MSGHN

The Mississippi Genealogy & History Network










Mississippi Facts & Statistics



The Mississippi State Flag


A committee to design a State Flag was appointed by legislative action February 7, 1894, and provided that the flag reported by the committee should become the official flag. The committee recommended for the flag "one with width two-thirds of its length; with the union square, in width two-thirds of the width of the flag; the ground of the union to be red and a broad blue saltier thereon, bordered with white and emblazoned with thirteen (13) mullets or five-pointed stars, corresponding with the number of the original States of the Union; the field to be divided into three bars of equal width, the upper one blue, the center one white, and the lower one extending the whole length of the flag, red--the national colors; the staff surmounted with a spear-head and a battle-axe below; the flag to be fringed with gold, and the staff gilded with gold."



The Great Seal of Mississippi


A committee to design a State Flag was appointed by legislative action February 7, 1894, and provided that the flag reported by the committee should become the official flag. The committee recommended for the flag "one with width two-thirds of its length; with the union square, in width two-thirds of the width of the flag; the ground of the union to be red and a broad blue saltier thereon, bordered with white and emblazoned with thirteen (13) mullets or five-pointed stars, corresponding with the number of the original States of the Union; the field to be divided into three bars of equal width, the upper one blue, the center one white, and the lower one extending the whole length of the flag, red--the national colors; the staff surmounted with a spear-head and a battle-axe below; the flag to be fringed with gold, and the staff gilded with gold."



Mississippi Facts


Capital - Jackson

Nick Name - The Magnolia State

Motto - Virtute et Armis (By valor and arms)

Constitution Ratified - 1890

Statehood - December 10, 1817 - 20th State

Population - 2,697,243 (31st)

State Bird - Mockingbird

State Flower - Magnolia blossom

State Tree - Magnolia Tree

State Fish - Largemouth Bass

State Land Mammal - White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

State Water Mammal - Bottlenosed Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), commonly called the Porpoise

State Waterfowl - Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)

State Insect - Honeybee (Apis mellifera)

State Shell - Oyster Shell (Crassostrea virginica)

State Fossil - Prehistoric Whale

State Stone - Prehistoric Whale

State Song - Petrified Wood

State Beverage - Milk

Largest Cities (by population) - Jackson, Gulfport, Biloxi, Hattiesburg, Greenville

Bordering States - North: Tennessee, South: Gulf of Mexico and Louisiana (Pearl River forms part of the Southern boundary), East: Alabama, West: Louisiana and Arkansas (Mississippi River forms almost all of the Western boundary)

Number of Counties - 82

Largest County (by population) - Hinds County, pop. 245,285 (2010)

Largest County (by size) - Yazoo County, 920 sq mi.

Smallest County (by population) - Issaquena County, pop. 1,406 (2010)

Smallest County (by size) - Alcorn County, 400 sq mi.

Electoral Votes - 6

U.S. Congress - 2 Senators; 5 Representatives

Time Zone - Central Time



Mississippi Climate & Weather


Generally - Hot, humid summers and mild winters.

Highest Temperature - 115 degrees / July 29, 1930 / Holly Springs

Lowest Temperature - -19 degrees / January 30, 1966 / Corinth

Average High Temp - 92.5 degrees F

Average Low Temp - 34.9 degrees F



Mississippi Geography


Highest Point - 806 feet / Woodall Mountain / Tishomingo County

Lowest Point - sea level / Mississippi Gulf Coast

Mean Elevation - 300 feet



Mississippi Land Area


Total Area - 48,430.19 sq mi. (32nd)

Land Area - 46,906.96 sq mi. (96.86%)

Water Area - 1,523.24 sq mi. (3.14%)

Forested Land Area - 19.79 million acres (64.85%)

Dimensions (Max Length X Max Width) - 340 miles x 170 miles