HISTORY In the mid-1700?s, settlers such as Daniel Boone
traveled via the Cumberland Gap and Ohio River, and quickly transformed the
region now known as Kentucky into one of the first white settlements west of the
Appalachian Mountains. The Shawnees to the north of the Ohio River disagreed
with the settlement of the area and proceeded to align with the British in the
American Revolutionary War. Skirmishes continued for several years, until in
1782, the Battle of Blue Licks marked the last significant Indian raid of
Kentucky.
Originally designated as part of the State of Virginia, Kentucky became a
separate county in 1776. On June 1st, 1792 Kentucky emerged as the 15th state
admitted to the Union and shortly thereafter designated Frankfort as the capital
city. The next several decades brought the eruption of the Civil War, followed
by World Wars I and II. Each war resulted in dramatic changes in KY?s economy.
Kentucky eventually transformed from a primarily agricultural economy to an
industrial based economy. After 1970, tourism followed as a burgeoning industry,
due in part to Kentucky?s wealth of scenic state parks, and a modern highway
system that afforded easy access throughout the state. Today, Kentucky, the
?Bluegrass State?, is renowned for its bluegrass music, bourbon whiskey
distilleries, college basketball, horse racing and its thoroughbred horses.
DEMOGRAPHICS
According to data from the Census 2000, Kentucky is home to 4,041,769 residents,
with the Capital City of Frankfort accounting for 28,000 of the total. Nearly
half of the KY?s population stems from the Lexington Metro Area combined with
the state's shares of the Louisville and Cincinnati metro areas. Estimates in
2005 suggest KY?s current population as 4,173,405, which shows an increase of
31,570 (0.8%) from 2004 and 131,120 (3.2%) since the last official census in
2000. Foreign immigration accounted for a net increase of 27,435 citizens, while
migration from within the U.S. resulted in a net increase of 32,169 individuals.
In 2004, Kentucky's population included about 95,000 (2.3%) residents who were
born outside the United States. KY?s five largest groups of ancestry include
American (20.9%), German (12.7%), Irish (10.5%), British American (9.7%) and
African American (7.3%). The state?s African American residents, who once
accounted for 25% of KY?s population, are largely concentrated in the southwest
and in the cities of Lexington and Louisville.
GEOGRAPHY
Kentucky, which encompasses 40,411 square miles, shares its borders with states
from the Midwest and Southeast. These states include Illinois, Indiana and Ohio
to the north, West Virginia and Virginia to the east, Tennessee to the south and
Missouri in the west. The Ohio River marks KY?s northern border, while the
Mississippi River forms the border in the west. The five principle regions that
define KY?s geography include the Cumberland Plateau, the Bluegrass Region, the
Pennyroyal Region, the Western Coal Field and the Jackson Purchase Region.
Kentucky's most populous areas are located in the Golden Triangle area, which
lies almost entirely within the state?s Bluegrass Region. KY?s largest urban
areas include Bowling Green, Covington, Frankfort, Henderson, Hopkinsville,
Jeffersontown, Lexington-Fayette, Louisville, Owensboro, Paducah and Richmond.
The state?s geographic center is in Marion County, three miles NNW of Lebanon.
Kentucky has nearly 680 square miles covered by water. Major rivers include the
Cumberland River, Green River, Kentucky River, Mississippi River and the Ohio
River. The major lakes of KY include Kentucky Lake, Lake Barley and Lake
Cumberland. Kentucky's mean elevation is 750 feet above sea level. At 4,139
feet, Black Mountain is KY's high point, while the Mississippi River, at 257
feet, is the state's low point. Kentucky?s most significant natural attractions
include Cumberland Falls, the Cumberland Gap, the Jefferson Memorial Forest,
Mammoth Cave and Red River Gorge.
ECONOMY Agriculture
and industry drive KY?s prosperous economy, with industrial products that
include chemical products, coal, electric equipment, food processing, machinery,
transportation equipment and tourism. Popular tourist destinations include
Churchill Downs, Fort Boonesborough State Recreational Park, Land Between the
Lakes and Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom.
Well-known companies, such as Kentucky Fried Chicken, along with Fortune 500
companies that include HealthEssentials Solutions, Inc., also contribute to the
financial growth experienced in Kentucky. In 2003, Kentucky?s gross state
product was $129 billion. Residents earned a per capita personal income of
nearly $27,000.
AGRICULTURE Kentucky is home to more than 91,000 farms, each of
which averages 164 acres. KY farms play a significant role in the nation?s
production of a wide variety of crops. Agricultural outputs include corn, hay,
soybeans, tobacco and winterwheat. Kentucky also rates a high ranking
for the country?s production of livestock. In 1999, farm marketing brought $3.46
billion to KY?s economy. Primary contributions to this sector included broilers,
cattle, corn, dairy products, horse and mule sales and tobacco. Kentucky, also
known as the ?Tobacco State?, was once responsible for 2/3 or the nation?s
tobacco production.
EDUCATION Kentucky?s public system of higher education
consists of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System, Kentucky
Virtual University and eight universities. These include Kentucky State
University, Morehead State University, the University of Kentucky and the
University of Louisville. There are also approximately twenty independent or
private colleges and universities, including Bellarmine University, Spalding
University and Union College. < Main Kentucky Profile
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About
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