{{USState|name=Mississippi|flag=Mississippi_State_Flag.gif|motto="Virtute et armis" (By valor and arms)|nick=The Magnolia State|capital=Jackson|language=English|governor=Phil Bryant|gparty=Republican|senator1=Thad Cochran|s1party=Republican|s1phone=(202) 224-5054|s1email=http://cochran.senate.gov/contact.htm Contact|senator2=Roger Wicker|s2party=Republican|s2phone=(202) 224-6253|s2email=http://wicker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.EMailSenatorWicker Contact|population=|date=December 10, 1817 (20th)}}'''Mississippi''' is located in the South of the [[United States]] and on December 10, 1817 became the twentieth state to enter into the unionUnion. Mississippi was once a member of the [[Confederate States of America]]. The capital of Mississippi is [[Jackson]] which is also its largest city. The current governor of Mississippi is [[Haley Barbour]], a [[Republican]]. It was the third most [[Obesity|obese]] state in 2011.
==Elected Officials== ===Federal===*Sen. [[CategoryThad Cochran]] (R)*Sen. [[Roger Wicker]] (R)*Rep. [[Alan Nunnelee]] [R, MS-01]*Rep. [[Bennie Thompson]] [D, MS-02]*Rep. [[Gregg Harper]] [R, MS-03]*Rep. [[Steven Palazzo]] [R, MS-04] ===Statewide===*Governor [[Haley Barbour]] (R)*Lt. Governor [[Phil Bryant]] (R)*Attorney General [[Jim Hood]] (D)*Secretary of State [[Delbert Hosemann]] (R)*State Auditor [[Stacey Pickering]] (R)*State Treasurer [[Tate Reeves]] (R) ==Economy==Although Mississippi's [[economy]] has traditionally been heavily agriculture-based, the state has experienced some industrial growth in recent years. The economy near the southern coastline of the state was severely disrupted by [[Hurricane Katrina]] in 2005.<ref>http:US //www.usm.edu/afterkatrina/Baugh.html</ref> Mississippi is currently the most impoverished statein the Union, with 20% of the populace under the poverty line and a $36,000 median salary.<ref>http://money.cnn.com/2010/09/16/news/economy/Americas_wealthiest_states/index.htm</ref> ==Higher Education==Mississippi's public universities include:*Alcorn State University*Delta State University*Jackson State University*Mississippi State University (MSU)*Mississippi University for Women (now a co-ed university)*Mississippi Valley State University*[[University of Mississippi]] (also has a law and medical school)*University of Southern Mississippi Private universities include:*Belhaven College (affiliated with the conservative Presbyterian Church (PCA))*Blue Mountain College*Millsaps College*Mississippi College (Ole Miss)*Rust College*Tougaloo College*William Carey University<ref>http://www.mississippi.gov/ms_sub_sub_template.jsp?Category_ID=26</ref> ==Notable people from Mississippi==*[[Minnesota Vikings]] quarterback [[Brett Favre]] is from Kiln.*[[Confederate]] general [[Nathan Bedford Forrest]] was from Mississippi.*Actor James Earl Jones was born in Arkabutla.*Former [[United States Senate]] Majority Leader [[Trent Lott]] represented Mississippi in the Senate from 1989 to 2007.*[[James Meredith]] made headlines as the first African-American student at the University of Mississippi in 1962.*[[Oprah Winfrey]] was born in Kosciusko.*[[Elvis Presley]] was born in Tupelo.*Muppets creator Jim Henson was born in Greenville. ==References=={{reflist|2}} {{USstates}} [[Category:Mississippi]][[Category:Red States]][[Category:The South]][[Category:Southern United States]][[Category:Gulf Coast of the United States]][[Category:Regions of the United States]][[Category:United States Geography]][[Category:United States of America]][[Category:Geography]]