Missouri is known for:
- Ozark Mountains
- Prairies
- Scenic rivers
- Italian food
- Mark Twain
Geography & Demographics
| State Abbreviation |
MO |
| State Capital |
Jefferson City |
| State Size |
Total (Land + Water): 69,704 sq miles; Land Only: 68,886 sq miles |
| Number of Counties |
114 |
| Time Zone |
Central Time Zone |
| Bordering States |
Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Tennessee |
| Highest Point | Taum Sauk Mountain, 1,772 feet |
| Tallest Building | One Kansas City Place in Kansas City, 624 feet |
| Largest Stadium | GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, capacity 76,416 |
| National Parks | Gateway Arch National Park |
| State Population (2020) | 6,154,913 |
| State Population Density | 89.3 people / square mile |
| Area Codes |
314, 417, 557, 573, 636, 660, 816, 975 |
| Top 5 Cities (2020 population) |
Kansas City (497,159)
St. Louis (297,645)
Springfield (168,090)
Columbia (124,769)
Independence (116,774)
|
Government & Legislature
State Symbols
| State American Folk Dance | Square dance |
| State Amphibian | American bullfrog |
| State Animal | Missouri mule |
| State Aquatic Animal | Paddlefish |
| State Bird |
Bluebird |
| State Dessert | Ice cream cone |
| State Dinosaur | Hypsibema missouriense |
| State Fish | Channel catfish |
| State Flower |
Hawthorn |
| State Fossil | Crinoid |
| State Game Bird | Bobwhite quail |
| State Grape | Norton/Cynthiana grape |
| State Grass | Big bluestem |
| State Horse | Missouri fox trotting horse |
| State Insect | Honeybee |
| State Invertebrate | Crayfish |
| State Mineral | Galena |
| State Motto |
Salus populi suprema lex esto (Let the welfare of the people be the supreme law) |
| State Musical Instrument | Fiddle |
| State Nickname |
Show-me State |
| State Reptile | Three-toed box turtle |
| State Rock | Mozarkite |
| State Song | Missouri Day |
| State Tree |
Flowering dogwood |
| State Tree Nut | Eastern black walnut |
Sports Teams
| Major Sports Teams |
MLB: Kansas City Royals, St. Louis Cardinals
NFL: Kansas City Chiefs
NHL: St. Louis Blues
|
| NCAA Division I Schools |
University of Missouri (Southeastern)
University of Missouri - Kansas City (WAC)
Missouri State University (Missouri Valley)
Saint Louis University (Atlantic 10)
Southeast Missouri State University (Ohio Valley)
|
Popular Tourist Attractions
- City Museum: Museum in St. Louis, Missouri.
- Country Club Plaza: Shopping center in Kansas City, Missouri.
- Crown Center: Commercial neighborhood in Kansas City, Missouri.
- Gateway Arch: Monument in St. Louis, Missouri.
- Grant's Farm: Former Busch family estate, located in St. Louis, Missouri.
- Lake of the Ozarks: Reservoir in central Missouri.
- Missouri Botanical Garden: Botanical garden in St. Louis, Missouri.
- Saint Louis Science Center: Science museum in St. Louis, Missouri.
- Saint Louis Zoo: Zoo in St. Louis, Missouri.
- Silver Dollar City: Theme park in Branson, Missouri.
- Six Flags St. Louis: Theme park in Eureka, Missouri.
- Table Rock Lake: Reservoir in southwestern Missouri.
- The Magic House: Children's museum in St. Louis, Missouri.
- Titanic Museum: Museum in Branson, Missouri.
- Worlds of Fun: Amusement park in Kansas City, Missouri.
Festivals and Events
Top festivals and events in Missouri. They are listed in approximate order of when they take place during the year.
Popular Iconic Missouri Foods
Missouri is famous for the following foods:
- St. Louis-Style Pizza
- Toasted Ravioli
- Gooey Butter Cake
- Slinger
- St. Paul Sandwich
- Pork Steaks
- Red Hot Riplets
- St. Louis-Style Ribs
Famous People Born In Missouri
Nobel Prize Winners
United States Presidents
- Harry S. Truman (33rd President)
Pro Football Hall Of Fame Members
- Jim Finks (Administrator. Inducted in 1955)
- Cal Hubbard (Tackle. Inducted in 1963)
- Jimmy Conzelman (Quarterback, Coach. Inducted in 1964)
- Kellen Winslow (Tight End. Inducted in 1995)
- Roger Wehrli (Cornerback. Inducted in 2007)
Baseball Hall Of Fame Players
- Carl Hubbell (Pitcher. Inducted in 1947)
- Zack Wheat (Left Fielder. Inducted in 1959)
- Pud Galvin (Pitcher. Inducted in 1965)
- Jake Beckley (First Baseman. Inducted in 1971)
- Yogi Berra (Catcher. Inducted in 1972)
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall Of Fame Players
- Ed Macauley (Center-Forward. Inducted in 1960)
- Forrest DeBernardi (Center. Inducted in 1961)
- Bob Kurland (Center. Inducted in 1961)
- Bill Bradley (Guard-Forward. Inducted in 1983)
- Jo Jo White (Guard. Inducted in 2015)
- Cotton Fitzsimmons (Coach. Inducted in 2021)
- Gene Bess (Coach. Inducted in 2023)
Hockey Hall Of Fame Members
- Pat LaFontaine (Center. Inducted in 2003)
Famous Actors And Actresses
- Wallace Beery
- John Goodman
- Geraldine Page
- Ginger Rogers
- Jane Wyman
Famous Singers
- Helen Cornelius
- Sheryl Crow
- Eminem
Missouri Fun Facts
- The state of Missouri was named after a tribe of Sioux Indians of the state called the Missouris. The word "Missouri" means "wooden canoe people" or "he of the big canoe."
- The Gateway Arch in St. Louis is the tallest man-made national monument in the United States. It stands 630 feet tall.
- Richland, Missouri, is the only city in the U.S. with a cave restaurant.
- Kansas City, Missouri has more fountains than any city in the world except Rome. Hence Kansas City is known as the City of Fountains.
- St. Joseph, Missouri was the starting point of the famed Pony Express.
- In 1873, Susan Elizabeth Blow opened the first public kindergarten in the United States in St. Louis.
- Eight different states border Missouri, making it the state with the highest number of neighboring states. Tennessee also has eight bordering states.
- Missouri has more than 6000 known caves.
- In University City, Missouri, it is illegal for a person to have a yard sale on the front yard.
- Missouri is one of two states with an official State Grape. Missouri's State Grape is Norton/Cynthiana grape.
This page was last updated on October 12, 2024.
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