State Symbols of Mississippi

By | Updated on January 22, 2023

Reviewed by Rittika

Mississippi is a constituent state of the United States of America. It is located in the Southeastern region of the U.S. 

Mississippi is named after the Mississippi River, which forms its western border. Mississippi is derived from a Native American phrase that means “big river” or “gathering-in of all waters”. It is also known as the “father of waters”.

 In recognition of the numerous magnolia trees in Mississippi, the official nickname of the state is The Magnolia State. The Legislature designated the magnolia as the official state tree in 1952. 

It is bordered to the east by Alabama, to the north by Tennessee, to the southwest by Louisiana, to the south by the Gulf of Mexico, and to the northwest by Arkansas.

The state capital of Mississippi is Jackson, which is also the largest city in the state.

Several Indian tribes, including the Choctaw, Natchez, and Chickasaw, inhabited the area before European settlement. Alonso Alvarez de Pineda, a Spanish explorer, was the first European to outline the area in 1519. In 1699, the French established the first permanent settlement. Mississippi became a U.S. territory in 1798. On December 10, 1817, Mississippi became the 20th U.S. state admitted to the Union.

With a total area of 48,441 sq mi (125,460 sq km), Mississippi is the thirty-second largest state. The total population of the state, according to the census 2020, is 2,961,279. 

The fun fact is the state’s historical creation of teddy bears. In November 1902, President Roosevelt went on a hunting expedition in Sharkey County. During the trip, the guides tied a bear to a tree and welcomed the president to shoot it. President Roosevelt refused to shoot the captive bear, leading to the conception of the teddy bears in the world. In 2002, Mississippi made the teddy bear its official state toy.

Agriculture and forestry are Mississippi’s leading economic industries. Mississippi is the main producer of pulpwood, sweet potatoes, cotton, and more than half of the nation’s farm-raised catfish. Forests occupy around 65 percent of the state and are one of the state’s primary resources. Hickory and oak from Mississippi are mainly used in furniture and flooring. The state’s other major businesses are advanced manufacturing, utilities, transportation, and health care.

In 1944, the Mockingbird was named the official state bird of Mississippi, whereas the Wood duck became the official waterfowl in 1974. 

The official state song of Mississippi is “Go Mis-sis-sip-pi”, and the state motto is “Virtute et armis” (Latin for “By valor and arms”).

In 1987, Mississippi declared English the official state language.

State Information

Official Language	English
State Rank	32
Demonym(s)	Mississippian
Nickname	"The Magnolia State", "The Hospitality State"
ISO	US-MS
Formation Date	December 10, 1817
Coordinates	Lat: 30°12′ N to 35° N, Long: 88°06′ W to 91°39′ W
Area

State seal

Motto of Mississippi

Virtute et armis -"By valor and arms"

State symbols of Mississippi 👇

• 
  State capital
  Jackson
• 
  State bird
  Northern mockingbird
• 
  State flower
  Magnolia
• 
  State tree
  Southern magnolia
• 
  State dance
  Clogging
• 
  State reptile
  American Alligator
• 
  State insect
  Western Honey bee
• 
  State gemstone
  Petrified Wood
• 
  State animal
  White-Tailed Deer
• 
  State dish
  Butter cookies
• 
  State fish
  Largemouth bass

State location

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