Blank Nebraska map

What the outline shows

The map draws only the state boundary. The east edge is the Missouri River, facing Iowa and a short stretch of Missouri, and continuing north as the border with South Dakota for part of its length. The rest of the South Dakota border is a straight line along the 43rd parallel. The south edge with Kansas is a straight line on the 40th parallel, and the west edge with Wyoming is a straight meridian. The southwest corner is stepped: Colorado's rectangle cuts into the state, leaving the Panhandle above it. Nothing is drawn inside. Press Capital to mark Lincoln in the southeast, close to Omaha but not on the river, and Abbreviation for "NE". The western third of the state is on Mountain time.

Portrait or landscape

Nebraska is about 430 miles east to west and about 210 miles north to south, a 2:1 shape. Print in landscape. In that orientation the state fills the page width and the Missouri River edge is long enough to trace. Portrait would leave the top and bottom of the page empty. The Platte River, which most exercises use, runs the full width of the state, so landscape also gives it room to be drawn and labeled.

Five classroom exercises

1. Draw the Platte River across the whole state from west to east, with the North Platte and South Platte joining at North Platte and the river reaching the Missouri south of Omaha.
2. Trace the Missouri River along the east and northeast edges and mark Iowa, Missouri and South Dakota across it.
3. Draw the Central/Mountain time zone line through the western part of the state and shade the Mountain time area.
4. Place Omaha, Lincoln, Bellevue, Grand Island and Kearney, then check with the answer key which lie on the Platte.
5. Shade the Sandhills across the north-central part of the state and mark the Niobrara River flowing east along the top.

How to recognise the Nebraska outline

• A wide shape with a straight top edge (partly) and a straight bottom edge.
• A wavy right edge, the Missouri River, tilted slightly.
• The bottom-left corner is cut away in a rectangular step where Colorado fits in.
• A Panhandle in the west that is taller than the rest of the state, with a straight left edge.

Answer key and related maps

• Nebraska map — the labeled version with capital, cities and borders; use it as the answer key.
• Printable Nebraska map — the same outline with cities, county lines and the capital printed on.
• Nebraska county map — all 93 counties with their seats.
• Lincoln — the capital, southwest of Omaha.
• Neighbours: South Dakota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming.
• Great Plains, Missouri River, and Central / Mountain time zones.
• All blank state maps and the printable US maps index.