Missouri is bordered by eight states, which is tied with Tennessee for the most states bordering a single state in the US. The states that border Missouri are:
- Iowa to the north
- Illinois, Kentucky, and Tennessee to the east, across the Mississippi River
- Arkansas to the south
- Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska to the west
The southern and northern borders are straight, but the Missouri Bootheel extends south into Arkansas. The Mississippi River marks the eastern borderline. The shared history of these neighboring regions is intertwined, as both have deep roots in American history.
