The Cotton Belt traditionally refers to the region of the Southern United States, where cotton farming was historically the dominant agricultural activity.

The Cotton Belt spans states like Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, and South Carolina. This region became crucial to the U.S. economy in the 19th and early 20th centuries, with cotton as a key cash crop, especially in the pre-Civil War era. The Cotton Belt benefited from the region's warm climate and fertile soil, ideal for growing cotton. Though cotton production has diversified today, the region still retains historical significance in U.S. agricultural history and continues to produce a substantial portion of the nation's cotton.