Missouri is bounded by Iowa on the north ; by Illinois , Kentucky , and Tennessee across the Mississippi River on the east ; on the south by Arkansas ; and by Oklahoma , Kansas , and Nebraska ( the last across the Missouri River ) on the west .
It is touched on the north by Iowa ; on the east , across the Mississippi River , by Illinois , Kentucky , and Tennessee ; on the south by Arkansas ; and on the west by Oklahoma , Kansas , and Nebraska ( Kansas and Nebraska are across the Missouri River ) .