Higher Education  

Missouri has ninety-two institutions of higher education. The University of Missouri, the oldest state university west of the Mississippi River, has campuses in Columbia, Rolla, Kansas City, and St. Louis. Some other state-run schools are Northwest Missouri State University, at Maryville; Northeast Missouri State University, at Kirksville; Southeast Missouri State University, at Cape Girardeau; Southwest Missouri State University, at Springfield; Missouri Western State College, in St. Joseph; Missouri Southern State College, in Joplin; and Harris-Stowe State College, in St. Louis. Missouri's three major private universities are Maryville University, St. Louis University, and Washington University.

Geography

Covering 180,515 square kilometers in area, Missouri ranks nineteenth among the fifty states in terms of size. The state can be divided into four main regions: the Glaciated Plains, the Osage Plains, the Ozark Highlands, and the Alluvial Plain. Lying north of the Missouri River, the Glaciated Plains are covered with fertile soil left by glaciers when they retreated. The Osage Plains are low, rolling prairies in western Missouri. Located in the south-central part of Missouri, the Ozark Highlands is the largest geographic region of the state; it is known for its lakes, caves, and mountains. The Alluvial Plain is a small, fertile region that extends out of the state's southern border. Missouri's major rivers are the Missouri and the Mississippi. Important cities include St. Louis, Kansas City, Springfield, Independence, St. Joseph, and Jefferson City (capital). The state's population is over 5 million.

Climate

Statewide, the average annual temperature is 13° C in Missouri. The temperature in January averages -0.6° C and the July temperature averages 25° C. The Ozarks experience more moderate summers and winters than do the northern prairies. Average rainfall in the southeast portion of the state is 119 cm, while in the northwest the average is 91 cm. Snowfall during the winter averages 51 cm in the northwest and 16.5 cm in the southeast.

Cultural Profile

Museums in Missouri include the Museum of Westward Expansion, the St. Louis Art Museum, the National Museum of Transportation, and the Museum of Science and Industry, all in St. Louis; the Kansas City Museum and Mary Atkins Museum of Fine Arts, both in Kansas City; the Pony Express Museum, in St. Joseph; and the Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum, in Hannibal.

St. Louis, Kansas City, and other larger cities support symphonies, opera, and dance companies. The city of Branson is a center for country music. Annual festivals celebrated throughout Missouri include the National Crafts Festival, in Silver Dollar City; the Maifest, a German festival in Hermann; and the National Ragtime and Classic Jazz Festival, in St. Louis.

Recreation

Missouri has fifty-three state parks, forests, and recreation areas. National forest areas include the Mark Twain National Forest, which covers 582,620 hectares. A few of the other popular sites in the state are the Anheuser-Busch Brewery, the Gateway Arch, the Missouri Botanical Garden, and the St. Louis Zoological Gardens, all in St. Louis; the Kansas City Zoo; and the Exotic Animal Paradise at Stafford.

Interesting Facts

Missouri is known as the "Show Me State." The state ranks first in the nation in lead mining. Famous Missourians include Dale Carnegie (writer and lecturer), George Washington Carver (scientist), Walt Disney (cartoonist and founder of theme parks), Langston Hughes (poet), Scott Joplin (composer), Joseph Pulitzer (journalist and publisher), Sara Teasdale (poet), Harry S. Truman (thirty-third president of the United States), and Mark Twain (penname of Samuel Clemens, writer).