In 1796, Tennessee became the 16th state to join the union. Located in the Southern United States, it lies adjacent to eight other states, which along with Missouri, makes it the only other state with the most states touching it. Known as the “Volunteer State,” a nickname it earned during the War of 1812, during which volunteer soldiers from Tennessee played a prominent role, especially during the Battle of New Orleans.
      The state of Tennessee is geographically and constitutionally divided into three Grand Divisions: East Tennessee, Middle Tennessee and West Tennessee. In East Tennessee, the Blue Ridge area is comprised of the Great Smoky, the Chilhowee and the Snowbird Mountain Ranges. Stretching west from Blue Ridge for approximately 55 miles are the headwaters of the Tennessee River and formation of the Tennessee Valley, creating fertile valleys separated by wooded ridges. The Cumberland Plateau defines Middle Tennessee and is covered with flat-topped mountains separated by sharp valleys. Located west of the Highland Rim and Nashville Basin, Western Tennessee consists of the Gulf Coastal Plain and the Mississippi embayment. The Gulf Coastal Plain is the largest land region in Tennessee. It begins at the Gulf of Mexico and extends north into Southern Illinois.

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State Nickname: The Volunteer State State Capital: Nashville State Flower: Iris State Bird: Mockingbird

      There are five major airports within the state, including Nashville International Airport and Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport - Lovell Field. Tennessee’s interstate highway system consists of: Interstate 40, linking Memphis, Nashville and Knoxville; Interstate 24, which runs from Chattanooga to Nashville; Interstate 65, which also runs through Nashville north from Alabama; Interstate 75, which passes through Knoxville.

Tennessee’s population stands at almost 6 million residents. Although Nashville has the largest metropolitan area as the state’s capital, Memphis has the largest population of any city in the state with almost 700,000 residents. Chattanooga and Knoxville each have approximately one-third of the population of Memphis or Nashville. The Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol metropolitan area, also known as the Tri-Cities area, is the state's fourth largest metropolitan area and is located in the extreme northeastern part of the state.
      There are approximately 50 colleges and universities to choose from in Tennessee. The University of Tennessee is in partnership with Battelle Memorial Institute and operates the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), one of the largest government laboratories in the United States. Rhodes College is located in Memphis and is recognized as a perennial top-tier school by the U.S. News & World Report. Nashville is home to Vanderbilt University and the world-renowned Vanderbilt University Medical Center. It is one of North America's top research institutions research facilities.

Legendary musical performers and world-renowned musical venues reflect the state’s rich heritage. Built on and around the sounds of blues, soul, country, bluegrass and rock and roll, Tennessee also produced world-famous artists, such as Elvis Presley and Dolly Parton. Nashville is traditionally known as the “Home of Country Music,” and rightly so, as the site of the renowned Grand Ole Opry, the largest broadcast studio in the world, is here. Jubilee Singers of Fisk University in Nashville introduced the plaintive beauty and tradition of the Negro spiritual, which became the basis for other genres of African-American music. It was because of their successful tours to raise funds for the university during the 1870s that Nashville first became known for its music. In addition to music, other well-known Tennessee cultural icons include Tennessee Walking Horses and Jack Daniels whiskey. Bristol is known as the Birthplace of Country Music and Elvis Presley's hometown, Graceland, is the second most visited house in the country.
      There are plenty of activities to keep the outdoor enthusiast thoroughly entertained. The Ocoee River is rated among the top white water recreational rivers in the nation and the Lost Sea in Sweetwater is the largest underground lake in the United States. The Ober Gatlinburg Ski Resort has the world's largest artificial skiing surface and can be used at anytime during the year. The Andrew Johnson National Historic Site, Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park, are among the myriad of the state’s national parks, sites and areas.
      This great state has played a pivotal role in the history of the United States, from wars to music, from whiskey to BBQ, and is still an educational powerhouse rivaling some of the best research centers in the world.