MISSISSIPPI

Mississippi is a state in the southern United States bordered by Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico and the Gulf Coast to the south, and Louisiana and Arkansas to the west. The Mississippi River forms its western boundary. The state covers about 48,430 square miles. The capital and largest city is Jackson; Gulfport is the second-largest city. The geography consists of the Gulf Coastal Plain in the south and forested hills and river lowlands in the north.

Historically, Mississippi was inhabited by Native American peoples such as the Natchez, Choctaw, and Chickasaw before European contact. It was explored by Hernando de Soto in the 1540s and became the 20th state on December 10, 1817. During the 19th century the economy depended on cotton and enslaved labor. The Civil War began in Mississippi in 1861 as part of the Confederacy. After the war, the state experienced Reconstruction, Jim Crow, and later civil rights activism. In recent decades the economy has diversified and population shifted toward urban centers along the Gulf Coast and in the central region.

Mississippi has about 2.9 million people and a diverse society with White and African American residents as the largest racial groups, along with smaller communities. The state government is a constitutional republic with a bicameral legislature (a Senate and a House) and a governor. Mississippi is divided into 82 counties. Higher education institutions include the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) in Oxford, Mississippi State University in Starkville, and the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, along with several historically black colleges and universities.

Culturally, Mississippi is known for its blues heritage in the Mississippi Delta, literary figures such as William Faulkner and Eudora Welty, and a cuisine featuring fried catfish, cornbread, and barbecue. The Gulf Coast supports tourism and gaming with casinos in Biloxi and Gulfport. Notable landmarks include Vicksburg National Military Park and the Natchez Trace Parkway.