Mississippi's Recovery, Fast and Steadfast Shock and disbelief - that's what the world felt when the Katrina disaster unfolded in the Gulf Coast of United States. Generations of effort and sacrifices were destroyed in a wink of the eye. And so were destroyed the hopes and aspirations of the current generation caught up in this devastating hurricane. It took some time to assess the true extent of the damage from Hurricane Katrina and then there was one question that demanded an answer.

People wondered whether or not places like Mississippi could ever possibly recover. Still others questioned the wisdom of rebuilding places prone to hurricanes, like New Orleans, again. But, it is certainly not in the character of the people of United States and especially those of the state of Mississippi to give up so easily. The fact that it will take a few years to recover from the damage is the last thing that will daunt the residents of Mississippi. However, the need for recovering and rebuilding is imperative from a more practical point of view, as Mississippi holds a large sway in the economic health of not only the region but of the United States as a whole.

 The Mississippi river is the main inland waterway ferrying millions of tons of goods and products, making its gatekeeper, the state of Mississippi, an important center of economic activity not only for the region but for the entire country. The river serves as a conduit for millions of tons of products that are transported up river every year. It appears that the hurricane may have temporarily damaged this important mode of transportation thus bringing to halt a fair portion of the local and national economy.

Mississippi is also very important to the nation's energy production. It has several refineries in the state that are responsible for converting crude oil into gasoline, diesel and other petroleum products. Hurricane Katrina's destruction not only harmed the local Mississippi economy, but it also did some major damage to the nation as a whole. In the immediate aftermath of the hurricane, the severe disruption to refining capacity caused a large spike in energy prices as the nation struggled to cope with the devastation. No less than 25 percent of the nation's petroleum comes from the Gulf Coast states and Mississippi is vital to that industry.

In fact, petroleum and its products account for 80% of Mississippi's total mineral production. While the petroleum industry bore the brunt of the hurricane, the local fishing industry also got affected albeit to a lesser degree. Hurricane Katrina wiped out Biloxi, the major hub of the shrimp industry. Given the economic importance of the region, the amount of money being invested in rebuilding the Gulf Coast states, like Mississippi, is huge. This will ensure that the region is sure to not just recover its original glory but attain a stronger place in the economy in the years to come.

About the author: Wilma Larwill writes exclusively for At Mississippi, there's a wealth of knowledge on the website, plus their free newsletter is well worth signing up for too. If you want to read more Mississippi articles go to: http://www.atmississippi.com/articles

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