”’Arkansas”’ is the southern state of the United States of America.
The state is bordered with Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Missouri. In many places, the eastern border of the state is determined generally by the changes of the river flow.
The name of the state comes from the language of the Indians who lived in Arkansas territories.
The word “Arkansas” came in the English language from the French “Arcansas.” In turn, the French, who founded the first settlements on the lands of Arkansas, borrowed the word akakaze from the Kvapo language, which means “the land of people living down the river.”
In accordance with another version, the word Akakaze, that means “people of the southern wind” in the language of Cuy Indians, formed the name of the state.
Arkansas has no large cities. The capital of the state is Little Rock with the 200 thousand citizens.
The Arkansas state was the area of the old French colonies purchased by the United States of America in 1803.
Arkansas’ nicknames
The Natural State, bear state.
Area
Arkansas area
Total 53,180 sq mi (137,733 km2)
Width 270 miles (435 km)
Length 240 miles (386 km)
History
Arkansas was recognized as a part of the United States as a result of the Louisiana purchase, the deal made personally by Napoleon. Initially, it was supposed to sell the USA only New Orleans for 10 million dollars, but Napoleon made a grand gesture and proposed the entire territory of Louisiana for cost larger one and a half times more.
The territory from the Rocky Mountains to the Mississippi River and from the Rupert’s Land Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of Mexico covered more than 2 million square kilometers.
The third president of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, chose to make the deal with some struggles because the USA Constitution did not say anything about the possibility of acquiring land of this size from different countries. The main argument in favor of the “Louisiana Purchase” was the need to rule over the New Orleans port, trade through which was blocked by Spain and France. In 1803, the purchase agreement was signed.
The final price of the transaction amounted more than 23 million dollars. Even if in those times the value of the dollar was many times higher than today, still the United States made a very successful purchase.
Demographics
Many residents who call themselves “Americans” are English or Northern Irish origins, but their families have been living in the state for so long (sometimes since Arkansas was formed) that they indicate themselves as Native Americans. Many of those who pointed out Irish origin, in fact, have a northern Irish background.
According to a 2006-2008 American Society Survey, 93.8% of Arkansas residents (over five years of age) speak English only in their homes. About 4.5% of the population speaks Spanish at home. About 0.7% communicate in other Indo-European languages. About 0.8% speak Asian languages.
TOP 5 Universities
Best Universities in Arkansas
* University of Arkansas
* University of Arkansas at Little Rock
* Arkansas State University
* University of Central Arkansas
* University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
News
Central Arkansas school district worker accused of forging parent’s signature to obtain prescription