Natural Abundance

The landscape plays a central role in our history, shaping our daily existence and our communities. Terrain ranges from alluvial flood plain to undulating prairie to steep, eroded hills, and each region has its recognizable characteristics.

Water. The Mississippi River borders the state on the west with a daily flow of 300-500 billion gallons of water. There are eight other major rivers in the state plus hundreds of lakes and six large reservoirs. The entire southern section of the state borders on the Gulf of Mexico.

Minerals. Mineral deposits include a wealth of clays, marl, cement rock, sandstone, bentonite, limestone and fuller's earth. Mississippi ranks 12th nationally in the production of oil and ranks 13th in the production of natural gas. There are more than 550 oil and gas fields with more than 2,050 producing wells.

Forests. Approximately 18,600,000 acres of Mississippi are covered with forests - one of the state's most important sources of income. Pine, oak and gum predominates. Mississippi is the nation's number one tree-farming state.