Sixteen states are considered to be the southern states and thees sixteen states are divided into three regions. The South Atlantic, East South Central region, West south central region.
Step-by-step explanation:
The South Atlantic includes Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia and Delaware. The East South Central region is composed of Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee. The West South Central region includes Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas.
Southern states are characterized based on the culture and their affinity to a distinct music and cuisines. Initially eleven states seceded from the union and formed to be the confederate states. After which four more states joined the confederacy and they are often refereed to be Dixie or Old south.