Kentucky

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Kentucky: state bird

Kentucky: state flower

Lexington, Kentucky: horse farm

United States: The Upper South

Kentucky: Bluegrass region

Kentucky: Pennyrile region

For Students

Lexington, Kentucky: horse farm

Kentucky summary

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Kentucky: Facts & Stats

Written and fact-checked by The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Jun 05, 2025

News •

Jack Daniel's maker Brown-Forman sees sales fall as Trump trade conflicts weigh on spirits producers • June 5, 2025, 5:38 PM ET (AP)

The NBA Finals are set: It'll be Thunder vs. Pacers, starting Thursday night • May 31, 2025, 10:54 PM ET (AP)

Lawsuit challenging Kentucky's near-total ban on abortions is withdrawn • May 31, 2025, 10:35 AM ET (AP)

1 dead and several injured when storm rips through Kentucky community, authorities say • May 30, 2025, 9:58 PM ET (AP)

The 2028 podcast primary is underway as Democrats try to reshape their image • May 26, 2025, 8:47 AM ET (AP)

Facts

Also Known As	Bluegrass State
Capital	Frankfort
Population¹	(2020) 4,505,836; (2024 est.) 4,588,372
Governor	Andy Beshear (Democrat)
Date Of Admission	June 1, 1792
U.S. Senators	Mitch McConnell (Republican) • Rand Paul (Republican)
State Nickname	Bluegrass State
State Motto	"United We Stand, Divided We Fall"
State Bird	northern cardinal
State Flower²	goldenrod
State Song	“My Old Kentucky Home” • “Blue Moon of Kentucky” • “Kentucky Homemade Christmas”
Seats In U.S. House Of Representatives	6 (of 435)
Time Zone	Central (GMT − 6 hours) • Eastern (GMT − 5 hours)
Total Area (Sq Km)	104,656
Total Area (Sq Mi)	40,408
¹Excluding military abroad.²Species not designated.

Photos

Kentucky: state bird

Kentucky: state flower

Lexington, Kentucky: horse farm

United States: The Upper South

Kentucky: Bluegrass region

Kentucky: Pennyrile region

See All Images →

Topics

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United States

Louisville, Kentucky

Louisville

Kentucky, United States

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Lexington

Kentucky, United States

Frankfort: State Capitol

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Kentucky, United States

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Kentucky, United States

Elizabethtown: Hardin county courthouse

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Hardin county, Kentucky, United States

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Kentucky, United States

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Kentucky, United States

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Kentucky, United States

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Kentucky, United States

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Kentucky, United States

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