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

2. 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)

3. 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

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

5. 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

6. 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)

7. 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

8. 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.

9. 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

10. 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.

11. Mississippi’s Economy

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. 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

15. 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