Kentucky is located in the central United States. It is bounded by the Mississipi and Ohio Rivers on the west, the Ohio River on the north, the Big Sandy River, Pine Mountain, and Cumberland Mountain on the east, and the state of Tennessee on the south.
Oroginally part of Virginia, the land that is now Kentucky was formed into Kentucky county, Virginia in 1776. Four years later it was divided into the Fayette, Jefferson, and Lincoln counties of Virginia. It became the fifteenth of the United States in 1792. The name Kentucky is of American Indian origin and has been attributed to several languages with several possible meanings from "Land of Tomorrow" to "Can and Turkey Lands" to "Meadow Lands." This last may come from the Iroquois name for the Shawnee town Eskippatiki. The name Kentucky referred originaly to the Kentucky River and from that came the name of the region.
The capital of Kentucky is Frankfort in Franklin county. Kentucky is divided into 120 counties which contain numerous incorporated cities. Lexington and Fayette county and louisville and Jeffesson county have merged city-county governments Kentucky is also divided into fifteen multi-county Area Development District.
Kentucky can be divided into three parts- the eastern mountains, the interior, and the Mississippi plains in the west.These large areas can be divided into several physiographic regions. The eastern end of the state is know as the Eastern Coal Field. The Appalachian Mountains extend into the state here and the highest point in Kentucky, Big Black Mountain, 1450 feet above sea level, is here in Harlan County. The western end of this region is known as the Cumberland Plateau which extends west to the Pottsville Escapment and eastern Knob which divide eastern Kentucky from the rolling hills of the Bluegrass.
The Bluegrass is ringed by the knobs on the east, south, and west and by the Ohio river on the north. The Inner Bluegrass is centered around Lexington and is known for its rich soils, a result of the limestone which lies near the surface in many plces and can be dramatically seen in the Palisades along the Kentucky River.
STATE BIRD:
Native Redbird, commonly know as the KentuckyCardinal (Richmondena Cardinalis).
STATE FLOWER:
The Goldenrod (Genus Solidago) is the official state flower of Kentucky.More than 30 varieties are native to Kentucky and two, Short's and the white-haired (S.shortii and S. albopilosa), occur only in Kentcky.
STATE TREE:
Tulip Poplar (formerly the Kentucky coffee tree)
STATE BUTTEFLY: Viceroy
STATE FISH: KENTUCKY BASS
