Located in the southeast region of the USA , Tennessee is unique in that it shares a border with eight States. Tennessee has always been a melting pot of musical styles. From the eastern mountains came Appalachian folk songs and Bluegrass, while Country music flowered in Nashville and Gospel, Blues, Rock 'n' Roll, all stemmed from the Mississippi belt. The terrain of this beautiful state can be divided into three regions, the Great Smokey Mountains in the east, the Central Plateau and Middle Tennessee around Nashville and the Mississippi Delta.

Nashville , the capitol of Tennessee is an increasingly popular tourist destination. Known as Music City USA , Nashville is a country music Mecca , the city also boasts world-class museums; an eclectic dining scene; and an eye-catching skyline surrounded by a beautiful countryside of rolling hills, rivers and lakes.

To the southwest is Memphis , home of the blues and the birthplace of Rock 'n' Roll. Memphis is Tennessee 's largest city and is known chiefly for being the location of Graceland , the home of Elvis Presley; Historic Beale Street is also in Memphis . Over on the southeastern side of the State, next to the Tennessee River, is Chattanooga . This bustling city is home to the Hunter Museum of Art , and the Tennessee Aquarium , the largest freshwater aquarium in the world.

More than half of Tennessee is forested, and great tracts have been set aside as State and National parks , forests, wilderness areas and game preserves. Eastern Tennessee's most famous attractions are its mountains, centred on the great Smokey Mountains National Park . The 810-sq mile park straddles the Appalachian Mountains between Tennessee and North Carolina . Established in 1934 the park now draws over 10 million visitors a year. The best known sites are Clingmans Dome the highest point in the park and the dramatic twin summits of Chimney Tops. Entrance to the park is free, for visitor information the Sugarlands Visitors Center is on the main access road from Gatlinburg.

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