Missouri State Almanac: Facts and Figures

Quick Facts, Figures, and Overview of the State of Missouri

Missouri is one of the West North Central states. Missouri borders eight different states, as does its neighbor, Tennessee. No state in the US touches more than eight states. Missouri 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 last across the Missouri River).  Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the United States and the 21st largest. Missouri gets its name from a tribe of Sioux Indians of the state called the Missouri's. The word "Missouri" often has been construed to mean "muddy water" but the Smithsonian Institution Bureau of American Ethnology has stated it means "town of the large canoes," and authorities have said the Indian syllables from which the word comes mean "wooden canoe people" or "he of the big canoe."

Missouri was traditionally dependent on agriculture, but Missouri's economy in the 1990s was dominated by service industries and manufacturing, especially of aircraft and road motor vehicles. Service industries provide more income and jobs than any other segment, and include a growing tourism and travel sector. Wholesale and retail trade, manufacturing, and agriculture also play significant roles in the state's economy. The state's top agricultural products include grain, sorghum, hay, corn, soybeans, and rice. Missouri also ranks high among the states in cattle and calves, hogs, and turkeys and broilers. A vibrant wine industry also contributes to the economy.