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Background • Federal Census Summary • State Map with County Boundaries • Counties • Links to State Resources Background
Missouri was acquired as part of the Louisiana Purchase of 1803 and became part of Louisiana Territory, established in 1805 and comprising the whole of the Louisiana Purchase north of present-day Louisiana. This was renamed Missouri Territory in 1812. The southern portion (present-day Arkansas and most of Oklahoma) became Arkansas Territory in 1819. Missouri was admitted as a State on August 10, 1821; the northwestern corner (the Platte Purchase) was added in 1837, bringing the State to essentially its current boundaries.
| Capital: Jefferson City | Total Area: 69,709 sq mi | ||
| Latitude: 36°N to 40°35'N | Longitude: 89°6'W to 95°42'W | ||
| Last Significant Boundary Change: 1840 | |||
In 1810, census coverage of Louisiana Territory was limited to portions of present-day Missouri and Arkansas, mainly close to the Mississippi River. The 1810 census was reported by districts (renamed counties in 1812); Arkansas District was entirely within present-day Arkansas and is shown under that State; New Madrid District also was partly within present-day Arkansas. In 1820, census coverage of Missouri Territory did not extend beyond present-day Missouri. After statehood in 1821, Missouri Territory, distinct from the State, continued to exist until 1854, but was almost entirely Indian lands and had virtually no census coverage.
| 1790: --- | 1800: --- | 1810: 19,783 | 1820: 66,586 |
| 1830: 140,455 | 1840: 383,702 | 1850: 682,044 | 1860: 1,182,012 |
| 1870: 1,721,295 | 1880: 2,168,380 | 1890: 2,679,185 | 1900: 3,106,665 |
| 1910: 3,293,335 | 1920: 3,404,055 | 1930: 3,629,367 | 1940: 3,784,664 |
| 1950: 3,954,653 | 1960: 4,319,813 | 1970: 4,676,501 | 1980: 4,916,686 |
| 1990: 5,117,073 | 2000: 5,595,211 |