State Symbols of Arkansas

Last updated on August 18th, 2023 by Editorial Staff

By | Updated on August 18, 2023

Reviewed by Rittika

Arkansas is a landlocked state located in the South Central region of the United States. The state of Arkansas was the 9th state to quit the Union and join the Confederate States of America.

The name Arkansas is from the Osage language, a Dhegiha Siouan language. The early French explorers used the name to refer to the Quapaw people – a prominent indigenous group in the area – and to the river along which they settled. Arkansas is also known as The Natural State, because of its beautiful lakes, rivers, mountains, and wildlife.

Arkansas shares borders with Missouri on the north, Tennessee and Mississippi on the east, Louisiana on the south, Texas on the southwest, and Oklahoma on the west.

With a land area of 53,179 sq mi (137,732 sq km), it ranks twenty ninth in the total area among the fifty states. According to the 2020 census, 3,011,524 people were living in the state, making it the thirty forth most populous. Little Rock, Arkansas’s capital, is located in the state’s central region and is the state’s most populous city.

The interesting fact is that the state is known for its diamond mines. The first diamonds were discovered in Arkansas in 1906, and since then, millions of carats of diamonds have been mined from the state. Arkansas’s most famous diamond mine is the Crater of Diamonds State Park.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, Spanish and French explorers traversed the area; in 1686, Arkansas Post became the first permanent European settlement. Arkansas Territory was founded in 1819 as part of the Louisiana Purchase by the United States. The state’s current boundaries were fixed in 1828. The territory of Arkansas was admitted to the Union as the 25th state on June 15, 1836.

A considerable portion of the Delta had been created for cotton plantations, and the labor of enslaved African-Americans was a major source of income for local landowners. In 1861, it declared independence to join the Confederacy in the American Civil War; it was readmitted to the Union in 1868. Arkansas continued to suffer economically after rejoining the Union, owing to its excessive dependence on the large-scale plantation industry.

In the 1940s after World War II, Arkansas’s economy began to diversify to experience prosperity. During the 1960s, Arkansas became the headquarters of the Walmart corporation, the world’s largest company by revenue, headquartered in Bentonville.

In the 1980s and 1990s, while Arkansas native Bill Clinton served as governor and president of the United States, the state’s economy became more integrated with the national and international economic systems and attracted immigrants from outside the South.

Arkansas’ economy is built on service sectors, aircraft, poultry, steel, and tourism, as well as significant commodity crops such as cotton, soybeans, and rice. From poultry and boats to toilet paper, ammunition, and multiple launch rocket systems, the state has a flourishing industry in every sector now. These goods are sent to and utilized all over the world.

The state motto of Arkansas is “Regnat Populus” (The People Rule).

The state flower of Arkansas is the Apple blossom, and the state bird is the Northern mockingbird.
The official language of the state is English.


– Learn about Arkansas flag color codes and their meanings –

State Information

Official Language English
State Rank 29
Demonym(s) Arkansan, Arkansawyer, Arkanite
Nickname The Natural State (current) Land of Opportunity (former)
ISO US-AR
Formation Date June 15, 1836
Coordinates Lat: 33° 00′ N to 36° 30′ N, Long: 89° 39′ W to 94° 37′ W
Area

State seal

Motto of Arkansas

Regnat populus- "The People Rule"

State symbols of Arkansas 👇

State location

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State Flag of Arkansas