Mississippi Borders: States, Map & Complete Guide

Tennessee and Mississippi are separated by a border located on Mississippi's northern edge. The state line runs roughly east-west from Arkansas and the Mississippi River in the west to Alabama in the east.

The Mississippi-Tennessee border extends for about 115 miles. The border follows a relatively straight line across the top of Mississippi along approximately the 35th parallel north. Mississippi counties along this border include DeSoto, Marshall, Benton, Tippah, Alcorn, and Prentiss. On the Tennessee side, Shelby, Fayette, Hardeman, and McNairy counties sit along the border. Memphis, Tennessee is located just north of this border.

Alabama and Mississippi are separated by a border located on Mississippi's eastern edge. The boundary runs roughly north-south from Tennessee in the north to the Gulf of Mexico in the south.

The Mississippi-Alabama border extends for about 310 miles. The border follows a mostly straight north-south line. Mississippi counties along this border include Tishomingo, Itawamba, Monroe, Lowndes, Noxubee, Kemper, Lauderdale, Clarke, Wayne, Greene, and Jackson. Major cities near this border include Meridian, Mississippi and Mobile, Alabama (on the Gulf coast).

Louisiana and Mississippi are separated by borders on Mississippi's southern and southwestern edges. The Pearl River forms the eastern portion of the southern border, while the Mississippi River creates the western boundary.

The Mississippi-Louisiana border has two distinct sections:. The southern land border (formed partly by the Pearl River) runs for about 115 miles from the Gulf of Mexico northward. The western water border along the Mississippi River extends for about 200 miles from Arkansas in the north. Mississippi counties along these borders include Hancock, Pearl River, Marion, Walthall, Pike, Wilkinson, Adams, Jefferson, Claiborne, Warren, Issaquena, and Washington.

Arkansas and Mississippi are separated entirely by the Mississippi River along Mississippi's northwestern edge. The river creates a natural boundary in the Mississippi Delta region.

The Mississippi-Arkansas border extends for about 200 miles along the Mississippi River from Tennessee in the north to Louisiana in the south. The border follows the river through the flat Delta region, one of the most fertile agricultural areas in the United States. Mississippi counties along this border include Tunica, Coahoma, Bolivar, Washington (northern section), and others in the Delta.

The Gulf of Mexico forms Mississippi's southern boundary, providing the state with important maritime access. The coastline stretches from Louisiana in the west to Alabama in the east.

Mississippi's Gulf coastline is about 44 miles long measured along the general coast, though the tidal shoreline is much longer when including bays and inlets. Only three Mississippi counties have Gulf coastline: Hancock, Harrison, and Jackson. Major coastal cities include Gulfport, Biloxi, and Pascagoula. The Mississippi Sound separates the mainland from barrier islands like Ship Island, which provide protection from Gulf storms.