Arkansas State Capitol
Arkansas State Capitol

An Arkansas Cheat Sheet

Did you know that more than half of our state is covered by forestland? The natural state is full of interesting information that you may not know. In fact, Arkansas actually means "south wind" which is a name used to describe the Quapaws, an early tribe in the area. The region was spelled various ways over the years, but entered the Union as Arkansas in 1836 and “Ark-an-saw” became the pronunciation in 1881. Since then, Arkansas has continued to thrive, by excelling in multiple areas. Arkansas is home many nationwide companies, including Walmart, Dillards, and J.B. Hunt, as well as being the nation's leading producer of rice and poultry. 

Take a peek at everything from rainfall and recreation to produce and politics.

State Capitol: Little Rock
 
State Bird: Mockingbird

State Gem: Diamond

State Tree: Pine

State Nickname: The Natural State

State Flower: Apple Blossom

Population: 2.67 Million - (33rd in the Nation)

Square miles: 53,187 (27th in nation)

Mountain Ranges: 3

State parks: 52

National forests: 3

Acres of forests: 17.2 million 

National Park Service sites: 7

Acres of lakes: 600,000

Miles of streams & rivers: 9,700

Major lakes: 13

Arkansas Air Quality (on a scale of 1-100): 91.9

Average work commute: 21 minutes

Cost of living: 15% lower than the rest of the country

Median home cost: $109,100

Highest peak: 2,753' at the height of Mount Magazine

Average annual rainfall: 49.6" 

Average annual temperature: 61.4 degrees 

Average annual snowfall in the northern regions of Arkansas: 10.4" 

Average annual snowfall in the southern regions of Arkansas: 2.8"