Mississippi
Magnolia State · Capital: Jackson · South (Deep South)
Show simplified tile view
Quick stats
Bordering states: Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama.
About Mississippi
Mississippi lies in the Deep South, bordered by Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee and Alabama, with 44 miles of general coastline facing the shallow Mississippi Sound and its barrier islands. What Mississippians call the Delta is not a river delta but the Yazoo Basin, a flat floodplain about 200 miles long between the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, edged on the east by loess bluffs. The highest point, Woodall Mountain, is only 807 feet. The climate is hot and wet, and in 2005 Hurricane Katrina drove a storm surge of about 27.8 feet ashore at Pass Christian.
At European contact the Chickasaw held the north, the Choctaw the center and southeast, and the Natchez the river bluffs. The French built Fort Maurepas at Old Biloxi in 1699; Britain took the region in 1763, and Spain held it until 1795. Mississippi entered the Union on December 10, 1817 as the 20th state. The Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek in 1830 took the remaining Choctaw homeland, which filled with cotton plantations; by 1860 enslaved people were about 55 percent of the population. Mississippi seceded in January 1861, and Vicksburg fell to Grant on July 4, 1863. Hiram Revels became the first Black US senator in 1870, but the 1890 constitution drove Black voter registration close to zero.
The 2020 census counted 2,961,279 residents, down 0.2% since 2010, the 34th largest population. Jackson is both capital and largest city. The state was central to the civil rights movement: Emmett Till was murdered near Money in 1955, James Meredith enrolled at the University of Mississippi in 1962, and Medgar Evers was shot in Jackson in 1963. The blues took shape on Delta plantations such as Dockery Farms, Elvis Presley was born in Tupelo in 1935, and William Faulkner and Eudora Welty wrote here. In 2020 the state retired its 1894 flag, with its Confederate emblem, in favor of a magnolia design.
4 fun facts about Mississippi
- The state is home to the birthplace of Elvis Presley (Tupelo) and the blues (Delta region).
- It's one of the only states with a name containing four "i"s, four "s"s, and two "p"s, a spelling-bee favorite.
- The capital, Jackson, is named after President Andrew Jackson.
- Barq's root beer was created in Biloxi in 1898 by Edward Barq.
More about Mississippi
Mississippi geography and climate
Famous people from Mississippi
More fun facts about Mississippi
Frequently asked questions about Mississippi
Is Mississippi a US state?
Yes, Mississippi is one of the 50 US states. It was admitted to the Union in 1817, making it the 20th state. Its capital is Jackson and its largest city is Jackson.
What is the capital of Mississippi?
The capital of Mississippi is Jackson.
When did Mississippi become a state?
Mississippi became a US state in 1817. It is the 20th state admitted to the Union.
What is the abbreviation for Mississippi?
The 2-letter USPS abbreviation for Mississippi is MS.
How big is Mississippi?
Mississippi ranks #32 of 50 US states by area. With 63.1 residents per square mile in 2020, it was the 32nd most densely populated state.
What is the population of Mississippi?
Mississippi had 2,961,279 residents at the 2020 census, the 34th largest population of the 50 states, down 0.2% since 2010. That count gives it 4 seats in the US House of Representatives.
What region is Mississippi in?
Mississippi is in the South region of the United States, per the US Census Bureau.
What time zone is Mississippi in?
Mississippi observes Central Time.
Learn more
How to learn the 50 states (full guide)
Last updated: