Arkansas Details

Arkansas is a state located in the south-central United States. It is bordered by Tennessee and Mississippi across the Mississippi River on the east, Louisiana on the south, Texas and Oklahoma on the west and Missouri on the north. The name Arkansas is derived from an Algonquin name of the Quapaw Indians which means “land of downriver people” or “people of the south wind”.

The earliest European explorers to set foot in Arkansas include a Spaniard named Hernando de Soto who came sometime in the mid-16th century. Its first settler, however, is said to be Henri de Tonti who arrived and founded the first white settlement known as Arkansas Post in 1686. Arkansas Post was later acquired by the U.S. through the Louisiana Purchase. It became the 25th state of the United States of America on June 15, 1836.

Arkansas boosts of mountains and valleys as well as thick forests and fertile plains. Delta and Grand Prairie are two most popular agricultural lands of the state. Arkansas’s highest mountain is Mount Magazine located in the Ozark Mountains and is 2753 feet above sea levels; its lowest point is the Ouachita River.

Arkansas has the country’s only active diamond mine; situated near Murfreesboro and is operated as a tourist destination. This state is a leader in the production of cotton, rice and soybeans. It also has the country’s only active diamond mine somewhere in Murfreesboro. This diamond mine is operated as a tourist attraction. Other major attractions of Arkansas include Hot Springs National Park, Buffalo National River, Blanchard Springs Cavern and the historic Arkansas Museum at Little Rock. Other places of interest include William J. Clinton Birthplace in Hope and the Arkansas Folk Center in Mountain View.

Arkansas has 75 counties. Its capital and largest city is Little Rock.