flyover state

In the United States, a "flyover state" is one that most Americans see only from the window of an airplane as they fly back and forth between the country's major east and west coast cities, like New York and Los Angeles. These states find themselves like this mainly because they're landlocked, have rather small populations, and lack many interesting attractions. The term is generally used perjoratively by the aforementioned coastal-dwellers, with the implication that the residents of those states are somehow less cultured and educated. Nevertheless, the people who do live there often wear the designation as a badge of pride, especially since they often see themselves as more honest and hardworking than their snobbish critics. Political divisions also play a part, due to the fact that most of the states generally considered to be in "flyover country" are more conservative than the others, and hold significant sway in national elections. Definitions of which states are and aren't "flyover" ones vary, but the strictest definition usually encompasses everything west of Chicago and east of Las Vegas. There are of course exceptions, with cities like Dallas, Phoenix, Kansas City, and Denver being just as cosmopolitan as any other. Other times, "flyover land" might include everything between the Appalachians and Sierra Nevadas, or even the Hudson River and San Gabriel Mountains. But usually, states like New Mexico, Kansas and Iowa are always included, to name a few.