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Background • Federal Census Summary • State Map with County Boundaries • Counties • Links to State Resources Background
Arkansas was acquired as part of the Louisiana Purchase of 1803 and was included in Louisiana Territory, established in 1805 and comprising the whole of the Louisiana Purchase north of present-day Louisiana. Arkansas (then spelled Arkansaw) became a territory in 1819 and at first included most of present-day Oklahoma; in 1828 it reached essentially its present boundaries, although the boundary with Texas was incorrectly interpreted at that time. Arkansas was admitted as a State on June 15, 1836.
| Capital: Little Rock | Total Area: 53,179 sq mi | ||
| Latitude: 33°N to 36°30'N | Longitude: 89°41'W to 94°42'W | ||
| Last Significant Boundary Change: 1830 | |||
In 1810, census coverage of Louisiana Territory was limited to portions of present-day Arkansas and Missouri, mainly close to the Mississippi River. The 1810 census was reported by districts; the total for 1810 is for Arkansas District, which was entirely within present-day Arkansas. New Madrid District, which included the northern part of present-day Arkansas, was mainly in Missouri. In 1820 census coverage included much of the present State and a small number of people in present-day Oklahoma and Texas. By 1830 census coverage included the whole of Arkansas, and also included (in old Miller County) a portion of today's Texas.
| 1790: --- | 1800: --- | 1810: 1,062 | 1820: 14,273 |
| 1830: 30,388 | 1840: 97,574 | 1850: 209,897 | 1860: 435,450 |
| 1870: 484,471 | 1880: 802,525 | 1890: 1,128,211 | 1900: 1,311,564 |
| 1910: 1,574,449 | 1920: 1,752,204 | 1930: 1,854,482 | 1940: 1,949,387 |
| 1950: 1,909,511 | 1960: 1,786,272 | 1970: 1,923,295 | 1980: 2,286,435 |
| 1990: 2,350,725 | 2000: 2,673,400 |