Introduction
The U.S. is a vast landmass with many different geographical features. From tall mountains in Colorado to flat grassy plains in North Dakota, lush green forests in Oregon to dry, sandy, and arid deserts in Nevada, from Alaska’s glaciers to Hawaii’s volcanos, the 50 states have it all. Additionally, the difference between the highest point and the lowest point is significantly wide, going from 20,237 feet above sea level in Alaska’s Mount McKinley to 282 feet below sea level in California’s Death Valley basin. When discussing flatness in a geographical context, one tends to look at plains and grassy steppes as the ideal example, often citing Kansas as an extremely flat state. However, this is not entirely accurate, as plains, steppes, and farmland have all kinds of bumps, raised areas, and uneven ground to be called consistently flat.
The flatness of land is determined by a process called geomorphometric analysis, which measures the shape of the surface of the earth. It works by looking at the horizon and measuring the rise of the land in comparison to the sea level.
If you want to learn more about the flattest states, be sure to check the data in the charts.
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