ARKANSAS, a State in the South Central Division of the North American Union; bounded by Missouri, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, and Okla homa; gross area, 53,850 square miles; admitted into the Union, June 15, 1836; seceded, March 4, 1861; readmitted, June 22, 1868; number of counties, 75; pop. (1890) 1,128,179; (1900) 1,311,564. (1910) 1,574,449; (1920) 1,752,204. Cap ital, Little Rock.
Topography. — The surface presents the features of mountains, prairies, hills, valleys and swamps. The Ozark, Boston, Ouachita and other ranges, from 1,500 to 2,000 feet high, occupy the W. and N. W. parts, with numerous spurs and outlying hills of considerable altitude; the central part is rolling ground; and the E. part is low, with many lakes and swamps and is liable to overflows of the Mississippi. Drainage is by the Mississippi, Arkan sas, St. Francis, Black, White, Ouachita, Saline and Red rivers. Compensation for the absence of a sea-coast is had in the navigability of long stretches of the principal rivers, thus permitting a valu able water traffic with adjoining States.
Geology.—The upper mountainous, forest and mineral lands may be sepa rated from the lowlands and alluvial plains by a line drawn across the State from N. E. to S. W. The principal for mations are the lower silurian in the N.; the sub-carboniferous on the S.; the cre taceous in the S. W., and the tertiary, overlaid by quarternary sands and clays. Hot and mineral springs are numerous and some of them are widely known. The valley of the St. Francis in the N. E. is a continuous swamp covered with a heavy growth of cypress, gum, oak, hickory and sycamore, while in the higher land there is an abundance of white oak and hickory. In the Arkansas valley are red cedar, cottonwood, maple and several varieties of oak. Other for est growths of value are ash, walnut, elm, willow, and papaw.
Mineralogy.—The State contains semi anthracite, cannel, and bituminous coal; iron and zinc ores; galena, frequently bearing silver; manganese; gypsum, oil stone of superior quality; marble; ala baster; rock crystal; copper; granite; kaolin; marl; mineral ochers, and salt.
The State is an important producer of coal and of bauxite, the mineral from which aluminum is extracted. Other minerals produced in considerable quail, titles are lime, manganese, natural gas, lead, and zinc. The coal production in 1917 was 2,228,000 long tons. The pro duction of zinc is valued at $1,500,000 annually. The total value of the mineral products in 1917 was $12,061,702.
Soil.—The soil varies with the geo logical characteristics and surface condi tions already described. Agriculturally, the most valuable soil is found in the river bottom-lands, and as the surface rises from these bottoms the soil becomes less productive. There are large sub merged tracts that only require proper drainage to make them valuable to the farmer. The uplands generally are well timbered and well watered.
Agriculture.—The production and the value of the principal crops in 1919 were as follows: Corn, 48,726,000 bushels, valued at $79,911,000; oats, 9,240,000 bushels, valued at $8,131,000; wheat, 3,230,000 bushels, valued at $6,525,000; rice, 6,162,000 bushels, valued at $14, 789,000; hay, 770,000 tons, valued at $15,785,000; cotton, 830,000 bales, valued at $151,060,000; potatoes, 3,321,000 bushels, valued at $6,808,000; sweet po tatoes, 4,600,000 bushels, valued at $5, 201,000. Of farm and ranch animals the most numerous are swine and cattle.
Manufactures.—There were in 1914 2,604 manufacturing establishments, with 41,979 wage earners. The capital invested was $77,162,000; the amount paid in wages, $20,752,000; the value of materials used, $44,907,000; and the value of finished product, $83,940,000.
Banking.—In 1919 there were 78 Na tional banks in operation, having $5,557, 000 in capital and $3,437,220 in out standing circulation. There were also 386 State banks, with $14,062,000 in capital, $101,896,000 in deposits, and $145,181,000 in resources.