Tennessee

Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It is the 36th largest and the 16th most populous of the 50 United States. Tennessee is bordered by eight states, with Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina to the east, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi to the south, Arkansas to the west, and Missouri to the northwest.

History[edit | edit source]

The area now known as Tennessee was first inhabited by Paleo-Indians nearly 12,000 years ago. The names of the cultural groups that inhabited the area between first settlement and the time of European contact are unknown, but several distinct cultural phases have been named by archaeologists, including Archaic, Woodland, and Mississippian, whose chiefdoms were the cultural predecessors of the Native American tribes encountered by the first European explorers.

Geography[edit | edit source]

Tennessee is characterized by six principal physiographic regions: the Blue Ridge, the Appalachian Ridge and Valley Region, the Cumberland Plateau, the Highland Rim, the Nashville Basin, and the Gulf Coastal Plain. Tennessee is home to the most caves in the United States, with over 10,000 documented caves to date.

Economy[edit | edit source]

Tennessee's economy is one of the most diversified in the nation. The state's top five industries are advanced manufacturing, automotive manufacturing, healthcare, tourism, and agriculture. Tennessee is a leading tobacco-producing state. Other farming income is derived from livestock and dairy products, as well as greenhouse and nursery products and cotton.

Education[edit | edit source]

Tennessee has a rich history in education, including being the site of the first public community college in the nation, Hiwassee College. Today, the University of Tennessee system enrolls more than 50,000 students, making it the largest higher education provider in the state.

Culture[edit | edit source]

Tennessee is known for its contributions to music, especially country music, with cities like Memphis and Nashville being major music hubs. The state is also known for its role in the development of rock and roll and blues music.