Arkansas is known for its lakes, rivers, and hot springs, extreme weather and frequent storms, rice and poultry production, and the only active diamond mine in the United States.
Geography & Demographics
State Abbreviation |
AR |
State Capital |
Little Rock |
State Size |
Total (Land + Water): 53,179 sq miles; Land Only: 52,068 sq miles |
Number of Counties |
75 |
Time Zone |
Central Time Zone |
Bordering States |
Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas |
Highest Point | Mount Magazine, 2,753 feet |
National Parks | Hot Springs National Park |
State Population (2020) | 3,011,524 |
State Population Density | 57.8 people / square mile |
Area Codes |
327, 479, 501, 870 |
Top 5 Cities (2020 population) |
Little Rock (197,866)
Fayetteville (89,576)
Fort Smith (87,764)
Springdale (81,115)
Jonesboro (79,859)
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Government & Legislature
State Symbols
State American Folk Dance | Square dance |
State Beverage | Milk |
State Bird |
Mockingbird |
State Butterfly | Diana fritillary |
State Flower |
Apple blossom |
State Fruit and Vegetable | South Arkansas vine ripe pink tomato |
State Gem | Diamond |
State Grain | Rice |
State Grape | Cynthiana |
State Historic Cooking Vessel | Dutch oven |
State Insect | Honeybee |
State Instrument | Fiddle |
State Mammal | White tail deer |
State Motto |
Regnat populus (The people rule) |
State Mineral | Quartz crystal |
State Nickname |
The Natural State |
State Nut | Pecan |
State Rock | Bauxite |
State Tree |
Pine tree |
Sports Teams
Major Sports Teams |
None |
NCAA Division I Schools |
University of Arkansas (SEC)
University of Arkansas at Little Rock (Sun Belt)
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (Southeastern)
Arkansas State University (Sun Belt)
University of Central Arkansas (Southland)
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Popular Tourist Attractions
- Arkansas Alligator Farm and Petting Zoo: Farm in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
- Arkansas Arts Center: Museum in Little Rock, Arkansas.
- Big Dam Bridge: Pedestrian bridge in Little Rock, Arkansas.
- Buffalo National River: River in northern Arkansas.
- Clinton Presidential Center: Presidential library in Little Rock, Arkansas.
- Crater of Diamonds State Park: State park in Pike County, Arkansas.
- Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art: Museum of American art in Bentonville, Arkansas.
- Garvan Woodland Gardens: Botanical garden in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
- Hot Springs Mountain Tower: Tower in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
- Hot Springs National Park: National park in central Garland County, Arkansas.
- Lake Hamilton and Lake Catherine: Man-made lakes around Hot Springs, Arkansas.
- Lake Ouachita: Reservoir in western Arkansas.
- Little Rock Zoo: Zoo in Little Rock, Arkansas.
- Magic Springs: Amusement park and water park in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
- Ozark Folk Center: State park in Mountain View, Arkansas.
- Pea Ridge National Military Park: Park in Pea Ridge, Arkansas.
- Thorncrown Chapel: Chapel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.
- Wild River Country: Water park in North Little Rock, Arkansas.
Popular Iconic Arkansas Foods
Arkansas is famous for the following foods:
- Fried Pickles
- Chocolate Gravy
- Possum Pie
- Fried Catfish
- Cheese Dip
- The Garden Sandwich
- Purple Cow Milkshake
- Fried Hand Pies
- Grapette
- Fried Okra
Famous People Born In Arkansas
United States Presidents
- William J. Clinton (42nd President)
Pro Football Hall Of Fame Members
- Don Hutson (Offensive End, Safety, Kicker . Inducted in 1963)
- Joe Perry (Fullback. Inducted in 1969)
- Lamar Hunt (Team Owner, AFL Co-Founder. Inducted in 1972)
- Bobby Mitchell (Halfback, Flanker. Inducted in 1983)
- Cortez Kennedy (Defensive Tackle. Inducted in 2012)
- Willie Roaf (Offensive Tackle. Inducted in 2012)
Baseball Hall Of Fame Players
- Dizzy Dean (Pitcher. Inducted in 1953)
- Travis Jackson (Shortstop. Inducted in 1982)
- George Kell (Third Baseman. Inducted in 1983)
- Brooks Robinson (Third Baseman. Inducted in 1983)
- Lou Brock (Left Fielder. Inducted in 1985)
- Arky Vaughan (Shortstop. Inducted in 1985)
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall Of Fame Players
- Joan Crawford (Center. Inducted in 1997)
- Scottie Pippen (Forward. Inducted in 2010)
- Goose Tatum (Forward. Inducted in 2011)
- Nat Clifton (Center-Forward. Inducted in 2014)
- Sidney Moncrief (Guard. Inducted in 2019)
Famous Actors And Actresses
- Mika Boorem
- Lynda Carter
- Emma Stone
Famous Singers
- Johnny Cash
- Iris DeMent
- Levon Helm
Arkansas Fun Facts
- The name Arkansas came from the Quapaw Indians, by way of early French explorers. The explorers met a group of Indians, known as the Ugakhpah, which means "people who live downstream.". These
- Native Americans later were called the Quapaw, also called the Arkansaw.
- The World's Championship Duck Calling Contest is held annually in Stuttgart.
- It is illegal for the Arkansas River to rise above the Main Street Bridge in Little Rock. It is unclear how this law can be enforced.
- In November, 1932, Hattie Caraway was elected senator in Arkansas. She became the first woman in the U.S. Senate.
- Arkansas contains over 600,000 acres of lakes and 9,700 miles of streams and rivers.
On July 2, 1962, Sam Walton founded opened the first Wal-Mart store in Rogers, Arkansas.
47 hot springs flow from the southwestern slope of Hot Springs Mountain. About 1,000,000 gallons of 143°F flow from the springs every day.
- Mount Ida is known as the Quartz Crystal Capital of the World.
- Pine Bluff is known as the world center of archery bow production.
- Arkansas is the only state with an official State Cooking Vessel: Dutch oven.
This page was last updated on March 01, 2022.
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