Mathcounts
National Champions
Table:
Year

Individual winner

State-team winner

Winning-state coach

Location

Notes

1984

Michael Edwards, Texas

Virginia (1)

Washington, D.C.

[22]

1985

Timothy Kokesh, Oklahoma

Florida

Burt Kaufman

Washington, D.C.

1986

Brian David Ewald, Florida

California (1)

Washington, D.C.

1987

Russell Mann, Tennessee

New York (1)

Robert C. Bieringer

Washington, D.C.

1988

Andrew Schultz, Illinois

New York (2)

Washington, D.C.

1989

Albert Kurz, Pennsylvania

North Carolina

Barbara Sydnor

Washington, D.C.

1990

Brian Jenkins, Arkansas

Ohio

Washington, D.C.

1991

Jonathan L. Weinstein, Massachusetts

Alabama

Cindy Breckenridge

Washington, D.C.

[23]

1992

Andrei C. Gnepp, Ohio

California (2)

Washington, D.C.

[24]

1993

Carleton Bosley, Kansas

Kansas

Washington, D.C.

[25]

1994

William O. Engel, Illinois

Pennsylvania (1)

Matt Zipin

Washington, D.C.

[25]

1995

Richard Reifsnyder, Kentucky

Indiana (1)

Washington, D.C.

[26]

1996

Alexander Schwartz, Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania (2)

Washington, D.C.

[27]

1997

Zhihao Liu, Wisconsin

Massachusetts (1)

Evagrio Mosca

Washington, D.C.

[28]

1998

Ricky Liu, Massachusetts

Wisconsin

Washington, D.C.

[29][30]

1999

Po-Ru Loh, Wisconsin

Massachusetts (2)

Evagrio Mosca

Washington, D.C.

[31]

2000

Ruozhou Jia, Illinois

California (3)

Washington, D.C.

[32]

2001

Ryan Ko, New Jersey

Virginia (2)

Barbara Burnett

Washington, D.C.

[33]

2002

Albert Ni, Illinois

California (4)

Thomas Yin

Chicago, Illinois

[34]

2003

Adam Hesterberg, Washington

California (5)

Pallavi Shah

Chicago, Illinois

[35]

Considering the given table along with the article excerpts listed at the end.

State the answer to the question: What is the tree that gave rise to the nickname of the state of the winning team at the 1990 Mathcounts ? Respond with the correct answer (omit explanations) in JSON format as {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Avoid adding external knowledge.

Texas ( /ˈtɛksəs/ , locally /ˈtɛksɪz/ ; Spanish : Texas or Tejas , pronounced [ ˈtexas ] ( listen ) ) is the second largest state in the United States by area ( after Alaska ) and population ( after California ) . Located in the South Central region , Texas shares borders with the states of Louisiana to the east , Arkansas to the northeast , Oklahoma to the north , New Mexico to the west , and the Mexican states of Chihuahua , Coahuila , Nuevo León , and Tamaulipas to the southwest , and has a coastline with the Gulf of Mexico to the southeast . Houston is the most populous city in Texas and the fourth largest in the U.S. , while San Antonio is the second-most populous in the state and seventh largest in the U.S. Dallas-Fort Worth and Greater Houston are the fourth and fifth largest metropolitan statistical areas in the country , respectively . Other major cities include Austin , the second-most populous state capital in the U.S. , and El Paso . Texas is nicknamed the Lone Star State for its former status as an independent republic , and as a reminder of the state 's struggle for independence from Mexico . The Lone Star can be found on the Texas state flag and on the Texas state seal . The origin of Texas 's name is from the word taysha , which means friends in the Caddo language . Due to its size and geologic features such as the Balcones Fault , Texas contains diverse landscapes common to both the U.S. Southern and Southwestern regions . Although Texas is popularly associated with the U.S. southwestern deserts , less than 10% of Texas 's land area is desert . Most of the population centers are in areas of former prairies , grasslands , forests , and the coastline . Traveling from east to west , one can observe terrain that ranges from coastal swamps and piney woods , to rolling plains and rugged hills , and finally the desert and mountains of the Big Bend . The term six flags over Texas [ note 1 ] refers to several nations that have ruled over the territory .
Virginia ( /vərˈdʒɪniə/ ( listen ) ) , officially the Commonwealth of Virginia , is a state in the Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States located between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains . The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are shaped by the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Chesapeake Bay , which provide habitat for much of its flora and fauna . The capital of the Commonwealth is Richmond ; Virginia Beach is the most populous city , and Fairfax County is the most populous political subdivision . The Commonwealth 's estimated population as of 2018 [ update ] is over 8.5 million . The area 's history begins with several indigenous groups , including the Powhatan . In 1607 the London Company established the Colony of Virginia as the first permanent English colony in the New World . Virginia 's state nickname , the Old Dominion , is a reference to this status . Slave labor and the land acquired from displaced Native American tribes each played a significant role in the colony 's early politics and plantation economy . Virginia was one of the 13 Colonies in the American Revolution . In the American Civil War , Virginia 's Secession Convention resolved to join the Confederacy , and Virginia 's First Wheeling Convention resolved to remain in the Union ; that led to the creation of West Virginia . Although the Commonwealth was under one-party rule for nearly a century following Reconstruction , both major national parties are competitive in modern Virginia . The Virginia General Assembly is the oldest continuous law-making body in the New World .
Washington , D.C. , ( /ˈwɑːʃɪŋtən ˌdiːˈsiː/ ) formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as D.C. , Washington , or The District , is the capital of the United States . Founded after the American Revolution as the seat of government of the newly independent country , Washington was named after George Washington , the first president of the United States and a Founding Father . As the seat of the United States federal government and several international organizations , Washington is an important world political capital . The city , located on the Potomac River bordering Maryland and Virginia , is one of the most visited cities in the world , with more than 20 million tourists annually . The signing of the Residence Act on July 16 , 1790 , approved the creation of a capital district located along the Potomac River on the country 's East Coast . The U.S. Constitution provided for a federal district under the exclusive jurisdiction of the U.S. Congress , and the District is therefore not a part of any U.S. state . The states of Maryland and Virginia each donated land to form the federal district , which included the pre-existing settlements of Georgetown and Alexandria . The City of Washington was founded in 1791 to serve as the new national capital . In 1846 , Congress returned the land originally ceded by Virginia , including the city of Alexandria ; in 1871 , it created a single municipal government for the remaining portion of the District . Washington had an estimated population of 702,455 as of July 2018 [ update ] , making it the 20th most populous city in the United States . Commuters from the surrounding Maryland and Virginia suburbs raise the city 's daytime population to more than one million during the workweek . Washington 's metropolitan area , the country 's sixth largest ( including parts of Maryland , Virginia and West Virginia ) , had a 2017 estimated population of 6.2 million residents .
Oklahoma ( /ˌoʊkləˈhoʊmə/ ( listen ) ; Cherokee : ᎣᎦᎳᎰᎹ , ogalahoma ; Choctaw : Oklahumma ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States , bordered by the state of Texas on the south and west , Kansas on the north , Missouri on the northeast , Arkansas on the east , New Mexico on the west , and Colorado on the northwest . It is the 20th-most extensive and the 28th-most populous of the 50 United States . Its residents are known as Oklahomans ( or colloquially , Okies ) , and its capital and largest city is Oklahoma City . The state 's name is derived from the Choctaw words okla and humma , meaning red people . It is also known informally by its nickname , The Sooner State , in reference to the non-Native settlers who staked their claims on land before the official opening date of lands in the western Oklahoma Territory or before the Indian Appropriations Act of 1889 , which increased European-American settlement in the eastern Indian Territory . Oklahoma Territory and Indian Territory were merged into the State of Oklahoma when it became the 46th state to enter the union on November 16 , 1907 . With ancient mountain ranges , prairie , mesas , and eastern forests , most of Oklahoma lies in the Great Plains , Cross Timbers , and the U.S . Interior Highlands , all regions prone to severe weather . Oklahoma is on a confluence of three major American cultural regions and historically served as a route for cattle drives , a destination for Southern settlers , and a government-sanctioned territory for Native Americans . More than 25 Native American languages are spoken in Oklahoma . A major producer of natural gas , oil , and agricultural products , Oklahoma relies on an economic base of aviation , energy , telecommunications , and biotechnology . Both Oklahoma City and Tulsa serve as Oklahoma 's primary economic anchors , with nearly two-thirds of Oklahomans living within their metropolitan statistical areas .
Florida ( /ˈflɒrɪdə/ ( listen ) , Spanish pronunciation : [ floˈɾiða ] ) is the southernmost contiguous state in the United States . The state is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico , to the northwest by Alabama , to the north by Georgia , to the east by the Atlantic Ocean , and to the south by the Straits of Florida . Florida is the 22nd-most extensive ( 65,755 sq mi or 170,300 km2 ) , the 3rd-most populous ( 21,477,737 inhabitants ) , and the 8th-most densely populated ( 384.3/sq mi or 148.4/km2 ) of the U.S. states . Jacksonville is the most populous municipality in the state and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States . The Miami metropolitan area is Florida 's most populous urban area , with its capital being Tallahassee . Florida 's $ 1.0 trillion economy is the fourth largest in the United States . If it were a country , Florida would be the 16th largest economy in the world , and the 58th most populous as of 2018 [ update ] . In 2017 , Florida 's per capita personal income was $ 47,684 , ranking 26th in the nation . The unemployment rate in September 2018 was 3.5% and ranked as the 18th in the United States . Florida exports nearly $ 55 billion in goods made in the state , the 8th highest among all states . The Miami Metropolitan Area is by far the largest urban economy in Florida and the 12th largest in the United States with a GDP of $ 345 billion as of 2017 [ update ] . This is more than twice the number of the next metro area , the Tampa Bay Area , which has a GDP of $ 145 billion .
California is a state in the Pacific Region of the United States . With 39.5 million residents across a total area of about 163,696 square miles ( 423,970 km2 ) , California is the most populous U.S. state and the third-largest by area . The state capital is Sacramento . The Greater Los Angeles Area and the San Francisco Bay Area are the nation 's second- and fifth-most populous urban regions , with 18.7 million and 9.7 million residents respectively . Los Angeles is California 's most populous city , and the country 's second-most populous , after New York City . California also has the nation 's most populous county , Los Angeles County , and its largest county by area , San Bernardino County . The City and County of San Francisco is both the country 's second most densely populated major city after New York City and the fifth most densely populated county , behind only four of the five New York City boroughs . California 's economy , with a gross state product of $ 3.0 trillion , is the largest sub-national economy in the world . If it were a country , California would be the fifth-largest economy in the world ( larger than the United Kingdom , France , or India ) , and the 36th-most populous as of 2017 [ update ] . The Greater Los Angeles Area and the San Francisco Bay Area are the nation 's second- and third-largest urban economies ( $ 1.3 trillion and $ 1.0 trillion respectively as of 2018 [ update ] ) , after the New York metropolitan area . The San Francisco Bay Area PSA had the nation 's highest gross domestic product per capita in 2018 ( $ 106,757 ) among large primary statistical areas , and is home to three of the world 's ten largest companies by market capitalization and three of the world 's ten richest people . California culture is considered a global trendsetter in popular culture , communication , information , innovation , environmentalism , economics , politics , and entertainment .
Tennessee ( /ˌtɛnəˈsiː/ ( listen ) , locally /ˈtɛnəsi/ ; Cherokee : ᏔᎾᏏ , romanized : Tanasi ) is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States . Tennessee is the 36th largest and the 16th most populous of the 50 United States . Tennessee is bordered by eight states , with Kentucky to the north , Virginia to the northeast , North Carolina to the east , Georgia , Alabama , and Mississippi to the south , Arkansas to the west , and Missouri to the northwest . The Appalachian Mountains dominate the eastern part of the state , and the Mississippi River forms the state 's western border . Nashville is the state 's capital and largest city , with a 2017 population of 667,560 and a 2017 metro population of 1,903,045 . Tennessee 's second largest city is Memphis , which had a population of 652,236 in 2017 . The state of Tennessee is rooted in the Watauga Association , a 1772 frontier pact generally regarded as the first constitutional government west of the Appalachians . What is now Tennessee was initially part of North Carolina , and later part of the Southwest Territory . Tennessee was admitted to the Union as the 16th state on June 1 , 1796 . Tennessee was the last state to leave the Union and join the Confederacy at the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861 . Occupied by Union forces from 1862 , it was the first state to be readmitted to the Union at the end of the war . Tennessee furnished more soldiers for the Confederate Army than any other state besides Virginia , and more soldiers for the Union Army than the rest of the Confederacy combined .
New York is a state located in the Northeastern United States . New York was one of the original thirteen colonies that formed the United States . With an estimated 19.45 million residents in 2019 , it is the fourth most populous state . In order to distinguish the state from its city with the same name , it is commonly referred to as New York State ( NYS ) . The state 's most populous city , New York City , makes up over 40% of the state 's population . Two-thirds of the state 's population lives in the New York metropolitan area , and nearly 40% lives on Long Island . The state and city were both named for the 17th-century Duke of York , the future King James II of England . With an estimated population of 8.39 million in 2018 , New York City is the most populous city in the United States and the premier gateway for legal immigration to the United States . The New York metropolitan area is one of the most populous in the world . New York City is a global city , home to the United Nations Headquarters , and has been described as the cultural , financial , and media capital of the world , as well as the world 's most economically powerful city . The next four most populous cities in the state are Buffalo , Rochester , Yonkers , and Syracuse , while the state capital is Albany . The 27th largest U.S. state in land area , New York has a diverse geography .
Illinois ( /ˌɪləˈnɔɪ/ ( listen ) IL-ə-NOY ) is a state in the Midwestern and Great Lakes Regions of the United States . It has the fifth largest gross domestic product ( GDP ) , the sixth largest population , and the 25th largest land area of all U.S. states . Illinois has been noted as a microcosm of the entire United States . With Chicago in northeastern Illinois , small industrial cities and immense agricultural productivity in the north and center of the state , and natural resources such as coal , timber , and petroleum in the south , Illinois has a diverse economic base , and is a major transportation hub . Chicagoland , Chicago 's metropolitan area , encompasses over 65% of the state 's population . The Port of Chicago connects the state to international ports via two main routes : from the Great Lakes , via the Saint Lawrence Seaway , to the Atlantic Ocean and from the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River , via the Illinois Waterway to the Illinois River . The Mississippi River , the Ohio River , and the Wabash River form parts of the boundaries of Illinois . For decades , Chicago 's O'Hare International Airport has been ranked as one of the world 's busiest airports . Illinois has long had a reputation as a bellwether both in social and cultural terms and , through the 1980s , in politics . The capital of Illinois is Springfield , which is located in the central part of the state . Although today Illinois 's largest population center is in its northeast , the state 's European population grew first in the west as the French settled lands near the Mississippi River , when the region was known as Illinois Country and was part of New France . Following the American Revolutionary War , American settlers began arriving from Kentucky in the 1780s via the Ohio River , and the population grew from south to north .
Pennsylvania ( /ˌpɛnsəlˈveɪniə/ ( listen ) PEN-səl-VAY-nee-ə ) , officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania , is a state located in the Northeastern , Great Lakes , Appalachian , and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States . The Appalachian Mountains run through its middle . The Commonwealth is bordered by Delaware to the southeast , Maryland to the south , West Virginia to the southwest , Ohio to the west , Lake Erie and the Canadian province of Ontario to the northwest , New York to the north , and New Jersey to the east . Pennsylvania is the 33rd-largest state by area , and the 5th-most populous state according to the most recent official U.S. Census count in 2010 . It is the 9th-most densely populated of the 50 states . Pennsylvania 's two most populous cities are Philadelphia ( 1,580,863 ) , and Pittsburgh ( 302,407 ) . The state capital and its 10th-largest city is Harrisburg . Pennsylvania has 140 miles ( 225 km ) of waterfront along Lake Erie and the Delaware River . The state is one of the 13 original founding states of the United States ; it came into being in 1681 as a result of a royal land grant to William Penn , the son of the state 's namesake . Part of Pennsylvania ( along the Delaware River ) , together with the present State of Delaware , had earlier been organized as the Colony of New Sweden . It was the second state to ratify the United States Constitution , on December 12 , 1787 . Independence Hall , where the United States Declaration of Independence and United States Constitution were drafted , is located in the state 's largest city of Philadelphia .
North Carolina ( /ˌkærəˈlaɪnə/ ( listen ) ) is a U.S. state located in the southeastern region of the United States . North Carolina is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the 50 United States . It is bordered by Virginia to the north , the Atlantic Ocean to the east , Georgia and South Carolina to the south , and Tennessee to the west . Raleigh is the state 's capital and Charlotte is its largest city . The Charlotte metropolitan area , with an estimated population of 2,569,213 in 2018 , is the most populous metropolitan area in North Carolina , the 23rd-most populous in the United States , and the largest banking center in the nation after New York City . The Raleigh metropolitan area is the second-largest metropolitan area in the state , with an estimated population of 1,362,540 in 2018 , and is home to the largest research park in the United States , Research Triangle Park . North Carolina was established as a royal colony in 1729 and is one of the original Thirteen Colonies . North Carolina is named in honor of King Charles I of England who first formed the English colony , with Carolus being Latin for Charles . On November 21 , 1789 , North Carolina became the 12th state to ratify the United States Constitution . In the run-up to the American Civil War , North Carolina declared its secession from the Union on May 20 , 1861 , becoming the last of eleven states to join the Confederate States . Following the Civil War , the state was restored to the Union on June 25 , 1868 . On December 17 , 1903 , Orville and Wilbur Wright successfully piloted the world 's first controlled , sustained flight of a powered , heavier-than-air aircraft at Kill Devil Hills in North Carolina 's Outer Banks .
Arkansas ( /ˈɑːrkənsɔː/ AR-kən-saw ) [ c ] is a state in the south central region of the United States , home to more than three million people as of 2018 . Its name is from the Osage language , of Siouan derivation ; it denoted their related kin , the Quapaw people . The state 's diverse geography ranges from the mountainous regions of the Ozark and the Ouachita Mountains , which make up the U.S . Interior Highlands , to the densely forested land in the south known as the Arkansas Timberlands , to the eastern lowlands along the Mississippi River and the Arkansas Delta . Arkansas is the 29th largest by area and the 33rd most populous of the 50 United States . The capital and most populous city is Little Rock , located in the central portion of the state , a hub for transportation , business , culture , and government . The northwestern corner of the state , such as the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers Metropolitan Area and Fort Smith metropolitan area , is a population , education , and economic center . The largest city in the state 's eastern part is Jonesboro . The largest city in the state 's southeastern part is Pine Bluff . The Territory of Arkansas was admitted to the Union as the 25th state on June 15 , 1836 . Much of the Delta had been developed for cotton plantations , and the state landowners largely depended on enslaved African Americans as workers . In 1861 , Arkansas seceded from the United States and joined the Confederate States of America during the Civil War .
Ohio /oʊˈhaɪoʊ/ ( listen ) is a state in the East North Central region of the Midwestern United States . Of the fifty states , it is the 34th largest by area , the seventh most populous , and the tenth most densely populated . The state 's capital and largest city is Columbus . Ohio is bordered by Lake Erie to the north , Pennsylvania to the east , West Virginia to the southeast , Kentucky to the southwest , Indiana to the west , and Michigan to the northwest . The state takes its name from the Ohio River , whose name in turn originated from the Seneca word ohiːyo ' , meaning good river , great river or large creek . Partitioned from the Northwest Territory , Ohio was the 17th state admitted to the Union on March 1 , 1803 , and the first under the Northwest Ordinance . Ohio is historically known as the Buckeye State after its Ohio buckeye trees , and Ohioans are also known as Buckeyes . Ohio rose from the wilderness of Ohio Country west of Appalachia in colonial times through the Northwest Indian Wars as part of the Northwest Territory in the early frontier , to become the first non-colonial free state admitted to the union , to an industrial powerhouse in the 20th century before transitioning to a more information and service based economy in the 21st . The government of Ohio is composed of the executive branch , led by the governor ; the legislative branch , which comprises the bicameral Ohio General Assembly ; and the judicial branch , led by the state Supreme Court . Ohio occupies 16 seats in the United States House of Representatives . Ohio is known for its status as both a swing state and a bellwether in national elections . Seven presidents of the United States have been elected who had Ohio as their home state .
Massachusetts ( /ˌmæsəˈtʃuːsɪts/ ( listen ) , /-zɪts/ ) , officially known as the Commonwealth of Massachusetts , is the most populous state in the New England region of the northeastern United States . It borders on the Atlantic Ocean to the east , the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island to the south , New Hampshire and Vermont to the north , and New York to the west . The capital of Massachusetts is Boston , which is also the most populous city in New England . It is home to the Greater Boston metropolitan area , a region influential upon American history , academia , and industry . Originally dependent on agriculture , fishing and trade , Massachusetts was transformed into a manufacturing center during the Industrial Revolution . During the 20th century , Massachusetts 's economy shifted from manufacturing to services . Modern Massachusetts is a global leader in biotechnology , engineering , higher education , finance , and maritime trade . Plymouth was the site of the second colony in New England after Popham Colony in 1607 in what is now Maine . Plymouth was founded in 1620 by the Pilgrims , passengers of the Mayflower . In 1692 , the town of Salem and surrounding areas experienced one of America 's most infamous cases of mass hysteria , the Salem witch trials . In 1777 , General Henry Knox founded the Springfield Armory , which during the Industrial Revolution catalyzed numerous important technological advances , including interchangeable parts . In 1786 , Shays ' Rebellion , a populist revolt led by disaffected American Revolutionary War veterans , influenced the United States Constitutional Convention .
Alabama ( /ˌæləˈbæmə/ ) is a state in the southeastern region of the United States . It is bordered by Tennessee to the north , Georgia to the east , Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south , and Mississippi to the west . Alabama is the 30th largest by area and the 24th-most populous of the U.S. states . With a total of 1,500 miles ( 2,400 km ) of inland waterways , Alabama has among the most of any state . Alabama is nicknamed the Yellowhammer State , after the state bird . Alabama is also known as the Heart of Dixie and the Cotton State . The state tree is the longleaf pine , and the state flower is the camellia . Alabama 's capital is Montgomery . The largest city by population is Birmingham , which has long been the most industrialized city ; the largest city by land area is Huntsville . The oldest city is Mobile , founded by French colonists in 1702 as the capital of French Louisiana . The Greater Birmingham metropolitan area is Alabama 's most populous urban area . From the American Civil War until World War II , Alabama , like many states in the southern U.S. , suffered economic hardship , in part because of its continued dependence on agriculture .
Kansas /ˈkænzəs/ ( listen ) is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States . Its capital is Topeka and its largest city is Wichita , with its most populated county and largest employment center being Johnson County . Kansas is bordered by Nebraska on the north ; Missouri on the east ; Oklahoma on the south ; and Colorado on the west . Kansas is named after the Kansas River , which in turn was named after the Kansa Native Americans who lived along its banks . The tribe 's name ( natively kką : ze ) is often said to mean people of the ( south ) wind although this was probably not the term 's original meaning . For thousands of years , what is now Kansas was home to numerous and diverse Native American tribes . Tribes in the eastern part of the state generally lived in villages along the river valleys . Tribes in the western part of the state were semi-nomadic and hunted large herds of bison . Kansas was first settled by Americans in 1827 with the establishment of Fort Leavenworth . The pace of settlement accelerated in the 1850s , in the midst of political wars over the slavery debate . When it was officially opened to settlement by the U.S. government in 1854 with the Kansas-Nebraska Act , abolitionist Free-Staters from New England and pro-slavery settlers from neighboring Missouri rushed to the territory to determine whether Kansas would become a free state or a slave state . Thus , the area was a hotbed of violence and chaos in its early days as these forces collided , and was known as Bleeding Kansas .
Kentucky ( UK : /kɛnˈtʌki/ ken-TUK-ee , US : /kən-/ ( listen ) kən- ) , officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky , is a state located in the Southern United States . Although styled as the State of Kentucky in the law creating it , ( because in Kentucky 's first constitution , the term state was used ) , Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth ( the others being Virginia , Pennsylvania , and Massachusetts ) . Originally a part of Virginia , in 1792 Kentucky split from it and became the 15th state to join the Union . Kentucky is the 37th most extensive and the 26th most populous of the 50 United States . Kentucky is known as the Bluegrass State , a nickname based on the bluegrass , a species of grass found in many of its pastures . One of the major regions in Kentucky is the Bluegrass Region in central Kentucky , which houses its two largest cities , Louisville and Lexington . It is a land with diverse environments and abundant resources , including the world 's longest cave system , Mammoth Cave National Park , one of the greatest lengths of navigable waterways and streams in the contiguous United States , and the two largest man-made lakes east of the Mississippi River . Kentucky is also known for horse racing , bourbon , moonshine , coal , My Old Kentucky Home historic state park , automobile manufacturing , tobacco , bluegrass music , college basketball , Kentucky Fried Chicken , and the Kentucky colonel .
Indiana /ˌɪndiˈænə/ ( listen ) is a U.S. state in the Midwestern and Great Lakes regions of North America . Indiana is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 United States . Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis . Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th U.S. state on December 11 , 1816 . Indiana borders Lake Michigan to the northwest , Michigan to the north , Ohio to the east , Kentucky to the south and southeast , and Illinois to the west . Before becoming a territory , various indigenous peoples and Native Americans inhabited Indiana for thousands of years . Since its founding as a territory , settlement patterns in Indiana have reflected regional cultural segmentation present in the Eastern United States ; the state 's northernmost tier was settled primarily by people from New England and New York , Central Indiana by migrants from the Mid-Atlantic states and from adjacent Ohio , and Southern Indiana by settlers from the Southern states , particularly Kentucky and Tennessee . Indiana has a diverse economy with a gross state product of $ 359.12 billion in 2017 . Indiana has several metropolitan areas with populations greater than 100,000 and a number of smaller industrial cities and towns . Indiana is home to professional sports teams , including the NFL 's Indianapolis Colts and the NBA 's Indiana Pacers , and hosts several notable athletic events , including the Indianapolis 500 .
Wisconsin ( /wɪˈskɒnsɪn/ ( listen ) ) is a U.S. state located in the north-central , Midwest and Great Lakes regions of the country . It is bordered by Minnesota to the west , Iowa to the southwest , Illinois to the south , Lake Michigan to the east , Michigan to the northeast , and Lake Superior to the north . Wisconsin is the 23rd largest state by total area and the 20th most populous . The state capital is Madison , and its largest city is Milwaukee , which is located on the western shore of Lake Michigan . The state is divided into 72 counties . Wisconsin 's geography is diverse , having been greatly impacted by glaciers during the Ice Age with the exception of the Driftless Area . The Northern Highland and Western Upland along with a part of the Central Plain occupies the western part of the state , with lowlands stretching to the shore of Lake Michigan . Wisconsin is second to Michigan in the length of its Great Lakes coastline . During the 19th and early 20th centuries , many European settlers entered the state , many of whom emigrated from Germany and Scandinavia . Like neighboring Minnesota , the state remains a center of German American and Scandinavian American culture . The state is one of the nation 's leading dairy producers and is known as America 's Dairyland ; it is particularly famous for its cheese . Manufacturing ( especially paper products ) , information technology ( IT ) , cranberries , ginseng , and tourism are also major contributors to the state 's economy .
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the Northeastern United States . It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York ; on the east , southeast , and south by the Atlantic Ocean ; on the west by the Delaware River and Pennsylvania ; and on the southwest by the Delaware Bay and the State of Delaware . New Jersey is the fourth-smallest state by area but the 11th-most populous , with 9 million residents as of 2017 and an area of 8,722.58 square miles , making it the most densely populated of the 50 U.S. states , with its biggest city being Newark . New Jersey lies completely within the combined statistical areas of New York City and Philadelphia . New Jersey was the second-wealthiest U.S. state by median household income as of 2017 . New Jersey was inhabited by Native Americans for more than 2,800 years , with historical tribes such as the Lenape along the coast . In the early 17th century , the Dutch and the Swedes founded the first European settlements in the state . The English later seized control of the region , naming it the Province of New Jersey after the largest of the Channel Islands , Jersey , and granting it as a colony to Sir George Carteret and John Berkeley , 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton . New Jersey was the site of several important battles during the American Revolutionary War in the 18th century . In the 19th century , factories in the cities Camden , Paterson , Newark , Trenton , Jersey City , and Elizabeth ( known as the Big Six ) , helped drive the Industrial Revolution . New Jersey 's geographic location at the center of the Northeast megalopolis , between Boston and New York City to the northeast , and Philadelphia , Baltimore , and Washington , D.C. , to the southwest , fueled its rapid growth through the process of suburbanization in the second half of the 20th century . At the turn of the 21st century , this suburbanization began reverting with the consolidation of New Jersey 's culturally diverse populace toward more urban settings within the state , with towns home to commuter rail stations outpacing the population growth of more automobile-oriented suburbs since 2008 .
Chicago ( /ʃɪˈkɑːɡoʊ/ ( listen ) , locally also /ʃɪˈkɔːɡoʊ/ ) , officially the City of Chicago , is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois , and the third-most-populous city in the United States . With an estimated population of 2,705,994 ( 2018 ) , it is also the most populous city in the Midwestern United States . Chicago is the county seat of Cook County , the second-most-populous county in the US , with a small portion of the northwest side of the city extending into DuPage County near O'Hare Airport . Chicago is the principal city of the Chicago metropolitan area , often referred to as Chicagoland . At nearly 10 million people , the metropolitan area is the third most populous in the United States . Located on the shores of freshwater Lake Michigan , Chicago was incorporated as a city in 1837 near a portage between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River watershed and grew rapidly in the mid-19th century . After the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 , which destroyed several square miles and left more than 100,000 homeless , the city made a concerted effort to rebuild . The construction boom accelerated population growth throughout the following decades , and by 1900 , less than 30 years after the great fire , Chicago was the fifth-largest city in the world . Chicago made noted contributions to urban planning and zoning standards , including new construction styles ( including the Chicago School of architecture ) , the development of the City Beautiful Movement , and the steel-framed skyscraper . Chicago is an international hub for finance , culture , commerce , industry , education , technology , telecommunications , and transportation . It is the site of the creation of the first standardized futures contracts , issued by the Chicago Board of Trade , which today is the largest and most diverse derivatives market in the world , generating 20% of all volume in commodities and financial futures alone . Depending on the particular year , the city 's O'Hare International Airport is routinely ranked as the world 's fifth or sixth busiest airport according to tracked data by the Airports Council International .
Washington ( /ˈwɒʃɪŋtən/ ( listen ) ) , officially the State of Washington , is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States . Named for George Washington , the first U.S. president , the state was made out of the western part of the Washington Territory , which was ceded by the British Empire in 1846 , in accordance with the Oregon Treaty in the settlement of the Oregon boundary dispute . The state , which is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean , Oregon to the south , Idaho to the east , and the Canadian province of British Columbia to the north , was admitted to the Union as the 42nd state in 1889 . Olympia is the state capital ; the state 's largest city is Seattle . Washington is often referred to as Washington State to distinguish it from the nation 's capital , Washington , D.C. Washington is the 18th largest state , with an area of 71,362 square miles ( 184,827 km2 ) , and the 13th most populous state , with more than 7.4 million people . Approximately 60 percent of Washington 's residents live in the Seattle metropolitan area , the center of transportation , business , and industry along Puget Sound , an inlet of the Pacific Ocean consisting of numerous islands , deep fjords , and bays carved out by glaciers . The remainder of the state consists of deep temperate rainforests in the west ; mountain ranges in the west , central , northeast , and far southeast ; and a semi-arid basin region in the east , central , and south , given over to intensive agriculture . Washington is the second most populous state on the West Coast and in the Western United States , after California . Mount Rainier , an active stratovolcano , is the state 's highest elevation , at almost 14,411 feet ( 4,392 meters ) , and is the most topographically prominent mountain in the contiguous U.S. Washington is a leading lumber producer . Its rugged surface is rich in stands of Douglas fir , hemlock , ponderosa pine , white pine , spruce , larch , and cedar . The state is the US 's largest producer of apples , hops , pears , red raspberries , spearmint oil , and sweet cherries , and ranks high in the production of apricots , asparagus , dry edible peas , grapes , lentils , peppermint oil , and potatoes . Livestock and livestock products make important contributions to total farm revenue , and the commercial fishing of salmon , halibut , and bottomfish makes a significant contribution to the state 's economy .