【Name】State of Missouri, MO, also called as the “Show Me State”. The name “Missouri” was originated from the Missouria people, a Native American tribe whose name is commonly interpreted as meaning “people of the dugout canoes”.

【Geography】The state has a total area of approximately 180,533 square kilometers, ranking the 21st-largest by area in the United States. It is located in the Midwestern United States and is traversed by both the Mississippi River and the Missouri River, making it an important transportation hub linking the eastern and western, as well as the northern and southern, regions of the United States.

【Population】The population is approximately 6.271 million (2025 data), ranking 18th in the United States. Racial and ethnic composition: White 77.3%, Black or African American 11.7%, Hispanic or Latino 5.6%, Asian 2.5%, Native American 0.4%, and other 2.5%.

【History】The Missouri Territory was formed on June 4, 1812, and the state of Missouri was admitted to the Union on August 10, 1821, as the 24th state of the United States. Missouri served as an important gateway during the westward expansion of the United States, and St. Louis became known as the “Gateway to the West”.

【Politics】The current governor is Mike Kehoe. The capital is Jefferson City, and its mayor is Ron Fitzwater. The largest city is Kansas City, and its mayor is Quinton Lucas. The largest metropolitan area is the St. Louis Metropolitan Area, and the mayor of St. Louis is Cara Spencer.

【Economy】Missouri has a diversified economy with strong industries in transportation equipment, aerospace, chemicals, food processing, financial services, logistics, agriculture, and biotechnology. Major agricultural products include soybeans, corn, and wheat. The state is rich in mineral resources, with substantial reserves of coal, lead, and zinc, and also has a well-developed livestock industry.

In 2025, its nominal GDP was approximately $468.5 billion, ranking 22nd in the United States, with real GDP growth of 1.3%; per capita GDP was approximately $74,710, ranking 38th in the United States; and total exports of goods amounted to $18.7 billion. The total trade volume with China reached USD 3.998 billion, including USD 3.584 billion in imports from China and USD 414 million in exports to China.

【Sister Cities with China】Missouri and China’s Hebei Province established a sister state relationship in 1994. Sister city relationships were established between St. Louis and Nanjing (1979), Kansas City and Xi'an (1989), Cape Girardeau and Shaoxing (1996), Columbia and Laoshan District (2006), and Kansas City and Yan'an (2017).