Tennessee

Tennessee is an excellent outdoor destination with astonishing natural beauty, rich cultural history, and several first rate attractions. Since it is bordered by a total of eight states, this makes Tennessee an incredibly accessible destination for many people. This is what makes it such a popular destination. Of course, apart from being a wonderful destination of its own. 

Know more about Tennessee here. 

Geography

Located in the Southeastern part of the United States, Tennessee is a relatively dense state. It is the 16th smallest state in terms of land area while also being the 16th most populated. Tennessee is bordered by a total of eight states. Namely, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Missouri. 

Tennessee can generally be understood through its three identifiable regions. These regions are not just geographic but have cultural and legal reasons and implications for this division. The three regions are East, Middle, and West Tennessee. Now, Tennessee’s terrain and topographic characteristic is naturally diverse. It has waterfalls, scenic valleys, rolling hills, and fertile plains.  

Whereas Tennessee started as a largely agrarian economy, they have diversified since. Today, Tennessee continues to be an influential state in science and technology and, of course, the country’s music scene. 

History

Evidence suggests that the state of Tennessee has been inhabited for as early as twelve thousand years ago. The lower Tennessee Valley, in particular, was heavily populated with Ice Age hunter-gatherers. There are numerous cultural groups and phases that inhabited Tennessee throughout time. Namely, the Archaic period, followed by Woodland, and Mississipian period. 

The Missisippian period experienced rapid civilizational development. It is when they started to organize complex political economic structure as well as historical infrastructure. 

The first Europeans will arrive in the area of Tennessee in the 16th century. There are records that they encounter Native groups such as the Muscogee Creek, Yuchi, and Shawnee. By the 18th century, however, most natives in Tennessee have disappeared. This may be largely because of the diseases brought by the Spaniards.  

There are a lot of stories around how Tennessee got the nickname “The Volunteer State”. One of the most compelling ones is that the state got this nickname from the War of 1812 wherein 3,500 men supposedly answered a recruitment call by the General Assembly for the war. This reputation reportedly carried on during the Mexican-American war when President James K. Polk called for 2,800 soldiers and more than 30,000 men from Tennessee volunteered. 

Weather 

Tennessee has a humid subtropical climate for the most part. It is heavily influenced by the Gulf of Mexico. It has hot summers and mild to cool winters with generous precipitation throughout the year. 

The state of Tennessee has parts with higher elevation that have a climate categorized between mountain temperate or humid continental climate due to its cooler temperatures. Some of the things you may have to keep an eye out on is the fog. Fog is a general ‘problem’ in most parts of the state, especially in its Eastern parts.  

Tourism 

Tennessee has a range of iconic destinations that are worth seeing and visiting. Some of the must-visits are The Smokies or the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Downtown Knoxville, and the Birth of the Music Biz, Nashville.

Key information about Tennessee

📍 Area: 109,247 km2

👥 Population: 6,916,897

🏛️ Capital: Nashville

🏢 Major cities: Memphis, Knoxville, Gatlinburg

🔢 Number of counties: 95

📋 Postal Abbreviation: TN

📖 Primary language/s: English

📌 Nearby states: Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Missouri

Adventure Guides In Tennessee