Grand Divisions of Tennessee

Tennessee's state flag. The three stars stand for the state's three Grand Divisions.

The Grand Divisions are three regions in the U.S. state of Tennessee. Each contains about one-third of the state's land area. Each is geographically, culturally, legally, and economically distinct. The Grand Divisions are legally recognized in the state constitution and state law and are represented on the Flag of Tennessee by the flag's three prominent stars.

Borders

Maps of the Grand Divisions of Tennessee, with East Tennessee at the top, Middle Tennessee in the center, and West Tennessee at the bottom.

The border between East Tennessee and Middle Tennessee is on the Cumberland Plateau. It was a major barrier to travel during much of the state's early history. It is close to the line between the Eastern and Central time zones. All but three counties of East Tennessee (Bledsoe, Cumberland, and Marion) are in the Eastern Time Zone. Middle and West Tennessee are entirely in the Central Time Zone. The reach of the Tennessee River that flows northward to Kentucky from Mississippi and Alabama marks the border between Middle and West Tennessee starting from the northern border of Hardin County. It is split down the middle by the Tennessee River but is located wholly in West Tennessee.

Population

Grand Division	Population (2020 census)	Largest city	Area in mi2 (km2)	Counties
East Tennessee	2,470,105	Knoxville	13,558 square miles (35,120 km2)	33
Middle Tennessee	2,883,086	Nashville	17,009 square miles (44,050 km2)	41
West Tennessee	1,557,649	Memphis	10,650 square miles (27,600 km2)	21
State of Tennessee	6,910,840	Nashville	41,217 (106,751)	95 (list)