Eastern Kentucky, which is also known as the Appalachian Plateau, is a triangle-shaped region stretching from New York to Alabama. This mountainous area is part of the Appalachian Mountains system. Kentucky’s primary mountain ranges—the Cumberland and Pine Mountains—form much of the southeastern border of Kentucky. Eastern Kentucky’s most valuable natural resource—coal—can be found in the Eastern Coal Field. Sharp ridges and narrow valleys, created by eroding streams, wind through the area. Because the Appalachian Plateau contains some of the poorest soils in the region, only a few crops are grown here.