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Mississippi Info

Capital City: Jackson

Population: 2,910,540

Top Industry: General Services

Total Area: 48,434 square miles

The state of Mississippi is located in the deep south of the U.S., bordered by the states of Louisiana and Alabama to the west and east and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. Mississippi is heavily forested, well-known for its state symbol, the Magnolia flower and is the largest producer of American catfish.

The Mississippi Economy

In addition to being the largest producer in the country of American catfish, there are a number of other agricultural outputs that play an important role in the economy of Mississippi. The state produces beef and dairy cattle, chicken eggs, soybeans, watermelons, and peaches. One of the state's most important crops is cotton; Mississippi is the third largest cotton producer in the country and cotton accounts for nearly 13% of the state's entire agricultural products.

Gambling is another massive industry in Mississippi. Gambling was legalized in a handful of counties in the state in 1990 and prior to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Mississippi was the second largest gambling state in the country, after Nevada.

Major Mississippi Cities

• Jackson - The city of Jackson is the capital of Mississippi as well as the state's largest city. The population is just over 177,500 residents and its larger five county metropolitan area has a population of nearly 530,000. The city has adopted the slogan "Jackson, Mississippi: City with Soul."

• Gulfport - This city is located right on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi (hence the name) and is the second largest city in the state, with just under 75,000 residents.

• Biloxi - Biloxi is settled right on the Mississippi Sound, just east of the city of Gulfport and has just over 50,000 residents.

Mississippi Interstates

Mississippi currently has eight operating major interstates, one that is partially built (Interstate 22) and one that is in the planning stages to be built (Interstate 269). Of the eight current interstates, major ones include I-10, I-59, and I-20.