Higher Education  

Tennessee has 54 colleges and universities, as well as 29 two-year and community colleges. State institutions are the University of Tennessee, with campuses in Knoxville, Chattanooga, Martin, and Memphis; the University of Memphis, in Memphis; Austin Peay State University, in Clarksville; East Tennessee State University, in Johnson City; Middle Tennessee State University, in Murfreesboro; Tennessee State University, in Nashville; and Tennessee Technological University, in Cookeville. Private institutions include Aquinas College, Fisk University and Vanderbilt University, all in Nashville; the University of the South, in Sewanee; Bethel College, in McKenzie; Bristol University, in Bristol; Bryan College, in Dayton; Knoxville College, in Knoxville; Lambuth University and Lane College, both in Jackson; and Lee College, in Cleveland.

Geography

With an area of 109, 075 square kilometers, Tennessee can be divided into six main regions: the Blue Ridge area, the Appalachian Ridge and Valley, the Cumberland Plateau, the Highland Rim, the Great Central Basin, and the Gulf Coastal Plain. The Blue Ridge area includes the Great Smoky Mountains, which constitute the highest and most rugged part of the state. In eastern Tennessee, the Appalachian Ridge and Valley is a region of narrow, wooded ridges with wide, fertile valleys between them. The Cumberland Plateau is a region of flat-topped mountains and V-shaped valleys. In the middle part of the state, the Highland Rim is a gently rolling area surrounding the Great Central Basin, which is an area of rich, fertile farmland. A broad area that slopes toward the Mississippi River, the Gulf Coastal Plain ends abruptly at a steep bluff overlooking the river. Tennessee's major rivers are the Mississippi, the Tennessee, and the Cumberland. Important cities include Memphis, Nashville (capital), Knoxville, and Chattanooga. The population of Tennessee is over 5.3 million.

Climate

The climate of Tennessee is temperate; the state rarely experiences extremes of heat and cold. In the eastern part of the state, temperatures average 3° C in January and 22° C in July. Temperatures in the west average 4° C in January and 26° C in July. Annual precipitation averages 132 cm statewide.

Cultural Profile

The Grand Ole Opry, in Nashville, is the state's foremost performing attraction. At the Grand Ole Opry House, country music shows are presented regularly. Classical music is performed by the Nashville Symphony, the Memphis Symphony, and orchestras in many smaller towns. Memphis is the home of Opera Memphis.

Tennessee's museums include the Tennessee State Museum, the Cumberland Science Museum, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and the Country Music Wax Museum, all in Nashville; the Museum of Appalachia, in Norris; the Mississippi River Museum, on Mud Island in Memphis; the American Museum of Science and Energy, in Oak Ridge; the Hunter Museum of Art and the Houston Antique Museum, both in Chattanooga; and the Graceland complex (former home of Elvis Presley), in Memphis.

Recreation

Among Tennessee's popular attractions are the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Cherokee National Forest. In addition, the state has nearly fifty state parks and natural areas. Popular outdoor activities throughout the state include golf, tennis, swimming, and hiking. Some other interesting places to visit include Chucalissa Indian Village and Museum, in Memphis; Fort Loudoun, near Vonore; the Hermitage, in Nashville; Chattanooga Choo-Choo, in Chattanooga; Dollywood, in Pigeon Forge; Forbidden Caverns, near Sevierville; Graceland, in Memphis; Lookout Mountain, in Chattanooga; Opryland, in Nashville; and Knoxville Zoological Park, in Knoxville.

Interesting Facts

In 1866, following America's Civil War, Tennessee became the first Confederate state to rejoin the Union. During the 1940s, workers at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory helped to create the first atom bomb. Famous Tennesseans include Roy Acuff (country music performer), James Agee (writer), Chet Atkins (guitarist), David Crockett (frontiersman, soldier, and politician), Albert Gore, Jr. (vice president of the US), Alex Haley (author), Andrew Jackson (seventh president of the US), Loretta Lynn (country singer and songwriter), Dolly Parton (singer, songwriter, and actress), Wilma Rudolph (Olympic athlete), Sequoyah (Indian scholar), and Cybil Shepherd (actress).