Missouri is a U.S. state located within the Midwestern United States, bordered by Illinois, Iowa, Tennessee, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, the state of Missouri is the 18th most heavily populated state within the country and the fifth most populous within the Midwest. It comprises 114 counties and one independent city. Missouri's capital is Jefferson City. The four biggest urban regions are St. Louis, Kansas City, Columbia and Springfield. Missouri was originally acquired from France as part of the Purchase of Louisiana and became defined as the Missouri Territory. Portion of the Missouri Territory was admitted into the union as the 24th state on the 10th of August, the year 1821.
With a real mix of urban and rural culture, Missouri mirrors the political, demographic and economic makeup of the nation. The state of Missouri has been considered a political bellwether state, meaning that the state voting results have accurately predicted the next President of the United States in every election since 1904 election, with exception of the elections during 1956 and 2008. It has both Southern and Midwestern cultural influences, reflecting its history as a border state. It is likewise a transition between the Western and Eastern United States, as St. Louis is normally known as the "western-most Eastern city" and Kansas City the "eastern-most Western city." Missouri's geography is extremely varied. The northern area of Missouri lies in dissected till plains whereas the southern part lies within the Ozark Mountains with the Missouri River separating the two. The confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers is situated near the city of St. Louis. The starting points of the Oregon trail and the Pony Express Trail were both within the state of Missouri. The mean center of United States population as of the the year 2010 Census is at the town of Plato in Texas County, Missouri.
The Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates that the state's total state product in the year 2006 was $225.9 billion. Per capita personal income during the year 2006 was $32,705; ranking 26th within the nation. Major industries include transportation equipment, aerospace, chemicals, food processing, printing/publishing, electrical equipment, light manufacturing, and beer.
The main agricultural outputs produced in the state of Missouri, comprise pork, beef, soybeans, hay, dairy products, poultry, corn, cotton, sorghum, eggs and rice. The state of Missouri is ranked 6th and 7th in the country in the production of hogs and cattle respectively. The state of Missouri is ranked in the top five states in the country for production of soy beans. As of 2001, there were 108,000 farms, the second biggest number in whatever state after Texas. Missouri actively promotes its wine industry which is rapidly growing.
Missouri has vast quantities of limestone. Other resources mined are coal, crushed stone and lead. Missouri produces the most lead of all of the states. Most of the lead mines are within the central eastern portion of the state. Missouri likewise ranks first or near first in lime production, a key ingredient in Portland cement.