From horseracing and Bourbon, to Civil War sites and Abraham Lincoln,
Kentucky is a state enriched with deep traditions, significant history and genuine heritage. Located in south central U.S., along the west side of the Appalachian Mountains, Kentucky ranks 37th in the nation in land size, with 39,732 square miles, but with its numerous rivers and water impoundments provide 1,100 miles of commercially navigable waterways, Kentucky has more miles of running water than any other state except for
Alaska.
Origin of State's Name: The name Kentucky is of Native American origin and has been attributed to the Iroquois word "Ken-tah-ten," which means land of tomorrow.
Capital City: A population of around 30,000, Kentucky's capital city,
Frankford, is located approximately 50 miles east of
Louisville and 25 miles west of
Lexington. The city's centralized location positions our city between three major airports. The vast array of architectural styles, famous landmarks, museums of Kentucky's past and unique shopping make Frankfort a special place to visit.
Population: Kentucky's population is an estimated 4.1 million residents.
Driving: Driver's license information, applications, testing requirements, driver's manuals and testing locations can be found on the
Kentucky Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) website.
Agriculture and Industry: Horses, cattle, tobacco, dairy products, hogs, soybeans and corn are the state's major agriculture sectors; Major industry includes transportation equipment, chemical products, electric equipment, machinery, food processing, tobacco products, coal and tourism.
State Bird: The cardinal is the official state bird of Kentucky.
Tree: A very straight with a limb-free bowl, the yellow-popular is an open-grown tree that have a pyramidal crown when young, which becoming oval with age.
State Flower: Kentucky's state flower, the golden plumes, is a wildflower lining Kentucky's roadsides. Native to all of Kentucky, 30 of nearly 100 species of this herb are found within the state.
State Song: Written by Stephen C. Foster, "My Old Kentucky Home" is the state's official state song.