Wyoming Information - State of Wyoming Wyoming Information Google Map of Wyoming The musical name, "Wyoming," was used by J.M. Ashley of Ohio, who, as early as 1865, introduced a bill to Congress to provide a "temporary government for the territory of Wyoming." It was to be formed from portions of the Dakota, Utah and Idaho territories. The bill was referred to a committee where it rested until 1868. During debate on the bill in the U.S. Senate in 1868, other possible names were suggested, such as Cheyenne, Shoshoni, Arapaho, Sioux, Platte, Big Horn, Yellowstone, Sweetwater and Lincoln. "Wyoming" was already commonly used and remained the popular choice. The name Wyoming was adopted from two Delaware Indian words, MECHEWEAMI-ING. To the Indians it meant "at the big plains," or "on the great plain," certainly appropriate for Wyoming. Governor Matt Mead (R) , Governor, State of Wyoming Term expires 2015 Governor Mead has served as the 32nd Governor of Wyoming since 2011.

Congressional Delegation Representative Lummis has served since 2009. Wyoming's Economy Components of Wyoming's economy differ significantly from those of other states. The mineral extraction industry and the travel and tourism sector are the main drivers behind Wyoming’s economy. Unlike other states, Wyoming does not possess an individual or corporate income tax. The Federal government owns 42.3% of its landmass, while 6% is controlled by the state. Total taxable values of mining production in Wyoming for 2007 was over $14.5 billion. The tourism industry accounts for over $1 billion in revenue for the state. In 2007 over six million people visited Wyoming’s national parks and monuments. The key tourist attractions in Wyoming include Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Devil’s Tower National Monument, and Fossil Butte National Monument. Each year Yellowstone National Park receives three million visitors. Wyoming’s unemployment rate for 2007 was approximately 3.5%, which was significantly lower than the national average of 4.6%. Per capita income (PCI) for Wyoming in 2007 was $43,226.

Historically, agriculture has been an important component of Wyoming’s economic identity. Its overall importance to the performance of Wyoming’s economy has waned. However, it is still an essential part of Wyoming’s culture and lifestyle. In 2007 the total value of agricultural production in Wyoming was $1021.4 million. The main agricultural commodities produced in Wyoming include livestock (beef), hay, sugar beets, grain (wheat and barley), and wool. Over 91% of land in Wyoming is classified as rural. Wyoming Mineral Production Wyoming’s mineral commodities include coal, natural gas, coal bed methane, crude oil, and trona. Wyoming ranks highest in mining employment in the U.S. In fiscal year 2007 Wyoming collected over $145 million in sales taxes from the mining industry. Coal: Wyoming produced 452.1 million short tons of coal in 2007. The state is the number one producer of coal in the U.S. Coal is mainly used to produce electricity. Wyoming possesses a reserve of 68.7 billion tons of coal. Natural Gas: In 2007 natural gas production was 2,145 billion cubic feet.

Wyoming ranks 5th nationwide for natural gas production. The major markets for natural gas include industrial, commercial, and domestic heating. Coal Bed Methane (CBM): The boom for CBM began in the mid-1990’s. CBM is characterized as methane gas that is extracted from Wyoming’s coal bed seams. It is another means of natural gas production. There has been substantial CBM production the Powder River Basin. In 2007 the CBM production yield was 436.3 billion cubic feet. Crude Oil: Production of Wyoming crude oil in 2007 was 53.3 million barrels. The state is ranked 7th among producers of oil in the U.S. Petroleum is most often used as a motor fuel, but it also utilized in the manufacturing of plastics, paints, and synthetic rubber. Trona: Wyoming possesses the largest known reserve of trona in the world. Trona is used for glass manufacturing, paper, soaps, baking soda, water softeners, and pharmaceuticals. In 2007 Wyoming produced 17.1 million short tons of trona.

Wyoming Wildlife Wyoming is the center of the continent's pronghorn antelope herd and boasts the largest antelope population of any state or province. Wyoming is also the home of the world's largest single elk herd. Mule deer are found in every county and white-tailed deer inhabit the Black Hills area. Moose are found in the northwestern part of the state. There is also a small population of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep in the northern portions of the state. Bear, another Wyoming game animal, is seldom seen except in Yellowstone Park. Cottontails and jackrabbits abound in Wyoming's wide open spaces along with coyotes, bobcats and a variety of fur-bearing animals. The sage grouse is Wyoming's most plentiful and widely distributed native game bird. It is found in every county. Several other species of grouse inhabit the mountains of the state. Pheasants, chukar, Hungarian partridge and wild turkeys abound. Many species of waterfowl including ducks, geese and the rare trumpeter and whistler swans are found in Wyoming.

Wyoming has twenty-two species of game fish, including six kinds of trout that find the clear and cold streams and lakes to their liking-rainbow, brook, cutthroat, brown, golden and Mackinaw. The world's record California golden trout was caught in Wyoming's Cook Lake in 1948 (the fish measured 28 inches long, weighed 11 lbs. 4 oz. and was landed by C.S. Read of Omaha, Nebraska). Bass, walleye, crappie, perch, sauger, ling, channel catfish and bluegill are found in the warm water lakes. Fishing success is generally high and Wyoming has been called a fisherman's paradise. University of Wyoming The University of Wyoming , established in 1886 by the Territorial Legislature, has an impressive record of progress. As Wyoming's only public four year institution of higher education, it is a center of learning, culture, research and service. Enrollment for the fall semester of 2009 was 13,476. Students are from every county in the state, and from all 50 states and from more than 75 countries.

There are approximately 190 areas of study in colleges of Arts and Sciences, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Business, Education, Engineering and Applied Science, Health Sciences, Law and the School of Energy Resources. Graduate study and summer school programs are also available. Educational opportunities and other public services are extended to all parts of the state by the School of Extended Studies and Public Service and the Agricultural Extension Service. Research projects contribute to economic and social progress in Wyoming. Buildings of colorful native stone in a setting of spacious lawns and gardens against a backdrop of rugged mountain peaks make the campus at Laramie one of the most beautiful in the nation. Community Colleges Seven community colleges provide educational opportunities in various parts of the state: Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne; Casper College in Casper; Northwest College in Powell; Sheridan College in Sheridan; Eastern Wyoming College in Torrington; Western Wyoming Community College in Rock Springs; and Central Wyoming College in Riverton. Along with the University of Wyoming, they provide academic courses at the freshman and sophomore levels, terminal, vocational and general education programs, and adult education programs in the local communities.

Public Schools Public education is directed by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, an elected state official, and the Department of Education. Educational policies are set by the State Board of Education, a nine-member board appointed by the Governor. The Constitution prohibits the state from establishing curriculum and text book selections; these are the prerogatives of local school boards. School figures, fall, 1983: 100,965 students in public schools, approximately 2,663 in non-public schools, 480 in Indian schools, 1,036 in preschool development centers, and 270 in the university school; 49 school districts with 154 elementary schools, 63 junior high or middle schools and 73 secondary schools. Current data can be found the Department's website . Geographical Location Wyoming is located in the Rocky Mountain section of the western United States. It is bounded on the north by Montana, on the east by South Dakota and Nebraska, on the south by Colorado and Utah, and on the west by Utah, Idaho and Montana. Wyoming is one of three states entirely bounded by straight lines.

It is the ninth largest state in the United States containing 97,914 square miles and is made up of 23 counties. From the north border to the south border it is 276 miles; from the east to the west border, 375 miles. Physical Characteristics The Great Plains meet the Rocky Mountains in Wyoming. The state is a great plateau broken by a number of important mountain ranges. In the northwest are the Absaroka, the Owl Creek, Wyoming, Gros Ventre, Wind River and the Teton ranges. In the north central are the Big Horns; in the northeast, the Black Hills; and in the southern portion of Wyoming, the Laramie, Medicine Bow and Sierra Madre ranges. The Continental Divide cuts through Wyoming from the northwest to the south central border. Rivers east of the Divide drain into the Missouri River Basin and eventually the Atlantic Ocean. They are the Platte, Wind, Big Horn and the Yellowstone rivers. The Snake River in northwest Wyoming eventually drains into the Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean, as does the Green River through the Colorado River Basin. Climate Wyoming has the second highest mean elevation in the United States at 6,700 feet above sea level.

The climate is semiarid, but because of its topographical diversity, it is also varied. Annual precipitation varies from as little as five inches to as much as 45 inches a year, some in the form of rain and some in snow. Because of its elevation, Wyoming has a relatively cool climate. Above the 6,000 foot level the temperature rarely exceeds 100 F. Summer nights are almost invariably cool, though daytime readings may be quite high. Away from the mountains, low July temperatures range from 50 to 60 F. National Parks and Monuments Yellowstone National Park - The world's first and foremost national park. Two contrasting elements have combined to produce this area of natural wonders; a land born in the fires of thundering volcanoes and since sculptured by glacial ice and running water. The park features the world's most extensive area of geothermal activity. Thousands of hot springs dot thermal basins; geysers hurl thousands of gallons of boiling water into the air; hissing steam vents punctuate valley floors; and petrified tree stumps, remnants of a primeval forest buried by volcanic ash, stand starkly on eroded mountain sides.

This thermal theatre had its beginning in an enormous volcanic eruption thought to have occurred about 600,000 years ago. Heat from a huge reservoir of molten rock, which produced the massive eruption, remains relatively close beneath the surface, sustaining the spectacular hot water and steam phenomena for which the park is famous. Grand Teton National Park - Wyoming's smaller national park, Grand Teton, lies south of Yellowstone. Known worldwide for its breathtaking beauty, the Teton Range thrusts abruptly from the floor of the Jackson Hole valley nearly one and a half miles seemingly straight up into the skies. The Indians called them Teewinot-Many Pinnacles-while the French trappers referred to part of the range as Les Trois Tetons-The Three Breasts. Devils Tower National Monument - The nation's first national monument, Devils Tower, looms prominently over the Belle Fourche River in a place where the pine forests of the Black Hills merge with the grasslands of the rolling plains. This imposing formation is a stump-shaped cluster of rock columns 1,000 feet across the bottom and 275 feet across the top.

It rises 1,280 feet above the valley to a height of 5,117 feet above sea level. For centuries, Devils Tower played an important role in the legend and folklore of Indian people. It became a landmark to stalwart explorers and travelers pushing their way west from the Black Hill region. It was proclaimed a national monument on September 24, 1906, by President Theodore Roosevelt. The most recent fame for the tower came as the site where the spaceship landed in the popular movie, "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." Fossil Butte National Monument - Is a ruggedly impressive topographic feature which rises sharply some 1,000 feet above Twin Creek Valley to an elevation of more than 7,500 feet above sea level. At the base of the butte are the brightly colored fossil beds of the Wasatch Formation. Near the top of the butte are the much steeper buff-to-white beds of the Green River Formation. The richest fossil fish deposits are found in limestone layers about three feet thick and lie from 30 to 300 feet below the varying surfaces of the butte.

The fossils represent several varieties of perch, as well as other freshwater genera, and several kinds of herring whose descendants now live in the sea. Fossil Butte contains 8,180 acres and was established as a national monument by public law on October 23, 1972. National Forests Bighorn National Forest - established in 1897, contains 1.1 million acres within an area roughly 80 miles long and 30 miles wide. The 195,000-acre Cloud Peak Wilderness pays tribute to the Highest peak in the Bighorn Mountains. This rugged wilderness resulted from glacial action that formed U-shaped valleys, leaving vertical walls up to 1,500 feet in height. Black Hills National Forest - contains 175,000 acres in Wyoming and another 1 million acres in neighboring South Dakota. The Lakota Sioux called these hills "Paha Sapa," or "hills that are black," because the ponderosa pine slopes are dark when seen from the plains. The pine, spruce, aspen and oak forests provide habitat for various wildlife including elk, white-tailed deer and turkey.

Bridger-Teton National Forest - is the second largest national forest outside Alaska, encompassing more than 3.4 million acres. High elevations, varied topography, interesting geological formations an incredible array of wildlife and the famous Jackson Hole elk herd combine to make this an exciting place to visit. The Teton Wilderness lies immediately south of Yellowstone National Park and is home to grizzly bears and great hunting and fishing. The Bridger Wilderness, on the west slope of the Wind River Range north and east of Pinedale, is widely used by backpackers throughout the summer and fall. The Gros Ventre Wilderness is a mountainous area located east of Jackson and is a mecca for those seeking a less crowded experience. Medicine Bow National Forest - spreads through five southeastern counties and consists of more than 1 million acres, as well as the Thunder Basin National Grassland in northeast Wyoming. The origin of "Medicine Bow" is legendary and relates to the Indian tribes who inhabited southeastern Wyoming and made their hunting bows of mountain mahogany found there.

Medicine Bow National Forest includes the Snowy Range, which owes its name to the snowfields that remain there throughout the summer, and is home to four wilderness areas: Platte River, Huston Park, Encampment River and Savage Run. Shoshone National Forest - contains more than 2.4 million acres of outstanding lakes, streams, scenery, wildlife and many resorts and dude ranches and is a major recreational attraction. Five spectacular wildernesses are found here: Washakie Wilderness, Absaroka-Beartooth and North Absaroka Wilderness, Popo Agie Wilderness and Fitzpatrick Wilderness. Targhee National Forest - based in Idaho, has two wildernesses within Wyoming's borders. The Jedediah Smith Wilderness is located on the west slope of the Teton Range and named for the famous mountain man, explorer and trapper of the early 1800s. Glacially carved subalpine lake basins, limestone cave systems, outstanding view of the Tetons and abundant wildlife highlight this area. The smaller Winegar Hole Wilderness lies adjacent to the southwest corner of Yellowstone National Park. South Dakota travel guide - Wikitravel Cities[ edit ] Pierre -- State capital located on the Missouri River.

Aberdeen -- Third largest city, located in the northeast corner of the state. Home to Northern State University. Brookings -- Home to South Dakota State University and Hobo Days and two state museums. Custer -- Oldest City in the Black Hills, home of Custer State Park, and near the Crazy Horse Memorial and Wind and Jewel Caves. Deadwood -- A national historic landmark located in the Black Hills, with plenty of gambling and "Old West" tourist attractions. Mitchell -- Home of the World's Only Corn Palace, with new murals covering the outside every year since 1892. Home of the Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village. Rapid City -- Second largest city in the state, located at the base of the Black Hills along Interstate 90. Home to Dinosaur Park, Reptile Gardens, and Bear Country, among other attractions. Starting point for vacations in the Black Hills and seeing Mt. Rushmore. Sioux Falls -- Largest city in the state, named after the falls of the Big Sioux River. Wall -- Gateway to the Badlands and home of Wall Drug. Understand[ edit ] South Dakota is located in the north central United States.

It is bordered by North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming and Montana. The state capitol is Pierre (pronounced “peer”), which is located almost exactly in the center of the state. South Dakota is home to Mount Rushmore National Memorial. In 1927, sculptor Gutzon Borglum came to the Black Hills to carve his masterpiece into the side of a granite mountain. Today, visitors from all over the world come to western South Dakota to see the 60-foot faces of four American Presidents. South Dakota is a popular family vacation destination. In addition to Mount Rushmore National Memorial, other popular stops are Custer State Park, Crazy Horse Memorial, Deadwood, the World’s Only Corn Palace, Badlands National Park, Fort Sisseton Historic State Park, Wall Drug and Lewis and Clark Recreation Area. In De Smet, visitors can still tour the childhood homestead of beloved “Little House on the Prairie” author Laura Ingalls Wilder. Pierre’s Cultural Heritage Center houses the Museum of the South Dakota State Historical Society, which preserves the history of the State of South Dakota and Dakota Territory. South Dakota has a rich history going back to the days of the dinosaurs. One of the most complete T.

rex skeletons was found in South Dakota and the largest collection of Columbian Wooly Mammoth fossils are still being unearthed at The Mammoth Site in Hot Springs in the southern Black Hills. Visitors to Badlands National Park can learn about what is considered to be one of the richest fossil beds in the country. South Dakota is home to the Dakota, Lakota and Nakota-speaking people of the Great Sioux Nation. Several museums and cultural centers across the state depict the history and traditions of these people as well as display ancient artifacts and modern artwork. Across the state, visitors can explore the Native American Scenic Byway, attend a traditional powwow and experience Native American culture. The Black Hills, called “Paha Sapa” by the Native Americans, is considered sacred ground to many tribes across the country. The Lakota Nation believes all life comes from “Paha Sapa,” and they fought fiercely to protect it during the Indian Wars of the 1800s. One of the most sacred places is Bear Butte in the northern Black Hills. This formation of magma never erupted and looks like a giant sleeping bear. Now a state park, Bear Butte is still used as a place of worship for more than 60 Native American tribes.

More than 62,000 Native Americans currently live in South Dakota. In 1874, an expedition led by General Custer discovered gold for the first time in the Black Hills and incited a gold rush. The largest find was near the town of present day Lead. In 2002, after yielding gold for more than 120 years, the Homestake Gold Mine shut down mining operations, but the location was recently named the proposed site for the National Science Foundation’s Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory (DUSEL). Currently, the Sanford Laboratory at Homestake is conducting experiments to demonstrate the feasibility of the site for DUSEL. Agriculture continues to be the mainstay of South Dakota’s economy. Eastern South Dakota supports a variety of crops, while cattle and sheep ranching are prevalent on the drier, western plains. South Dakota is a leading producer of honey, oats, rye, sunflowers, spring wheat, soybeans, corn, beef cattle, hogs, buffalo and sheep. Interstate 90 runs east to west across South Dakota, while Interstate 29 runs north to south near the eastern border.

Interstate Information Centers are staffed in the summer months and offer a variety of travel and tourism information. The state has two major airports located in Rapid City in the west and Sioux Falls in the east. Rapid City is on the eastern edge of the Black Hills, approximately 25 miles from Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Sioux Falls is located at the intersection of Interstates 29 and 90. Aberdeen, Pierre and Watertown also have airports with limited service by major carriers. History[ edit ] South Dakota’s history is filled with rich heritage and colorful characters that include the likes of Lewis and Clark, Sitting Bull, Wild Bill Hickok, Crazy Horse and Laura Ingalls Wilder. The land is the home of several Plains Indian tribes, including the Dakota, Lakota and Nakota-speaking people of the Great Sioux Nation. By the early 1700s, French fur traders had extended their interests into the Upper Mississippi River basin. French Canadian explorers, Louis Joseph and Francois la Verendrye, were the first known non-Indians in what we call South Dakota.

They left a lead plate in 1743 on a bluff overlooking the Missouri River in present day Fort Pierre claiming the region for France. This land was transferred to the United States in 1803 as part of the Louisiana Purchase, and in 1804, American explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark met with the Teton band of the Lakota people in the same vicinity. In 1831, Pierre Chouteau, Jr. founded an American Fur Trading post in the area known as Fort Pierre. Today, the cities of Fort Pierre and Pierre (the state capital), take their names from this fort. The discovery of gold in the Black Hills in 1874 helped fuel a population boom in the last half of the 19th century. The largest find was near the town of present day Lead – a claim that would yield gold for more than 120 years. Deadwood was perhaps the wildest gold camp to spring from the rush – the town’s sordid early days even inspired an HBO television series.

Deadwood was home to Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane, both of whom were laid to rest in Mount Moriah Cemetery, along with Sheriff Seth Bullock. Fighting over the mineral-rich and culturally-sacred land raged between native Sioux tribes and settlers in the late 1800s. The final major conflict during the Plains Indian Wars occurred on December 29, 1890, at the Massacre of Wounded Knee, in southwest South Dakota. During this time, pioneers and homesteaders were beginning to form South Dakota’s strong agricultural base, still prevalent in the state economy today. “Little House on the Prairie” author Laura Ingalls Wilder documented the pioneer spirit in her beloved books about growing up on the prairie. Four of her six books were written about her family’s adventures in De Smet. Today, you can tour her childhood homestead and see places that inspired her classic books and a television series. South Dakota also played a key role in the Cold War. In the 1960s, America began installing Minuteman Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles beneath western prairies.

The 44th Missile Wing at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota operated 150 missile silos and 15 launch control facilities in the western part of the state. Two of these sites, the Delta One Launch Control Facility and the Delta Nine Launch Facility, have been preserved as a National Historic Site to provide visitors with a unique Cold War history lesson. Get in[ edit ] Weather & When to Go[ edit ] South Dakota has four distinct seasons of weather, ranging from cold winters to hot summers. Temperatures can reach over 100*F (almost 40 degress Celsius) in the summer and average below freezing in the winter. Average humidity across the state ranges from semi-arid in the northwest to semi-humid in the southeast. Summers can bring severe weather in the form of thunderstorms, but most days are clear and sunny. Summer (Memorial Day/late May to Labor Day/early September) is optimal for visiting many of the attractions in the state. However, weather can be mild in both the spring and fall months, and visiting outside of the summer season offers less traffic and opportunities for seeing spring’s first blossoms or fall’s brilliant foliage.

Very cold winter weather alternates with milder spells, and snowfall can be prevalent. December through early March is the best time to take advantage of several downhill ski areas, more than 1,500 miles of snowmobiling trails, ice fishing and other winter sports and activities. During the summer months, South Dakota experiences approximately 15-16 hours of daylight each day. During the winter months, it averages to 9-10 hours of daylight. South Dakota observes two different time zones: Central Time in most areas of the state east of the Missouri River, and Mountain Time in areas west of the Missouri River. Car[ edit ] Two major interstates cross the state. Interstate 90 run east-west from Seattle, Washington to Boston, Massachusetts. Interstate 29 runs north-south from Kansas City, Missouri north to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Additionally, federal highways running east-west include 12, 212, 14, and 18; north-south highways 85, 385, 83, 183, 281 and 81 also traverse the state.

Plane[ edit ] South Dakota is served by two major airports, Sioux Falls Regional Airport (FSD), in the southeast, and Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP), in the west. Sioux Falls Regional Airport is served by United, Delta and Allegiant airlines. Rapid City Regional is served by United, Delta and Allegiant airlines. Aberdeen, Watertown and Pierre also have scheduled commercial air service. Bus[ edit ] Jefferson Lines [2] has frequent affordable connections along the state's two interstates, most frequent to Minneapolis, but also daily through the West River part of the state to Wyoming. See[ edit ][ add listing ] Mount Rushmore National Memorial, near Keystone, is known as America’s “Shrine of Democracy.” In 1927, sculptor Gutzon Borglum came to the Black Hills to carve his sculpture into the side of a granite mountain. Today, visitors from all over the world come to the Black Hills of South Dakota to see the four faces of Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Crazy Horse Memorial, near Custer, is the world’s largest mountain carving in progress. The memorial is a way to honor the culture and traditions of North American Indians.

Visitors to Crazy Horse Memorial can see the progress of the mountain carving as well as tour a Native American Museum and art center on the campus of the Memorial. Badlands National Park, in southwestern South Dakota, features 244,000 acres of sharply eroded buttes and jagged spires that create a moon-like surface. Thousands of fossils of prehistoric creatures have been uncovered in the park. Archeological and paleontological digs continue today, with some open to public participation. Wind Cave National Park and Jewel Cave National Monument, both in the southern Black Hills, take visitors deep beneath the surface. Wind Cave is considered one of the world’s longest and most complex caves. Its thin calcite fins and honeycomb rock structures stand in contrast to the 28,295 acres of mixed-grass prairie, ponderosa pine forest and roaming buffalo above ground. Jewel Cave is the second longest cave in the world at 141 miles. Its colorful calcite crystals create jewel-like formations giving the cave its name. The official length of Jewel Cave is continually growing as explorers find new passageways. In January 2008, 476 feet of new passageways were discovered.

Custer State Park, in the southern Black Hills, is a popular family vacation spot. With nearly 1,500 free-roaming buffalo and numerous prairie dogs, deer, bighorn sheep, pronghorns and burros, visitors can experience wildlife in a natural setting. The park also offers mountain lakes for swimming and fishing, dozens of trails for hiking and mountain biking, as well as several lodges and campsites. For visitors looking to take a scenic drive, Needles Highway and Iron Mountain Road offer spectacular views, unique rock tunnels and winding pigtail bridges. The Black Hills National Forest is 1.2 million acres of pine and spruce forest, granite peaks and outdoor adventure. An area of granite spires, known as the Needles, provides challenging rock climbing opportunities. The 114-miles George S. Mickelson Trail, part of the state park system, has gentle slopes and converted railroad bridges that take bikers and hikers from Deadwood in the northern Black Hills to Edgemont in the south. Harney Peak, in the Black Elk Wilderness Area, at an elevation of 7,242 feet is the highest point in the U.S. east of the Rocky Mountains.

The Minuteman Missile National Historic Site is located near Badlands National Park. The Delta One Launch Control Facility and the Delta Nine Launch Facility were ideal for long-term preservation because they were among the nation’s oldest – with technology dating back to the Cuban Missile Crisis in the 1960s. Only minor modifications have been made to the deactivated sites, and much of the original mechanical equipment and historic furnishings remain intact. The Missouri River cuts through the center of South Dakota, dividing it roughly into eastern and western halves, and then forms some of the border between South Dakota and Nebraska. The Missouri National Recreational River protects two stretches of the river in the southeastern part of the state; 39 miles from Fort Randall Dam to Running Water and 59 miles from Gavins Point Dam to Nebraska’s Ponca State Park. These sections of the river are the least affected by the four dams in South Dakota, and offer unique landscapes and ecosystems. The entire Missouri River provides countless opportunities for boating, fishing, canoeing and kayaking. Visitors can also camp, bird watch and hike along the river. There are nearly 60 state parks and recreation areas in South Dakota.

They offer numerous opportunities to experience the state, from an outdoor and recreational perspective to an historic one. Among them, Fort Sisseton Historic State Park, in the northeast corner, was a frontier army outpost in 1864 and is still home to 14 of the original buildings. Lewis and Clark Recreation Area, near Yankton, and Farm Island Recreation Area, near Pierre, are two of numerous state parks located on the shores of the Missouri River and offer many camping, fishing, swimming, boating and hiking opportunities. The Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village, located in Mitchell, is the only archaeological site open to the public in South Dakota. It holds a dual status of a National Register and a National Historic property. It is a northern plains village dating to approximately A.D. 1,000. Visit the Boehnen Memorial Museum with its artifact displays and a full-size reconstruction of an earthen lodge. The Thomsen Center Archeodome is where the dig site is located. Archaeologists from the University of Exeter, England and Augustana College, Sioux Falls, are present each summer to continue excavations. There are plenty of hands-on activities for children and adults.

Tornadoes[ edit ] Part of the state lies in the country's "tornado alley", and its geographical location makes it prone to very violent thunderstorms during the spring and summer seasons. These thunderstorms, most often, will produce hail squalls and damaging winds. On occasion, they have also been known to spawn small scale tornadoes. Despite this being a rarity, and their small scale, they can still cause significant damage and endanger an unprepared traveler. Travelers to and through the state, particularly its central and eastern regions, during the spring/summer seasons should pay attention to weather conditions because they have the tendency to change very rapidly. Refer to the Tornado safety page for more information. Winter Storms[ edit ] South Dakota is infamous for its brutal winter storms. Blizzards and freak snow squalls are not uncommon in either of the Dakotas during the winter months, and therefore, a traveler should be advised. As with any severe weather situation, keep yourself up to date on the latest weather conditions if you are planning to travel to or through the state during the winter season.

Wildlife[ edit ] Wild animals are called that for a reason, and South Dakota residents all know at least one story of a person being attacked because they ignored repeated warnings about getting too close. While centered mostly around the southwest part of the state, Bison are best viewed from the car or from a distance — do not approach them. They look slow, but they can cover a good distance in short time. Prairie dogs may be cute and fun to watch, but don't let your kids try to pet them. They will bite. Also, mosquitoes in South Dakota are simply out of control. They bite through clothes and mark their territory on skin, a few inches of diameter at a time. Mosquito bites acquired in South Dakota remain red and swollen for a few days. It is crucial, although practically impossible, that you refrain from scratching them. If you feel you absolutely must do so, however, opt for alcohol on a piece of cotton applied to your war wounds before giving in to temptation, as doing so might alleviate the agitation and leave you with a somewhat cool sensation on your skin. Do not take a walk in the park without having sprayed some kind of mosquito repellent.

Get out[ edit ] North Dakota - South Dakota's sibling to the north is America's least visited state, but its isolation provides opportunities for uncrowded visits to the state's hills and lakes, badlands, plains, and old frontier forts. Minnesota - Known for cold winters and its ten thousand lakes, South Dakota's eastern neighbor is an ideal destination for wilderness enthusiasts and shoppers destined for the Twin Cities and Mall of America. Iowa - Rural Iowa is South Dakota's southeastern neighbor and provides the opportunity to explore America's agricultural heartland. Nebraska - South Dakota's southern neighbor has a rich agricultural heritage, offering visitors a glimpse into America's heartland. Wyoming - Located to South Dakota's west, Wyoming is home to most of the landmass of Yellowstone National Park and provides an excellent opportunity to experience America's cowboy heritage. Montana - South Dakota's northwestern neighbor is often called Big Sky Country for its famed big, blue skies, but the amazing natural landscape varies from the flat regions to the East and the towering peaks of the Rocky Mountains in the West.

The World Factbook — Central Intelligence Agency Background: Britain's American colonies broke with the mother country in 1776 and were recognized as the new nation of the United States of America following the Treaty of Paris in 1783. During the 19th and 20th centuries, 37 new states were added to the original 13 as the nation expanded across the North American continent and acquired a number of overseas possessions. The two most traumatic experiences in the nation's history were the Civil War (1861-65), in which a northern Union of states defeated a secessionist Confederacy of 11 southern slave states, and the Great Depression of the 1930s, an economic downturn during which about a quarter of the labor force lost its jobs. Buoyed by victories in World Wars I and II and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the US remains the world's most powerful nation state. Since the end of World War II, the economy has achieved relatively steady growth, low unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances in technology.

Geography :: UNITED STATES elevation extremes: lowest point: Death Valley -86 m (lowest point in North America) highest point: Denali (Mount McKinley) 6,190 m (highest point in North America) note: the peak of Mauna Kea (4,205 m above sea level) on the island of Hawaii rises about 10,200 m above the Pacific Ocean floor; by this measurement, it is the world's tallest mountain - higher than Mount Everest (8,850 m), which is recognized as the tallest mountain above sea level Natural resources: coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, rare earth elements, uranium, bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, petroleum, natural gas, timber, arable land note: the US has the world's largest coal reserves with 491 billion short tons accounting for 27% of the world's total Population - distribution: large urban clusters are spread throughout the eastern half of the US (particularly the Great Lakes area, northeast, east, and southeast) and the western tier states; mountainous areas, principally the Rocky Mountains and Appalachian chain

, deserts in the southwest, the dense boreal forests in the extreme north, and the central prarie states are less densely populated; Alaska's population is concentrated along its southern coast - with particular emphasis on the city of Anchorage - and Hawaii's is centered on the island of Oahu Natural hazards: tsunamis; volcanoes; earthquake activity around Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts; tornadoes in the Midwest and Southeast; mud slides in California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska, a major impediment to development volcanism: volcanic activity in the Hawaiian Islands, Western Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, and in the Northern Mariana Islands; both Mauna Loa (elev.

4,170 m) in Hawaii and Mount Rainier (elev. 4,392 m) in Washington have been deemed Decade Volcanoes by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Pavlof (elev. 2,519 m) is the most active volcano in Alaska's Aleutian Arc and poses a significant threat to air travel since the area constitutes a major flight path between North America and East Asia; St. Helens (elev.

2,549 m), famous for the devastating 1980 eruption, remains active today; numerous other historically active volcanoes exist, mostly concentrated in the Aleutian arc and Hawaii; they include: in Alaska: Aniakchak, Augustine, Chiginagak, Fourpeaked, Iliamna, Katmai, Kupreanof, Martin, Novarupta, Redoubt, Spurr, Wrangell; in Hawaii: Trident, Ugashik-Peulik, Ukinrek Maars, Veniaminof; in the Northern Mariana Islands: Anatahan; and in the Pacific Northwest: Mount Baker, Mount Hood Environment - current issues: large emitter of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels; air pollution resulting in acid rain in both the US and Canada; water pollution from runoff of pesticides and fertilizers; limited natural freshwater resources in much of the western part of the country require careful management; desertification Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Marine

 Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes world's third-largest country by size (after Russia and Canada) and by population (after China and India); Denali (Mt.

McKinley) is the highest point in North America and Death Valley the lowest point on the continent People and Society :: UNITED STATES Ethnic groups: white 79.96%, black 12.85%, Asian 4.43%, Amerindian and Alaska native 0.97%, native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 0.18%, two or more races 1.61% (July 2007 estimate) note: a separate listing for Hispanic is not included because the US Census Bureau considers Hispanic to mean persons of Spanish/Hispanic/Latino origin including those of Mexican, Cuban, Puerto Rican, Dominican Republic, Spanish, and Central or South American origin living in the US who may be of any race or ethnic group (white, black, Asian, etc.); about 15.1% of the total US population is Hispanic Languages: English 79.2%, Spanish 12.9%, other Indo-European 3.8%, Asian and Pacific island 3.3%, other 0.9% (2011 est.) note: data represents the language spoken at home; the US has no official national language, but English has acquired official status in 3

1 of the 50 states; Hawaiian is an official language in the state of Hawaii 12.5 births/1,000 population (2016 est.) country comparison to the world: 159 8.2 deaths/1,000 population (2016 est.) country comparison to the world: 90 3.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2016 est.) country comparison to the world: 32 Population distribution: large urban clusters are spread throughout the eastern half of the US (particularly the Great Lakes area, northeast, east, and southeast) and the western tier states; mountainous areas, principally the Rocky Mountains and Appalachian chain, deserts in the southwest, the dense boreal forests in the extreme north, and the central prarie states are less densely populated; Alaska's population is concentrated along its southern coast - with particular emphasis on the city of Anchorage - and Hawaii's is centered on the island of Oahu urban population: 81.6% of total population (2015) rate of urbanization: 1.02% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.) geographic coordinates:

 38 53 N, 77 02 W time difference: UTC-5 (during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November note: the 50 United States cover six time zones Administrative divisions: 50 states and 1 district*; Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia*, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming Dependent areas: American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Wake Island note: from 18 July 1947 until 1 October 19

94, the US administered the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands; it entered into a political relationship with all four political entities: the Northern Mariana Islands is a commonwealth in political union with the US (effective 3 November 1986); the Republic of the Marshall Islands signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 21 October 1986); the Federated States of Micronesia signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 3 November 1986); Palau concluded a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 1 October 1994) Executive branch: chief of state: President Barack H.

OBAMA (since 20 January 2009); Vice President Joseph R. BIDEN (since 20 January 2009); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Barack H. OBAMA (since 20 January 2009); Vice President Joseph R. BIDEN (since 20 January 2009) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president, approved by the Senate elections/appointments: president and vice president indirectly elected on the same ballot by the Electoral College of 'electors' chosen from each state; president and vice president serve a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 8 November 2016 (next to be held on 10 November 2020) election results: Donald J. TRUMP elected president; electoral vote count - Donald J. TRUMP (Republican Party) 304, Hillary D. CLINTON (Democratic Party) 227; percent of direct popular vote - Donald J. TRUMP 46%, Hillary D. CLINTON 48%, other 6%; note - Donald J.

TRUMP will assume office on 20 January 2017 Legislative branch: description: bicameral Congress consists of the Senate (100 seats; 2 members directly elected in each of the 50 state constituencies by simple majority vote except in Georgia and Louisiana which require an absolute majority vote with a second round if needed; members serve 6-year terms with one-third of membership renewed every 2 years) and the House of Representatives (435 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote except in Georgia which requires an absolute majority vote with a second round if needed; members serve 2-year terms) elections: Senate - last held on 8 November 2016 (next to be held on 10 November 2020); House of Representatives - last held on 8 November 2016 (next to be held on 10 November 2020) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 46, Republican Party 52, independent 2; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 194, Republican Party 2

41 note: in addition to the regular members of the House of Representatives there are 6 non-voting delegates elected from the District of Columbia and the US territories of American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands; these are single seat constituencies directly elected by simple majority vote to serve a 2-year term; the delegate can vote when serving on a committee and when the House meets as the Committee of the Whole House, but not when legislation is submitted for a “full floor” House vote; election of delegates last held on 4 November 2014 (next to be held on 1 November 2016) Judicial branch: highest court(s): US Supreme Court (consists of 9 justices - the chief justice and 8 associate justices) judge selection and term of office: president nominates and, with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoints Supreme Court justices; justices appointed for life subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal (includes the US Court of Appeal for the Federal District and 12 regional appeals courts); 94 federal district courts in 50 states and territories note: the US court system consists of the federal court system and the state court systems; although each court

 system is responsible for hearing certain types of cases, neither is completely independent of the other, and the systems often interact Democratic Party [Interim Chairperson Donna BRAZILE] Green Party [collective leadership] International organization participation: ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), ANZUS, APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CD, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CICA (observer), CP, EAPC, EAS, EBRD, EITI (implementing country), FAO, FATF, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO,

 NAFTA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNRWA, UNSC (permanent), UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Flag description: 13 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars; the 50 stars represent the 50 states, the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies; the blue stands for loyalty, devotion, truth, justice, and friendship; red symbolizes courage, zeal, and fervency, while white denotes purity and rectitude of conduct; commonly referred to by its nickname of Old Glory note: the design and colors have been the basis for a number of

 other flags, including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and Puerto Rico name: "The Star-Spangled Banner" lyrics/music: Francis Scott KEY/John Stafford SMITH note: adopted 1931; during the War of 1812, after witnessing the successful American defense of Fort McHenry in Baltimore following British naval bombardment, Francis Scott KEY wrote the lyrics to what would become the national anthem; the lyrics were set to the tune of "The Anacreontic Song"; only the first verse is sung Economy :: UNITED STATES Economy - overview: The US has the most technologically powerful economy in the world, with a per capita GDP of $54,800.

US firms are at or near the forefront in technological advances, especially in computers, pharmaceuticals, and medical, aerospace, and military equipment; however, their advantage has narrowed since the end of World War II. Based on a comparison of GDP measured at Purchasing Power Parity conversion rates, the US economy in 2014, having stood as the largest in the world for more than a century, slipped into second place behind China, which has more than tripled the US growth rate for each year of the past four decades. In the US, private individuals and business firms make most of the decisions, and the federal and state governments buy needed goods and services predominantly in the private marketplace. US business firms enjoy greater flexibility than their counterparts in Western Europe and Japan in decisions to expand capital plant, to lay off surplus workers, and to develop new products. At the same time, businesses face higher barriers to enter their rivals' home markets than foreign firms face entering US markets. Long-term problems for the US include stagnation of wages for lower-income families, inadequate investment in deteriorating infrastructure, rapidly rising medical and pension costs of an aging population, energy shortages, and sizable current account and budget deficits.

The onrush of technology has been a driving factor in the gradual development of a "two-tier" labor market in which those at the bottom lack the education and the professional/technical skills of those at the top and, more and more, fail to get comparable pay raises, health insurance coverage, and other benefits. But the globalization of trade, and especially the rise of low-wage producers such as China, has put additional downward pressure on wages and upward pressure on the return to capital. Since 1975, practically all the gains in household income have gone to the top 20% of households. Since 1996, dividends and capital gains have grown faster than wages or any other category of after-tax income. Imported oil accounts for nearly 55% of US consumption and oil has a major impact on the overall health of the economy. Crude oil prices doubled between 2001 and 2006, the year home prices peaked; higher gasoline prices ate into consumers' budgets and many individuals fell behind in their mortgage payments. Oil prices climbed another 50% between 2006 and 2008, and bank foreclosures more than doubled in the same period.

Besides dampening the housing market, soaring oil prices caused a drop in the value of the dollar and a deterioration in the US merchandise trade deficit, which peaked at $840 billion in 2008. Because the US economy is energy-intensive, falling oil prices since 2013 have alleviated many of the problems the earlier increases had created. The sub-prime mortgage crisis, falling home prices, investment bank failures, tight credit, and the global economic downturn pushed the US into a recession by mid-2008. GDP contracted until the third quarter of 2009, making this the deepest and longest downturn since the Great Depression. To help stabilize financial markets, the US Congress established a $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) in October 2008. The government used some of these funds to purchase equity in US banks and industrial corporations, much of which had been returned to the government by early 2011.

In January 2009, Congress passed and President Barack OBAMA signed a bill providing an additional $787 billion fiscal stimulus to be used over 10 years - two-thirds on additional spending and one-third on tax cuts - to create jobs and to help the economy recover. In 2010 and 2011, the federal budget deficit reached nearly 9% of GDP. In 2012, the Federal Government reduced the growth of spending and the deficit shrank to 7.6% of GDP. US revenues from taxes and other sources are lower, as a percentage of GDP, than those of most other countries. Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan required major shifts in national resources from civilian to military purposes and contributed to the growth of the budget deficit and public debt. Through 2014, the direct costs of the wars totaled more than $1.5 trillion, according to US Government figures. In March 2010, President OBAMA signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, a health insurance reform that was designed to extend coverage to an additional 32 million Americans by 2016, through private health insurance for the general population and Medicaid for the impoverished.

Total spending on healthcare - public plus private - rose from 9.0% of GDP in 1980 to 17.9% in 2010. In July 2010, the president signed the DODD-FRANK Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, a law designed to promote financial stability by protecting consumers from financial abuses, ending taxpayer bailouts of financial firms, dealing with troubled banks that are "too big to fail," and improving accountability and transparency in the financial system - in particular, by requiring certain financial derivatives to be traded in markets that are subject to government regulation and oversight. In December 2012, the Federal Reserve Board (Fed) announced plans to purchase $85 billion per month of mortgage-backed and Treasury securities in an effort to hold down long-term interest rates, and to keep short term rates near zero until unemployment dropped below 6.5% or inflation rose above 2.5%. In late 2013, the Fed announced that it would begin scaling back long-term bond purchases to $75 billion per month in January 2014 and further reduce them as conditions warranted; the Fed ended the purchases during the summer of 2014.

In 2014, the unemployment rate dropped to 6.2%, and continued to fall to 5.5% by mid-2015, the lowest rate of joblessness since before the global recession began; inflation stood at 1.7%, and public debt as a share of GDP continued to decline, following several years of increases. In December 2015, the Fed raised its target for the benchmark federal funds rate by 0.25%, the first increase since the recession began, but the Fed has opted to hold the target rate steady at 0.25%-0.5% through the first three quarters of 2016, with US GDP growth falling below 2% in each of those quarters.

revenues: $3.363 trillion expenditures: $3.893 trillion note: for the US, revenues exclude social contributions of approximately $1.0 trillion; expenditures exclude social benefits of approximately $2.3 trillion (2016 est.) Taxes and other revenues: 18.1% of GDP note: excludes contributions for social security and other programs; if social contributions were added, taxes and other revenues would amount to approximately 22% of GDP (2016 est.) country comparison to the world: 170 -2.9% of GDP (2016 est.) country comparison to the world: 100 73.8% of GDP (2016 est.) 73.6% of GDP (2015 est.) note: data cover only what the United States Treasury denotes as "Debt Held by the Public," which includes all debt instruments issued by the Treasury that are owned by non-US Government entities; the data include Treasury debt held by foreign entities; the dat country comparison to the world: 39 $117.6 billion (31 December 2015 est.) $130.1 billion (3

1 December 2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 20 $17.91 trillion (31 March 2016 est.) $17.85 trillion (31 March 2015 est.) note: approximately 4/5ths of US external debt is denominated in US dollars; foreign lenders have been willing to hold US dollar denominated debt instruments because they view the dollar as the world's reserve currency country comparison to the world: 1 $3.648 trillion (31 December 2016 est.) $3.28 trillion (31 December 2015 est.) country comparison to the world: 2 $5.566 trillion (31 December 2016 est.) $5.269 trillion (31 December 2015 est.) country comparison to the world: 2 Exchange rates: British pounds per US dollar: 0.7391 (2016 est.), 0.6542 (2015 est.), 0.607 (2014 est), 0.6391 (2013 est.),

 0.6324 (2012 est.) Canadian dollars per US dollar: 1.331 (2016 est.), 1.2788 (2015 est.), 1.1047 (2014 est.), 1.0298 (2013 est.), 0.9992 (2012 est.) Chinese yuan per US dollar: 6.626 (2016 est.) 6.2275 (2015 est.), 6.1434 (2014 est.), 6.1958 (2013 est.), 6.3123 (2012 est.) euros per US dollar: 0.9214 (2016 est.), 0.885 (2015 est.), 0.7525 (2014 est.), 0.7634 (2013 est.), 0.7752 (2012 est.) Japanese yen per US dollar: 107.1 (2016 est

.), 121.02 (2015 est.), 105.86 (2014 est.), 97.44 (2013 est.), 79.79 (2012 est.) Energy :: UNITED STATES 4.103 trillion kWh (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 2 3.913 trillion kWh (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 2 13 billion kWh (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 16 67 billion kWh (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 2 1.075 billion kW (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 2 73.5% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 102 9.6% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 20 7.4% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 122 7.4% of total installed capacity

 (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 51 9.415 million bbl/day (2015 est.) country comparison to the world: 3 1.162 million bbl/day (2015 est.) country comparison to the world: 14 8.567 million bbl/day (2015 est.) country comparison to the world: 1 36.52 billion bbl (1 January 2016 es) country comparison to the world: 11 19.89 million bbl/day (2015 est.) country comparison to the world: 1 19.53 million bbl/day (2015 est.) country comparison to the world: 1 3.102 million bbl/day (2015 est.) country comparison to the world: 1 41,009 km (19,312 km used for commerce; Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint Lawrence River of 3,058 km, is shared with Canada) (2012) country comparison to

 the world: 5 Merchant marine: total: 393 by type: barge carrier 6, bulk carrier 55, cargo 51, carrier 2, chemical tanker 30, container 84, passenger 18, passenger/cargo 56, petroleum tanker 35, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 27, vehicle carrier 26 foreign-owned: 85 (Australia 1, Bermuda 5, Denmark 31, France 4, Germany 5, Malaysia 2, Norway 17, Singapore 16, UK 4) registered in other countries: 794 (Antigua and Barbuda 7, Australia 2, Bahamas 109, Belgium 1, Bermuda 26, Canada 10, Cayman Islands 57, Comoros 2, Cyprus 5, Georgia 1, Greece 8, Honduras 1, Hong Kong 44, Indonesia 2, Ireland 2, Isle of Man 1, Italy 23, Liberia 53, Malta 34, Marshall Isla (2010) country comparison to the world: 2

6 Ports and terminals: cargo ports (tonnage): Baton Rouge, Corpus Christi, Hampton Roads, Houston, Long Beach, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Plaquemines, Tampa, Texas City container port(s) (TEUs): Hampton Roads (1,918,029), Houston (1,866,450), Long Beach (6,061,091), Los Angeles (7,940,511), New York/New Jersey (5,503,485), Oakland (2,342,504), Savannah (2,944,678), Seattle (2,033,535)(2011) cruise departure ports (passengers): Miami (2,032,000), Port Everglades (1,277,000), Port Canaveral (1,189,000), Seattle (430,000), Long Beach (415,000) (2009) oil terminals: LOOP terminal, Haymark terminal LNG terminal(s) (import): Cove Point (MD),

 Elba Island (GA), Everett (MA), Freeport (TX), Golden Pass (TX), Hackberry (LA), Lake Charles (LA), Neptune (offshore), Northeast Gateway (offshore), Pascagoula (MS), Sabine Pass (TX) LNG terminal(s) (export): Kenai (AK) Military and Security :: UNITED STATES country comparison to the world: 9 Transnational Issues :: UNITED STATES Disputes - international: the US has intensified domestic security measures and is collaborating closely with its neighbors, Canada and Mexico, to monitor and control legal and illegal personnel, transport, and commodities across the international borders; abundant rainfall in recent years along much of the Mexico-US border region has ameliorated periodically strained water-sharing arrangements; 1990 Maritime Boundary Agreement in the Bering Sea still awaits Russian Duma ratification; Canada and the United States dispute how to divide the Beaufort Sea and the status of the Northwest Passage but continue to work cooperatively to survey the Arctic continental shelf; The Bahamas and US have not been able to agree on a maritime boundary; US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased from Cuba and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease; Haiti claims US-administered Nav

assa Island; US has made no territorial claim in Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does not recognize the claims of any other states; Marshall Islands claims Wake Island; Tokelau included American Samoa's Swains Island among the islands listed in its 2006 draft constitution

Question: Which US state lies immediately to the south of South Dakota?
Answer: NEBRASKA