This southern state is named for the Mississippi River, which forms its western boundary and empties into the Gulf of Mexico. A low lying state, the highest point of elevation in Mississippi is at Woodall Mountain in the Cumberland Mountains that stands at only 806 feet above sea level. Most of Mississippi is part of the East Gulf Coastal Plain, generally composed of the Pine Hills in the south and the North Central Hills. The rest of the state is made up of a section of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain. Also known also as the Delta, it is narrow in the south and widens north of Vicksburg. The region has rich soil, partly made up of silt deposited by floodwaters of the Mighty Mississippi River.

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State Nickname: The Magnolia State State Capital: Jackson State Flower: Magnolia State Bird: Mockingbird

      Along the coastline, large bays at Bay Saint Louis, Biloxi and Pascagoula are separated from the Gulf of Mexico by the shallow Mississippi Sound, which is partially enclosed by Petit Bois, Horn, Ship and Cat Islands. This region is considered to be the state’s primary tourist destination where riverboat gambling, casinos, golf resorts and other attractions are located. Prior to Hurricane Katrina, Mississippi was the second largest gambling state in the country behind Nevada and ahead of New Jersey. Despite the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina, the state is quickly bouncing back from the storm system’s impact and many of the attractions residents and visitors have come to enjoy are now re-opened for business.
      Whether your passion is for golf or tennis, casino gaming or outdoor recreational activities such as sport-fishing, Mississippi has something to offer everyone. Mississippi has a warm, humid climate with long summers and short, mild winters.

Temperatures average about 82 degrees in July and about 48 degrees in January. Some may find it surprising that Mississippi is heavily forested, with over half of the state’s acreage covered by wild trees such as pine, cottonwood, elm, hickory, oak and pecan. Hence, lumber is a prevalent industry in this state which bears the nickname, “The Magnolia State.”
      In the largest, capital city of Jackson, an array of housing styles can be found, ranging from ranch-style and craftsman to Colonial and some Victorian. Neighborhoods with tree-lined streets, parks, schools and intimate retail and commercial districts, serve to create a family-friendly atmosphere.
      The state’s many lakes, rivers, streams, reservoirs and over 100 miles of coastline allow for plenty of fishing, swimming, boating, sailing, canoeing or waterskiing. Additionally, Mississippi’s great outdoors offers more than 2 million acres of public hunting lands while professional hunting and fishing guides can provide access to thousands of acres of private reserves situated throughout the state. Areas that are under the management of the National Park Service include Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site, Gulf Islands National Seashore, Natchez Trace Parkway and National Historical Park, Tupelo National Battlefield, Vicksburg National Cemetery and the Vicksburg National Military Park.
      Some of the more popular special events and festivals include the BluzCruz Canoe and Kayak Marathon, Elvis Presley Festival and the Great Mississippi River Balloon Race. A variety of cultural events can be found on many of the state’s college campuses as well.

      Mississippi has a wide variety of universities, colleges, junior colleges, community colleges and professional or trade schools. The two largest institutions are the University of Mississippi and Mississippi State University, in addition to Alcorn State, Jackson State, Mississippi College, Wesley College, Magnolia Bible College and the Mississippi University for Women.
       Mississippi will continue to recover from the effects of Hurricane Katrina and as it does, it will look to return itself to its flourishing ways of the past two decades. With the redevelopment of the Gulf Region and its many tourist attractions, to the growth and expansion into new territories via the construction of new residential developments and commercial centers, the state is experiencing a Renaissance of sorts that will benefit generations of Mississippians to come.