Kentucky (USA) is located in the southeastern part of the state. Its area is about 105 thousand square kilometers. In this indicator, he is in 37th place in the country. Kentucky joined the United States in 1792. The population of the region is estimated at 4.4 million inhabitants.
origin of name
Scientists are currently considering several options for the origin of the name of this state. Without a doubt, it was borrowed from the language of one of the Aboriginal tribes that lived here many centuries ago. Based on the main version, the name translates as "dark and bloody land." Researchers believe that it appeared in the thirteenth century. Then many local tribes were driven out of here by the Iroquois Indians as a result of numerous and bloody wars. At the same time, some researchers are inclined to believe that the name means "the land of a new day." No less popular is the theory based on which Kentucky is a state whose name is of Iroquois origin and translates as “prairie” or “meadow”.
Geography and climate
Kentucky lies in a region that is known as the Upper South of the United States. It borders states such as Indiana, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Missouri, Illinois, and Tennessee. An interesting feature of the region is that its western, northern and eastern borders pass along the rivers (Mississippi, Ohio, as well as Tag Fork and Big Sandy, respectively). A significant part of the state is the Appalachian Mountains. Since a lot of meadow bluegrass grows here , it is often also called the edge of blue grass.
Kentucky is a state in which the subtropical, continental type of climate prevails . In summer, the air temperature rarely rises above 30 degrees Celsius, and in winter it drops below minus 5 degrees.
Population
As noted above, the population of the region is about 4.4 million people. Of these, Americans account for about 21% of the local population, Germans - 12.7%, Irish - 10.5%, and English - almost 10%. Speaking about the racial composition, it should be noted that mainly white citizens live in the state. African Americans account for only 8% of the local population, and all the rest - only 2%. As for religion, a third of the population are evangelical Christians, 10% are adherents of the Roman Catholic Church, 9% are Protestants. One cannot but focus on the fact that 46.5% of Kentucky residents do not attribute themselves to any of the religions.
Cities
Louisville (Kentucky) is the largest city in the region. About 550 thousand people live here. The metropolis is famous for its unique parks. The second largest is the 300,000th Lexington. Despite this, the state capital is Frankfort, built on the Kentucky River in 1835. Only 25 thousand people live here. As in any administrative center, the public sector is at the heart of its economy. In other words, the majority of the population works in government at various levels. Other major cities in Kentucky are Owensboro, Bardstown, Richmond, Henderson, Convington and others.
Economy
The most developed industries in the region are the textile, mining, food and tobacco industries, engineering, the manufacture of alcoholic beverages, electronics, furniture, shoes, and metal products. The most common local minerals are natural gas, oil, and coal. Most industries are located along the Ohio River. Timber production is well established in the eastern part of the state, and the city of Paduc is one of the largest centers of the state’s nuclear industry.
Kentucky is the state that ranks second in the country in terms of tobacco production. In addition, corn, soybeans, forage grasses are grown on the local farms, as well as cattle and racehorses. One cannot fail to note the mass production of the unofficial business card of the United States - corn whiskey, known as bourbon.
Tourist attraction
Tourism is considered one of the fastest growing industries in Kentucky. This is not surprising, because the state boasts not only numerous historical sights, but also unique natural beauty. It is here that the world famous Cumberland Waterfalls are located - one of the largest in the country. Quite interesting are the limestone caves washed by the Kentucky River. The longest of them has a length of 630 kilometers and is known as the Mammoth Cave.
Horse racing, which is held annually at the Louisville Hippodrome, is also considered quite popular. There is also a museum dedicated to them. Thirty kilometers from this city is located "Fort Knox", which is the repository of the country's gold reserves. Many tourists come to the historical park "Lincoln's Birthplace." Kentucky is the state that is home to American corn whiskey. For lovers of this drink, special thematic tours are constantly organized, which include not only tasting, but also interesting stories about the history of its occurrence and the development of production.