Missouri

Encyclopedia : M : MI : MIS : Missouri

For the Native American tribe, see Missouri tribe.

For the North American river, see Missouri River.

Geography

Missouri cities and geographic features

Missouri county borders

Missouri's border physically touches a total of eight different states (as does its neighbor, Tennessee. No states in the U.S. touch more than eight states). It is bounded on the north by Iowa; on the east, across the Mississippi River, by Illinois, Kentucky, and Tennessee; on the south by Arkansas; and on the west by Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska (the latter across the Missouri River.) The Mississippi and Missouri rivers are the two large rivers which flow through this state.

North of the Missouri River lie the Northern Plains that stretch into Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas. Here, gentle rolling hills remain behind from a glacier that once had extended from the north to the Missouri River.

The Ozark plateau begins south of the river and extends into Arkansas, southeast Kansas, and northeast Oklahoma. Springfield in southwestern Missouri lies on the Ozark plateau. Southern Missouri is the home of the Ozark Mountains, a dissected plateau surrounding the Precambrian igneous St. Francois Mountains. It is in the Ozarks that a distinct dialect, often compared to that of residents in certain areas of Kentucky and Tennessee, still exists.

The southeastern part of the state is home to the Bootheel, part of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain or Mississippi embayment. This region is the lowest, flattest and wettest part of the state. It is also the most fertile. Cotton and rice production are prominent in this area. The Bootheel area was the part of the New Madrid Earthquake of 1811–1812.

Although now generally considered part of the Midwest, Missouri was once thought of as Southern, and still is by many Missourians today. For example, Mark Twain, who grew up in Hannibal, in Life on the Mississippi described his upbringing as in "the South". Still, while larger cities, especially those in the northern part of the state (St. Louis, Columbia, Kansas City) consider themselves "Midwestern", rural areas and cities farther south (Cape Girardeau, Springfield, and Sikeston) consider themselves more "Southern".

See also: Climate of Missouri, Missouri National and State Parks, List of Missouri counties

History

Originally part of the Louisiana Purchase, Missouri was admitted as a state in 1821 as part of the Missouri Compromise. It earned the nickname "Gateway to the West" because it served as a departure point for settlers heading to the west. It was the starting point and the return destination of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. During the Civil War, Missouri, a slave state, remained in the Union, but sentiment was split with a significant portion of the populace supporting the Confederate cause.

Demographics

Missouri Population Density Map

As of 2005, Missouri has an estimated population of 5,800,310, which is an increase of 40,778, or 0.7%, from the prior year and an increase of 203,627, or 3.6%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 115,403 people (that is 401,148 births minus 285,745 deaths) and an increase due to net migration of 69,669 people into the state. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 42,690 people, and migration within the country produced a net increase of 26,979 people.

As of 2004, the population included 194,000 foreign-born (3.4% of the state population).

Race and ancestry

For Census year 2000, Missouri's demographic makeup was as follows: White (84.9%), (White, non-Hispanic (83.8%)), Black (11.2%), Hispanic (2.1%), Asian (1.1%), Native American (0.4%), Other race (0.9%), Mixed race (1.5%). The five largest ancestry groups in Missouri are: German (23.5%), Irish (12.7%), American (10.5%), English (9.5%), French (3.5%). 'American' includes those reported as Native American or African American.

German-Americans are a large ancestry group present in most of Missouri. In southern Missouri, most residents are of British/American ancestry. The northern edge of the state also has a high proportion of residents of British and American ancestry. Blacks are populous in the City of St Louis and central Kansas City as well as in the southeastern bootheel and some areas of the Missouri River Valley, places where plantation agriculture was once important. Missouri Creoles of French ancestry are concentrated in the Mississippi River valley south of St. Louis.

6.6% of its population were reported as under 5, 25.5% under 18, and 13.5% were 65 or older. Females made up approximately 51.4% of the population.

3.4% of Missourians are foreign-born, and 5.1% speak a language other than English at home.

81.3% were high school graduates (higher than the national average) while 21.6% had a bachelor's degree or higher.

The mean commute time to work was 23.8 minutes. The homeownership rate in 2000 was 70.3% with the mean value of the owner occupied dwelling being $89,900. There were 2,194,594 households with 2.48 people per household. The median household money income for 1999 was $37,934 with the 1999 Per Capita Money Income of $19,936. There were 11.7% (637,891) Missourians living below the poverty line in 1999.

Religion

The religious affiliations of the people of Missouri:

• Christian – 83%
• *Protestant – 62%
• **Baptist (mostly Southern Baptist) – 23%
• **Methodist – 8%
• **Lutheran – 4%
• **Episcopal – 4%
• **Other Protestant – 23%
• *Roman Catholic – 20%
• *Other Christian – 1%
• Other religions – 1%
• Non-religious – 16%

Economy

The Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates that Missouri's total state product in 2003 was $195 billion. Per capita personal income in 2003 was $29,464, 27^th in the nation. Major industries include aerospace, transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, printing/publishing, electrical equipment, light manufacturing, and beer.

The agriculture products of the state are beef, soybeans, pork, dairy products, hay, hemp, corn, poultry, and eggs. Missouri is ranked 6th in the nation for the production of hogs and 7th for cattle. Missouri is ranked in the top 5 states in the nation for production of soy beans. As of 2001, there were 108,000 farms, the second largest number in any state after Texas. Missouri also actively promotes its quickly-growing wine industry.

Missouri has vast quantities of limestone. Other resources mined are lead, coal, Portland cement and crushed stone. Missouri produces the most lead of all of the states in the Union with most of these mines in the central eastern portion of the state. Missouri also ranks first or near first among the production of lime.

Tourism, services and wholesale/retail trade follow manufacturing in importance.

Personal income is taxed in 10 different earning brackets, ranging from 1.5 percent to 6.0 percent. Missouri's sales tax rate for most items is 4.225 percent. Additional local levies may apply. More than 2,500 Missouri local governments rely on property taxes levied on real property (real estate) and personal property. Some personal property is exempt, including household goods, inventories, wearing apparel and items of personal use and adornment. Exempt real estate includes property owned by governments and property used as nonprofit cemeteries, exclusively for religious worship, for schools and colleges and for purely charitable purposes. There is no inheritance tax and limited Missouri estate tax related to federal estate tax collection.

Transportation

Current Missouri License Plate

Kansas City is still a major railroad hub for BNSF Railway, Norfolk Southern, Kansas City Southern, and Union Pacific. The state of Missouri also has two major airport hubs: Lambert-St. Louis International Airport and Kansas City International Airport. Several highways also traverse the state. St. Louis is a major destination for barge traffic on the Mississippi River. Like Kansas City, St. Louis is a major destination for train freight. The only light rail/subway system in Missouri is the St. Louis Metrolink which connects the City of St. Louis with suburbs in Illinois and St. Louis County.

Following the passage of Amendment 3 in late 2004, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) began its Smoother, Safer, Sooner road-building program with a goal of bringing 2,200 miles of highways up to good condition by December 2007. In 2005 the number of traffic deaths in the state increased by 10% to 1,241.

Interstate highways

• Interstate 29, Interstate 229
• Interstate 35, Interstate 435 (the Perimeter around the Kansas City Metropolitan Area), Interstate 635
• Interstate 44
• Interstate 55, Interstate 155, Interstate 255
• Interstate 57
• Interstate 64
• Interstate 70, Interstate 170, Interstate 270 (the Perimeter around the Missouri side of the St. Louis Metropolitan Area), Interstate 470, Interstate 670
• Interstate 72
• Interstate 49 (Proposed)
• Interstate 66 (Proposed)

United States highways

Law and government

Main articles: Law and Government of Missouri and List of Missouri Governors

The House of Representatives has 163 members that are apportioned based on the last decennial census. The Senate consists of 34 members from districts divided such that the population of each district is approximately equal.

The Judicial department consists of a supreme court consisting of 7 judges. Superior and inferior courts are also provided.

The executive branch is headed by the governor.

• The Governor of Missouri is Matt Blunt (Republican).
• The Lieutenant Governor of Missouri is Peter Kinder (Republican)
• The Missouri Attorney General is Jay Nixon (Democrat)
• The Missouri Secretary of State is Robin Carnahan (Democrat)
• The Missouri State Auditor is Claire McCaskill (Democrat)
• The Missouri State Treasurer is Sarah Steelman (Republican)
• The Senior United States Senator is Christopher S. "Kit" Bond (Republican)
• The Junior United States Senator is James M. Talent (Republican)

Cities and metropolitan areas

St. Louis Metro

St. Louis is the principal city of the eleven-county St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area and includes five counties in Illinois. St. Louis is Missouri's largest urbanized area. As of 2004, it was the 18th largest metro in the nation. Some of the major cities comprising the St. Louis Metro include St. Charles, St. Peters, Florissant, Chesterfield, O'Fallon, and University City.

Kansas City Metro

Kansas City is the principal city of the fifteen-county Kansas City Metropolitan Statistical Area and includes six counties in Kansas. Kansas City is Missouri's second largest urbanized area. As of 2004, it was the 27th largest metro in the nation. Some of the other major cities comprising the Kansas City Metro include Independence, Lee's Summit, Blue Springs, Raytown, Liberty, and Gladstone.

Other important cities

Education

Colleges and universities

• Avila University
• Baptist Bible College
• Calvary Bible College
• Central Bible College
• Central Christian College of the Bible
• Central Methodist University
• Central Missouri State University
• Cleveland Chiropractic College
• College of the Ozarks
• Columbia College
• Concordia Seminary
• Cottey College
• Covenant Theological Seminary
• Crowder College
• Culver-Stockton College
• DeVry University Kansas City
• Drury University
• Eden Theological Seminary
• Evangel University
• Fontbonne University
• Forest Institute of Professional Psychology
• Greenleaf University
• Hannibal-Lagrange College
• Harris-Stowe State University
• Heritage College & Heritage Institute
• Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences
• Kenrick-Glennon Seminary
• Lincoln University
• Lindenwood University
• Logan College of Chiropractic
• Maryville University
• Missouri Baptist University
• Missouri Southern State University
• Missouri State University
• Missouri Valley College
• Missouri Western State University
• Northwest Missouri State University
• Ozark Christian College
• Ozarks Technical Community College
• Park University
• Rockhurst University
• Saint Louis College of Pharmacy
• Saint Louis University
• Southeast Missouri State University
• Southwest Baptist University
• Stephens College
• Truman State University
• University of Missouri
• *University of Missouri–Columbia
• *University of Missouri–Kansas City
• *University of Missouri–Rolla
• *University of Missouri–St. Louis
• Washington University in St. Louis
• Webster University
• Westminster College
• William Jewell College
• William Woods University

Professional sports teams

• Baseball: St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Royals
• Football: St. Louis Rams and Kansas City Chiefs
• Hockey: St. Louis Blues
• Soccer: Kansas City Wizards
• Indoor Soccer: St. Louis Steamers and Kansas City Comets
• Arena Football: Kansas City Brigade and River City Rage
• Tennis: St. Louis Aces, Kansas City Explorers, and Springfield Lasers

Minor leagues

• Baseball:
• *Springfield Cardinals (Class AA, Texas League)
• *Mid-Missouri Mavericks (Independent, Frontier League)
• *River City Rascals (Independent, Frontier League)
• *Farmington Firebirds (Independent, KITTY League)

Miscellaneous topics

• Pronunciation of the state's name varies considerably and is a source of some contention; some use a distinct "long e" at the end, and others a "schwa"; other less common variants exist as well.
• The state is named after the Missouri Siouan Indian tribe meaning "town of the large canoes".
• The state's nickname is the [Show-Me]State. [link]
• The USS Missouri, a U.S. Navy battleship, was named in honor of the state.

See also

• Missouri River
• Missouri tribe
• Missouri Pacific Railroad
• Henry Shaw Ozark Corridor
• List of people from Missouri and the Missouri Wall of Fame
• [Historical Houses in Missouri]
• List of individuals executed in Missouri
• List of Missouri State Highways
• List of television stations in Missouri
• Missouri Day
• Scouting in Missouri

References

• U.S. Census Bureau.
• *[Missouri QuickFacts]. Geographic and demographic information.
• *[Missouri - Race and Hispanic Origin: 1810 to 1990] (PDF)

External links

• [Missouri Government]
• [Missouri Historical Society, St. Louis]
• [State Historical Society of Missouri, Columbia]
• [Missouri's African American History]
• [African American Businesses and Information Resource]
• [Missouri State Tourism Office]
• [State and Local Government on the Net]
• [Vital Records Information]
• [Census Data]
• [Missouri authors and literature] at the Southern Literary Review
• [Missouri State Facts]

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