Mississippi Geography

Basic Facts

• Geographical Region: South
• Size: 48434 sq.mi., 32nd rank overall.
• Admitted to Statehood: December 10, 1817
• Population: 2,951,996;31st rank overall.
• Capital: Jackson
• Other Major City: Gulfport
• Abbreviation: MS

Fun Facts

• Nickname: Magnolia State
• State Flag: Click Here (opens window to 50states.com)
• State Bird: Mockingbird (opens window to 50states.com)
• State Flower: Magnolia (opens window to 50states.com)

Geographical Description

• The state of Mississippi is entirely composed of lowlands, the highest point being Woodall Mountain, in the foothills of the Cumberland Mountains, 806 feet above sea level.
• Most of Mississippi is part of the East Gulf Coastal Plain generally composed of low hills.
• The northwest remainder of the state consists of the Mississippi Delta, a section of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain consisting of rich soil partly made up of silt which had been regularly deposited by the floodwaters of the Mississippi River.
• The coastline includes large bays at Bay St. Louis, Biloxi and Pascagoula.
• Major rivers include the Mississippi River, Big Black River, the Pearl River, the Yazoo River, the Pascagoula River, and the Tombigbee River.
• Major lakes include Ross Barnett Reservoir, Arkabutla Lake, Sardis Lake and Grenada Lake.

Map: Relief Map of MS

Industry

Manufacturing, chemicals, apparel, furniture, lumber and wood products, food processing, plastics, electrical machinery, transportation equipment, fishing.

Agriculture

Aquaculture, poultry production, cotton, cattle, soybeans, rice, dairy products.

Other Information

Fun Facts:

• Nicknamed the "Old Man River", the Mississippi River is the largest in the United States.
• The University of Mississippi Medical Center accomplished the world's first human lung transplant in 1963 and Dr. James D. Hardy executed the world's first heart transplant surgery on January 23, 1964.
• President Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt in 1902, while on a hunting voyage refused to shoot a captured bear. This event gave way for the world famous teddy bear.
• The first bottle of Dr. Tichener's Antiseptic was produced in Liberty.
• The Old Spanish Fort Museum in Pascagoula is host to the world's largest shrimp.
• Edward Adolf Barq Sr. invented Root beer in Biloxi in 1898.
• The Natchez Trace Parkway began as an Indian trail more than 8,000 years ago and is today named an All American Road by the federal government.
• April 25, 1866 was the date when the ladies of Columbus decided to decorate war veteran graves with flowers. This kind gesture gave way to the American holiday celebrated annually called Memorial Day.

More Fun Facts: http://www.50states.com/facts/miss.htm