Mississippi
U.S. state / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Mississippi (/ˌmɪsɪˈsɪpi/ ⓘ) is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Mississippi's western boundary is largely defined by the Mississippi River, or its historical course.[6] Mississippi is the 32nd largest by area and 35th-most populous of the 50 U.S. states and has the lowest per-capita income in the United States. Jackson is both the state's capital and largest city. Greater Jackson is the state's most populous metropolitan area, with a population of 591,978 in 2020.[7]
Mississippi | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s): "The Magnolia State" and "The Hospitality State" | |
| Motto(s): | |
| Anthem: "Go, Mississippi" | |
 Map of the United States with Mississippi highlighted | |
| Country | United States |
| Before statehood | Mississippi Territory |
| Admitted to the Union | December 10, 1817 (20th) |
| Capital (and largest city) | Jackson |
| Largest metro | Greater Jackson |
| Government | |
| • Governor | Tate Reeves (R) |
| • Lieutenant Governor | Delbert Hosemann (R) |
| Legislature | Mississippi Legislature |
| • Upper house | State Senate |
| • Lower house | House of Representatives |
| Judiciary | Supreme Court of Mississippi |
| U.S. senators | Roger Wicker (R) Cindy Hyde-Smith (R) |
| U.S. House delegation | 1: Trent Kelly (R) 2: Bennie Thompson (D) 3: Michael Guest (R) 4: Mike Ezell (R) (list) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 48,430 sq mi (125,443 km2) |
| • Land | 46,952 sq mi (121,607 km2) |
| • Water | 1,521 sq mi (3,940 km2) 3% |
| • Rank | 32nd |
| Dimensions | |
| • Length | 340 mi (545 km) |
| • Width | 170 mi (275 km) |
| Elevation | 300 ft (90 m) |
| Highest elevation | 807 ft (246.0 m) |
| Lowest elevation | 0 ft (0 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 2,963,914[3] |
| • Rank | 35th |
| • Density | 63.5/sq mi (24.5/km2) |
| • Rank | 32nd |
| • Median household income | US$43,567[4] |
| • Income rank | 50th |
| Demonym | Mississippian |
| Language | |
| • Official language | English |
| Time zone | UTC−06:00 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−05:00 (CDT) |
| USPS abbreviation | MS |
| ISO 3166 code | US-MS |
| Trad. abbreviation | Miss. |
| Latitude | 30°12′ N to 35° N |
| Longitude | 88°6′ W to 91°39′ W |
| Website | www |
| List of state symbols | |
|---|---|
| |
 | |
 | |
| Slogan | Virtute et armis (Latin) |
| Living insignia | |
| Bird | Northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) |
| Butterfly | Spicebush swallowtail (Papilio troilus) |
| Fish | Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) |
| Flower | Magnolia |
| Insect | Western honey bee (Apis mellifera) |
| Mammal | White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) |
| Reptile | American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) |
| Tree | Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) |
| Inanimate insignia | |
| Beverage | Milk |
| Color(s) | red and blue |
| Dance | Clogging |
| Food | Sweet potato |
| Gemstone | Emerald |
| Mineral | Gold |
| Rock | Granite |
| Shell | Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) |
| Toy | Teddy Bear[5] |
| State route marker | |
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| State quarter | |
 Released in 2002 | |
| Lists of United States state symbols | |
On December 10, 1817, Mississippi became the 20th state admitted to the Union. By 1860, Mississippi was the nation's top cotton-producing state and slaves accounted for 55% of the state population.[8] Mississippi declared its secession from the Union on January 9, 1861, and was one of the seven original Confederate States, which constituted the largest slaveholding states in the nation. Following the Civil War, it was restored to the Union on February 23, 1870.[9] From the end of the Civil War to the 1960s, Mississippi was dominated by socially conservative and segregationist Democrats dedicated to upholding white supremacy. Mississippi became the site of many prominent events during the civil rights movement, including the Ole Miss riot of 1962, the 1963 assassination of Medgar Evers, and the 1964 Freedom Summer murders.
Mississippi ranks among the highest of U.S. states in religiosity and among the lowest in measures of health, education, development, and income.[10][11][12][13] Top industries in Mississippi today are agriculture and forestry. Mississippi produces more than half of the country's farm-raised catfish, and is also a top producer of sweet potatoes, cotton and pulpwood. Others include advanced manufacturing, utilities, transportation, and health services.[14] Mississippi is almost entirely within the east Gulf Coastal Plain, and generally consists of lowland plains and low hills. The northwest remainder of the state consists of the Mississippi Delta. Mississippi's highest point is Woodall Mountain at 807 feet (246 m) above sea level adjacent to the Cumberland Plateau; the lowest is the Gulf of Mexico. Mississippi has a humid subtropical climate classification.
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