Ozarks, Ozark Plateau, or Ozark Mountains, a rolling to hilly upland in the south-central United States. It lies mainly in southern Missouri, northern Arkansas, and northeastern Oklahoma, covering roughly 60,000 square miles (155,000 km2). The roughest terrain occurs in the St. Francois Mountains of Missouri and in the Boston Mountains of Arkansas. Elevations are highest in the Boston Mountains, reaching a maximum of nearly 2,600 feet (790 m) above sea level.
Scenic hills and rivers, numerous lakes, large springs, caverns, and varied resorts and recreational facilities attract many tourists to the Ozarks. Cattle raising, dairying, lumbering, and mining are important. Population is relatively sparse in the Ozarks. Springfield, Missouri, is the largest city.
