Welcome to Missouri
"The Show-Me State" Containing the confluence of the Missouri River and Hannibal native Mark Twain's beloved Mississippi River, Missouri is somewhat of an exercise in being pulled in different directions from the middle. Given its geographical location, the state is as influenced as much by the Midwest as it is the South, and it's also seen as a transitional point from the East to the West. Missourians are religious, but not overwhelmingly so. Economically speaking, Missouri rates in the middle of states in terms of per capita income. With some of the most lax alcohol and tobacco laws in the country, Missouri's unofficial nickname of the "Show-Me State" points directly to its suspicion of governmental control. For instance, the state never had a prohibition period (although it was subject to prohibition under federal law in the 1920s), and regulation of alcohol didn't first occur until 1934 (after Prohibition was repealed). This may lead some to assume that Missouri is a haven for Republican lawmakers and their "less is more" attitude towards government. While the Republican Party has become much more popular in recent years, the state has traditionally been a Democratic stronghold. State Name: Missouri State Nickname: "The Show-Me State"  State Motto: Salus populi suprema lex esto ("Let the good of the people be the supreme law") Name for Residents: Missourian Abbreviation: MO Time Zone: Central, GMT/UTC -6 / -5 (Daylight Savings Time) Capital City: Jefferson City Date of Statehood: August 10, 1821  Statehood Rank: 24th State Area: 69,704 square miles (180,533 km²) Area Rank: 21 of 50 Number of Counties: 114 State Population: 5,911,605 (2008 estimate) Largest Cities:     Kansas City - 475,830 (2007)     St. Louis - 3754,361 (2008)     Springfield - 156,206 2008) Major Rivers:     Missouri River - Length: 2,540 mi (4,090 km)     Mississippi River - Length: 2,320 mi (3,730 km)     St. Francis River - Length: 470 mi (760 km) Highest Point: Taum Sauk Mountain, 1,722 ft (540 m) Lowest Point: St. Francis River, 230 ft (70 m) Bordering States and Countries:     Iowa (North)     Illinois (East)     Kentucky (Southeast)     Tennessee (Southeast)     Arkansas (South)     Oklahoma (Southwest)     Kansas (West)     Nebraska (Northwest) Record High Temperature:     118°F (48°C)     July 14, 1954 at Warsaw and Union  Record Low Temperature:     -40°F (-40°C)     February 13, 1905 at Warsaw
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	Author: World Trade Press