Basic Information About Tennessee

Tennessee is a landlocked state in the southeastern US with about 7.1 million residents and a land area of 42,144 square miles. The state capital is Nashville. Tennessee borders eight states — more than any other state (tied with Missouri).

Nickname: The Volunteer State — earned during the War of 1812 when President Andrew Jackson asked for 3,500 Tennessee volunteers and 30,000 showed up. The spirit of volunteerism became a point of state pride.

Statehood: June 1, 1796 — the 16th state admitted to the union.

State Flower: Iris, the cultivated variety.

State Bird: Northern Mockingbird.

State Tree: Tulip Poplar.

Climate: Tennessee has a humid subtropical climate with hot summers and mild winters. The eastern mountains (Great Smoky Mountains) are significantly cooler and receive more precipitation than the rest of the state. Memphis in the west is warmer and more influenced by the Gulf of Mexico.

Geography: Tennessee stretches roughly 440 miles from west to east. It has three distinct Grand Divisions — East Tennessee (mountains and valleys), Middle Tennessee (the central basin and plateau), and West Tennessee (flat Mississippi lowlands). Each division has its own culture, politics, and landscape.

Music: Tennessee is the most musically significant state in the US. Nashville is the global capital of country music. Memphis gave birth to the blues and rock and roll (Elvis Presley, Sun Records). Bristol is recognized as the "Birthplace of Country Music" — the first commercial country music recordings were made here in 1927.

Economy: Tennessee has no income tax on wages, a low cost of living, and a business-friendly environment that has attracted major corporate relocations. Healthcare (Nashville is the headquarters of HCA Healthcare and dozens of major health systems), automotive manufacturing, tourism, and agriculture are key sectors.