Kentucky is a charming landlocked state located in the Southeast of America. Illinois borders Indiana and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the northeast, Virginia to the east, Tennessee to the south, and Missouri to the west. The northern border is drawn by the Ohio River. The capital of the state is Frankfort, and the most lively and populous city is Louisville. Its population is around 4.6 million.
While it was part of Virginia, it joined the United States as the fifth state in 1792. Kentucky's famous nickname "Bluegrass State" comes from the "Kentucky bluegrass" grass brought from Europe and supporting the state's famous grass type.
In the central and western regions, known for their fertile lands, large tobacco fields were established in the past and these fields were operated with slave labor. Today, Kentucky ranks fifth nationally in cattle production, eighth in overall livestock production, and fourth in corn production. While the tobacco industry is still important, the state's economy is now quite strong in non-agricultural areas such as automotive manufacturing, energy and healthcare.
In fact, it ranks fourth among US states in terms of the number of cars and trucks produced. Not to mention, it is one of the rare states that is considered a part of the Southern High Plateaus.
Kentucky's natural beauties are also legendary. Mammoth Cave National Park, the world's longest cave system, is located here. It also has the longest navigable waterways and streams in the United States. The two largest artificial lakes where the Mississippi River originates are also located in Kentucky. Among the cultural riches of the state, it is possible to count the famous horse races, bourbon whiskey, moonshine tradition, coal mining, "My Old Kentucky Home" state park, automobile production, tobacco, southern cuisine delicacies, bluegrass music, college basketball festivals, Louisville Slugger baseball bats and, of course, Kentucky Fried Chicken.
The general structure of Kentucky, where the Appalachian Mountains extend to the east, resembles a flat and grassy plain, except for the eastern part. The average annual rainfall is around 1,200 mm. The temperature is around 0ยฐC in winter and can rise up to 25ยฐC in summer.
According to 2021 data, Kentucky's gross state product (GDP) ranks 27th among US states with $239.2 billion. Per capita income ranks 42nd with $53,035. Although it has historically maintained an economy based on agriculture, today the industrial and service sectors have become more prominent. Horses, cattle, tobacco, dairy products, pork, soy and corn are still important agricultural products.
Coal, iron and oil are also extracted. Kentucky, which is very assertive in automobile production, has production lines for vehicles such as Chevrolet Corvette, Ford Expedition, Ford Explorer, all Ford F-series models and Toyota Camry, Avalon and Sienna.