This study guide reviews the regions of Virginia 4th grade students often study. It lists the five regions in order, with one or two facts to remember for each.

Quick answer: For the regions of Virginia 4th grade review, remember the order from east to west: Coastal Plain (Tidewater), Piedmont, Blue Ridge, Valley and Ridge, and Appalachian Plateau. The fall line separates the Coastal Plain from the Piedmont.

Contents

The Five Regions in Order

Virginia Energy, the state geology agency, lists five physiographic regions.[1] From the Atlantic Ocean to the western border they are:

  1. Coastal Plain, also called Tidewater[2]
  2. Piedmont
  3. Blue Ridge
  4. Valley and Ridge
  5. Appalachian Plateau

One Fact for Each Region

Region Remember this
Coastal Plain (Tidewater) Flat land between the fall line and the Chesapeake Bay[2]
Piedmont The largest region; rolling hills[3]
Blue Ridge Highest point in Virginia, Mount Rogers (about 5,729 feet); oldest rocks[4]
Valley and Ridge Long ridges and valleys; the Shenandoah Valley; many caves[5]
Appalachian Plateau Far southwest; coal[6]

A Memory Tip

The first letters, read from east to west, are C, P, B, V, A. A simple sentence can help: “Cats Play By Very Active dogs.” Each word stands for one region in the right order.

Practice Questions

  1. Which region is farthest east? Answer: the Coastal Plain (Tidewater).
  2. Which region is the largest? Answer: the Piedmont.
  3. In which region is Mount Rogers? Answer: the Blue Ridge.
  4. Which region has many caves in the Great Valley? Answer: the Valley and Ridge.
  5. Where is most of Virginia’s coal? Answer: the Appalachian Plateau.
  6. What separates the Coastal Plain from the Piedmont? Answer: the fall line.

Frequently asked questions

What are the 5 regions of Virginia in order? From east to west: Coastal Plain (Tidewater), Piedmont, Blue Ridge, Valley and Ridge, Appalachian Plateau.

What is the fall line? The boundary between the Piedmont and the Coastal Plain, where rivers drop over falls and rapids.

Which region of Virginia is the smallest? This guide does not rank the smallest region, because the sources used here do not give the size of each region.

References

Each region has a longer page, starting with The Regions of Virginia.