Kentucky (USA) is located in the southeastern part of the state. Its area is about 105 thousand square kilometers. In this indicator, it is in 37th place in the country. Kentucky became part of the United States in 1792. The population of the region is estimated at 4.4 million.
Origin of the name
Currently, scientists are 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 who 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 forced 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 "land of a new day." No less popular is the theory that Kentucky is a state whose name is of Iroquois origin and translates as "prairie" or "meadow".
Geography andclimate
Kentucky lies in a region 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 run 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 there are so many meadow bluegrass growing here, it is often referred to as the bluegrass edge.
Kentucky is a state dominated by a subtropical, continental climate type. 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 local residents, Germans - 12.7%, Irish - 10.5%, English - almost 10%. Speaking about the racial composition, it should be noted that predominantly white citizens live in the state. African Americans account for only 8% of local residents, and for everyone else - only 2%. As for religion, one third of the population are evangelical Christians, 10% are adherents of the Roman Catholic Church, 9% are Protestants. It is impossible not to focus on the fact that 46.5% of Kentuckians do not identify themselves with any of the religions.
Cities
Louisville, Kentucky is the largest city in the region. About 550 thousand people live here. The metropolis is known for its unique parks. In second place is the 300,000th Lexington. Despite this, the state capital is the city of Frankfort, built on the Kentucky River in 1835. Only 25 thousand people live here. As in any administrative center, its economy is based on the public sector. 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 textile, mining, food and tobacco industries, mechanical engineering, production of alcoholic beverages, electronics, furniture, footwear, metal products. The most common local minerals are natural gas, oil and coal. Most industrial plants are located along the Ohio River. Timber production is well established in the eastern part of the state, and the city of Paducah is one of the largest centers of the state's nuclear industry.
Kentucky is the second-largest state in the country in terms of tobacco production. In addition, corn, soybeans, forage grasses are grown on local farms, as well as cattle and racehorses. Not to mention the mass production of the unofficial hallmark 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 Falls are located - one of the largest in the country. The limestone caves washed by the Kentucky River are also considered quite interesting. The longest of them has a length of 630 kilometers and is known as the Mammoth Cave.
Races are also quite popular, which are held annually at the hippodrome in Louisville. There is also a museum dedicated to them. Thirty kilometers from this city is "Fort Knox", which is the repository of the country's gold reserves. Many tourists come to the historical park "Birthplace of Lincoln". 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.
