Great Plains

Definition

The Great Plains is a broad expanse of flat land, much of it covered in prairie, steppe and grassland, that lies west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada.

Related terms

Prairie: A type of ecosystem characterized by large areas of grassland without trees or tall vegetation.

Steppe: A large area of flat unforested grassland in southeastern Europe or Siberia.

Grasslands: Areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica.