Information obtained from infoplease.com

Capital: Frankfort

State abbreviation/Postal code: Ky./KY

Governor: Steve Beshear, D (to Dec. 2011)

Lieut. Governor: Daniel Mongiardo, D (to Dec. 2011)

Senators: Jim Bunning, R (to Jan. 2011); Mitch McConnell, R (to Jan. 2009)

U.S. Representatives: 6

Historical biographies of Congressional members

Secy. of State: C.M. “Trey” Grayson, R (to Dec. 2007)

Treasurer: Jonathan Miller, D (to Dec. 2007)

Atty. General: Gregory D. Stumbo, D (to Dec. 2007)

Entered Union (rank): June 1, 1792 (15)

Present constitution adopted: 1891

Motto: United we stand, divided we fall

State symbols:

tree	tulip poplar (1994)
flower	goldenrod
bird	Kentucky cardinal
song	“My Old Kentucky Home”

Nickname: Bluegrass State

Origin of name: From an Iroquoian word “Ken-tah-ten” meaning “land of tomorrow”

10 largest cities (2005 est.): Louisville/Jefferson County,¹ 556,429; Lexington-Fayette,² 268,080; Owensboro, 55,459; Bowling Green, 52,272; Covington, 42,811; Richmond, 30,893; Hopkinsville, 28,821; Henderson, 27,666; Frankfort, 27,210; Florence, 26,349

Land area: 39,728 sq mi. (102,896 sq km)

Geographic center: In Marion Co., 3 mi. NNW of Lebanon

Number of counties: 120

Largest county by population and area: Jefferson, 699,827 (2005); Pike, 787 sq mi.

State forests: 5 (35,809 ac.)

State parks: 52

Residents: Kentuckian

2005 resident population est.: 4,173,405

2000 resident census population (rank): 4,041,769 (25). Male: 1,975,368 (48.9%); Female: 2,066,401 (51.1%). White: 3,640,889 (90.1%); Black: 295,994 (7.3%); American Indian: 8,616 (0.2%); Asian: 29,744 (0.7%); Other race: 22,623 (0.6%); Two or more races: 42,443 (1.1%); Hispanic/Latino: 59,939 (1.5%). 2000 percent population 18 and over: 75.4; 65 and over: 12.5; median age: 35.9.

 

Selected famous natives and residents:

• John Adair pioneer and political leader;

• Muhammad Ali boxer;

• Alben W. Barkley vice president;

• Louis D. Brandeis jurist;

• John Mason Brown critic;

• Kit Carson scout;

• Champ Clark politician;

• George Clooney actor;

• Rosemary Clooney singer;

• Irvin S. Cobb humorist;

• Jefferson Davis president of the Confederacy;

• Johnny Depp actor;

• Irene Dunne actress;

• Crystal Gayle singer;

• David W. Griffith film producer;

• John M. Harlan jurist;

• Elizabeth Hardwick writer;

• Casey Jones locomotive engineer;

• Ashley Judd actress;

• Naomi Judd singer;

• Wynona Judd singer;

• Barbara Kingsolver writer;

• Abraham Lincoln president;

• Loretta Lynn singer;

• Bill Monroe bluegrass musician;

• Carry A. Nation temperance leader;

• Patricia Neal actress;

• George Reeves actor;

• Wiley B. Rutledge jurist;

• Diane Sawyer broadcast journalist;

• Phil Simms football player;

• Adlai Stevenson vice president;

• Allen Tate poet and critic;

• Hunter Thompson writer;

• Frederick M. Vinson jurist;

• Robert Penn Warren novelist.