The 50 States

This volume is designed to serve the needs of students and members of the public seeking basic and up-to-date information on individual states and the District of Columbia. One of its central objectives is to help users find the information they want as quickly and efficiently as possible. To this end, each state is the subject of its own chapter. Moreover, every chapter presents the same kinds of information, in the same formats, and in the same order. The chapters themselves are arranged alphabetically, by the states' names. Each chapter opens with a profile listing basic data on population, geography, history, and other facts. This section is followed by a brief history of the state, emphasizing the events and forces that have worked to make the state what it is today. Additional historical details are provided in a time line, which is followed by study notes on both published books and resources on the World Wide Web. Every chapter contains a list of all the counties in the state, giving their populations and areas. Each county list is complemented by a map of the state's counties. Each chapter also has a list of the cities and towns of at least ten thousand residents, as well as a map of cities and towns. In addition to these maps, every chapter contains a map showing the state's major physical features. The bulk of each chapter is made up of 40 statistical tables. Drawing mostly on the latest federal government statistics, these tables emphasize current data on the subjects likely to be of greatest interest to readers. Moreover, the Editors have made every effort to present data in forms that can be readily understood. Many tables contain special features not found in government compilations of statistics: figures showing how each state ranks in important statistical categories and figures showing each state's share of a national total. More than 30 appendixes summarizing data on state population, land area, and other subjects related to the information in the chapter tables can be found at the back of the volume. The selection of appendixes also includes a comprehensive bibliography and a guide to Web resources. Users should be able to find most of the information they seek by simply turning to the chapters on the states that interest them. If they need additional help, they can refer to the subject index at the end of the volume.