FACTBOX: Missouri and its presidential primary

(Reuters) - Missouri is among 24 states taking part in "Super Tuesday," the February 5 contests in which voters will choose nominees from the Democratic and Republican parties for the November U.S. presidential election.

Following are a few facts about the so-called "Show Me State":

* In the middle of the country, Missouri blends Southern and Midwestern cultural influences and balances rural and urban populations, making it a bellwether state in presidential politics. It has backed the winner in each presidential election in the past 100 years except 1956.

* A Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby poll released on Tuesday showed Democratic Illinois Sen. Barack Obama leading rival New York Sen. Hillary Clinton 45 percent to 42 percent. Among Republicans, Arizona Sen. John McCain led with 34 percent to former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee's 27 percent and 25 percent for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

* With 5.9 million residents, Missouri is one of the larger states holding a Super Tuesday contest. Democrats will allocate 88 delegates on a proportional basis, while Republicans will award all 58 of their delegates to the winner of their primary.

* Polls close at 7 p.m. CST on Wednesday. Both primaries are open to independent voters.

* The country music resort town of Branson, Missouri, in the Ozark Mountains has become one of the top tourist destinations in the United States, drawing 8 million visitors in 2006.

* The two largest rivers in the United States, the Mississippi and the Missouri, meet north of St. Louis.

SOURCES: Almanac of American Politics, U.S. Census Bureau, Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Secretaries of State, U.S. Geological Survey

(Reporting by Andy Sullivan; Editing by Patricia Zengerle)

(For more about the U.S. political campaign, visit Reuters "Tales from the Trail: 2008" online at http:/blogs.reuters.com/trail08/)