Missouri:

Area, 69,686 sq mi (180,487 sq km). Pop. (2010) 5,988,927, a 7% increase since the 2000 census. Capital, Jefferson City. Largest city, Kansas City. Statehood, Aug. 10, 1821 (24th state). Highest pt., Taum Sauk Mt., 1,772 ft (540 m); lowest pt., St. Francis River, 230 ft (70 m). Nickname, Show Me State. Motto, Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto [The Welfare of the People Shall Be the Supreme Law]. State bird, bluebird. State flower, white hawthorn blossom. State tree, dogwood. Abbr., Mo.; MO

Sections in this article:

• Introduction
• Facts and Figures
• Geography
• Economy
• Government, Politics, and Higher Education
• History
• Bibliography

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2023, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

See more Encyclopedia articles on: U.S. Political Geography