The "Third Coast": America's Gulf & Mid-Atlantic Shoreline

What Is the Third Coast?

The "Third Coast" refers to the Gulf of Mexico and Mid-Atlantic coastlines of the United States—historically overshadowed by the East Coast (Atlantic) and West Coast (Pacific) in cultural narrative, federal investment, and economic focus.

Geographic Scope

Encompasses 13 states:

• Gulf: Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida (panhandle/west coast).
• South Atlantic: Florida (east coast), Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina.
• Mid-Atlantic: Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York (coastal).

Shared Identity & Assets

• Maritime heritage: Ports (Houston, NOLA, Mobile, Tampa, Savannah, Charleston, Norfolk, NY/NJ), shipbuilding, fishing, offshore energy.
• Cultural fusion: Indigenous, French, Spanish, British, African, Caribbean, Latin American, Vietnamese, Creole/Gullah.
• Ecosystems: Barrier islands, salt marshes, mangroves, oyster reefs, coral (FL Keys), estuaries (Chesapeake, Mobile Bay, Galveston).
• Climate vulnerability: Hurricanes, sea-level rise, subsidence, saltwater intrusion.

Why the Label?

• Advocates use "Third Coast" to demand equitable federal funding (infrastructure, resilience, arts).
• Highlights interconnected economy: energy, logistics, tourism, agriculture.
• Counters bi-coastal media/policy bias.

Major Cities & Ports

The Third Coast isn't a formal region—it's a frameshift to see these shores as a coherent, powerful, and neglected American frontier.