Mississippi - Political   Capital Jackson Largest City Jackson Major Cities Gulfport, Biloxi, Hattiesburg, Vicksburg, Greenville, Pascagoula Nicknames Magnolia State Area 47,716 sq. miles Population 2,844,658

 

Mississippi - Physical features   Physical Features Gulf Coastal Plain, Ross Barnett Reservoir Rivers Mississippi, Pearl, Yazoo, Tombigbee, Big Black, Tennessee Highest Point Woodall Mountain Islands Gulf Islands Bordering States Alabama (east), Louisiana (southwest), Arkansas (northwest), Tennessee (north) National Parks None Key Products Cotton Natural Resources Petroleum, Natural Gas

 

Mississippi - History   1540 Explored for Spain by Hernando De Soto 1763 Great Britain controls region after the French and Indian War 1783 The US takes control after the end of the Revolutionary War 1817 Entered Union as the 20th state 1863 Vicksburg, a city that grew on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi and became a major port, gets captured by Union troops invading from the north. This victory was the result of one of many battles and skirmishes fought during the Civil War Present Day Woodall Mountain dominates the state’s highest point at 806 feet above sea level

 

Mississippi - Facts   Hurricane Katrina, which struck in 2005, inflicted heavy damage upon the state, especially along its Gulf Coast In 2000, Mississippi ranked third in the production of cotton Mississippi’s per-capita income is the lowest in the nation Mississippi has a larger African-American population than any other state, about 37 percent