Map of Kentucky State which lies in east south-central region of the USA
| State | Kentucky |
| State Capital | Frankfort |
| Largest City | Louisville |
| Coordinates | 37.5°N 85°W |
| Nickname(s) | “Bluegrass State” |
| Postal Abbreviation | KY |
| Area | 40,408 sq. mi (104,659 sq. km) |
| Highest Point | Black Mountain, 4,145 ft (1,265 m) |
| Number of Counties | 120 |
| Neighboring States | West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio |
| Population | 4,468,402 (2018) |
| Date of Entering the Union | June 1, 1792 |
| State Anthem | My Old Kentucky Home |
| Governor | Andy Beshear (Democratic Party) |
| Lieutenant Governor | Jacqueline Coleman (Democratic Party) |
| U.S. Senators | Mitch McConnell (Republican), Rand Paul (Republican) |
| U.S. House Delegation | 5 Republicans, 1 Democrat |
| GDP (Millions of Dollars) | 208088 |
| Demonym | Kentuckian |
| Time Zones | eastern half UTC-05:00 (Eastern), Summer (DST) UTC-04:00 (EDT); western half UTC-06:00 (Central), Summer (DST) UTC-05:00 (CDT) |
Kentucky (officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky is the 15th state admitted to the union on June 1, 1792) is located in the southern US. It shares its border with seven neighboring states: Ohio and Indiana to the north, Illinois to the northwest, Missouri to the west, Tennessee to the south, Virginia to the east, and Virginia to the northeast.
The Commonwealth of Kentucky (one of the four commonwealth states in the US other than Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia) is spread across a total area of 40,408 sq. mi (104,659 sq. km), out of which 39,895 sq. mi (102,895 sq. km) is land area and 681 sq. mi (1,764 sq. km) is water area. Water bodies occupy 2.3 % of the total area. This state is around 380 mi (611.6 km) long and 140 mi (225.3 km) wide. In terms of area, it is the 37th largest state in the US.
Kentucky’s mean elevation is 750 ft (228.6 m) above sea level. While the Black Mountain at 4,139 ft (1,261.6 m) above sea level is the highest elevation point in the state, the Mississippi River at 257 ft (78.3 m) above sea level is the lowest elevation point. The major mountains in this state are Black Mountain, Big Ridge, Grassy Gap, Sugar Gap, Rockhouse Ridge, Yellow Buck Spur, Potato Hill, Garrison Gap, Little Black Mountain, Low Gap, etc.
The major rivers in this state are Mississippi River, Ohio River, Cumberland River, Tennessee River, Green River, Licking River, Kentucky River, North Fork Kentucky River, Levisa Fork, and Tug Fork. Some of the largest lakes in the state are Kentucky Lake, Lake Barkley, Lake Cumberland, and Barren River Lake.
Kentucky has diversified geography. There are five geographic regions in the state, and they are the Bluegrass Region, the Cumberland Plateau, the Western Coal Field, the Pennyroyal Region, and the Jackson Purchase Region.
The Bluegrass Region is located in the northern central part of the state. While rolling meadows are found in the central parts of Kentucky, sandstone “knobs” are found on the eastern, southern, and western edges of the state. The eastern, southern, and western edges of the Bluegrass Region are also called the Knobs Region.
Cumberland Plateau is the Appalachian Plateau in Kentucky. Mountains (including the Pine Mountain and the highest elevation point, the Black Mountain), plateaus, and valleys are found in this region, located in the eastern part of this state.
Western Coal Field is the third kind of landform in this state that is located in the northwestern part of the state. Large deposits of coal are found in this region. While the Pennyroyal region is located on the eastern, western, and southern parts of the region, on the north the Western Coal Field is bordered by the farmlands along the Ohio River.
The Pennyroyal Region (named after a small herb that grows in this region) or Pennyrile is the 4th important geographical region. It is situated along the southern border of the state. It starts in the Appalachian Plateau (located in the west) and continues till the Kentucky Lake.
Flatlands along with some rolling hills are found in the southern region of the Pennyroyal Region. The Barrens (which is a tree-less region) is present in the central part of Pennyrile. Rocky ridges are present in the northern section of this state. Underground caves and tunnels are found under this rocky region.
Jackson Purchase Region, located in the far western tip of the state, is the fifth most important geographic region in this state. It is a part of the greater Gulf Plains Region, starting at the Gulf of Mexico and extending to Illinois to the north. The Kentucky Lake borders this region on the east. While the Ohio River is located to the north of Jackson Purchase Region, the Mississippi River is located to the west. Flood plains and low hills are the characteristic features of this region.
A moderate climatic condition is found in the Commonwealth of this state. Warm but moist conditions characterize this climate. While the summers remain warm generally, the winters remain cool. The Gulf of Mexico influences the weather patterns (especially during summer) in this state.
The average annual rainfall level in the state is around 46 in (1,168.4 mm). Most of the rainfall takes place during springtime. The extent of rain decreases as you move from the southern part of Kentucky to the northern region. While the southern part receives 50 inches (1,270 mm) of average rainfall annually, the northern part receives just 40 inches (1,016 mm).
This state is located in such a place through which many storms pass and storms affect the state across the year. During March-September, most of the storms take place.
The economy of Kentucky is based on manufacturing, tourism, mining, trade, agriculture, and other services. The GDP of this state increased from US$158,099 million in 2008 to US$208,087.5 in 2018.
The Real Median Household Income in the state in the last one decade first declined from US$48,108 in 2008 to US$44,595 in 2011 and then fluctuated till 2015 to remain at the same level (US$44926 in 2015). However, in the last four years, it increased significantly and reached US$54,555 in 2018. The Per Capita, Personal Income in Kentucky, has grown from US$32,527 during Q1, 2010 to US$44,078 in Q3, 2019.
The value of exports and imports in the Commonwealth of this state in 2018 were $31,809,780,385 and $54,456,708,003 respectively, resulting in a negative trade balance (-$22,646,927,618).
The major exports of this state are Aircraft, Motor Vehicles and Parts, Industrial Machinery, Pharmaceuticals, Electrical Machinery, Plastics, Precision Instruments, Chemical Products, Beverages and Aluminum. The principal imports of Kentucky are Pharmaceuticals, Industrial Machinery, Electrical Machinery, Motor Vehicles and Parts, Precision Instruments, Furniture, Aluminum, Plastics, and Non-Knit Apparel.
The rate of unemployment was 4.7% in November 2007. However, it increased rapidly to 10.7% in March 2009 and then peaked at 11.9% in February 2010. After this, the unemployment rate started declining gradually and reached 3.8% in November 2019.
The Commonwealth of Kentucky had a poverty rate of 17.2% in 2018. The total number of people living below the poverty line in 2018 was 744,239, out of the total population of 4,316,917.
Six major interstate highways pass through this state, and they are I-24, I-64, I-65, I-69, I-71, and I-75. Other essential roadways include seven parkways, six bypasses, and spurs. Most major towns in this state have Greyhound bus service.
The most important railroads present in this state are Ashland, Kentucky (Amtrak station), South Portsmouth-South Shore (Amtrak station), and Fulton (Amtrak station). The major ports present in or around Kentucky are Port of Huntington-Tristate, Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky, and Louisville-Southern Indiana.
The main airports in the Commonwealth of Kentucky are Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky International Airport (Cincinnati/Covington), Louisville International Airport (Louisville), Blue Grass Airport (Lexington), Owensboro-Daviess County Regional Airport (Owensboro), and Barkley Regional Airport (Paducah).
The most popular nickname of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is “The Bluegrass State”. The state got this nickname because of the vast expanse of bluegrass (common name for the grass of the genus “Poa”) found in the pastures and lawns across the state. These bluegrasses are green in colour. However, during spring these grasses get bluish-purple bud and large fields bluish from a distance.
The other nicknames for this state are “The Hemp State”, “The Tobacco State”, “The Corn-cracker State”, and “The Dark and Bloody Ground State”.
Mammoth Cave National Park, Red River Gorge Geological Area, Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, Creation Museum, Kentucky Derby, Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Park, Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, Daniel Boone National Forest, Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory, Kentucky Horse Park, Muhammad Ali Center, Lost River Cave, Louisville Mega Cavern, Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, Newport Aquarium, Great American Dollhouse Museum (Danville)
1) The nickname of Kentucky is the “Bluegrass State”.
2) The capital city of Kentucky is Frankfort and the biggest city of the state is Louisville.
3) The official motto is “United we stand, divided we fall”.
4) A resident of Kentucky is called as a Kentuckian.
5) The tallest point in the state is the Black Mountain and its elevation is 4,145 feet. With an elevation of 257 feet, the lowest point is the Kentucky Bend.
6) The official bird is the Cardinal.
7) The official state dance is Clogging.
8) The official butterfly is the Viceroy Butterfly.
9) The official fish is the Kentucky Spotted Bass.
10) Kentucky shares its boundaries with seven states and they are Virginia, West Virginia, Missouri, Tennessee, Indiana, Illinois, and Ohio.
11) The official beverage is Milk.
12) The official fossil is the Brachiopod.
13) The official fruit is the Blackberry.
14) The official grass is the Kentucky Bluegrass.
15) The official flower is the Goldenrod.
16) The official gemstone is the Freshwater Pearl.
17) The official mineral is coal.
18) The official slogan is “Kentucky: Unbridled Spirit”.
19) The official musical instrument is the Appalachian Dulcimer.
20) The official song is “My Old Kentucky Home”.
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