Kentucky (KY) is located in the southern part of the USA, the state is famous for its bourbon and horse racing, particularly the renowned Kentucky Derby. Agriculture and manufacturing are most important to the local economy. The capital of Kentucky is Frankfort, but the largest city is Louisville. Major tourist attractions include the world’s longest cave system in Mammoth Cave National Park.
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Table of Contents
Quick Facts
Name Kentucky Abbreviation KY Capital Frankfort Largest city Louisville (Population: 622 981) Current time 10:59 Time zone The eastern half of the state follows EST (UTC-5), while the western half follows CST (UTC-6). The state follows EDT (UTC-4) and CDT (UTC-5) Daylight Saving Time Population 4,506,297 (#26 most populous US state) Area 40,408 mi² (#37 largest US state) Admitted to the Union June 1, 1792 (#15 state to join) ⭐ Capital of Kentucky
The capital of Kentucky is Frankfort, a settlement that was established on this site in 1786. The name Frankfort is a derivation of “Frank’s Ford”. Frank refers to pioneer Stephen Frank, who died in these parts. “Ford” translates to ford – a shallow section of river suitable for crossing. The capital of Kentucky has been Frankfort since 1792.
🏙️ Largest City in Kentucky
The largest city in Kentucky is Louisville, with a population of 622,981 in 2023. The second largest city is Lexington with a population of 320,154 and the third largest is Bowling Green with a population of 76,212.
🕒 Time in Kentucky
The current time in Louisville is [timezone=”America/Kentucky/Louisville” format=”G:i”], Kentucky is almost evenly divided into two time zones. The western half of the state uses Central Standard Time (CST, UTC-6), and the eastern half follows Eastern Standard Time (EST, UTC-5). All of Kentucky switches to Daylight Saving Time from March to November.
🧑🤝🧑 Population of Kentucky
In 2023, Kentucky had a reported population of 4,506,297, ranking it as the 26th most populous state in the USA.
📍 Area of Kentucky
Kentucky’s land area is 40,408 mi², of which 39,486 mi² is land and 922 mi² is water. Kentucky is the 37th largest US state.
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Fun Facts About Kentucky
🧩 Kentucky Neighboring States
Kentucky is bordered by seven American states. It has Illinois to the northwest, Indiana and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the northeast, Virginia to the east, Tennessee to the south, and shares a short border with Missouri to the west.
📅 Date of Kentucky Statehood
Kentucky was admitted to the Union on June 1, 1792, as the 15th state in order, having largely seceded from Virginia.
📛 Nickname of the State of Kentucky
Kentucky is nicknamed “The Bluegrass State”, which, perhaps a little surprisingly, is not a reference to the musical style. Bluegrass in the context of Kentucky refers to meadow bluegrass (Poa pratensis in Latin), a grass typical of the state.
⛰️ Highest Mountain in Kentucky
The highest mountain in Kentucky is with 4,145 ft Black Mountain in the Cumberland Mountains.
🏞️ Rivers in Kentucky
The longest river flowing through Kentucky is the Mississippi River with a total length of 2,318 mi, which forms the border with the state of Missouri. It is followed by the Ohio River (981 mi), the Cumberland River (688 mi), the Tennessee River (652 mi), and the Green River (384 mi).
🎓 Universities in Kentucky
The largest university in the state is the University of Kentucky, which was founded in 1865 in Lexington and is attended by around 34,000 students. The second largest institution is the University of Louisville with around 23 thousand students and the third largest is Western Kentucky University with around 17 thousand students.
✉️ Kentucky ZIP Codes
The state of Kentucky has dedicated ZIP code ranges 400xx-427xx, you can search by address on the USPS website. For more information, see the article ZIP Codes in the USA.
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Weather in Kentucky
The best time to visit Kentucky is usually in late spring or early fall, when temperatures are cooler than in summer.
Spring in Kentucky brings pleasant temperatures that gradually rise from March’s 37°F to May’s 57°F to 77°F. Spring rains are very frequent, with the heaviest rains traditionally in May. Western Kentucky often faces the risk of destructive tornadoes.
Kentucky summers are hot and humid, with average temperatures in July and August reaching 77°F to 90°F. The humidity tends to be high, which can add to the feeling of tropical days. Short but intense thunderstorms accompanied by rain also occur in summer.
Autumn in Kentucky means a gradual cooling. While in September, normal temperatures in Louisville are 61°F to 82°F, in November it cools down to 39°F. There are fewer rainy days in autumn than in summer.
Winter in Kentucky is cold, with temperatures in December and January ranging between 28°F and 46°F most days. Snowfall is moderate, with snow storms more common in northern and eastern Kentucky.
🌡️ Average Temperatures and Precipitation in Kentucky
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Things to Do in Kentucky
1️⃣ Mammoth Cave National Park
Mammoth Cave National Park hides the longest cave network in the world, with a total length of over 426 mi. Mammoth Cave is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is also home to several endangered bat species.
Visitors to the park can choose from several different types of guided tours of the caves. On the surface, the park offers several opportunities for hiking, fishing, and bird watching.
2️⃣ Lexington’s Distillery District
The historic James E. Pepper Distillery in Lexington began producing bourbon in 1879. The distillery buildings were abandoned in 1958 and remained untouched for the next 50 years. It wasn’t until 2008 that the site was redeveloped into a modern downtown with bars, restaurants, breweries, cafes and event space. The complex is a good stop for lovers of unusual attractions, which has been attracting visitors for 21 years.
3️⃣ Kentucky Kingdom & Hurricane Bay Theme Parks
Kentucky Kingdom is a popular amusement park with dozens of rides including roller coasters, giant centrifuges and not much less adrenaline-packed attractions for young children. The park includes Hurricane Bay Water World, which offers welcome refreshment, especially on summer days. Visitors can enjoy swimming pools and various lengths of slides and water slides. Both parks provide all-day fun for families and groups of friends.
4️⃣ Lost River Cave
Lost River Cave is a unique cave system in Bowling Green that can be explored either on foot or by boat. The latter is much more interesting, as the boat takes visitors down an underground river to the dark recesses of the cave.
The caves’ fascinating history dates back to the Civil War, when Confederate troops initially used them, followed by Union forces taking control. Around 40,000 soldiers were stationed in the area at the time.
5️⃣ Kentucky Derby Museum
Churchill Downs is a racetrack in Louisville that hosts the famous Kentucky Derby every year. The first race was run in 1875, and it is the rich history of the Kentucky Derby that the museum here tells. Tours include a behind-the-scenes look at the racetrack and a glimpse into the preparation of horses and riders for the race.
6️⃣ Bourbon Trail
The Kentucky Bourbon Trail is a hiking trail sponsored by the Distillers Association that connects dozens of the most famous bourbon producers throughout the state. Along the trail, you have the opportunity to visit historic distilleries and sample some of the best bourbon in the world. In addition, the distilleries give you a glimpse into the complete whiskey-making process, from aging in oak barrels to the final product.
7️⃣ Natural Bridge State Park
Natural Bridge State Park combines the beauty of nature with a hotel resort. The park’s main attraction is a stone bridge, 78.0 ft long and 65.0 ft high, which was formed by natural erosion over millions of years. The bridge is a popular destination for photographers and tourists. Several hiking trails run through the park, with the usual destination being a view of the surrounding countryside.
8️⃣ The Kentucky Horse Park
The state is famous for horse racing, and The Kentucky Horse Park is one of the top venues for fans of the sport. Visitors to the area can see various breeds of horses and watch demonstrations of horsemanship. The Kentucky Horse Park includes a museum dedicated to horses and its importance in human history. Those who wish can try riding horses for themselves.
9️⃣ Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory
America includes baseball, and one of the most famous brands of baseball bats is Louisville Slugger. In Kentucky’s largest city, the factory where these bats are made is open to visitors.
The building is easy to spot from a distance, with the world’s longest baseball bat adorning its exterior. It measures 120.0 ft in length and its total weight is 68,000 lb. The building also includes a museum where visitors can try out baseball bats used by professional athletes.
🔟 Muhammad Ali Center
The Muhammad Ali Center Museum in Louisville is dedicated to the life of the legendary boxer, who was born in the city in 1942. The museum includes exhibits that document not only the boxer’s career and personal life, but also his fight for human rights.
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Largest Cities in Kentucky
The table below shows the ten largest cities in the state of Kentucky in 2023, the source of the data is the United States Census Bureau, a federal agency whose main job is to count the population.
City County Population 1 Louisville Jefferson 622,981 Map of Louisville 2 Lexington Fayette 320,154 Map of Lexington 3 Bowling Green Warren 76,212 Map of Bowling Green 4 Owensboro Daviess 60,140 Map of Owensboro 5 Covington Kenton 40,972 Map of Covington 6 Georgetown Scott 39,462 Map of Georgetown 7 Richmond Madison 37,206 Map of Richmond 8 Elizabethtown Hardin 32,978 Map of Elizabethtown 9 Florence Boone 32,917 Map of Florence 10 Nicholasville Jessamine 32,425 Map of Nicholasville -
Sports Teams in Kentucky
🏒 Ice Hockey (NHL)
Kentucky is not represented in the National Hockey League.
🏈 American football (NFL)
There is no team from Kentucky in the NFL.
🏀 Basketball (NBA)
There is no team from Kentucky in the NBA basketball league.
⚾ Baseball (MLB)
No team from Kentucky plays in the MLB league.
⚽ Soccer (MLS)
There is no team in Kentucky that plays MLS.
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Kentucky State Symbols
Kentucky has around thirty officially recognized state symbols, only a few of which are listed in this article.
State Flag of Kentucky
The Kentucky state flag in its current form was adopted on March 26, 1918. It consists of a field of dark blue with a large state seal in the center, accompanied by the name “Commonwealth of Kentucky”. The flag underwent a slight redesign in 1962.
Great Seal of Kentucky
The appearance of the large state seal dates back to December 1792, when Kentucky entered the Union, but it did not become its official symbol until 1962. The main motif of the seal is two men, one dressed in traditional leather clothing and the other in a more formal black cloak. The men stand facing each other and hold hands, all complemented by the national motto “United we stand, divided we fall”.
State Bird
The official bird symbol since 1926 is the northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), which grows to its usual length 22 cm. Males are crimson red, females are yellow-brown to olive.
State Fish
In 2005, the spotted bass (Micropterus punctulatus) was added to the list of state symbols; the fish commonly grows up to 64 cm in length.
State Flower
Kentucky’s state flower since 1926 has been the giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea), which can grow up to 200 cm in the wild. The plant is common in Kentucky, but it seeks out soil that is moist for at least part of the year.
State Soft Drink
In 2013, a law went into effect that established Lemon Ale-8-One as the official soft drink of all of Kentucky. A tradition since 1926, the lemonade is made in two flavors at a soda fountain in Winchester.
State Tree
The official tree of Kentucky since 1994 is the tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera), which grows up to 190 ft in the wild.
State Wild Game Animal
In 1968, the eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) became the official symbol, and is the most common of the three species of squirrels that can be seen in Kentucky.
State Fruit
The list of state symbols was expanded in 2004 to include blackberries, which are traditionally sold at farmers markets, roadside stands, and through pick-your-own sales on farms.
State Rock
Kentucky is one of the most important producers of coal in the USA, which is why it was added to the list of state symbols in 1998.
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