Capital: Jackson
Population: 2,844,658
Governor: Haley Barbour (R, to January 2008)
Entered the Union: December 10, 1817 as the 20th state
Motto: Virtute et armis (By valor and arms)
Nickname: Magnolia state
Flower: Flower or bloom of the magnolia or evergreen magnolia
Bird: Mockingbird
Song: Go, Mississippi
Sports Teams: None
Origin of Name: Named for the Mississippi river which forms the state's western boundary. According to the State of Missippi's "About Missisippi" page, the name means "Father of Waters," roughly translated from Native American folklore. The translation comes from the Chippewa (or Ojibwa) words "mici zibi" meaning "great river" or "gathering in of all the waters" and the Algonquin word "Messipi."
Major Industries: Agriculture, Fisheries, Manufacturing
Historical Sites: Pre-Civil War mansions, Vicksburg National Military Park, Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield, Tupelo National Battlefield, and part of Natchez Trace National Parkway
Points of Interest: Bienville, Delta, Desoto, Holly Springs, Homochitto, and Tombigbee Nation Forests; Gulf Coast
Bordering States: Mississippi borders Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Tennessee.
Source: State of Mississippi
Population, 2006 estimate: 2,910,540
Population, percent change, April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2006: 2.3%
Population, 2000: 2,844,658
Persons under 5 years old, percent, 2006: 7.2%
Persons under 18 years old, percent, 2006: 26.1%
Persons 65 years old and over, percent, 2006: 12.4%
Female persons, percent, 2006: 51.6%
White persons, percent, 2006 (a): 60.9%
Black persons, percent, 2006 (a): 37.1%
American Indian and Alaska Native persons, percent, 2006 (a): 0.5%
Asian persons, percent, 2006 (a): 0.8%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, percent, 2006 (a): NA
Persons reporting two or more races, percent, 2006: 0.7%
Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin, percent, 2006 (b): 1.8%
White persons not Hispanic, percent, 2006: 59.3%
Living in same house in 1995 and 2000, pct 5 yrs old & over: 58.5%
Foreign born persons, percent, 2000: 1.4%
Language other than English spoken at home, pct age 5+, 2000: 3.6%
High school graduates, percent of persons age 25+, 2000: 72.9%
Bachelor's degree or higher, pct of persons age 25+, 2000: 16.9%
Persons with a disability, age 5+, 2000: 607,570
Mean travel time to work (minutes), workers age 16+, 2000: 24.6
Housing units, 2006: 1,241,489
Homeownership rate, 2000: 72.3%
Housing units in multi-unit structures, percent, 2000: 13.3%
Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2000: $71,400
Households, 2000: 1,046,434
Persons per household, 2000: 2.63
Median household income, 2004: $34,278
Per capita money income, 1999: $15,853
Persons below poverty, percent, 2004: 19.3%
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: 79,786
Private industries: 65,879
Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting: 2,128
Crop and animal production (Farms): 1,562
Forestry, fishing, and related activities: 566
Mining: 1,911
Oil and gas extraction: 949
Mining, except oil and gas: 118
Support activities for mining: 843
Utilities: 2,279
Construction: 3,702
Manufacturing: 12,520
Durable goods: 7,508
Wood product manufacturing: 1,073
Nonmetallic mineral product manufacturing: 357
Primary metal manufacturing: 268
Fabricated metal product manufacturing: 843
Machinery manufacturing: 860
Computer and electronic product manufacturing: 134
Electrical equipment and appliance manufacturing: 635
Motor vehicle, body, trailer, and parts manufacturing: 870
Other transportation equipment manufacturing: 794
Furniture and related product manufacturing: 1,427
Miscellaneous manufacturing: 246
Nondurable goods: 5,012
Food product manufacturing: 1,007
Textile and textile product mills: 148
Apparel manufacturing: 173
Paper manufacturing: 665
Printing and related support activities: 202
Petroleum and coal products manufacturing: 696
Chemical manufacturing: 1,365
Plastics and rubber products manufacturing: 755
Wholesale trade: 4,178
Retail trade: 6,831
Transportation and warehousing, excluding Postal Service: 2,874
Air transportation: 23
Rail transportation: 400
Water transportation: 82
Truck transportation: 1,387
Transit and ground passenger transportation: 54
Pipeline transportation: 111
Other transportation and support activities: 451
Warehousing and storage: 368
Information: 2,040
Publishing including software: 261
Motion picture and sound recording industries: 25
Broadcasting and telecommunications: 1,700
Information and data processing services: 53
Finance and insurance: 3,376
Federal Reserve banks, credit intermediation and related services: 2,035
Securities, commodity contracts, investments: 153
Insurance carriers and related activities: 1,161
Funds, trusts, and other financial vehicles: 27
Real estate and rental and leasing: 6,888
Real estate: 6,341
Rental and leasing services and lessors of intangible assets: 547
Professional and technical services: 2,736
Legal services: 1,099
Computer systems design and related services: 283
Other professional, scientific and technical services: 1,354
Management of companies and enterprises: 739
Administrative and waste services: 1,582
Administrative and support services: 1,413
Waste management and remediation services: 168
Educational services: 456
Health care and social assistance: 5,678
Ambulatory health care services: 3,293
Hospitals and nursing and residential care facilities: 1,959
Social assistance: 425
Arts, entertainment, and recreation: 770
Performing arts, museums, and related activities: 76
Amusement, gambling, and recreation: 694
Accommodation and food services: 3,267
Accommodation: 1,715
Food services and drinking places: 1,552
Other services, except government: 1,924
Government: 13,908
Federal civilian: 2,208
Federal military: 2,082
State and local: 9,617
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
Longitude: 88° 7' W to 91° 41' W
Latitude: 30° 13' N to 35° N
Length / Width: Mississippi is 340 miles long and 170 miles wide.
Geographic Center: The geographic center of Mississippi is located in Leake County, 9 miles WNW of Carthage.
Borders: Mississippi is bordered by Tennessee on the north and the Gulf of Mexico on the south. On the east, Mississippi borders Alabama and on the west, Mississippi borders Arkansas and Louisiana.
Total Area: Mississippi covers 48, 434 square miles, making it the 32nd largest of the 50 states.
Land Area: 46,914 square miles of Mississippi are land areas.
Water Area: 1,520 square miles of Mississippi are covered by water.
Highest Point: The highest point in Mississippi is Woodall Mountain. Hardly a mountain, Woodall Mountain is only 806 feet above sea level.
Lowest Point: The lowest point in Mississippi is along the shore at the Gulf of Mexico; sea level.
Mean Elevation: The Mean Elevation of the state of Mississippi is 300 feet above sea level.
Major Rivers: Mississippi River, Big Black River, Pearl River, Yazoo River
Major Lakes: Ross Barnett Reservoir, Arkabutla Lake, Sardis Lake, Grenada Lake
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
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