The
Missouri Bootheel is the southeasternmost part of the state of
Missouri, extending south of 36°30’ north
latitude, so called because its shape in relation to the rest of the state resembles the heel of a boot. Strictly speaking, it is composed of the counties of
Dunklin,
New Madrid, and
Pemiscot. However, the term is locally used to refer to the entire southeastern lowlands of Missouri located within the
Mississippi Embayment, which includes parts of
Butler,
Mississippi,
Ripley,
Scott,
Stoddard and extreme southern portions of
Cape Girardeau and
Bollinger counties. The largest city in the region is
Kennett.