Arkansas 1930 226160076 2008-07-17T02:30:21Z Bobo192 97951 Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/67.84.188.122|67.84.188.122]] ([[User talk:67.84.188.122|talk]]) to last version by Agcshm {{Otheruses1|the U.S. State}} {{US state | Name = Arkansas | Fullname = State of Arkansas | Flag = Flag of Arkansas.svg | Flaglink = [[Flag of Arkansas]] | Seal = Arkansasstateseal.jpg | Map = Map of USA AR.svg | Nickname = The Natural State (current), <br> The Land of Opportunity (former)|losers Motto = [[Regnat populus|Regnat Populus (The People Rule)]] | Capital = [[Little Rock, Arkansas|Little Rock]] | OfficialLang = [[English language|English]] | Demonym = Arkansan | LargestCity = [[Little Rock, Arkansas|Little Rock]] | LargestMetro = [[Little Rock-North Little Rock metropolitan area|Little Rock Metropolitan Area ]]| Governor = [[Mike Beebe]] (D)| Lieutenant Governor = [[Bill Halter]] (D)| Senators = [[Blanche Lincoln]] (D)<br/>[[Mark Pryor]] (D) | PostalAbbreviation = AR | TradAbbreviation = Ark. | AreaRank = 29<sup>th</sup> | TotalArea = 137,002| TotalAreaUS = 53,179 | LandArea = 134,856 | LandAreaUS = 52,068 | WaterArea = 2876 | WaterAreaUS = 1,110 | PCWater = 2.09 | PopRank = 32<sup>nd</sup> | 2000Pop = 2,673,400 | Median Income = $24,375 (50th) | DensityRank = 34<sup>th</sup> | 2000Density = 19.82 | 2000DensityUS = 51.34 | AdmittanceOrder = 25<sup>th</sup> | AdmittanceDate = [[June 15]], [[1836]] | TimeZone = [[Central Standard Time Zone|Central]]: [[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]]-6/[[Daylight saving time|DST]]-5 | Latitude = 33°&#8202;00′ N to 36°&#8202;30′ N | Longitude = 89°&#8202;39′ W to 94°&#8202;37′ W | Width = 385 | WidthUS = 239 | Length = 420 | LengthUS = 261 | HighestPoint = [[Mount Magazine]]<ref name=usgs>{{cite web| date =[[29 April]] [[2005]] | url =http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/elvadist/elvadist.html#Highest| title =Elevations and Distances in the United States| publisher =U.S Geological Survey| accessmonthday = [[November 3]] | accessyear = 2006}}</ref> | HighestElev = 840 | HighestElevUS = 2,753 | MeanElev = 198 | MeanElevUS = 650 | LowestPoint = [[Ouachita River]]<ref name=usgs/> | LowestElev = 17 | LowestElevUS = 55 | ISOCode = US-AR | TradAbbrev = Ark | Website = www.arkansas.gov }} {{Infobox U.S. state symbols |Name = Arkansas |Bird = [[Northern Mockingbird|Mockingbird]] |Butterfly = [[Diana Fritillary]] |Flower = [[Apple|Apple blossom]] |Insect = [[Western honey bee|European honey bee]] |Mammal = [[White-tailed deer]] |Tree = [[Loblolly Pine]] |Beverage = [[Milk]] |Dance = [[Square Dance]] |Food = [[Tomato|South Arkansas Vine Ripe Pink Tomato]] |Gemstone = [[Diamond]] |Instrument = [[Fiddle]] |Mineral = [[diamond]] |StateRock = [[Bauxite]] |Soil = [[Stuttgart (soil)|Stuttgart]] |Song = ''[[Arkansas (song)|Arkansas]]'',<br>''[[Arkansas (You Run Deep In Me)]]'',<br>''[[Oh, Arkansas]]'',<br>''[[The Arkansas Traveler]]'' |Tartan = [[:Image:Arkansas Traveler Tartan.png|Arkansas Traveler Tartan]] |Route Marker = Arkansas 87.svg |Quarter = 2003 AR Proof.png |QuarterReleaseDate = 2003 }} '''Arkansas''' ({{pronounced|ˈɑɹkn̩ˌsɑː}}) is a [[U.S. state|state]] located in the [[Southern United States|southern region]] of the [[United States]]. Arkansas shares a border with six states, with its eastern border largely defined by the [[Mississippi River]]. Its diverse geography ranges from the mountainous regions of the [[The Ozarks|Ozarks]] and the [[Ouachita Mountains]], which make up the [[U.S. Interior Highlands]], to the eastern lowlands along the Mississippi River. The capital and most populous city is [[Little Rock, Arkansas|Little Rock]], located in the central portion of the state. The name ''Arkansas'' derives from the same root as the name for the State of [[Kansas]]. The Kansas tribe of American Indians are closely associated with the [[Sioux]] tribes. The word is a [[French language|French]] pronunciation of a [[Quapaw]] (a related "Kaw" tribe) word meaning "land of downriver people" or "people of the south wind". The pronunciation of Arkansas (ar-kan-saw) was made official by an act of the state legislature in 1881 after a dispute between the two U.S. Senators from Arkansas. One wanted to pronounce the name ar-kán-sas and the other wanted ár-kan-saw.<ref name="Arkansas">The name Arkansas has been pronounced and spelled in a variety of fashions. The region was organized as the [[Territory of Arkansaw]] on July 4, 1819, but the territory was admitted to the [[United States|Union]] as the [[State of Arkansas]] on June 15, 1836. The name was historically {{pronEng|ˈɑrkənsɔː/, /ærˈkænzəs}}, and several other variants. In 1881, the [[Arkansas General Assembly]] passed the following concurrent resolution (Arkansas Statutes, Title 1, Chapter 4, Section 105): <blockquote>Whereas, confusion of practice has arisen in the pronunciation of the name of our state and it is deemed important that the true pronunciation should be determined for use in oral official proceedings.</blockquote> <blockquote>And, whereas, the matter has been thoroughly investigated by the State Historical Society and the Eclectic Society of Little Rock, which have agreed upon the correct pronunciation as derived from history, and the early usage of the American immigrants.</blockquote> <blockquote>Be it therefore resolved by both houses of the General Assembly, that the only true pronunciation of the name of the state, in the opinion of this body, is that received by the French from the native Indians and committed to writing in the French word representing the sound. It should be pronounced in three (3) syllables, with the final "s" silent, the "a" in each syllable with the Italian sound, and the accent on the first and last syllables. The pronunciation with the accent on the second syllable with the sound of "a" in "man" and the sounding of the terminal "s" is an innovation to be discouraged.</blockquote> Citizens of the [[State of Kansas]] often pronounce the [[Arkansas River]] as {{IPAEng|ærˈkænzəs ˈrɪvər}} in a manner similar to the common pronunciation of the name of their state.</ref> ==Geography== {{seealso|List of Arkansas counties|List of cities in Arkansas|List of Arkansas townships|List of Arkansas native plants}} The [[Mississippi River]] forms most of Arkansas's eastern border, except in [[Clay County, Arkansas|Clay]] and [[Greene County, Arkansas|Greene]] counties where the [[St. Francis River]] forms the western boundary of the [[Missouri Bootheel]], and in dozens of places where the current channel of the Mississippi has meandered from where it had last been legally specified.<ref>[http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=2546 Arkansas State Boundaries] from the [http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/ Encyclopedia of Arkansas]</ref> Arkansas shares its southern border with [[Louisiana]], its northern border with [[Missouri]], its eastern border with [[Tennessee]] and [[Mississippi]], and its western border with [[Texas]] and [[Oklahoma]]. Arkansas is a land of mountains and valleys, thick forests and fertile plains. The so-called Lowlands are better known by names of their two regions, the Delta and the Grand Prairie. The [[Arkansas Delta]] is a flat landscape of [[River delta|rich alluvial soils formed by repeated flooding]] of the adjacent Mississippi. Further away from the river, in the southeast portion of the state, the Grand Prairie consists of a more undulating landscape. Both are fertile agricultural areas. The Delta region is bisected by an unusual geological formation known as [[Crowley's Ridge]]. A narrow band of rolling hills, Crowley's Ridge rises from 250 to {{convert|500|ft|m}} above the surrounding alluvial plain and underlies many of the major towns of eastern Arkansas. Northwest Arkansas is part of the [[Ozark Plateau]] including the [[Boston Mountains]], to the south are the [[Ouachita Mountains]] and these regions are divided by the [[Arkansas River]]; the southern and eastern parts of Arkansas are called the Lowlands. All of these mountains ranges are part of the [[U.S. Interior Highlands]] region, the only major mountainous region between the [[Rocky Mountains]] and the [[Appalachian Mountains]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/4106/about/HotSpringsOffice.htm | title= Managing Upland Forests of the Midsouth| publisher= United States Forestry Service | accessdate=2007-10-13}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://tapestry.usgs.gov/physiogr/physio.html| title= A Tapestry of Time and Terrain: The Union of Two Maps - Geology and Topography| publisher= United States Geological Survey | accessdate=2007-10-13}}</ref> The highest point in the state is [[Mount Magazine]] in the [[Ozark Mountains]]; it rises to {{convert|2753|ft|m}} above sea level. [[Image:BuffaloRiver.jpg|right|thumb|[[Buffalo National River]], one of many attractions that give the state's nickname ''The Natural State''.]] Arkansas is home to many [[List of caves in Arkansas|caves]], such as [[Blanchard Springs Caverns]]. It is also the first U.S. state in which [[diamond]]s were found<ref>[http://www.craterofdiamondsstatepark.com/history/ Crater of Diamonds: History of diamonds, diamond mining in Arkansas<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> (near [[Murfreesboro, Arkansas|Murfreesboro]]). Arkansas has the only operating diamond mine in the United States. Arkansas is home to many areas protected by the [[National Park System]]. These include:<ref name=ArkNPS>{{cite web | title = Arkansas | publisher = National Park Service | accessdate = 2008-07-15 | url = http://www.nps.gov/state/ar}}</ref> *[[Arkansas Post National Memorial]] at [[Gillett, Arkansas|Gillett]] *[[Buffalo National River]] *[[Fort Smith National Historic Site]] *[[Hot Springs National Park]] *[[Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site]] *[[Pea Ridge National Military Park]] The [[Trail of Tears]] National Historic Trail also runs through Arkansas.<ref name=ArkNPS/> ===Climate=== Arkansas generally has a [[humid subtropical climate]], which borders on [[humid continental climate|humid continental]] in some northern highland areas. While not bordering the [[Gulf of Mexico]], Arkansas is still close enough to this warm, large body of water for it to be the main weather influence in the state. Generally, Arkansas has very hot, humid summers and mild, slightly drier winters. In Little Rock, the daily high temperatures average around 90 °F (32 °C) in the summer and close to 50 °F (10 °C) in winter. Annual precipitation throughout the state averages between about 40 and 60 inches (1,000 to 1,500 mm); somewhat wetter in the south and drier in the northern part of the state.<ref>[http://www.ocs.orst.edu/pub/maps/Precipitation/Total/States/AR/ar.gif Average Annual Precipitation - Arkansas]. Spatial Climate Analysis Service, [[Oregon State University]]. Published 2000. Last Retrieved [[2007-10-26]].</ref> Snowfall is not uncommon, but certainly not excessive in most years as the average snowfall is around 5 inches (13 cm).<ref name="avgsnf.txt"> [http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/online/ccd/avgsnf.txt] [[NCDC]] at [[NOAA]]. </ref> Despite its subtropical climate, Arkansas is known for occasional extreme weather. Between both the [[Great Plains]] and the [[Gulf States]], Arkansas receives around 60 days of thunderstorms. As a part of [[Tornado Alley]], tornadoes are not an uncommon occurrence in Arkansas, and a few of the most destructive tornadoes in U.S. history have struck the state. While being sufficiently away from the coast to be safe from a direct hit from a hurricane, Arkansas can often get the remnants of a [[tropical cyclone|tropical system]] which dumps tremendous amounts of rain in a short time and often spawns smaller tornadoes. High water pouring down the [[White River (Arkansas)|White River]] caused historic flooding in cities along its path in eastern Arkansas. The river could top levels recorded in a devastating flood in 1982. Arkansas emergency management told early estimates for statewide damage to homes, businesses and infrastructure was at $2 million, though that figure was expected to grow. {| class="wikitable" "text-align:center;font-size:90%;"| | colspan="13" style="text-align:center;font-size:120%;background:#E8EAFA;"|Monthly Normal High and Low Temperatures For Various Arkansas Cities |- ! style="background: #E5AFAA; color: #000000" height="17" | City ! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Jan ! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Feb ! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Mar ! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Apr ! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | May ! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Jun ! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Jul ! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Aug ! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Sep ! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Oct ! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Nov ! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Dec |- ! style="background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Fort Smith | style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 48/28 | style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 55/33 | style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 64/41 | style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 73/49 | style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 80/59 | style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 88/67 | style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 93/71 | style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 93/70 | style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 85/63 | style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 75/50 | style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 61/40 | style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 51/31 |- ! style="background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Little Rock | style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 50/31 | style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 56/35 | style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 64/43 | style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 73/50 | style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 81/59 | style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 89/68 | style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 93/72 | style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 92/70 | style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 85/64 | style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 75/52 | style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 62/42 | style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 52/34 |- | colspan="13" style="text-align:center;font-size:90%;background:#E8EAFA;"|''<ref>http://www.ustravelweather.com/weather-arkansas/</ref>'' |} ==History== <!-- This section is linked from [[List of capitals in the United States]] --> :''See main article [[History of Arkansas]].'' The first European to reach Arkansas was the [[Spain|Spanish]] explorer [[Hernando de Soto (explorer)|Hernando de Soto]] at the end of the 16th century. Arkansas is one of several [[U.S. states]] formed from the territory purchased from [[Napoleon Bonaparte]] in the [[Louisiana Purchase]]. The early Spanish or French explorers of the state gave it its name, which is probably a phonetic spelling for the [[Illinois language|Illinois]] word for the [[Quapaw]] people, who lived downriver from them <ref>[http://listserv.linguistlist.org/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0302b&L=ads-l&P=7800 Linguist list 14.4<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>. Other [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] nations that lived in Arkansas prior to westward movement were the Quapaw, [[Caddo]], and [[Osage]] nations. In their forced move westward (under U.S. [[Indian removal]] policies), the [[Five Civilized Tribes]] inhabited Arkansas during its territorial period. The [[Territory of Arkansaw]]<ref name="Arkansas"/> was organized on July 4, 1819, and on June 15, 1836, the State of Arkansas was admitted to the [[United States|Union]] as the 25th [[U.S. state|state]] and the 13th [[slave state]]. Planters settled in the Delta to cultivate cotton, and this was the area of the state where most enslaved African Americans were held. Other areas had more subsistence farmers and mixed farming. Arkansas played a key role in aiding Texas in its war for independence with Mexico, sending troops and materials to Texas to help fight the war. The proximity of the city of [[Washington, Arkansas|Washington]] to the Texas border involved the town in the [[Texas Revolution]] of 1835-36. Some evidence suggests [[Sam Houston]] and his compatriots planned the revolt in a tavern at Washington in 1834.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arkansasmediaroom.com/news-releases/listings/display.asp?id=165|title=Old Washington State Park Conserves Town's Heyday|first=Jim|last=Taylor}}</ref> When the fighting began, a stream of volunteers from Arkansas and the southeastern states flowed through the town toward the Texas battle fields. When the [[Mexican-American War]] began in 1846, Washington became a rendezvous for volunteer troops. Governor Thomas S. Drew issued a proclamation calling on the state to furnish one regiment of cavalry and one battalion of infantry to join the United States Army. Ten companies of men assembled here where they were formed into the first Regiment of Arkansas Cavalry. The state developed a cotton culture in the east in lands of the Mississippi Delta. This was where enslaved labor was used most extensively, as planters brought with them or imported slaves from the Upper South. On the eve of the Civil War in 1860, enslaved African Americans numbered 111,115 people, just over 25% of the state's population.<ref>[http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/collections/stats/histcensus/php/state.php Historical Census Browser, 1860 US Census, University of Virginia], accessed [[March 21]], [[2008]]</ref> Arkansas refused to join the [[Confederate States of America]] until after [[United States President]] [[Abraham Lincoln]] called for troops to respond to the attack on [[Fort Sumter]], [[South Carolina]], by Confederate forces. The State of Arkansas seceded from the [[United States|Union]] on May 6, 1861. While not often cited in historical accounts, the state was the scene of numerous small-scale battles during the [[American Civil War]]. Arkansans of note during the Civil War included Confederate Major General [[Patrick Cleburne]]. Considered by many to be one of the most brilliant Confederate division commanders of the war, Cleburne was often referred to as "The Stonewall of the West". Also of note was Major General [[Thomas C. Hindman]]. A former United States Representative, Hindman commanded Confederate forces at the [[Battle of Cane Hill]] and [[Battle of Prairie Grove]]. Under the [[Reconstruction era of the United States#Military reconstruction|Military Reconstruction Act]], Congress readmitted Arkansas in June 1868. The Reconstruction legislature established universal male suffrage, a public education system, and other general issues to improve the state and help more of the population. Years later, as conservative Democrats began to regain political power, the legislature passed a new constitution in 1874. In 1874, the [[Brooks-Baxter War]], a political struggle between factions of the [[United States Republican Party|Republican Party]] shook Little Rock and the state governorship. It was settled only when President [[Ulysses S. Grant]] ordered Joseph Brooks to disperse his militant supporters.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=2276 |title=Brooks-Baxter War - Encyclopedia of Arkansas |accessdate=2007-08-24}}</ref> In 1881, the Arkansas state legislature enacted a bill that adopted an official pronunciation, to combat a controversy then raging around the proper pronunciation of the state's name. (See Law and Government below). After Reconstruction the state began to receive more immigrants and migrants. Some were originally recruited to work as farm labor in the developing Delta region. Some immigration continued into the early decades of the 20th century. The state welcomed numbers of [[Chinese]], [[Italian]], [[Syrian]] and immigrants from eastern Europe who made the Delta more diverse than the rest of the state. In addition, some black migrants moved into the area because of opportunities to develop the bottomlands and own their own property. The Chinese and Italians moved quickly out of positions as farm labor. Many Chinese became such successful merchants in small towns that they were able to educate their children at college.<ref>William D. Baker, ''Minority Settlement in the Mississippi River Counties of the Arkansas Delta, 1870-1930'', Arkansas Preservation Commission [http://www.arkansaspreservation.org/pdf/publications/Minority_Settlement.pdf], accessed [[14 May]], [[2008]]</ref> Construction of railroads enabled more farmers to get their products to market. It also brought new development into different parts of the state, including the Ozarks. In a few years at the end of the 19th century, for instance, [[Eureka Springs]] in [[Carroll County]] grew to 10,000 people, having become a tourist destination and the fourth largest city of the state. It featured newly constructed, elegant resort hotels and spas planned around its springs. The town's attractions included horse racing and other entertainment. It appealed to a wide variety of classes, becoming almost as popular as [[Hot Springs]]. In the late 1880s, the worsening agricultural depression catalyzed Populist and third party movements, leading to interracial coalitions. Struggling to stay in power, in the 1890s the Democrats in Arkansas followed other Southern states in passing legislation and constitutional amendments that disfranchised blacks and poor whites. Democrats wanted to prevent their alliance. In 1891 state legislators passed a requirement for a literacy test, knowing that many blacks and whites would be excluded, at a time when more than 25% of the population could neither read nor write. In 1892 the state constitution was amended to include a [[poll tax]] and related residency requirements, which adversely affected poor people and forced them from electoral rolls. By 1900 the Democratic Party expanded use of the [[white primary]] in county and state elections, further denying blacks a part in the political process, as only in the primary was there any competition. The state was one-party for decades.<ref>http://www.oldstatehouse.com/educational_programs/classroom/arkansas_news/detail.asp?id=800&issue_id=36&page=3 "White Primary" System Bars Blacks from Politics - 1900, Spring 1987, p.3, ''The Arkansas News'', accessed [[March 22]], [[2008]]</ref> In 1905-1911, Arkansas began to receive a small migration of [[Germans|German]], [[Slovaks|Slovak]], and [[Irish people|Irish]] immigrants. The German and Slovak peoples settled in the eastern part of the state known as the [[Prairie]], and the Irish founded small communities in the southeast part of the state. The Germans were mostly Catholic and the Slovaks were Lutheran. The Irish were mostly [[Protestant]] from [[Ulster]], northern [[Ireland]]. After the case of ''[[Brown v. Topeka Board of Education]]'' in 1954, the [[Little Rock Nine]] brought Arkansas to national attention when the Federal government intervened to protect African-American students trying to integrate a high school in the Arkansas capital. Governor [[Orval Faubus]] ordered the [[Arkansas National Guard]] to aid segregationists in preventing nine African-American students from enrolling at Little Rock's Central High School. After attempting three times to contact Faubus, President [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] sent 1000 paratroops to escort and protect the African-American students as they entered school on [[September 25]], [[1957]]. In defiance of federal court orders to integrate, the governor and city of Little Rock decided to close the high schools for the remainder of the school year. By the fall of 1959, the Little Rock high schools were completely integrated.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?search=1&entryID=723 |title=Little Rock Nine - Encyclopedia of Arkansas |accessdate=2007-08-24}}</ref> [[Bill Clinton]], the 42nd [[President of the United States]], was born in [[Hope, Arkansas]]. Before his presidency, Clinton served nearly twelve years as the 40th and 42nd [[Governor]] of Arkansas. ==Demographics== {{USCensusPop |1810 = 1062 |1820 = 14273 |1830 = 30388 |1840 = 97574 |1850 = 209897 |1860 = 435450 |1870 = 484471 |1880 = 802525 |1890 = 1128211 |1900 = 1311564 |1910 = 1574449 |1920 = 1752204 |1930 = 1854482 |1940 = 1949387 |1950 = 1909511 |1960 = 1786272 |1970 = 1923295 |1980 = 2286435 |1990 = 2350725 |2000 = 2673400 |estyear = 2007 |estimate = 2834797 }} As of 2006, Arkansas has an estimated population of 2,810,872,<ref name=stateest>{{cite web | date = [[June 21]] [[2006]] | url = http://www.census.gov/popest/states/tables/NST-EST2005-01.csv | title = Annual Estimates of the Population for the United States and States, and for Puerto Rico: [[April 1]], [[2000]] to [[July 1]], [[2005]]|format = [[Comma-separated values|CSV]] | work = 2005 Population Estimates | publisher = U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division | accessmonthday = [[November 15]] | accessyear = 2006}}</ref> which is an increase of 29,154, or 1.1%, from the prior year and an increase of 105,756, or 4.0%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 52,214 people (that is 198,800 births minus 146,586 deaths) and an increase due to net migration of 57,611 people into the state. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 21,947 people, and migration within the country produced a net increase of 35,664 people. It is estimated that about 48.8% is male, and 51.2% is female. From 2000 through 2006 Arkansas has had a population growth of 5.1% or 137,472.<ref>{{citeweb|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/05000.html|title=Arkansas QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau}}</ref> The population density of the state is 51.3 people per square mile. The [[center of population]] of Arkansas is located in the far northeast corner of [[Perry County, Arkansas|Perry County]].<ref>http://www.census.gov/geo/www/cenpop/statecenters.txt</ref> {{US Demographics}} The five largest ancestry groups in the state are: [[United States|American]] (15.9%), [[African American]] (15.7%), [[Irish people|Irish]] (9.5%), [[German-American|German]] (9.3%) and [[English people|English]] (7.9%). People of European ancestry have a strong presence in the northwestern Ozarks and the central part of the state. African Americans live mainly in the fertile southern and eastern parts of the state. Arkansans of Irish, English and German ancestry are mostly found in the far northwestern Ozarks near the Missouri border. Ancestors of Irish in the Ozarks were chiefly [[Scots-Irish]], Protestants from [[Northern Ireland]] and the [[Scotland|Scottish]] lowlands, part of the largest group of immigrants from [[Kingdom of Great Britain|Great Britain]] and [[Kingdom of Ireland|Ireland]] before the American Revolution. Scots-Irish settled throughout the backcountry of the South and in the more mountainous areas.<ref>David Hackett Fischer, ''Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America'', New York: Oxford University Press, 1989, pp.633-639</ref> As of 2000, 95.07% of Arkansas residents age 5 and older speak [[English language|English]] at home and 3.31% speak [[Spanish language|Spanish]]. [[German language|German]] is the third most spoken language at 0.299%, followed by [[French language|French]] at 0.291% and [[Vietnamese language|Vietnamese]] at 0.13% <ref>[http://www.mla.org/map_data_results&state_id=5&mode=state_tops&order=r Language Map Data Center<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>. In 2006, Arkansas has a larger percentage of tobacco smokers than the national average, with 24% of adults smoking.<ref> [http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/StateSystem/stateSystem.aspx?selectedTopic=100&selectedMeasure=1000&dir=epi_report&ucName=UCSummary&year=2006&excel=htmlTable&submitBk=y CDC's State System - State Comparison Report Cigarette Use (Adults) – BRFSS] for 2006, lists the state as having 23.7% smokers. The national average is 20.8% according to [http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5644a2.htm Cigarette Smoking Among Adults --- United States, 2006] article in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.</ref> ===Religion=== Arkansas, like most other Southern states, is part of the [[Bible Belt]] and is predominantly Protestant. The religious affiliations of the people are as follows:<ref>[http://www.gc.cuny.edu/faculty/research_briefs/aris/key_findings.htm American Religious Identification Survey, 2001]</ref> [[Image:Arkansas population map.png|thumb|right|200px|Arkansas Population Density Map]] *[[Christianity|Christian]] &ndash; 86% **[[Protestant]] &ndash; 78% ***[[Baptist]] &ndash; 39% ***[[Methodist]] &ndash; 9% ***[[Pentecostal]] &ndash; 6% ***[[Church of Christ]] &ndash; 6% ***[[Assemblies of God]] &ndash; 3% ***Other Protestant &ndash; 15% **[[Roman Catholicism in the United States|Roman Catholic]] &ndash; 7% **[[Eastern Orthodox Church|Orthodox Christian]] &ndash; <1% **[[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints|Mormon/LDS]] &ndash; <.5% **Other Christian &ndash; <1% *Other Religions &ndash; <1% *Non-Religious &ndash; 14% ==Economy== [[Image:2003 AR Proof.png|thumb|left|125px|The quarter for Arkansas, released [[October 20]] [[2003]].]] <!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Littlerockskyline.jpg|thumb|right|[[Little Rock]] city center.]] --> The state's gross domestic product for 2005 was $87 billion. Its per capita household median income (in current dollars) for 2004 was $35,295, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.<ref>[http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/05000.html Arkansas QuickFacts] from the US Census Bureau</ref> The state's agriculture outputs are poultry and eggs, soybeans, sorghum, cattle, cotton, rice, hogs, and milk. Its industrial outputs are food processing, electric equipment, fabricated metal products, machinery, paper products, bromine, and vanadium. Several global companies are headquartered in the northwest corner of Arkansas, including [[Wal-Mart]] (the world's largest public corporation by revenue in 2007<ref name="2007-Fortune-Global-500">Staff Writer. "[http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/global500/2007/ Fortune Global 500]." ''[[CNN]]/[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]].'' 2007. Retrieved on [[November 8]], [[2007]].</ref>), [[J.B. Hunt]] and [[Tyson Foods]]. This area of the state has experienced an economic boom since the 1970s as a result. In recent years, [[automobile]] parts manufacturers have opened factories in eastern Arkansas to support auto plants in other states. Additionally, the city of [[Conway, Arkansas|Conway]] is the site of a school bus factory. Tourism is also very important to the Arkansas economy; the official state nickname "The Natural State" was originally created (as "Arkansas Is A Natural") for state tourism advertising in the 1970s, and is still regularly used to this day. According to Forbes.com<ref>http://www.forbes.com/2007/07/10/washington-virginia-utah-biz-cz_kb_0711bizstates-table.html</ref> Arkansas currently ranks 21st for The Best States for Business, 9th for Business Cost, 40th for Labor, 22nd for Regulatory Environment, 17th for Economic Climate, 9th for Growth Prospects, 34th in Gross Domestic Product, and positive economic change of 3.8% or ranked 22nd. ===Taxation=== [[Image:Map of Arkansas.png|215px|thumb|right|A map of Arkansas with county boundaries drawn]] Arkansas imposes a [[state income tax]] with six brackets, ranging from 1.0% to 7.0%. The first $9,000 of military pay of enlisted personnel is exempt from Arkansas tax; officers do not have to pay state income tax on the first $6,000 of their military pay. Retirees pay no tax on [[Social Security (United States)|Social Security]], or on the first $6,000 in gain on their pensions (in addition to recovery of [[cost basis]]). Residents of [[Texarkana, Arkansas]] are exempt from Arkansas income tax; wages and business income earned there by residents of [[Texarkana, Texas]] are also exempt. Arkansas's gross receipts ([[sales tax|sales]]) tax and compensating ([[use tax|use]]) tax rate is currently 6%. The state has also mandated that various services be subject to sales tax collection. They include wrecker and towing services; dry cleaning and laundry; body piercing, tattooing and electrolysis; pest control; security and alarm monitoring; self-storage facilities; boat storage and docking; and pet grooming and kennel services. In addition to the state sales tax, there are more than 300 [[Tax|local taxes]] in Arkansas. Cities and counties have the authority to enact additional local sales and use taxes if they are passed by the voters in their area. These [[Tax|local taxes]] have a ceiling or cap; they cannot exceed $25 for each 1% of tax assessed. These additional taxes are collected by the state, which distributes the money back to the local jurisdictions monthly. Low-income taxpayers with a total annual household income of less than $12,000 are permitted a sales [[tax exemption]] for [[electricity]] usage. Sales of [[alcoholic beverage]]s account for added taxes. A 10% supplemental mixed drink tax is imposed on the sale of alcoholic beverages (excluding [[beer]]) at [[restaurant]]s. A 4% tax is due on the sale of all [[mixed drink]]s (except beer and [[wine]]) sold for "on-premises" consumption. And a 3% tax is due on beer sold for off-premises consumption. [[Property tax]]es are assessed on real and personal property; only 20% of the value is used as the tax base. ==Transportation== [[Image:Arkansas.JPG|thumb|right|Arkansas state welcome sign]] <!-- Image with unknown copyright status removed: [[Image:Arkansas_Map.gif|thumb|300px|right|Map of Arkansas, showing major cities and roads|{{deletable image-caption|1=Saturday, 16 February 2008}}]] --> ===Highways=== {{main|List of highways in Arkansas}} ===Airports=== [[Little Rock National Airport]] (Adams Field) and [[Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport]] in [[Highfill, Arkansas|Highfill]] in [[Benton County, Arkansas|Benton County]] are Arkansas's main air terminals. Passenger service is also available at [[Fort Smith Regional Airport|Fort Smith]], as well as limited service at [[Texarkana Regional Airport|Texarkana]], [[Pine Bluff, Arkansas|Pine Bluff]], [[Harrison, Arkansas|Harrison]], [[Ozark Regional Airport|Ozark Regional Airport Mountain Home]], [[Hot Springs, Arkansas|Hot Springs]], [[El Dorado, Arkansas|El Dorado]] and [[Jonesboro, Arkansas|Jonesboro]]. Many air travelers in eastern Arkansas use [[Memphis International Airport]]. ===Rail=== [[Amtrak|Amtrak's]] [[Texas Eagle]] makes several stops in Arkansas daily on its run from Chicago to San Antonio and Los Angeles. ==Law and government== The current [[Governor of Arkansas]] is [[Mike Beebe]], a [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]]. He was elected on [[November 7]] [[2006]].{{Fact|date=March 2008}} Both of Arkansas's U.S. Senators are Democrats: [[Blanche Lincoln]] and [[Mark Pryor]]. The state has four seats in [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. House of Representatives]]. Three seats are held by Democrats&mdash;[[Marion Berry]] ([http://nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/preview/congdist/ar01_109.gif map]), [[Vic Snyder]] ([http://nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/preview/congdist/ar02_109.gif map]), and [[Mike Ross]] ([http://nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/preview/congdist/ar04_109.gif map]). The state's lone Republican congressman is [[John Boozman]] ([http://nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/preview/congdist/ar03_109.gif map]). {| align="right" border="2" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 92%;" |+ '''Presidential elections results''' |- bgcolor=lightgrey ! Year ! [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] ! [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] |- |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[U.S. presidential election, 2004|2004]] |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''54.31%''' ''572,898 |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|44.55% ''469,953 |- |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[U.S. presidential election, 2000|2000]] |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''51.31%''' ''472,940 |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|45.86% ''422,768 |- |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1996|1996]] |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|36.80% ''325,416 |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''53.74%''' ''475,171 |- |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1992|1992]] |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|35.48% ''337,324 |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''53.21%''' '' ''505,823 |- |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1988|1988]] |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''56.37%''' ''466,578 |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|42.19% ''349,237 |- |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1984|1984]] |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''60.47%''' ''534,774 |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|38.29% ''338,646 |- |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1980|1980]] |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''48.13%''' ''403,164 |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|47.52% ''398,041 |- |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1976|1976]] |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|34.93% ''268,753 |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''64.94%''' ''499,614 |- |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1972|1972]] |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''68.82%''' ''445,751 |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|30.71% ''198,899 |- |align="center" bgcolor="lightgrey"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1968|1968]]* |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|31.01% ''189,062 |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|30.33% ''184,901 |- |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1964|1964]] |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|43.41% ''243,264 |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''56.06%''' ''314,197 |- |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1960|1960]] |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|43.06% ''184,508 |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''50.19%''' ''215,049 |- |align="center" colspan="3" bgcolor="lightgrey"|*State won by [[George Wallace]]<br>of the [[American Independent Party]],<br>at 38.65%, or 235,627 votes |} The Democratic Party holds [[super-majority]] status in the [[Arkansas General Assembly]]. A majority of local and statewide offices are also held by Democrats. This is rare in the modern [[Southern United States|South]], where a majority of statewide offices are held by Republicans. Arkansas had the distinction in 1992 of being the only state in the country to give the majority of its vote to a single candidate in the presidential election—[[native]] [[son]] [[Bill Clinton]]—while every other state's electoral votes were won by pluralities of the vote among the three candidates. In 2004, [[George W. Bush]] won the state of Arkansas by 9 points, leading some to speculate that the state was shifting toward the Republicans. In 2006, however, Democrats were elected to all statewide offices by the voters in a Democratic sweep that included the Arkansas Democratic Party regaining the governorship. Most Republican strength lies mainly in [[northwest Arkansas]] in the areas around [[Fort Smith, Arkansas|Fort Smith]] and [[Bentonville, Arkansas|Bentonville]], and especially in North Central Arkansas around the [[Mountain Home, Arkansas|Mountain Home]] area where voters have often voted 90 percent Republican. The rest of the state is strongly Democratic, especially [[Little Rock, Arkansas|Little Rock]] and the areas along the [[Mississippi River]]. Arkansas has only elected one Republican to the U.S. Senate since [[Reconstruction era of the United States|Reconstruction]], [[Tim Hutchinson]], who was defeated after one term by [[Mark Pryor]]. The General Assembly has not been controlled by the Republican Party since Reconstruction and is the fourth most heavily Democratic Legislature in the country, after [[Massachusetts General Court|Massachusetts]], [[Hawaii State Legislature|Hawaii]], and [[Connecticut General Assembly|Connecticut]]. Arkansas is also the only state among the states of the former [[Confederate States of America|Confederacy]] that sends two Democrats to the U.S. Senate and the overwhelming majority of registered voters in the state are Democrats. However, the [[Democratic Party of Arkansas]] is more conservative than the national entity. Two of Arkansas' three Democratic Representatives are members of the [[Blue Dog Coalition]], which tends to be more pro-business, pro-military, and socially conservative than the center-left Democratic mainstream. The state is socially conservative &ndash; its voters passed a ban on [[gay marriage]] with 74% voting yes, the [[Arkansas Constitution]] protects [[right to work]], and the state is one of a handful that has legislation on its books banning [[abortion]] in the event ''[[Roe vs. Wade]]'' is ever overturned. In Arkansas, the lieutenant governor is elected separately from the governor and thus can be from a different political party. Each officer's term is four years long. Office holders are [[term-limited]] to two full terms plus any partial terms prior to the first full term. Arkansas gubernatorial terms became four years with the 1986 general election; before this, the terms were two years long. Some of Arkansas's [[county (United States)|counties]] have two [[county seat]]s, as opposed to the usual one seat. The arrangement dates back to when travel was extremely difficult in the state. The seats are usually on opposite sides of the county. Though travel is no longer the difficulty it once was, there are few efforts to eliminate the two seat arrangement where it exists, since the county seat is a source of pride (and jobs) to the city involved. Arkansas is the only state to specify the pronunciation of its name by law (AR-kan-saw).<ref name=Arkansas/> This is in response to residents of [[Kansas]] who used to pronounce the state's name as ar-KANSAS. Article 19 (Miscellaneous Provisions), Item 1 in the [[Arkansas Constitution]] is entitled "Atheists disqualified from holding office or testifying as witness," and states that "No person who denies the being of a God shall hold any office in the civil departments of this State, nor be competent to testify as a witness in any Court," despite unanimous decision by the [[United States Supreme Court]] in ''[[Torcaso v. Watkins]]'' (1961) that a similar requirement in [[Maryland]] violated protections under [[First Amendment to the United States Constitution|First]] and [[Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution|Fourteenth]] Amendments to the Constitution. {{seealso|List of Arkansas Governors|United States presidential election, 2004}} ==Metropolitan areas== The [[Little Rock-North Little Rock-Pine Bluff Combined Statistical Area]] had 841,326 people in the 2007 census estimates and is the largest in Arkansas. The [[Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers metropolitan area]] is increasingly important to the state and its economy. The US Census estimated the population of the MSA to be 435,714 in 2007, up from 347,045 in 2000, making it one of the fastest growing in the nation. See also [[Arkansas Metropolitan Areas]]. '''Largest Cities Above 10,000 as of 2007''' Rank City 2007 Pop. Region Prev.Rk. 1. Little Rock 184,500 Central 1 2. Fort Smith 83,461 Northwest 2 3. Fayetteville 68,726 Northwest 4 4. Springdale 63,082 Northwest 7 5. Jonesboro 60,489 Northeast 5 6. North Little Rock 58,896 Central 3 7. Conway 55,334 Central 8 8. Rogers 52,187 Northwest 9 9. Pine Bluff 51,758 Southeast 6 10.Hot Springs 38,468 Southwest 10 11.Bentonville 32,049 Northwest 12 12.Jacksonville 30,506 Central 11 13.Texarkana 30,006 Southwest 13 14.West Memphis 28,092 Northeast 12 15.Benton 27,717 Central 16 16.Russellville 26,014 Northwest 14 17.Paragould 24,248 Northeast 15 18.Bella Vista 24,000 Northwest 23 19.Sherwood 23,422 Central 18 20.Cabot 22,186 Central 24 21.Van Buren 21,818 Northwest 23 22.Searcy 20,993 Central 21 23.El Dorado 20,351 Southeast 17 24.Blytheville 16,403 Northeast 22 25.Maumelle 15,115 Central 34 26.Siloam Springs 14,141 Northwest 31 27.Forest City 13,831 Northeast 26 28.Bryant 13,613 Central NR 29.Helena-West Helena 12,997 Southeast NR* 30.Harrison 12,986 Northwest 28 31.Mountain Home 12,215 Northeast 29 32.Camden 11,956 Southeast 27 33.Magnolia 11,766 Southwest 32 34.Arkadelphia 10,848 Southwest 30 35.Hope 10,475 Southwest 33 36.Marion 10,419 Northeast NR *Bryant and Marion did not have 10,000 people or over in their city limits in 2000 *Helena-West Helena's population is a combined population due to their 2006 recent merger Population Gainers 1.Springdale 2.Rogers 3.Bentonville 4.Conway 5.Bella Vista 6.Cabot 7.Benton 8.Maumelle 9.Jonesboro 10.Texarkana 11.Bryant 12.Fort Smith 13.Siloam Springs 14.Van Buren 15.Hot Springs 16.Russellville 17.Marion 18.Paragould 19.Searcy 20.Sherwood 21.Little Rock 22.Mountain Home 23.Magnolia 24.Harrison 25.Jacksonville Population Losers 1.Pine Bluff 2.Helena-West Helena 3.North Little Rock 4.Blytheville 5.Camden 6.El Dorado 7.Forrest City 8.Arkadelphia 9.Hope ==Important cities and towns== [[Image:Littlerock.JPG|thumb|'''Little Rock''' is Arkansas' capital and most populous city]] [[Image:GarrisonFSM.jpg|thumb|'''Fort Smith''']] [[Image:Fay1.jpg|thumb|'''Fayetteville''']] Names in '''bold''' have populations greater than 20,000. {| |- | valign=top | *[[Alma, Arkansas|Alma]] *[[Arkadelphia, Arkansas|Arkadelphia]] *[[Batesville, Arkansas|Batesville]] *[[Bella Vista, Arkansas|Bella Vista]] *'''[[Benton, Arkansas|Benton]]''' *'''[[Bentonville, Arkansas|Bentonville]]''' *[[Blytheville, Arkansas|Blytheville]] *[[Booneville, Arkansas|Booneville]] *[[Bryant, Arkansas|Bryant]] *'''[[Cabot, Arkansas|Cabot]]''' *[[Camden, Arkansas|Camden]] *'''[[Conway, Arkansas|Conway]] *'''[[El Dorado, Arkansas|El Dorado]]''' *[[Eureka Springs, Arkansas|Eureka Springs]] *'''[[Fayetteville, Arkansas|Fayetteville]]''' *[[Forrest City, Arkansas|Forrest City]] *'''[[Fort Smith, Arkansas|Fort Smith]]''' *[[Harrison, Arkansas|Harrison]] *[[Helena-West Helena, Arkansas|Helena-West Helena]] *[[Hope, Arkansas|Hope]] *'''[[Hot Springs, Arkansas|Hot Springs]]''' *'''[[Jacksonville, Arkansas|Jacksonville]]''' *'''[[Jonesboro, Arkansas|Jonesboro]]''' *[[Lake Village, Arkansas|Lake Village]] *'''[[Little Rock, Arkansas|Little Rock]]''' *[[Lonoke, Arkansas|Lonoke]] *[[Magnolia, Arkansas|Magnolia]] *[[Malvern, Arkansas|Malvern]] *[[Marion, Arkansas|Marion]] | valign=top | *[[Marked Tree, Arkansas|Marked Tree]] *[[Maumelle, Arkansas|Maumelle]] *[[Monticello, Arkansas|Monticello]] *[[Morrilton]] *[[Mountain Home, Arkansas|Mountain Home]] *[[Mountain View, Arkansas|Mountain View]] *[[Natural Steps, Arkansas|Natural Steps]] *[[Newport, Arkansas|Newport]] *'''[[North Little Rock, Arkansas|North Little Rock]]''' *[[Osceola, Arkansas|Osceola]] *'''[[Paragould, Arkansas|Paragould]]''' *'''[[Pine Bluff, Arkansas|Pine Bluff]]''' *[[Pleasant Hill, Arkansas|Pleasant Hill]] *[[Pocahontas, Arkansas|Pocahontas]] *'''[[Rogers, Arkansas|Rogers]]''' *'''[[Russellville, Arkansas|Russellville]]''' *'''[[Searcy, Arkansas|Searcy]]''' *'''[[Sherwood, Arkansas|Sherwood]]''' *[[Siloam Springs, Arkansas|Siloam Springs]] *'''[[Springdale, Arkansas|Springdale]]''' *[[Stuttgart, Arkansas|Stuttgart]] *'''[[Texarkana, Arkansas|Texarkana]]''' *'''[[Van Buren, Arkansas|Van Buren]]''' *[[Walnut Ridge, Arkansas|Walnut Ridge]] *[[Warren, Arkansas|Warren]] *'''[[West Memphis, Arkansas|West Memphis]]''' *[[Wynne, Arkansas|Wynne]] |} ==Education== ===Public school districts=== * [[List of school districts in Arkansas]] ===Centers of research=== * [[National Center for Toxicological Research]] * [[University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture]] ===Colleges and universities=== [[Image:Astate.jpg|thumb|right|[[Arkansas State University]], Jonesboro.]] *[[Arkansas Baptist College]] *[[Arkansas State University System]] **[[Arkansas State University|Arkansas State University - Jonesboro]] **[[Arkansas State University - Mountain Home]] *[[Arkansas Tech University]] *[[Central Baptist College]] *[[Harding University]] *[[Henderson State University]] *[[Hendrix College]] *[[John Brown University]] *[[Lyon College]] *[[Ouachita Baptist University]] *[[Ozarka College]] *[[Philander Smith College]] *[[Southern Arkansas University]] [[Image:UAMS 2.jpeg|frame|[[University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences|UAMS]] is the flagship health education institution of the state.]] *[[University of Arkansas System]] **[[University of Arkansas, Fayetteville]] **[[University of Arkansas at Fort Smith]] **[[University of Arkansas at Little Rock]] **[[University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences]] **[[University of Arkansas at Monticello]] **[[University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff]] *[[University of Central Arkansas]] *[[University of the Ozarks]] *[[Williams Baptist College]] ===Notable natives=== [[Maya Angelou]], [[Daisy Bates (civil rights activist)| Daisy Bates]], [[Dee Brown]], [[Paul "Bear" Bryant]], [[Glen Campbell]], [[Johnny Cash]], [[Hattie Caraway]], [[Wesley Clark]], [[Bill Clinton]], [[Dizzy Dean| "Dizzy" Dean]], [[Orval Faubus]], [[James W. Fulbright]], [[John Grisham]], [[Amy Lee Hartzler]], [[John H. Johnson]], [[Scott Joplin]][[Douglas MacArthur]], [[John L. McClellan]], [[James S. McDonnell]], [[Scottie Pippen]], [[Dick Powell]], [[Brooks Robinson]], [[Billy Bob Thornton]], [[Winthrop Rockefeller]], [[Mary Steenburgen]], [[Edward Durell Stone]], [[Sam Walton]] and [[Archibald Yell]]. (''World Almanac & Book of Facts'', Reader's Digest Publishing, 2008) ==See also== *[[List of Arkansas-related topics]] {{portal|Arkansas|Flag of Arkansas.svg|left=yes}} {{clear}} <!-- Please place links to all topics directly related to the State of Arkansas in the [[List of Arkansas-related topics]] --> Amy Hartzler ==References == {{reflist|2}} ==Further reading== {{refbegin}} *Blair, Diane D. & Jay Barth ''Arkansas Politics & Government: Do the People Rule?'' (2005) *Deblack, Thomas A. ''With Fire and Sword: Arkansas, 1861-1874'' (2003) *Donovan, Timothy P. and Willard B. Gatewood Jr., eds. ''The Governors of Arkansas'' (1981) *Dougan, Michael B. ''Confederate Arkansas'' (1982), *Duvall, Leland. ed., ''Arkansas: Colony and State'' (1973) *Fletcher, John Gould. ''Arkansas'' (1947) * [http://books.google.com/books?ie=UTF-8&vid=LCCN04001664&id=dvMZ_YNpYrYC&pg=PP16&lpg=PP16&dq=peter+joseph+hamilton+reconstruction+period Hamilton, Peter Joseph. ''The Reconstruction Period''] (1906), full length history of era; [[Dunning School]] approach; 570 pp; ch 13 on Arkansas *Hanson, Gerald T. and Carl H. Moneyhon. ''Historical Atlas of Arkansas'' (1992) *Key, V. O. ''Southern Politics'' (1949) *Kirk, John A., ''Redefining the Color Line: Black Activism in Little Rock, Arkansas, 1940-1970'' (2002). *McMath, Sidney S. ''Promises Kept'' (2003) *Moore, Waddy W. ed., ''Arkansas in the Gilded Age, 1874-1900'' (1976). *Peirce, Neal R. ''The Deep South States of America: People, Politics, and Power in the Seven Deep South States'' (1974) *Thompson, George H. ''Arkansas and Reconstruction'' (1976) *Whayne, Jeannie M. et al. ''Arkansas: A Narrative History '' (2002) *Whayne, Jeannie M. ''Arkansas Biography: A Collection of Notable Lives'' (2000) *White, Lonnie J. ''Politics on the Southwestern Frontier: Arkansas Territory, 1819-1836'' (1964) *Williams, C. Fred. ed. ''A Documentary History Of Arkansas'' (2005) *WPA., ''Arkansas: A Guide to the State'' (1941) {{refend}} ==External links== {{sisterlinks|Arkansas}} *[http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/data/ar_code.asp Arkansas State Code (the state statutes of Arkansas)] *[http://wikis.ala.org/godort/index.php/Arkansas Arkansas State Databases] - Annotated list of searchable databases produced by Arkansas state agencies and compiled by the Government Documents Roundtable of the American Library Association.*[http://www.ers.usda.gov/statefacts/ar.htm Arkansas State Facts] *[http://www.arkansas.com Official State tourism website] *[http://www.arkansas.gov Official State website] *[http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/ The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture] *History topics timeline of Arkansas 1786-1886 http://www.usastatesdates.com/arkansas.htm *[http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/state/state_energy_profiles.cfm?sid=AR Energy & Environmental Data for Arkansas] *[http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/05000.html U.S. Census Bureau] *[http://ArkansasIotas.com The Arkansas Chapters of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc.] *[http://www.usgs.gov/state/state.asp?State=AR USGS real-time, geographic, and other scientific resources of Arkansas] {{-}} {{Arkansas|expanded}} {{United States}} {{US South}} {{Confederate2}} {{coord|34.8|N|92.2|W|region:US-AR_type:state|display=title}} [[Category:Arkansas|*]] [[Category:States of the United States]] [[Category:1836 establishments]] [[Category:Confederate states (1861-1865)]] [[af:Arkansas]] [[ang:Arkansas]] [[ar:أركنسو]] [[frp:Arkansas]] [[ast:Arkansas]] [[az:Arkanzas]] [[bn:আর্কান্‌স]] [[zh-min-nan:Arkansas]] [[be-x-old:Арканзас]] [[bs:Arkansas]] [[br:Arkansas]] [[bg:Арканзас]] [[ca:Arkansas]] [[cv:Арканзас]] [[cs:Arkansas]] [[co:Arkansas]] [[cy:Arkansas]] [[da:Arkansas]] [[de:Arkansas]] [[et:Arkansas]] [[es:Arkansas]] [[eo:Arkansaso]] [[eu:Arkansas]] [[fa:آرکانزاس]] [[fo:Arkansas]] [[fr:Arkansas]] [[fy:Arkansas]] [[ga:Arkansas]] [[gv:Arkansas]] [[gd:Arkansas]] [[gl:Arcansas]] [[ko:아칸소 주]] [[haw:‘Akanaka]] [[hy:Արկանզաս]] [[hi:अरकांसास]] [[hr:Arkansas]] [[io:Arkansas]] [[ig:Arkansas]] [[bpy:আরকান্‌সাস]] [[id:Arkansas]] [[ik:Arkansas]] [[os:Арканзас]] [[is:Arkansas]] [[it:Arkansas]] [[he:ארקנסו]] [[jv:Arkansas]] [[pam:Arkansas]] [[ka:არკანზასი]] [[kw:Arkansas]] [[ht:Akennsas (eta)]] [[ku:Arkansas]] [[lad:Arkansas]] [[la:Arcansia]] [[lv:Ārkanzasa]] [[lb:Arkansas]] [[lt:Arkanzasas]] [[lij:Arkansas]] [[hu:Arkansas]] [[mk:Арканзас]] [[ml:അര്‍ക്കന്‍സാസ്]] [[mi:Arkansas]] [[mr:आर्कान्सा]] [[ms:Arkansas]] [[nah:Arkansas]] [[nl:Arkansas (staat)]] [[ja:アーカンソー州]] [[no:Arkansas]] [[nn:Arkansas]] [[oc:Arkansas]] [[uz:Arkanzas]] [[pms:Arkansas]] [[nds:Arkansas]] [[pl:Arkansas]] [[pt:Arkansas]] [[ro:Arkansas (stat SUA)]] [[ru:Арканзас]] [[sa:आर्कन्‍सा]] [[sq:Arkansas]] [[scn:Arkansas]] [[simple:Arkansas]] [[sk:Arkansas]] [[sl:Arkansas]] [[sr:Арканзас]] [[fi:Arkansas]] [[sv:Arkansas]] [[ta:ஆர்கன்சா]] [[th:มลรัฐอาร์คันซอ]] [[vi:Arkansas]] [[tr:Arkansas]] [[uk:Арканзас]] [[ur:آرکنساس]] [[vo:Arkansas]] [[yi:ארקענסאו]] [[diq:Arkansas]] [[bat-smg:Arkanzasos]] [[zh:阿肯色州]]