Mississippi

Mississippi, constituent state of the United States

of America. Its name derives from a Native
American word meaning great waters or father
of waters. Mississippi became the 20th state of
the union in 1817. Jackson is the state capital.
Mississippi is smaller than most of the U.S. states and
is bounded on the north by Tennessee, on the east by
Alabama, on the south by Louisiana and the Gulf of
Mexico, and on the west by Louisiana and Arkansas.
Mississippi is naturally well suited to agriculture; its soil
is rich and deep, and its landscape is laced with many
rivers. Until the mid-20th century the dominance of a
rural, unhurried lifestyle generally worked to the states
advantage. This way of life was manifest in part in a
culture of gentility, the legacy of which is still evident in
the many historic mansions located in such old towns
as Columbus, Biloxi, Natchez, Vicksburg, and Holly
Springs.
With increasing urbanization and industrialization, however,
the leisurely approach to life in many ways became a
hindrance to Mississippis economic and social
development. For decades an unusually large dependent
population, a predominantly agricultural economy, and a
prevailing resistance to change have kept Mississippis per
capita income low and created an inadequate standard of
living for many families. Moreover, the state has been the
site of intense interracial conflict, sitting centre stage during
the civil rights movement of the mid-20th century. In the
early 21st century roughly half of all Mississippians still
lived in rural areasthough not necessarily on farmsand
the state continued to rank low in many economic indexes.
Area 47,692 square miles (123,522 square km). Population
(2010) 2,967,297; (2012 est.) 2,984,926.
Land
Mississippi is a low-lying state, its highest point
reaching only about 800 feet (240 metres) above sea
level. Except for its hilly northeast corner, Mississippi
lies entirely within the eastern gulf segment of the
broader Coastal Plain physiographic region. It has
generally low topographic elevations and extensive
tracts of marshy land. Its major soil areas encompass
hills, plains, prairies, river lowlands, and pine woods.
Relief and soils
In the northwestern part of the state, the great fertile crescent
called the Delta is the old floodplain of the Yazoo and
Mississippi rivers, comprising some 6,250 square miles (16,200
square km) of black alluvial soil several feet deep. Once subject
to disastrous floods, the land is now protected by levee and
reservoir systems.

On the eastern rim of the Delta are the loess bluffs, marking the
beginning of the highlands. On the Deltas western rim a highly
fertile band of lowlands parallels the Mississippi River from
Vicksburg, south to the Louisiana border. A brown loam belt of
varying width extends from Tennessee to Louisiana. Most of
southern Mississippi lies in the gently rolling Piney Woods. The
coastal area, sometimes called the Coastal Meadows, or
Terrace, borders the Gulf of Mexico. This regions soil is sandy
and not well suited to crops.....
Drainage
Mississippi has many rivers, creeks, bayous, and other
natural drainage networks. The states principal river
systems include the Tombigbee, now joined with the
Tennessee to form the Tennessee-Tombigbee
Waterway, which links the Tennessee River with the
Gulf of Mexico; the Pascagoula in the southeast; the
Pearl in the south-central section; and the Mississippi
and its tributaries, notably the Yazoo and the Big Black,
in the west. These streams all empty into the gulf,
either directly or through the Mississippi and other
rivers.
Climate
Mississippis location endows it with a favourable climate for
agriculture. The growing season is long (virtually year-round on
the coast), precipitation is abundant, and extreme temperatures
are unusual. Summers are warm, with daily temperatures
typically rising from the upper 60s F (about 20 C) into the low
90s F (about 33 C) in July and August. Autumns bright, crisp
days have the least precipitation and are considered by many to
be the most agreeable of the year. Daily temperatures in
January generally range from the low 30s F (about 0 C) to the
mid-50s F (about 12 C). Snowfall is rare but does occur. The
states annual precipitation averages more than 50 inches
(1,270 mm), varying by region. The coastal area is subject to
tropical cyclones (hurricanes) from June to October; in 2005 the
cities of Gulfport and Biloxi were heavily damaged by Hurricane
Katrina, one of the strongest Atlantic storms on record.
Population composition
People of white European ancestryprimarily British, Irish, or
northern Europeanaccount for about three-fifths of
Mississippis residents, while African Americans make up nearly
all of the remainder. Hispanics, Asians, and Native Americans
each constitute just a tiny fraction of the population, with
Hispanics being the largest of the three groups. The vast
majority of Mississippians were born in-state, although in the
late 20th century there was a wave of immigrants, mainly from
Vietnam and India.
Until about 1940, people of African descent constituted the
majority of Mississippis population. By the late 20th century,
however, they had become a minority (albeit a large one), owing
primarily to a very high rate of out-migration. Nevertheless, in
the early 21st century Mississippi had a greater percentage of
African American residents than did any other state. The small
Chinese population, concentrated mostly in the Delta, is
descended from farm labourers brought there from California in
the 1870s. The Chinese did not adjust well to the Mississippi
plantation system, however, and most of them became small
merchants. Many of the Southeast Asian immigrants of the late
20th century were attracted by the states coastal fishing
industry. Much of the Native American population lives in the
central section of the state. The Mississippi Band of Choctaw
Indians, the states only federally recognized Native American
group, has reservation lands in the vicinity of Jackson.......
Resources:

http://www.sartainsheritage.com

Article source:

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/385567/Mississippi