural lakes. Those that did exist were either oxbow or playa lakes. Oklahoma has sixty - two oxbow lakes above 10 acres ( 0.040 km ) in size. The largest, near the Red River in McCurtain County is 272 acres ( 1.10 km ). The prolonged drought that started in 1930 and created the condition called the `` Dust Bowl '', led to the construction of a great many reservoirs throughout the state. Now, Oklahoma has the largest number of lakes created by dams of any state in the United States, with more than 200. Flora and fauna Populations of American bison inhabit the state 's prairie ecosystems. Forests cover 24 percent of Oklahoma, and prairie grasslands, composed of shortgrass, mixed - grass, and tallgrass prairie, harbor expansive ecosystems in the state 's central and western portions. Where rainfall is sparse in the western regions of the state, shortgrass prairie and shrublands are the most prominent ecosystems, though pinyon pines, junipers, and ponderosa pines grow near rivers and creek beds in the far western reaches of the panhandle. Marshlands, cypress forests and mixtures of shortleaf pine, loblolly pine, sabal minor, and deciduous forests dominate the state 's southeastern quarter, while mixtures of largely post oak, elm, cedar and pine forests cover the Ozark Mountains in northeastern Oklahoma. Many rare, relic species such as sugar maple, bigtooth maple, southern live oak, and nolina inhabit Southwestern Oklahoma and the Wichita Mountains. The state holds large populations of white - tailed deer, coyotes, bobcats, elk, and birds such as quail, doves, cardinals, bald eagles, red - tailed hawks, and pheasants. In prairie ecosystems, american bison, greater prairie - chickens, badgers, and armadillo are common, and some of the nation 's largest prairie dog towns inhabit shortgrass prairie in the state 's panhandle. The Cross Timbers, a region transitioning from prairie to woodlands in Central Oklahoma, harbors 351 vertebrate species. The Ouachita Mountains are home to black bear, red fox, grey fox, and river otter populations, which coexist with a total of 328 vertebrate species in southeastern Oklahoma. Protected lands Mesas rise above Oklahoma 's Glass Mountain state park. Main article : List of Oklahoma state parks Oklahoma has 41 state parks, two national protected forests or grasslands, and a network of wildlife preserves and conservation areas. Six percent of the state 's 10 million acres ( 40,000 km ) of forest is public land, including the western portions of the Ouachita National Forest, the largest and oldest national forest in the southern United States. With 39,000 acres ( 160 km ), the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in north - central Oklahoma is the largest protected area of tallgrass prairie in the world and is part of an ecosystem that encompasses only 10 percent of its former land area, once covering 14 states. In addition, the Black Kettle National Grassland covers 31,300 acres ( 127 km ) of prairie in southwestern Oklahoma. The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge is the oldest and largest of nine national wildlife refuges in the state and was founded in 1901, encompassing 59,020 acres ( 238.8 km ). Of Oklahoma 's federally protected park or recreational sites, the Chickasaw National Recreation Area is the largest, with 4,500 acres ( 18 km ). Other federal protected sites include the Santa Fe and Trail of Tears national historic trails, the Fort Smith and Washita Battlefield national historic sites, and the Oklahoma City National Memorial. Climate Oklahoma map of Köppen climate classification. Hickory, pine, and oak forests dominate Northeastern Oklahoma, which receives far more rain than western areas of the state. Oklahoma sits at a frequent crossroads between three different air masses : warm, humid air from the Gulf of Mexico, warm to hot, dry air from Mexico and the Southwestern U.S., and cold, dry air from Canada. Especially from fall to spring, Oklahoma sees frequent air mass changes, which can produce drastic swings in temperature and humidity. Much of the state is often subjected to extremes in temperature, wind, drought, and rainfall. Most of the state lies in an area known as Tornado Alley characterized by frequent interaction between cold and warm air masses, producing severe weather, with the highest - risk months from April to June. An average of 62 tornadoes strike the state per year -- one of the highest rates in the world. Because of its position between zones of differing prevailing temperature and winds, weather patterns within the state can vary widely between relatively short distances. Precipitation occurs year - round, but average monthly precipitation is generally lowest in the winter months, rises dramatically to a peak in May ( the year 's wettest month virtually statewide, owing to frequent, and not uncommonly severe, thunderstorm activity ), and decreases again by mid-summer, when long stretches of hot, dry weather are common in July and August many years. Early fall ( September and early October ) often sees a secondary precipitation maximum, and from late October to December precipitation generally decreases again. See climate data for Oklahoma City and Tulsa, OK. Eastern Oklahoma has a humid subtropical climate ( Köppen Cfa ) heavily influenced by southerly winds bringing moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and has hot, humid summers and generally mild winters, but with sometimes - dramatic cold spells, sometimes accompanied by snow, sleet or freezing rain. This transitions progressively to a semi-arid zone ( Köppen BSk ) in the high plains of the Panhandle, where a drier climate prevails, with somewhat - colder winters and similarly - hot summers but much lower humidity. Other central to western areas of the state, including Lawton and Enid in the transition zone, are also less affected by moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, and tend to be drier than Oklahoma 's eastern counties. Precipitation and temperatures fall from east to west accordingly, with areas in the southeast averaging an annual temperature of 62 ° F ( 17 ° C ) and an annual rainfall of as high as 56 inches ( 1,420 mm ), while areas of the panhandle average 58 ° F ( 14 ° C ), with an annual rainfall under 17 inches ( 430 mm ). All of the state frequently experiences temperatures above 100 ° F ( 38 ° C ), or below 0 ° F ( − 18 ° C ) ( though subzero temperatures are rare in southeastern Oklahoma ), and snowfall ranges from an average of less than 4 inches ( 10 cm ) in the far south to just over 20 inches ( 51 cm ) on the border of Colorado in the panhandle. The state is home to the National Storm Prediction Center of the National Weather Service located at Norman. Winter and spring weather often is influenced by the El Niño Southern Oscillation. Winters during El Niño are cooler than average and wetter across the western portion of the state due to an amplified southern jet stream. During La Niña, the storm track is further north, therefore winters are warmer than average and drier in the western part of the state. See also 2009 -- 18 Oklahoma earthquake swarms Geology of Oklahoma List of Oklahoma tri-points Additional reading Robert Lowitt, `` Environment and cultural ecology '', Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture References Jump up ^ `` Oklahoma, All Terrain Vacation ''. TravelOK. TravelOK.com. 2006 - 01 - 12. Archived from the original on July 9, 2006. Retrieved 2006 - 07 - 15. ^ Jump up to : `` The Geography of Oklahoma ''. Netstate. 2007 - 07 - 31. Retrieved 2007 - 07 - 31. Jump up ^ `` Managing Upland Forests of the Midsouth ''. USDA Forest Service. 2007 - 03 - 07. Archived from the original on 2008 - 06 - 22. Retrieved 2007 - 07 - 31. ^ Jump up to : `` About Oklahoma ''. TravelOK.com. 2007. Retrieved 2006 - 07 - 10. Jump up ^ `` Land and Water Area of States, 2000 ''. Information Please. 2000. Retrieved 2006 - 11 - 22. Jump up ^ `` A Tapestry of Time and Terrain ''. USGS. 2003 - 04 - 17. Archived from the original on 2006 - 05 - 15. Retrieved 2007 - 07 - 31. ^ Jump up to : `` Oklahoma State Map Collection ''. geology.com. 2006. Retrieved 2007 - 08 - 01. ^ Jump up to : Arndt, Derek ( 2003 - 01 - 01 ). `` The Climate of Oklahoma ''. Oklahoma Climatological Survey. Retrieved 2007 - 07 - 31. ^ Jump up to : `` Oklahoma in Brief '' ( pdf ). State of Oklahoma. 2003. Retrieved 2007 - 08 - 04. ^ Jump up to : `` A Look at Oklahoma : A Student 's Guide '' ( PDF ). State of Oklahoma. 2005. Archived from the original ( pdf ) on December 30, 2006. Retrieved 2007 - 08 - 14. ^ Jump up to : `` Oklahoma Ecoregional Maps ''. Oklahoma Department of Agriculture. Archived from the original on 2007 - 10 - 13. Retrieved 2007 - 08 - 02. Jump up ^ `` National Forests ''. United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service. 2005 - 05 - 01. Retrieved 2007 - 08 - 02. Jump up ^ `` Ouachita National Forest ''. United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service. 2005 - 05 - 10. Retrieved 2007 - 08 - 02. Jump up ^ `` Tallgrass Prairie Preserve ''. The Nature Conservatory. 2007. Retrieved 2007 - 07 - 31. Jump up ^ `` Black Kettle National Grassland ''. USDA Forest Service. 2007 - 07 - 24. Retrieved 2007 - 08 - 02. Jump up ^ `` Refuge Locator Map - Oklahoma ''. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Retrieved 2007 - 08 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge ''. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Retrieved 2007 - 08 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Chickasaw National Recreation Area ''. Oklahoma Wildlife Department. Retrieved 2007 - 08 - 02. Jump up ^ `` Oklahoma National Park Guide ''. National Park Service. 2007. Retrieved 2007 - 08 - 02. ^ Jump up to : `` Oklahoma 's Climate : an Overview '' ( pdf ). University of Oklahoma. Retrieved 2007 - 08 - 01. Jump up ^ `` Tornado Climatology ''. NOAA National Climatic Data Center. Retrieved 2006 - 10 - 24. Jump up ^ Novy, Chris. `` SPC and its Products ''. NOAA. Retrieved 2007 - 08 - 01. State of Oklahoma Oklahoma City ( capital ) Topics History Government Governor ( List ) Symbols People Geography Earthquakes Media Newspapers Radio TV Sports Tourist attractions Unassigned Lands Society Culture Crime Demographics Economy Education Politics Regions Arklatex Central Cherokee Outlet Cross Timbers Four State Area Flint Hills Green Country Kiamichi Country Little Dixie Northwestern Oklahoma City Metro Ouachita Mountains The Ozarks Panhandle South Central Southwestern Texoma Tulsa Metro Western Largest cities Ardmore Bartlesville Bixby Broken Arrow Del City Duncan Edmond Enid Lawton Midwest City Muskogee Moore Norman Oklahoma City Owasso Ponca City Shawnee Stillwater Tulsa Yukon Counties Adair Alfalfa Atoka Beaver Beckham Blaine Bryan Caddo Canadian Carter Cherokee Choctaw Cimarron Cleveland Coal Comanche Cotton Craig Creek Custer Delaware Dewey Ellis Garfield Garvin Grady Grant Greer Harmon Harper Haskell Hughes Jackson Jefferson Johnston Kay Kingfisher Kiowa Latimer Le Flore Lincoln Logan Love Major Marshall Mayes McClain McCurtain McIntosh Murray Muskogee Noble Nowata Okfuskee Oklahoma Okmulgee Osage Ottawa Pawnee Payne Pittsburg Pontotoc Pottawatomie Pushmataha Roger Mills Rogers Seminole Sequoyah Stephens Texas Tillman Tulsa Wagoner Washington Washita Woods Woodward Geography of the United States States Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Federal district Washington, D.C. Insular areas American Samoa Guam Northern Mariana Islands Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin Islands Outlying islands Baker Island Howland Island Jarvis Island Johnston Atoll Navassa Island Wake Island Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Geography_of_Oklahoma&oldid=830351137 '' Categories : Geography of Oklahoma Talk Contents About Wikipedia Add links This page was last edited on 14 March 2018, at 08 : 47. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: oklahoma's 10 geographic regions are defined by surface features called
Answer: ecological regions