Arkansas, state, United States: Economy

A major cotton-producing state in the 19th cent., Arkansas has since diversified its agricultural production and overall economy. Cotton is still an important crop, but ranks below soybeans and rice. Arkansas has become a leading producer of poultry, raising over one billion broiler chickens a year; turkeys, dairy goods, and catfish are also important. The state's most important mineral products are petroleum, bromine and bromine compounds, and natural gas, and it is the nation's leading bauxite producer. Principal manufactures are food products, chemicals, lumber and paper goods, electrical equipment, furniture, automobile and airplane parts, and machinery. The Pine Bluff Arsenal is among military installations contributing to the Arkansas economy.

Sections in this article:

• Introduction
• The Postwar Era
• Hard Times
• Reconstruction
• The Civil War
• Early History to Statehood
• Government, Politics, and Higher Education
• Economy
• Geography
• Facts and Figures
• Bibliography

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