Geography and Climate of Arkansas
Arkansas shares borders with Missouri to the north, Louisiana to the south, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. The mighty Mississippi River runs along most of the eastern border of Arkansas.
The Lowlands in the southern part of Arkansas, which can be separated into the Delta and the Grand Prairie, have very fertile soil. The Grand Prairie has a landscape of rolling hills. The Delta is flatter, rich in soil from repeated flooding by the Mississippi River.
The Delta divides from Crowley’s Ridge, a narrow stretch of undulating hills. In the northwest region of the state, the Ozark Plateau, Ouachita Mountains and Boston Mountains are divided by the Arkansas River. Both ranges and the Ozark Mountains are the only major mountains between the Appalachian and Rocky Mountains.
In addition to mountains, rivers and valleys, several areas of Arkansas are under national protection, including Hot Springs National Park and the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail. The state has many caves, including Blanchard Springs Caverns, and is the only place in the U.S. with an operating diamond mine near Murfreesboro.
Arkansas has a humid subtropical to continental climate, since it is close enough to the Gulf of Mexico. The weather includes mild winters and hot, humid and muggy summers. Like other states in the South, Arkansas has a high annual rainfall that averages between 40 to 60 inches. Snowfall occurs, but not in excess as with Midwestern states.
Nevertheless, Arkansas has extreme weather in the form of thunderstorms and tropical storms from the Gulf. Arkansas is also within Tornado Alley, where some of the most destructive twisters have whipped through the state. High waters from the White River in eastern Arkansas have caused major damage from flooding.
History of Arkansas
Quapaw, Caddo and Osage Native American tribes inhabited present-day Arkansas before Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto traveled through the area towards the end of the 16th century. Arkansas, or the Territory of Arkansas, was part of the Louisiana Purchase organized in 1819. By 1836, Arkansas gained admittance to the Union as a slave state. Seminole, Creek, Chickasaw, Choctaw and Cherokee tribes, or the Five Civilized Tribes, lived in the Arkansas territory.
Farmers settled in the state by the Delta to cultivate crops. Plantations sprouted up as planters used slave labor to grow cotton. By 1860, African-American slaves made up a quarter of the population. Arkansas was important in helping Texas fight for independence against Mexico, sending many troops and supplies. During the Civil War, the state seceded from the Union with other slave states and fought several small-scale battles.
Immigrants and black migrants began moving to the state to work on farms, while railroad construction helped Arkansas grow and develop other parts of the state like the Ozarks. The Brooks-Baxter War in 1874, a political struggle between the Republican Party and governorship, had to be resolved by President Ulysses S. Grant. In 1891, the Arkansas state constitution was ratified to disfranchise African-Americans and poor whites from voting, keeping the elite Democratic Party in control for decades.
The decision of Brown v. Topeka Board of Education in 1954 enabled African-Americans to attend Little Rock Central High School as part of federal desegregation. The Arkansas National Guard was ordered by Governor Orval Faubus to prevent the nine students from enrolling. As a result, President Dwight D. Eisenhower sent 1,000 paratroops to escort and protect the students while at that school. By 1959, all of the high schools in Little Rock were integrated.
Demographics of Arkansas
Arkansas, as of 2006, has an estimated population of 2,810,872.
People of Irish, English and German ancestry most common commonly reside in the northwestern Ozarks and central Arkansas. African-Americans live primarily in the southern and eastern parts of the state.
The state is along the stretch of the U.S., known as the Bible Belt. Like many other Southern states, Arkansas has a strong Protestant following, particularly Baptist and Methodist. Surprisingly, 14 percent of Arkansas residents claim to be non-religious.
Economy of Arkansas
In 2005, the gross domestic product for Arkansas gross domestic was $87 billion, while its per capital income in 2004 was $35,295.
Thanks to the fertile Delta, Arkansas is a major contributor to agriculture, including soybeans, sorghum, cotton, rice, dairy, poultry eggs and hogs. Food processing, fabricated metal, machinery, bromine, vanadium and paper products are among some of the state’s industrial outputs.
Saw Walton in Arkansas founded wal-Mart, the largest public corporation in the world. Headquarters are located in Bentonville. The headquarters for Tyson Foods, J.B. Hunt and various automobile parts manufacturers are also in Arkansas and have since helped to expand and diversify the economy. Tourism to the lovely Ozark Mountains and nature parks is another important economic aspect for the state.
Arkansas Law and Government
Democrat Mike Beebe is the current Governor of Arkansas, with four seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and Democrats Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor representing the state in the U.S. Senate.
Unlike much of the South, the Democratic Party has a stronghold on Arkansas politics. However, the Democrats in Arkansas lean toward pro-business and socially conservative legislation, such as their ban on gay marriage. Most Republicans are in northwest Arkansas, near Bentonville and Mountain Home, while Little Rock and Mississippi River towns mostly vote Democrat.
Arkansas Transportation
I-30 runs from Texas through Arkansas, while I-40 runs east to west and I-55 passes north to south through the state. Highway 5 and Highway 2 also cross through Arkansas from north to south and east to west, respectively.
Little Rock National Airport and Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport help serve regional flights, along with a few other airports scattered throughout the state. Many people who live in eastern Arkansas use the Memphis International Airport. Amtrak makes some stops on the Texas Eagle, going from Chicago to San Antonio.
Major Cities and Towns of Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital of Arkansas and the most densely populated city in the state. Little Rock celebrates its native son, President Bill Clinton, with the William J. Clinton Presidential Center, which includes the presidential library. The Riverfront Park in downtown hosts the annual Riverfest music festival. The famed high school where desegregation began is now a national historic site.
The Fayetteville metropolitan area is one of the fastest growing in the nation. Hot Springs, home of President Bill Clinton, is a successful spa town for its natural spring water.
Arkansas Educational System
The University of Arkansas system consists of five campuses, with its flagship in Fayetteville. University of Arkansas is known for business, agriculture and architecture programs. The Arkansas State University system has two campuses in Jonesboro and Mountain Home. There are also several private postsecondary educational institutions.
Learn more at the Arkansas Department of Education.
Arkansas Sports Teams and Recreational Activities
Although Arkansas does not have major sports franchises, it has several sports teams for minor leagues, as well as college teams. Additionally, Arkansas is centrally located near several large cities, so residents often root for teams from Memphis, Kansas City, St. Louis and Houston. The Arkansas Stars play indoor football, while the Northwest Arkansas Naturals play minor league baseball. The Razorbacks baseball teams for the University of Arkansas have won five College World Series.
When it comes to recreational activities, the “Natural State” has plenty to offer. Hiking, camping and fishing in the Mississippi or Arkansas rivers is very popular, as is hunting for sport in the woods of the Lowlands. Both the Ouachita and Ozark Mountains attract tourists annually for its stunning natural beauty and distinct culture similar to that of the Appalachians.
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