The county has the Mississippi River on its north-eastern border and the Minnesota River along its southern border. It is served by five Interstate highways, four U.S. highways, and thirteen Minnesota State highways. By way of counterbalance, it contains parts of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge and the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. The county contains many cities, and the squareness of many of them has been cited as an example of how, in expanding urban areas, a township may incorporate itself into a city.