Arkansas is a state in the south-central United States, known for its diverse landscapes, rich history, and natural resources. Admitted to the Union on June 15, 1836, as the 25th state, Arkansas takes its name from a Native American term associated with the Quapaw people.
Known as “The Natural State,” Arkansas features the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains, the Arkansas River Valley, the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, and extensive forests, rivers, and lakes. Little Rock, the state capital and largest city, serves as its political, economic, and cultural center.
Arkansas has a complicated history shaped by Native American displacement, slavery, the Civil War, Reconstruction, agricultural development, and the struggle for civil rights. The 1957 desegregation crisis at Little Rock Central High School became a defining event in the nation’s civil rights movement.
Agriculture has long played a central role in the state’s economy, particularly rice, poultry, soybeans, and cotton. Manufacturing, transportation, retail, healthcare, and tourism have also become important industries. Walmart, founded in Rogers and headquartered in Bentonville, grew into one of the world’s largest corporations.
Today, Arkansas combines rural traditions, expanding metropolitan areas, and abundant natural beauty while confronting the economic and social challenges of a changing American South.
