American Oktoberfest Region area is located in and around the mid-Mississippi Valley and Missouri River Valley in Missouri. Also due to the Illinois River, the Gasconade River, and the Meramec River, there is a rich topography that reminded German settlers of the 1800s of their homeland regions. This is one reason why statistics compiled in 2010 show that German-born settlers in the 21st century are STILL choosing to live in this region. In Madison County, Illinois, there is a tie for the percentage of foreign-born residents: German and Mexican. Considering the large Mexican population near Collinsville and State Park Place, there must be a lot of German immigrants that like the American Oktoberfest Region. They can enjoy the many ethnically German festivals such as Oktoberfest in their neuer heimatland.