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  3. Arkansas

ARKANSAS

Fort Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Little Rock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Arkansas

The State in Brief

Nickname: Land of Opportunity

Motto: Regnat populus (The people rule)

Flower: Apple blossom

Bird: Mockingbird

Area: 53,179 square miles (2000; U.S. rank: 29th)

Elevation: Ranges from 55 feet to 2,753 feet above sea level

Climate: Long hot summers, mild winters, ample rainfall

Admitted to Union: June 15, 1836

Capital: Little Rock

Head Official: Governor Michael D. Huckabee (R) (until 2007)

Population

1980: 2,286,000

1990: 2,350,725

2000: 2,673,398

2003 estimate: 2,725,714

Percent change, 1990–2000: 13.7%

Percent change, 2000–2003: 2.0%

U.S. rank in 2003: 32nd

Percent of residents born in state: 63.9% (2000)

Density: 51.3 people per square mile (2000)

2002 FBI Crime Index Total: 112,672

Racial and Ethnic Characteristics (2000)

White: 2,138,598

Black or African American: 418,950

American Indian and Alaska Native: 17,808

Asian: 20,220

Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 1,668

Hispanic or Latino (may be of any race): 86,866

Other: 40,412

Age Characteristics (2000)

Population under 5 years old: 181,585

Population 5 to 19 years old: 578,924

Percent 65 years and over: 14.0%

Median age: 35.3 years (2000)

Vital Statistics

Total number of births (2002): 37,437

Total number of deaths (2001): 27,124 (infant deaths, 307)

AIDS cases reported through 2003: 3,581

Economy

Major industries: Food products, agriculture, tourism, manufacturing

Unemployment rate: 5.6% (November 2004)

Per capita income: $24,296 (2003; U.S. rank: 50th)

Median household income: $33,259 (3-year average, 2001-2003)

Percentage of persons below poverty level: 18.5% (3-year average, 2001-2003)

State income tax rate: Ranges from 1.0% to 7.0%

State sales tax rate: 5.125%