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 from55 feetto 2,753 feetabove sealevel
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%
