Arkansas Facts for Kids

A Map of the U.S. state Arkansas
  • U.S. State: Arkansas
  • Abbreviation: AR
  • Joined the USA: June 15th, 1836 (25th State)
  • Located: South Central United States
  • Capital City: Little Rock, AR
  • Most Populated City: Little Rock, AR

35 Arkansas Facts for Kids

  1. Arkansas is a state in the United States of America.
  2. Arkansas is in the southeastern region of the United States.
  3. Arkansas became a U.S. state on Wednesday, June 15th, 1836.
  4. Arkansas was the 25th state to join the United States.
  5. The U.S. state of Arkansas covers 53,179 square miles.
  6. Arkansas is the 29th largest state by area in the United States.
  7. In 2019, the population of Arkansas was estimated to be 3,018,000 residents by the U.S. Census Bureau.
  8. In 2019, Arkansas was the 33rd most populated state in the United States.
  9. A person who is from or lives in Arkansas is called an Arkansan.
  10. The capital city of Arkansas is Little Rock.
  11. The three most populated cities in Arkansas are Little Rock, Fayetteville and Fort Smith.
  12. The largest city by population in Arkansas is Little Rock.
  13. The largest metropolitan area in Arkansas is the Central Arkansas area.
  14. The U.S. state of Arkansas has 75 counties.
  15. The most populated county in Arkansas is Pulaski County with 391,911 residents (2019, U.S. Census Bureau).
  16. The largest county by area in Arkansas is Union County with 1,055.27 square miles.
  17. The highest elevation point in Arkansas is Mount Magazine with a summit at 2,753 feet above sea level.
  18. The lowest elevation point in Arkansas is the Quachita River at 55 feet above sea level.
  19. The average precipitation (rain and snow) in Arkansas is 49.72 inches.
  20. Arkansas is the 10th wettest state by precipitation (rain and snow) in the United States.
  21. The average temperature in Arkansas is 60.09 °F.
  22. The warmest temperature ever recorded in Arkansas was 120 °F on August 10th, 1936.
  23. The coldest temperature ever recorded in Arkansas was -29 °F on February 13th, 1905.
  24. A few natural disasters that can affect Arkansas are earthquakes, heat waves, hurricanes and thunderstorms.
  25. Arkansas is in one time zone, Central Time Zone (CT).
  26. The USPS abbreviation for Arkansas is AR.
  27. The first European to explore Arkansas was Spanish explorer and conquistador Hernando de Soto.
  28. The official state flower of Arkansas is the apple blossom.
  29. The official state tree of Arkansas is the pine.
  30. The official state bird of Arkansas is the mockingbird.
  31. The official state insect of Arkansas is the honeybee.
  32. There are more than 2,300 natural and artificial lakes (reservoirs) in Arkansas.
  33. Bill Clinton, the 42nd president of the United States was born in Arkansas.
  34. Crater of Diamonds is an Arkansas state park where tourists can come and hunt for diamonds and other precious gemstones. The Crater of Diamonds State Park is where the largest diamond ever found in the United States was discovered. The diamond, known as Uncle Sam, was discovered in 1924 by Wesley Oley Basham.
  35. The Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas become an icon of the civil rights movement in 1957. A stand off to prevent the desegregation of the school pitted the federal government against the state government. Ultimately, the nine African American students, known as the Little Rock Nine, were able to attend school there.

Additional Resources on Arkansas

  • About Arkansas – Discover more about the U.S. state of Arkansas on the Arkansas State website.
  • History of Arkansas – Learn about the history of Arkansas on the Arkansas State Government website.
  • Facts About Arkansas – Find more facts about Arkansas on the 50 States website.
  • Arkansas – Britannica – Read this Britannica article on the U.S. state of Arkansas to learn more about it.