Mississippi Information
Mississippi with the nickname Magnolia State (because of the delicious smell of Magnolia blossoms) is located in the south of the United States of America. The state got its current name from the Mississippi River. Mississippi is best known to most people for its wooden cabins with porches and the blues. In the summer months it is good to live in poor Mississippi, with a steamboat you sail on the Mississippi River and enjoy all the beautiful things, such as the town of Nathez and the many cotton fields. The Nathez Trace Parkway and the many cotton plantations are also more than worth a visit. Jackson, a population of 200,000, is the capital of Mississippi. See all cities in Mississippi.
Geography
Mississippi located on the Gulf of Mexico is located in the southern United States and borders the states of Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana and Arkansas. The state is 300 kilometers from east to west and 530 kilometers from north to south. The state is mostly flat and densely forested with some hills here and there. The Mississippi Delta is fairly flat with many meadows, where cotton was previously grown. The highest point in the state is the 246-meter high Woodall Mountain.
The state’s major rivers are the Mississippi River on the west side and the Tennessee River on the northeast. The south side of Mississippi is formed by sandy beaches, islets and lagoons.
History
Before the Spanish explorer Hernan(do) de Soto discovered the area in 1569, it was inhabited by several Native American tribes. Although Hernan(do) de Soto was the first European to discover the area, it was the French who built the first settlement of Fort Maurepas near present-day Bilox in 1699 under the leadership of La Salle. Mississippi at the time belonged to the French colony of Louisiana.
Mississippi came under British rule in 1763 and was occupied by the Spanish in 1779. In 1795, the state was ceded to the United States and officially joined the United States of America as the 20th state on December 10, 1817.
Slavery on the many cotton plantations was also the order of the day in Mississippi. The state seceded from the Union in 1861, starting the American Civil War (1861-1865). After the Civil War, the state was under Northern rule for several years.
Economy
Mississippi is an agricultural state because of its fertile soil. Cotton is the most important agricultural product, but soybeans and rice are also widely grown. Mississippi also has many pig, beef and poultry farms. Because the state is heavily forested, the timber industry also plays an important role in the state’s economy. Forestry supplies wood pulp (paper industry), turpentine gum and timber.
The fishing industry also has a major economic contribution, there is a lot of fishing for shrimp and menhaden. Mississippi is a major supplier of freshwater farmed catfish species such as the blue catfish and the channel catfish. Mining products such as petroleum and natural gas are mainly found in Yazoo City.
Today, the industry has also experienced a growth spurt, supplying foodstuffs, textiles, electronics, agricultural machinery and manufacturing of transportation equipment. Despite having very fertile land and growing industry rapidly, Mississippi still has the lowest per capita income in the United States of America.
| Abbreviation: | MS |
| Nickname: | Magnolia State |
| Joined the U.S. as the 20th State on: | Dec 10, 1817 |
| Capital city: | Jackson |
| Census: | 2,978,512 |
| Surface: | 125,546 km² |
| Geography: | Bordering Tennessee, Alabma, Louisiana, and Arkansas |
| Governor: | Tate Reeves |
| State motto: | By valor and arms |
| California official website: | ms.gov |
