Tennessee is known for:
- Country music
- Whiskey
- Graceland and Elvis
- Tennessee whiskey
Geography & Demographics
| State Abbreviation |
TN |
| State Capital |
Nashville |
| State Size |
Total (Land + Water): 42,143 sq miles; Land Only: 41,217 sq miles |
| Number of Counties |
95 |
| Time Zone |
Eastern Time Zone, Central Time Zone |
| Bordering States |
Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Virginia |
| Highest Point | Clingmans Dome, 6,643 feet |
| National Parks | Great Smoky Mountains National Park |
| State Population (2020) | 6,910,840 |
| State Population Density | 167.7 people / square mile |
| Area Codes |
423, 615, 731, 865, 901, 931 |
| Top 5 Cities (2020 population) |
Nashville (694,176)
Memphis (649,705)
Knoxville (190,223)
Chattanooga (184,742)
Clarksville (161,247)
|
Government & Legislature
State Symbols
| State Agricultural Insect | Honeybee |
| State Amphibian | Tennessee cave salamander |
| State Artifact | "Sandy" |
| State Beverage | Milk |
| State Bird |
Mockingbird |
| State Butterfly | Zebra swallowtail |
| State Commercial Fish | Channel catfish |
| State Flower |
Iris |
| State Fossil | Ptero |
| State Gem | Pearl |
| State Insect | Honeybee and ladybug |
| State Mineral | Agate |
| State Motto |
Agriculture and Commerce |
| State Nickname |
Volunteer State |
| State Painting | "Tenneessee Treasures" and "Tennessee Treasures Too" |
| State Reptile | Eastern box turtle |
| State Rock | Limestone |
| State Sport Fish | Smallmouth bass |
| State Tree |
Tulip poplar |
| State Wild Animal | Raccoon |
Sports Teams
Popular Tourist Attractions
- Beale Street Historic District: A street in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. It was voted the most iconic street in America by USA Today.
- Bristol Motor Speedway: Auto racing venue in Bristol, Tennessee.
- Cades Cove: An isolated valley in the Tennessee side of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
- Clingmans Dome: The highest point in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.
- Country Music Hall of Fame: Museum in Nashville, Tennessee.
- Dollywood: Theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
- Graceland: Former home and estate of Elvis Presley, located in Memphis, Tennessee.
- Grand Ole Opry: Concert hall in Nashville, Tennessee.
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park: National park on the border of Tennessee and North Carolina.
- Knoxville Zoo: Zoo in Knoxville, Tennessee.
- Lookout Mountain: Mountain range near Chattanooga, Tennessee.
- Memphis Zoo: Zoo in Memphis, Tennessee.
- Nashville Zoo: Zoo in Nashville, Tennessee.
- Ober Gatlinburg: Amusement park in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
- Opry Mills: Shopping center in Nashville, Tennessee.
- Parthenon Nashville: Building structure in Nashville, Tennessee.
- Rock City: Garden in Lookout City, Tennessee.
- Ruby Falls: Waterfall in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
- Tennessee Aquarium: Aquarium in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Popular Iconic Tennessee Foods
Tennessee is famous for the following foods:
- Hot Fried Chicken
- Memphis-Style Barbecue
- Country Ham
- Biscuits and Gravy
- Fried Pickles
- Catfish
- Banana Pudding
- Moon Pies
- Meat and Three
- Sweet Potato Fries
- Fried Pies
- Memphis Ribs
Famous People Born In Tennessee
Nobel Prize Winners
Pro Football Hall Of Fame Members
- Doug Atkins (Defensive End. Inducted in 1982)
- Lynn Swann (Wide Receiver. Inducted in 2001)
- Reggie White (Defensive End. Inducted in 2006)
- Gene Hickerson (Guard. Inducted in 2007)
- Claude Humphrey (Defensive End. Inducted in 2014)
Baseball Hall Of Fame Players
- Turkey Stearnes (Center Fielder. Inducted in 2000)
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall Of Fame Players
- Oscar Robertson (Guard. Inducted in 1980)
- Nera White (Forward. Inducted in 1992)
- Bailey Howell (Forward. Inducted in 1997)
Famous Actors And Actresses
- Kathy Bates
- Megan Fox
- Morgan Freeman
Famous Singers
- Kenny Chesney
- Miley Cyrus
- Aretha Franklin
- Dolly Parton
- Justin Timberlake
- Tina Turner
Tennessee Fun Facts
- The state of Tennessee was named after a Cherokee town named "Tanasi," which is in present-day Monroe County, Tennessee. The true meaning of Tanasi cannot be ascertained, though it's been said to mean "meeting place," "wind river," or "river of the great bend."
- Tennessee borders with eight other states. This makes Tennessee, along with Missouri, the state with the most neighboring states.
- The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee, is the longest continuously running live radio program in the world. It has been live since November 28, 1925.
- Vanderbilt University, along with its affiliated hospitals, is the largest employer in Tennessee.
- The Manhattan Project was based in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
- Memphis, Tennessee, is home to Graceland, Elvis Presley's former estate.
- Tennessee bottlers Moses and Ally Hartman developed Mountain Dew in 1940.
- Columbia, Tennessee, is the self-proclaimed Mule Capital of the World. It celebrates a city-designed Mule Day each April.
- Tennessee was the last state to secede from the Union during the Civil War and the first state to be readmitted after the war.
- Tennessee won its nickname as The Volunteer State during the War of 1812 when volunteer soldiers from Tennessee played a prominent role in the Battle of New Orleans.
This page was last updated on January 30, 2023.
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