Geography and Natural Features - Located in north-central Tennessee - Covers the Nashville Basin and parts of the Highland Rim - Characterised by rolling hills and level plains - Contains porous sedimentary bedrock and karst formations - Home to rare ecosystems called cedar glades

Metropolitan Area and Population - Nashville is the principal city - Population has steadily increased over the years - Includes Davidson County and 13 other counties - Rutherford County has experienced significant population growth - Maury County is partially within the Tennessee River drainage basin

Combined Statistical Area - Includes Shelbyville, Lawrenceburg, and Lewisburg - Population of the CSA is over 2 million - Result of adding Micropolitan Statistical Areas - Covers a larger geographic area than the metropolitan area - Contributes to the overall economic and demographic profile

Transportation - Three major interstate highways serve the area - I-40 connects to Memphis and Knoxville - I-65 connects to Huntsville and Louisville - I-24 connects to Clarksville and Chattanooga - SR 155 and SR 386 provide additional freeway access

References and Resources - Population statistics can be found at citypopulation.de - Gross Domestic Product data is available at fred.stlouisfed.org - Revised delineations of metropolitan areas by the Executive Office of the President - Information on karst geology in Tennessee from the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture - Details on river basins and watersheds from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation