Piedmont (United States) - Definition and Overview

Piedmont is the region of the eastern United States which lies between the coastal plain, from which it is divided by the fall line, and the eastern mountain ranges, the Appalachian Mountains. The width of the Piedmont varies, being quite narrow or vanishing above the Delaware River, but nearly 475 km (300 miles) wide in the state of North Carolina.

The surface relief of the Piedmont is characterized by relatively low, rolling hills with heights above sea level between 50 m (200 feet) and 250 m to 300 m (800 feet to 1000 feet). Its geology is complex, with numerous rock formations of different materials and ages intermingled with one another. Basically the Piedmont is the roots of an ancient coastal mountain chain that is now worn down to low relief.