Capital: Little Rock
Population: 2,673,400
Governor: Mike Beebe (D, to January 2011)
Entered the Union: June 15, 1836
as the 25th state
Motto: Regnat Populus (The People Rule)
Nickname: The Natural State, The Land of Opportunity
Flower: Apple Blossom
Bird: Mockingbird
Song: "Arkansas"
Sports Teams:
(sport listing policy)
Origin of Name: From the Quapaw word meaning "south wind"
Major Industries: Food Products, Lumber and Wood, and Cotton
Historical Sites: Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site, Toltec Mounds National Archeological State Park, Pea Ridge National Military Park
Points of Interest: Hot Springs National Park, Buffalo National River, the Ozark Mountains, Clinton Presidential Center and Park
Bordering States: Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Tennessee, and Mississippi.
Source: State of Arkansas
Population, 2006 estimate: 2,810,872
Population, percent change, April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2006: 5.1%
Population, 2000: 2,673,400
Persons under 5 years old, percent, 2006: 6.9%
Persons under 18 years old, percent, 2006: 24.6%
Persons 65 years old and over, percent, 2006: 13.9%
Female persons, percent, 2006: 51.0%
White persons, percent, 2006 (a): 81.1%
Black persons, percent, 2006 (a): 15.7%
American Indian and Alaska Native persons, percent, 2006 (a): 0.8%
Asian persons, percent, 2006 (a): 1.0%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, percent, 2006 (a): 0.1%
Persons reporting two or more races, percent, 2006: 1.3%
Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin, percent, 2006 (b): 5.0%
White persons not Hispanic, percent, 2006: 76.4%
Living in same house in 1995 and 2000, pct 5 yrs old & over: 53.3%
Foreign born persons, percent, 2000: 2.8%
Language other than English spoken at home, pct age 5+, 2000: 5.0%
High school graduates, percent of persons age 25+, 2000: 75.3%
Bachelor's degree or higher, pct of persons age 25+, 2000: 16.7%
Persons with a disability, age 5+, 2000: 576,471
Mean travel time to work (minutes), workers age 16+, 2000: 21.9
Housing units, 2006: 1,273,615
Homeownership rate, 2000: 69.4%
Housing units in multi-unit structures, percent, 2000: 13.9%
Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2000: $72,800
Households, 2000: 1,042,696
Persons per household, 2000: 2.49
Median household income, 2004: $35,295
Per capita money income, 1999: $16,904
Persons below poverty, percent, 2004: 15.6%
Source: U.S.Census Bureau
(a) Includes persons reporting only one race.
(b) Hispanics may be of any race, so also are included in applicable race categories.
Total Gross Domestic Product by State: 87,004
Private industries: 75,322
Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting: 2,440
Crop and animal production (Farms): 1,916
Forestry, fishing, and related activities: 524
Mining: 1,098
Oil and gas extraction: 262
Mining, except oil and gas:215
Support activities for mining: 621
Utilities: 1,884
Construction: 3,952
Manufacturing: 17,409
Durable goods: 9,252
Wood product manufacturing: 985
Nonmetallic mineral product manufacturing: 550
Primary metal manufacturing: 1,369
Fabricated metal product manufacturing: 1,684
Machinery manufacturing: 932
Computer and electronic product manufacturing: 237
Electrical equipment and appliance manufacturing: 1,568
Motor vehicle, body, trailer, and parts manufacturing: 672
Other transportation equipment manufacturing: 502
Furniture and related product manufacturing: 385
Miscellaneous manufacturing: 369
Nondurable goods: 8,156
Food product manufacturing: 4,358
Textile and textile product mills: 87
Apparel manufacturing: 211
Paper manufacturing: 1,314
Printing and related support activities: 231
Petroleum and coal products manufacturing: 80
Chemical manufacturing: 563
Plastics and rubber products manufacturing: 1,312
Wholesale trade: 5,872
Retail trade: 6,516
Transportation and warehousing, excluding Postal Service: 4,225
Air transportation: 86
Rail transportation: 542
Water transportation: 14
Truck transportation: 2,419
Transit and ground passenger transportation: 29
Pipeline transportation: 111
Other transportation and support activities: 584
Warehousing and storage: 440
Information: 3,286
Publishing including software:478
Motion picture and sound recording industries: 48
Broadcasting and telecommunications: 2,622
Information and data processing services: 137
Finance and insurance: 3,346
Federal Reserve banks, credit intermediation and related services: 1,959
Securities, commodity contracts, investments: 332
Insurance carriers and related activities: 1,020
Funds, trusts, and other financial vehicles: 35
Real estate and rental and leasing: 7,201
Real estate: 6,633
Rental and leasing services and lessors of intangible assets: 567
Professional and technical services: 3,203
Legal services: 629
Computer systems design and related services: 682
Other professional, scientific and technical services: 1,892
Management of companies and enterprises: 1,913
Administrative and waste services: 1,751
Administrative and support services: 1,587
Waste management and remediation services: 164
Educational services: 358
Health care and social assistance: 6,521
Ambulatory health care services: 3,324
Hospitals and nursing and residential care facilities: 2,569
Social assistance: 628
Arts, entertainment, and recreation: 409
Performing arts, museums, and related activities: 180
Amusement, gambling, and recreation: 230
Accommodation and food services: 1,975
Accommodation: 413
Food services and drinking places: 1,562
Other services, except government: 1,963
Government: 11,683
Federal civilian: 1,867
Federal military: 1,212
State and local: 8,604
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
Longitude: 89° 41' W to 94° 42' W
Latitude: 33° N to 36° 30' N
Length / Width: Arkansas is 260 miles long and 240 miles wide.
Geographic Center: The geographic center of Arkansas is located in Pulaski County, 12 miles NW of Little Rock.
Borders: Arkansas is bordered by Missouri on the north and Louisiana on the south. Missouri, Tennessee, and Mississippi border Arkansas on the east. The Mississippi River marks Arkansas' eastern border with these three states. On the west, Arkansas is bordered by Texas and Oklahoma.
Total Area: Arkansas covers 53,182 square miles, making it the 29th largest of the 50 states.
Land Area: 52,075 square miles of Arkansas are land areas.
Water Area: 1,107 square miles of Arkansas are covered by water.
Highest Point: The highest point in Arkansas is Magazine Mountain at 2,753 feet above sea level.
Lowest Point: The lowest point in Arkansas is the Ouachita River at 55 feet above sea level.
Mean Elevation: The Mean Elevation of the state of Arkansas is 650 feet above sea level.
Major Rivers: Arkansas River, Mississippi River
Major Lakes: Lake Ouachita, Bull Shoals Lake
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
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