Major Cities, Cultures, and Economics Mississippi Society Major Cities, Cultures, and Economics

Mississippi’s Population Mississippi is considered to be a small and rural state. 31st in Population out of 50 states. Out of the 82 counties in Mississippi, only 4 have a population that is more than 100,000 Hinds County (245,285) Harrison County (196,500) DeSoto County (168,240) Rankin County (146,767) Jackson County (140,450)

Mississippi’s Population Major Population Centers There are 7 major and 3 minor population centers in Mississippi that account for over 70% of the states total population Major: Jackson Metro Area (Capital) The Gulf Coast The Golden Triangle Hattiesburg-Laurel District The Desoto-Memphis District Meridian Metro Area Minor: The Delta The Natchez District McComb-Brookhaven District

Ethnic Diversity Mississippi is a fairly diverse state. Many different cultures have moved into the state over the last 300-400 years Hispanics (Fastest Growing) Black/African American White Native American Asian American

Native Americans In the 1820s and 1830s most Native Mississippians were forced to move across the Mississippi River A small band of Choctaw chose to stay and blend with “white culture” ~90% are bilingual speaking their Native language and English They have their own schools and system of Government around Philadelphia, MS Recently made history by electing the first female chief in Native History in 2011

European/ White Mississippians Mississippi’s culture and history has been dominated by people of European decent for the last 200 years Most white Mississippians can trace their ancestry back to: British Isles (Scots- Irish) France Spain Germany Lebanon (on the coast)

African Americans Mississippi has the largest African American population in the country. The history of the African American population goes back to the 1600s when the French brought the first slaves to Mississippi from the Caribbean and West Africa For most of the state’s history the black population has been larger than the white population During the 1920s blacks began to leave that state which caused this to reverse. (Great Migration) Half of Mississippi’s counties still have a majority black population Most African Americans in Mississippi live in and around the Delta

Asian Americans in Mississippi Mississippi’s Chinese population immigrated here in the 1870s. Many of them opened grocery stores. The Chinese have retained their traditions. Many still live in the Delta. The first Vietnamese came to the Gulf in the 1980s. Many of them worked in the seafood industry. There are several other smaller populations also, such as the Indians, Filipinos, Japanese, and Koreans.

Hispanic Americans The number of Hispanic people has increased drastically. The state’s Latino population could number as high as 100,000. Most of the population is bilingual (Speaking Spanish and English) Large number of Hispanic families have embraced Mississippi culture but still maintain connections to their home countries

Religion in Mississippi Most citizens of Mississippi speak English. Only 6% of families speak only another language. The two largest minor languages in Mississippi are Spanish and Vietnamese Religion is important to 85% of the people living in Mississippi- that’s the highest percentage in the nation. Baptists, Methodists, Catholics, and Presbyterians account for 90% of the religious population. There is a growing number of mosques and Hindu temples.

Mississippi’s Economy

The Primary Industry Agriculture Mississippi is considered to be an extremely rural/agricultural state. ~30% of Mississippi’s workforce is in some way involved with agriculture, making it the dominant industry in the state. The highest concentration of farms is in the Delta. Soybeans are the most valuable crop that comes from Mississippi. They are followed by corn, rice, and cotton. Poultry and eggs make the most income for farmers. Catfish farming is also a popular new business. Mississippi is first in the nation for catfish production.

The Second Industry Forestry and Biofuels Timber is one of the state’s most important resources. In 2009, the estimated value of forest products was $817 million. Biofuels (fuels from plants) are the up-and-coming energy source. There is a possibility that Mississippi could become the first place where woodchips are converted into a crude oil substitute.

Mississippi's Economy Manufacturing Most factories in Mississippi produce goods that can be used longer than three years. Mississippi also has several high-tech companies such as the Stennis Space Center and Howard Industries. Testing and creation center for machinery and tools that NASA uses for space trips Many other big companies such as Nissan have plants in Mississippi. The largest production company in Mississippi is Ingalls Shipyard which produces ships for the U.S. Navy

Mississippi’s Economy The Public and Entertainment Businesses A large part of the state’s economy is dedicated to state employees and government Public Education and Health Care State and Local Government Jobs (Representatives and Police Force) National Guard The last part of Mississippi’s economy is the Entertainment Industry Gaming and Tourism are popular around the Northwestern part of the state and along the Coast The film industry has recently begun to develop an interest in Mississippi as well