About Kentucky

Overview

The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a strategically located state in the southeastern United States, bordered by seven states and positioned within one day's drive of 60% of the U.S. population and manufacturing capacity. With a population of 4.5 million and a GDP of $295.4 billion, Kentucky offers significant opportunities for international trade and investment.

Geography & Location

Kentucky's central location and infrastructure make it a logistics hub for North America:

• Central Location: Within 600 miles of 50% of U.S. population
• Louisville: Home to UPS Worldport, the world's largest automated package sorting facility
• River Access: Ohio River providing inland waterway connections
• Interstate Network: Major highways including I-64, I-65, I-71, I-75

Key Industries

Automotive Manufacturing

Kentucky is a major automotive production center:

• Toyota's largest U.S. plant (Georgetown) producing 550,000+ vehicles annually
• Ford Kentucky Truck Plant and Louisville Assembly Plant
• BlueOval SK Battery Park - $5.8B EV battery manufacturing investment
• Over 500 automotive suppliers employing 100,000+ workers

Aerospace & Defense

• Fort Knox - U.S. Army armor and cavalry center, cyber operations
• Fort Campbell - 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)
• GE Aviation - jet engine manufacturing and testing
• Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems contractor presence

Logistics & Distribution

• UPS Worldport handling 2+ million packages daily
• Amazon Air hub and major distribution centers
• Strategic location for national distribution operations

Bourbon & Distilled Spirits

• 95% of the world's bourbon produced in Kentucky
• $9 billion economic impact
• Global export market with growing international demand

Education & Research

• University of Kentucky: R1 research institution (engineering, medical, agricultural programs)
• University of Louisville: Speed School of Engineering, medical research
• Murray State, WKU, EKU: Regional universities
• BCTC System: Workforce development and technical training

Agriculture

• $5.9 billion annual agricultural economy
• Major commodities: corn, soybeans, cattle, poultry, tobacco
• World leader in equine industry and thoroughbred breeding