Difference between revisions of "Iowa" - New World Encyclopedia
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{{US state | {{US state | ||
| Name = Iowa | | Name = Iowa | ||
| Fullname = State of Iowa | | Fullname = State of Iowa | ||
| Flag = Flag of Iowa.svg | | Flag = Flag of Iowa.svg | ||
| − | | Flaglink = | + | | Flaglink = Flag of Iowa |
| Seal = SEAL IOWA.png | | Seal = SEAL IOWA.png | ||
| Map = Map of USA IA.svg | | Map = Map of USA IA.svg | ||
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| Demonym = Iowan | | Demonym = Iowan | ||
| Motto = Our liberties we prize and<br />our rights we will maintain | | Motto = Our liberties we prize and<br />our rights we will maintain | ||
| − | | Capital = | + | | Capital = Des Moines |
| − | | OfficialLang = | + | | OfficialLang = English |
| − | | LargestCity = | + | | LargestCity = Des Moines |
| − | | LargestMetro = | + | | LargestMetro = Des Moines metropolitan area |
| − | | Governor = | + | | Governor = Chet Culver (D) |
| − | | Lieutenant Governor = | + | | Lieutenant Governor = Patty Judge (D) |
| − | | Senators = | + | | Senators = Chuck Grassley (R)<br />Tom Harkin (D) |
| PostalAbbreviation = IA | | PostalAbbreviation = IA | ||
| AreaRank = 26<sup>th</sup> | | AreaRank = 26<sup>th</sup> | ||
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| AdmittanceOrder = 29<sup>th</sup> | | AdmittanceOrder = 29<sup>th</sup> | ||
| AdmittanceDate = December 28, 1846 | | AdmittanceDate = December 28, 1846 | ||
| − | | TimeZone = | + | | TimeZone = Central: UTC-6/DST-5 |
| Latitude = 40° 23′ N to 43° 30′ N | | Latitude = 40° 23′ N to 43° 30′ N | ||
| Longitude = 90° 8′ W to 96° 38′ W | | Longitude = 90° 8′ W to 96° 38′ W | ||
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| WidthUS = 310 | | WidthUS = 310 | ||
| Width = 500 | | Width = 500 | ||
| − | | HighestPoint = | + | | HighestPoint = Hawkeye Point<ref name="usgs">{{cite web| date =29 April 2005 | url =http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/elvadist/elvadist.html#Highest| title =Elevations and Distances in the United States| publisher =U.S Geological Survey| accessmonthday = November 6 | accessyear = 2006}}</ref> |
| HighestElevUS = 1,670 | | HighestElevUS = 1,670 | ||
| HighestElev = 509 | | HighestElev = 509 | ||
| MeanElevUS = 1,099 | | MeanElevUS = 1,099 | ||
| MeanElev = 335 | | MeanElev = 335 | ||
| − | | LowestPoint = | + | | LowestPoint = Mississippi River<ref name="usgs"/> at Keokuk |
| LowestElevUS = 480 | | LowestElevUS = 480 | ||
| LowestElev = 146 | | LowestElev = 146 | ||
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| Website = www.iowa.gov | | Website = www.iowa.gov | ||
}} | }} | ||
| − | The '''State of Iowa''' | + | The '''State of Iowa''' is a state in the [[Midwestern]] region of the [[United States of America]]. It is the 29th state of the [[United States]], having joined the Union on December 28, 1846. The state is named for the [[Iowa tribe|Ioway]] people, a Siouan tribe of [[Native Americans in the United States|Native Americans]] that formerly lived there. It is officially known as the "Hawkeye State" and unofficially known as the "Tall Corn State".<ref>[http://www.uni.edu/iowaonline/6.htm Iowa History Online]</ref><ref>[http://www.ouriowamagazine.com/ Our Iowa Magazine]</ref> |
==Geography== | ==Geography== | ||
[[Image:Iowa topography.jpg|thumb|400px|left|Topography of Iowa, with counties and major streams.]] | [[Image:Iowa topography.jpg|thumb|400px|left|Topography of Iowa, with counties and major streams.]] | ||
| − | The [[Mississippi River]] separates Iowa from [[Illinois]] and [[Wisconsin]] to form the eastern boundary of the state. The [[Missouri River]] on the west edge of the state forms the boundary for [[Nebraska]] (with the exception of | + | The [[Mississippi River]] separates Iowa from [[Illinois]] and [[Wisconsin]] to form the eastern boundary of the state. The [[Missouri River]] on the west edge of the state forms the boundary for [[Nebraska]] (with the exception of Carter Lake).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.carterlakepreservation.org/|title=Carter Lake Preservation Society<!-- Bot generated title —>}}</ref> The Big Sioux River in the northwest corner of the state forms the North/South boundary with [[South Dakota]]. To the north lies [[Minnesota]] and to the south lies [[Missouri]]. There are several natural [[lake]]s in the state, most notably [[Spirit Lake (Iowa)|Spirit Lake]], [[West Okoboji Lake]], and [[East Okoboji Lake]] in northwest Iowa ''(see [[Iowa Great Lakes]])''.To the east lies [[Clear Lake, Iowa]]. Man-made lakes include Lake Odessa,[http://www.iowadnr.com/fish/fishing/lakes/ode58.html] [[Saylorville Lake]], [[Lake Red Rock (Des Moines River)|Lake Red Rock]], Coralville Lake, Lake MacBride and Rathbun Lake. |
Iowa's natural vegetation is the [[Tallgrass prairie]] and [[Savanna]] while the topography of the state is gently rolling [[plains]]. [[Loess]] hills lie along the western border of the state, some of which are several hundred feet thick.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://pubs.usgs.gov/info/loess/ | title= Geology of the Loess Hills, Iowa | year= 1999 | month= July | accessdate= 2008-03-26 | publisher= [[United States Geological Survey]]}}</ref> In the northeast, along the Mississippi River, is a section of the [[Driftless Zone]], which in Iowa consists of low rugged hills covered with conifers—a landscape not usually associated with this state. | Iowa's natural vegetation is the [[Tallgrass prairie]] and [[Savanna]] while the topography of the state is gently rolling [[plains]]. [[Loess]] hills lie along the western border of the state, some of which are several hundred feet thick.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://pubs.usgs.gov/info/loess/ | title= Geology of the Loess Hills, Iowa | year= 1999 | month= July | accessdate= 2008-03-26 | publisher= [[United States Geological Survey]]}}</ref> In the northeast, along the Mississippi River, is a section of the [[Driftless Zone]], which in Iowa consists of low rugged hills covered with conifers—a landscape not usually associated with this state. | ||
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The point of lowest elevation is [[Keokuk, Iowa|Keokuk]] in southeastern Iowa, at 480 feet (146 m). The point of highest elevation, at 1,670 feet (509 m), is [[Hawkeye Point]], located in a feedlot north of [[Sibley, Iowa|Sibley]] in northwest Iowa. The mean elevation of the state is 1,099 feet (335 m). Considering the size of the state at 56,271 square miles (145,743 km²), there is very little elevation difference. | The point of lowest elevation is [[Keokuk, Iowa|Keokuk]] in southeastern Iowa, at 480 feet (146 m). The point of highest elevation, at 1,670 feet (509 m), is [[Hawkeye Point]], located in a feedlot north of [[Sibley, Iowa|Sibley]] in northwest Iowa. The mean elevation of the state is 1,099 feet (335 m). Considering the size of the state at 56,271 square miles (145,743 km²), there is very little elevation difference. | ||
| − | Iowa has 99 | + | Iowa has 99 counties. The state capital, Des Moines, is located in Polk County ([[:Image:Iowa counties with numbers.jpg|#60]]). |
| − | Iowa has the highest average [[radon]] concentrations in the nation due to significant glaciation that ground the granitic rocks from the Canadian Shield and deposited it as soils making up the rich Iowa farmland.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cheec.uiowa.edu/misc/radon.html|title=The Iowa Radon Lung Cancer Study<!-- Bot generated title —>}}</ref> Many cities within the state, such as | + | Iowa has the highest average [[radon]] concentrations in the nation due to significant glaciation that ground the granitic rocks from the Canadian Shield and deposited it as soils making up the rich Iowa farmland.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cheec.uiowa.edu/misc/radon.html|title=The Iowa Radon Lung Cancer Study<!-- Bot generated title —>}}</ref> Many cities within the state, such as Iowa City have passed requirements for radon resistant construction in all new homes. |
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===Climate=== | ===Climate=== | ||
Iowa, like most of the Midwest, has a [[humid continental climate]] throughout the state ([[Koppen climate classification]] ''Dfa'') with extremes of both heat and cold. The average annual temperature at [[Des Moines]] is 50 °F (10 °C); for some locations in the north the figure is under 45 °F (8 °C), while [[Keokuk]], on the [[Mississippi River]], averages 52 °F (12 °C). Winters are brisk and snowfall is common. Spring ushers in the beginning of the [[severe weather]] season. Iowa averages about 50 days of [[thunderstorm]] activity per year.<ref name="Thunderstorm Hazard"> [http://www.srh.noaa.gov/key/HTML/tstmhazards.htm US Thunderstorm distribution]. src.noaa.gov. Last accessed February 13, 2008.</ref> [[Tornado]]es are common during the spring and summer months, with an average of 37 tornadoes in a single year.<ref name="Annual Average Number of Tornadoes">[http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/img/climate/research/tornado/small/avgt5304.gif Mean Annual Average Number of Tornadoes 1953–2004]. ncdc.noaa.gov. Last accessed November 1, 2006.</ref> The Iowa summers are known for heat and humidity, with daytime temperatures often near 90 °F (32 °C) and sometimes exceeding 100 °F (38 °C). | Iowa, like most of the Midwest, has a [[humid continental climate]] throughout the state ([[Koppen climate classification]] ''Dfa'') with extremes of both heat and cold. The average annual temperature at [[Des Moines]] is 50 °F (10 °C); for some locations in the north the figure is under 45 °F (8 °C), while [[Keokuk]], on the [[Mississippi River]], averages 52 °F (12 °C). Winters are brisk and snowfall is common. Spring ushers in the beginning of the [[severe weather]] season. Iowa averages about 50 days of [[thunderstorm]] activity per year.<ref name="Thunderstorm Hazard"> [http://www.srh.noaa.gov/key/HTML/tstmhazards.htm US Thunderstorm distribution]. src.noaa.gov. Last accessed February 13, 2008.</ref> [[Tornado]]es are common during the spring and summer months, with an average of 37 tornadoes in a single year.<ref name="Annual Average Number of Tornadoes">[http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/img/climate/research/tornado/small/avgt5304.gif Mean Annual Average Number of Tornadoes 1953–2004]. ncdc.noaa.gov. Last accessed November 1, 2006.</ref> The Iowa summers are known for heat and humidity, with daytime temperatures often near 90 °F (32 °C) and sometimes exceeding 100 °F (38 °C). | ||
| − | + | ==History== | |
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| − | ==Prehistory== | + | ===Prehistory=== |
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When the first Native Americans arrived in what is now Iowa more than 13,000 years ago, they were hunters and gatherers living in a [[Pleistocene]] glacial landscape. By the time European explorers visited Iowa, Native Americans were largely settled farmers with complex economic, social, and political systems. This transformation happened gradually. During the Archaic period (10,500-2,800 years ago) Native Americans adapted to local environments and ecosystems, slowly becoming more sedentary as populations increased. More than 3,000 years ago, during the Late Archaic period, Indians in Iowa began utilizing domesticated plants. The subsequent Woodland period saw an increase on the reliance on agriculture and social complexity, with increased use of mounds, ceramics, and specialized subsistence. During the Late Prehistoric period (beginning about A.D. 900) increased use of maize and social changes led to social flourishing and nucleated settlements. The arrival of European trade goods and diseases in the Protohistoric period led to dramatic population shifts and economic and social upheaval, with the arrival of new tribes and early European explorers and traders.<ref> Alex, Lynn M. (2000) ''Iowa's Archaeological Past.'' University of Iowa Press, Iowa City.</ref> | When the first Native Americans arrived in what is now Iowa more than 13,000 years ago, they were hunters and gatherers living in a [[Pleistocene]] glacial landscape. By the time European explorers visited Iowa, Native Americans were largely settled farmers with complex economic, social, and political systems. This transformation happened gradually. During the Archaic period (10,500-2,800 years ago) Native Americans adapted to local environments and ecosystems, slowly becoming more sedentary as populations increased. More than 3,000 years ago, during the Late Archaic period, Indians in Iowa began utilizing domesticated plants. The subsequent Woodland period saw an increase on the reliance on agriculture and social complexity, with increased use of mounds, ceramics, and specialized subsistence. During the Late Prehistoric period (beginning about A.D. 900) increased use of maize and social changes led to social flourishing and nucleated settlements. The arrival of European trade goods and diseases in the Protohistoric period led to dramatic population shifts and economic and social upheaval, with the arrival of new tribes and early European explorers and traders.<ref> Alex, Lynn M. (2000) ''Iowa's Archaeological Past.'' University of Iowa Press, Iowa City.</ref> | ||
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The first Europeans to explore Iowa were French citizens following the [[Sac (tribe)|Sac]] and Meskwaki ([[Fox (tribe)|Fox]]) tribes.<ref>{{cite web | title = Official Site of the Meswaki Nation | url = http://www.meskwaki.org/ | format = | accessdate = 2008-05-16}}</ref> The first American settlers(Marquette and Jolliet) officially moved to Iowa in June 1833. Primarily, they were families from Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri. On December 28, 1846, Iowa became the 29<sup>th</sup> state in the union. Iowa supported the Union during the [[American Civil War]], voting heavily for Lincoln, though there was a strong antiwar "[[Copperheads_(politics)|Copperhead]]" movement among settlers of southern origins and among Catholics. There were no battles in the state, but Iowa sent large supplies of food to the armies and the eastern cities. Following the Civil War, Iowa's population continued to grow dramatically, from 674,913 people in 1860 to 1,194,020 in 1870. In 1917, the United States entered World War I and farmers as well as all Iowans experienced a wartime economy. For farmers, the change was significant. Since the beginning of the war in 1914, Iowa farmers had experienced economic prosperity. In the economic sector, Iowa also has undergone considerable change. Beginning with the first farm-related industries developed in the 1870s, Iowa has experienced a gradual increase in the number of business and manufacturing operations. The period since World War II has witnessed a particular increase in manufacturing operations. While agriculture continues to be the state's dominant industry, Iowans also produce a wide variety of products including refrigerators, washing machines, fountain pens, farm implements, and food products that are shipped around the world. | The first Europeans to explore Iowa were French citizens following the [[Sac (tribe)|Sac]] and Meskwaki ([[Fox (tribe)|Fox]]) tribes.<ref>{{cite web | title = Official Site of the Meswaki Nation | url = http://www.meskwaki.org/ | format = | accessdate = 2008-05-16}}</ref> The first American settlers(Marquette and Jolliet) officially moved to Iowa in June 1833. Primarily, they were families from Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri. On December 28, 1846, Iowa became the 29<sup>th</sup> state in the union. Iowa supported the Union during the [[American Civil War]], voting heavily for Lincoln, though there was a strong antiwar "[[Copperheads_(politics)|Copperhead]]" movement among settlers of southern origins and among Catholics. There were no battles in the state, but Iowa sent large supplies of food to the armies and the eastern cities. Following the Civil War, Iowa's population continued to grow dramatically, from 674,913 people in 1860 to 1,194,020 in 1870. In 1917, the United States entered World War I and farmers as well as all Iowans experienced a wartime economy. For farmers, the change was significant. Since the beginning of the war in 1914, Iowa farmers had experienced economic prosperity. In the economic sector, Iowa also has undergone considerable change. Beginning with the first farm-related industries developed in the 1870s, Iowa has experienced a gradual increase in the number of business and manufacturing operations. The period since World War II has witnessed a particular increase in manufacturing operations. While agriculture continues to be the state's dominant industry, Iowans also produce a wide variety of products including refrigerators, washing machines, fountain pens, farm implements, and food products that are shipped around the world. | ||
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=== Population === | === Population === | ||
[[Image:Iowa population map.png|thumb|right|275px|Iowa Population Density Map]] | [[Image:Iowa population map.png|thumb|right|275px|Iowa Population Density Map]] | ||
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As of 2007, Iowa has an estimated population of 2,988,046, which is an increase of 15,480, or 0.5%, from the prior year and an increase of 61,722 or 2.1%, since the year 2000.<ref name="Census_Iowa_QuickFacts"/> This includes a natural increase since the last census of 53,706 people (that is 197,163 births minus 143,457 deaths) and a decrease due to net migration of 11,754 people out of the state. [[Immigration to the United States|Immigration]] from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 29,386 people, while migration within the country produced a net loss of 41,140 people. | As of 2007, Iowa has an estimated population of 2,988,046, which is an increase of 15,480, or 0.5%, from the prior year and an increase of 61,722 or 2.1%, since the year 2000.<ref name="Census_Iowa_QuickFacts"/> This includes a natural increase since the last census of 53,706 people (that is 197,163 births minus 143,457 deaths) and a decrease due to net migration of 11,754 people out of the state. [[Immigration to the United States|Immigration]] from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 29,386 people, while migration within the country produced a net loss of 41,140 people. | ||
6.1% of Iowa's population were reported as under the age of five, 22.6% under 18, and 14.7% were 65 or older. Males made up approximately 49.2% of the population.<ref name="Census_Iowa_QuickFacts"/> The population density of the state is 52.7 people per square mile.<ref>[Title=The New York Times 2008 Almanac|Author=edited by John W. Wright|Date=2007|Page=178]</ref> The [[center of population]] of Iowa is located in [[Marshall County, Iowa|Marshall County]], in the city of [[Marshalltown, Iowa|Marshalltown]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/geo/www/cenpop/statecenters.txt |title=Population and Population Centers by State: 2000}}</ref> | 6.1% of Iowa's population were reported as under the age of five, 22.6% under 18, and 14.7% were 65 or older. Males made up approximately 49.2% of the population.<ref name="Census_Iowa_QuickFacts"/> The population density of the state is 52.7 people per square mile.<ref>[Title=The New York Times 2008 Almanac|Author=edited by John W. Wright|Date=2007|Page=178]</ref> The [[center of population]] of Iowa is located in [[Marshall County, Iowa|Marshall County]], in the city of [[Marshalltown, Iowa|Marshalltown]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/geo/www/cenpop/statecenters.txt |title=Population and Population Centers by State: 2000}}</ref> | ||
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===Race and ancestry=== | ===Race and ancestry=== | ||
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===Religion=== | ===Religion=== | ||
A 2001 survey from the [[City University of New York]] found that 52% of Iowans are [[Protestantism|Protestant]], while 23% are [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]], and other religion made up 6%. 13% responded with non-religious, and 5% did not answer.<ref>{{cite web | title = American Religious Identification Survey 2001 | publisher = The Graduate Center of the City University of New York| url = http://www.gc.cuny.edu/faculty/research_studies/aris.pdf | format = | accessdate = 2007-08-16}}</ref> The largest Protestant denominations by number of adherents are the [[Evangelical Lutheran Church in America]] with 268,543; and the [[United Methodist Church]] with 248,211.<ref>http://www.thearda.com/mapsReports/reports/state/19_2000.asp</ref> | A 2001 survey from the [[City University of New York]] found that 52% of Iowans are [[Protestantism|Protestant]], while 23% are [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]], and other religion made up 6%. 13% responded with non-religious, and 5% did not answer.<ref>{{cite web | title = American Religious Identification Survey 2001 | publisher = The Graduate Center of the City University of New York| url = http://www.gc.cuny.edu/faculty/research_studies/aris.pdf | format = | accessdate = 2007-08-16}}</ref> The largest Protestant denominations by number of adherents are the [[Evangelical Lutheran Church in America]] with 268,543; and the [[United Methodist Church]] with 248,211.<ref>http://www.thearda.com/mapsReports/reports/state/19_2000.asp</ref> | ||
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===Western Iowa=== | ===Western Iowa=== | ||
| − | Some of the most dramatic scenery in Iowa is found in the southwest, home of the unique [[Loess Hills]]. The Iowa Great Lakes include several resort areas such as [[Spirit Lake, Iowa|Spirit Lake]], [[Arnolds Park, Iowa|Arnolds Park]], and the [[Okoboji]] Lakes | + | Some of the most dramatic scenery in Iowa is found in the southwest, home of the unique [[Loess Hills]]. The Iowa Great Lakes include several resort areas such as [[Spirit Lake, Iowa|Spirit Lake]], [[Arnolds Park, Iowa|Arnolds Park]], and the [[Okoboji]] Lakes. Northwest Iowa is also home to some of the largest concentrations of [[wind turbine]] farms in the world. |
| − | [[Image:Loess hills.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Loess Hills east of | + | [[Image:Loess hills.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Loess Hills east of Mondamin.]] |
===Northeast and Northern Iowa=== | ===Northeast and Northern Iowa=== | ||
| − | + | [[Image:Fort Atkinson Iowa.jpg|right|thumb|Ruins of historic [[Fort Atkinson, Iowa|Fort Atkinson]].]] | |
| − | The [[Driftless Area]] of northeast Iowa is starkly beautiful, with steep hills and deep valleys, checked with forest and terraced fields. [[Effigy Mounds National Monument]] in [[Allamakee County, Iowa|Allamakee]] and [[Clayton County, Iowa|Clayton Counties]] has the largest assemblage of animal-shaped prehistoric mounds in the world | + | The [[Driftless Area]] of northeast Iowa is starkly beautiful, with steep hills and deep valleys, checked with forest and terraced fields. [[Effigy Mounds National Monument]] in [[Allamakee County, Iowa|Allamakee]] and [[Clayton County, Iowa|Clayton Counties]] has the largest assemblage of animal-shaped prehistoric mounds in the world. |
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==Economy== | ==Economy== | ||
[[Image:Iowa quarter, reverse side, 2004.jpg|thumb|right|130px|Iowa [[State Quarters|state quarter]] with reverse image based on a painting by American artist [[Grant Wood]]]] | [[Image:Iowa quarter, reverse side, 2004.jpg|thumb|right|130px|Iowa [[State Quarters|state quarter]] with reverse image based on a painting by American artist [[Grant Wood]]]] | ||
If the economy is measured by gross domestic product, in 2005 it was about $124 billion.<ref>Iowa State University. [http://www.recap.iastate.edu/atlas/industries/gdp-by-state-industry.php Gross domestic product by sector and state]. Regional Capacity Analysis Program. Retrieved on: April 26, 2008.</ref> | If the economy is measured by gross domestic product, in 2005 it was about $124 billion.<ref>Iowa State University. [http://www.recap.iastate.edu/atlas/industries/gdp-by-state-industry.php Gross domestic product by sector and state]. Regional Capacity Analysis Program. Retrieved on: April 26, 2008.</ref> | ||
| − | If measured by gross state product, for 2005 it was US$113.5 billion.<ref name="Facts">{{cite web|url=http://www.statelibraryofiowa.org/datacenter/quickfacts|title=Iowa Quick | + | If measured by gross state product, for 2005 it was US$113.5 billion.<ref name="Facts">{{cite web|url=http://www.statelibraryofiowa.org/datacenter/quickfacts|title=Iowa Quick Facts—State Data Center<!-- Bot generated title —>}}</ref> Its [[per capita income]] for 2006 was US $23,340.<ref name="Facts"/> |
The role of agriculture in Iowa's economy can be measured in multiple ways, but its total impact, including agriculture-affiliated business, has been measured as 16.4% (in terms of value added) and 24.3% (in terms of total output). This is lower than the economic impact in Iowa of non-farm manufacturing, which accounts for 22.4% of total value added and 26.5% of total output.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ideas.repec.org/p/isu/genres/10180.html|title=Multiple Measures of the Role of Agriculture in Iowa's Economy}}</ref> | The role of agriculture in Iowa's economy can be measured in multiple ways, but its total impact, including agriculture-affiliated business, has been measured as 16.4% (in terms of value added) and 24.3% (in terms of total output). This is lower than the economic impact in Iowa of non-farm manufacturing, which accounts for 22.4% of total value added and 26.5% of total output.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ideas.repec.org/p/isu/genres/10180.html|title=Multiple Measures of the Role of Agriculture in Iowa's Economy}}</ref> | ||
Iowa's main agricultural outputs are [[pig|hogs]], [[maize|corn]], [[soybean]]s, [[oat]]s, [[cattle]], eggs and [[dairy]] products. Its industrial outputs are food processing, machinery, electric equipment, chemical products, publishing and primary metals. Iowa produces the nation's largest amount of [[ethanol]]. Des Moines also serves as a center for the insurance industry. | Iowa's main agricultural outputs are [[pig|hogs]], [[maize|corn]], [[soybean]]s, [[oat]]s, [[cattle]], eggs and [[dairy]] products. Its industrial outputs are food processing, machinery, electric equipment, chemical products, publishing and primary metals. Iowa produces the nation's largest amount of [[ethanol]]. Des Moines also serves as a center for the insurance industry. | ||
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===Companies=== | ===Companies=== | ||
Iowa is the headquarters for seven of the top 1,000 companies for revenue.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/states/I.html|title=FORTUNE 500 2006: States<!-- Bot generated title —>}}</ref> They include [[Principal Financial]], [[Rockwell Collins]], [[Casey's]] General Stores, and [[HNI]]. Iowa is also headquarters to other companies including [[Hy-Vee]], a major grocery store in Iowa and six other states, [[Pella (company)|Pella Corporation]], [[Vermeer Company]], [[Kum & Go]] gas stations, [[Von Maur]] (a department store), [[Pioneer Hi-Bred]], [[McLeodUSA]], and [[Fareway]] grocery stores, among others. | Iowa is the headquarters for seven of the top 1,000 companies for revenue.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/states/I.html|title=FORTUNE 500 2006: States<!-- Bot generated title —>}}</ref> They include [[Principal Financial]], [[Rockwell Collins]], [[Casey's]] General Stores, and [[HNI]]. Iowa is also headquarters to other companies including [[Hy-Vee]], a major grocery store in Iowa and six other states, [[Pella (company)|Pella Corporation]], [[Vermeer Company]], [[Kum & Go]] gas stations, [[Von Maur]] (a department store), [[Pioneer Hi-Bred]], [[McLeodUSA]], and [[Fareway]] grocery stores, among others. | ||
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[[Image:Iowa overview.jpg|thumb|left|400px|Iowa's major interstates, larger cities, and counties.]] | [[Image:Iowa overview.jpg|thumb|left|400px|Iowa's major interstates, larger cities, and counties.]] | ||
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==Law and government== | ==Law and government== | ||
| − | + | [[Image:Iauds.jpg|thumb|right|Current sample Iowa license plate]] —> | |
[[Image:Iowa capitol.jpg|thumb|250px|Capitol in 2003 after regilding]] | [[Image:Iowa capitol.jpg|thumb|250px|Capitol in 2003 after regilding]] | ||
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| − | The current Governor is | + | The current Governor is Chet Culver (D) |
Other statewide elected officials are: | Other statewide elected officials are: | ||
| − | * | + | *Patty Judge (D) - Lieutenant Governor |
| − | * | + | *Michael Mauro (D) - Secretary of State |
| − | * | + | *David Vaudt (R) - Auditor of State |
| − | * | + | *Michael Fitzgerald (D) - Treasurer of State |
| − | * | + | *Bill Northey (R) - Secretary of Agriculture |
| − | * | + | *Tom Miller (D) - Attorney General |
The two U.S. Senators: | The two U.S. Senators: | ||
{{see|List of United States Senators from Iowa}} | {{see|List of United States Senators from Iowa}} | ||
| − | * | + | *Tom Harkin (D) |
| − | * | + | *Chuck Grassley (R) |
The five U.S. Congressmen: | The five U.S. Congressmen: | ||
| − | * | + | *Bruce Braley (D) - First District |
| − | * | + | *Dave Loebsack (D) - Second District |
| − | * | + | *Leonard Boswell (D) - Third District |
| − | * | + | *Tom Latham (R) - Fourth District |
| − | * | + | *Steve King (R) - Fifth District |
| − | The | + | The Code of Iowa contains the statutory laws of the State of Iowa. It is periodically updated by the Iowa Legislative Service Bureau, with a new edition published in odd-numbered years and a supplement published in even-numbered years. |
Iowa is an alcohol monopoly or [[Alcoholic beverage control state]]. | Iowa is an alcohol monopoly or [[Alcoholic beverage control state]]. | ||
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| accessdate = 2007-07-26 | | accessdate = 2007-07-26 | ||
| format = PDF | | format = PDF | ||
| − | | publisher = Elections Division, | + | | publisher = Elections Division, Iowa Secretary of State |
}}</ref> Iowa recognizes two political parties - the [[Republican Party of Iowa|Republican Party]] and the [[Iowa Democratic Party|Democratic Party]]. [[Third party (politics)|Third parties]], officially termed "nonparty political organizations" can appear on the ballot as well - five of these have had candidates on the ballot in Iowa since 2004 for various positions: the [[Constitution Party (United States)|Constitution Party]], the [[Green Party (United States)|Iowa Green Party]], the [[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarian Party]], the [[Pirate Party]], and the [[Socialist Workers Party (United States)|Socialist Workers Party]].<ref>{{cite web | }}</ref> Iowa recognizes two political parties - the [[Republican Party of Iowa|Republican Party]] and the [[Iowa Democratic Party|Democratic Party]]. [[Third party (politics)|Third parties]], officially termed "nonparty political organizations" can appear on the ballot as well - five of these have had candidates on the ballot in Iowa since 2004 for various positions: the [[Constitution Party (United States)|Constitution Party]], the [[Green Party (United States)|Iowa Green Party]], the [[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarian Party]], the [[Pirate Party]], and the [[Socialist Workers Party (United States)|Socialist Workers Party]].<ref>{{cite web | ||
| url = http://www.sos.state.ia.us/pdfs/GenOffResults.pdf | | url = http://www.sos.state.ia.us/pdfs/GenOffResults.pdf | ||
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| accessdate = 2007-07-26 | | accessdate = 2007-07-26 | ||
| format = PDF | | format = PDF | ||
| − | | publisher = | + | | publisher = Iowa Secretary of State |
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | ||
| url = http://www.sos.state.ia.us/pdfs/elections/2004/general/CanvassSummary.pdf | | url = http://www.sos.state.ia.us/pdfs/elections/2004/general/CanvassSummary.pdf | ||
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| accessdate = 2007-07-26 | | accessdate = 2007-07-26 | ||
| format = PDF | | format = PDF | ||
| − | | publisher = | + | | publisher = Chester J. Culver, Iowa Secretary of State |
}}</ref> | }}</ref> | ||
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|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
| − | Iowa is currently listed as a | + | Iowa is currently listed as a swing state in national politics. From 1968 to 1988, it voted Republican in the presidential election, voting for [[Richard Nixon]] in 1968 and 1972, Gerald Ford in 1976, and Ronald Reagan in 1980 and 1984. However, in 1988, Democratic candidate Michael Dukakis won the state, beating Republican candidate [[George H. W. Bush]] by a surprisingly large margin in that state, and winning in several traditionally Republican counties. The state subsequently voted Democratic in succeeding elections, voting for Bill Clinton in 1992 and 1996, and Democrat [[Al Gore]] in 2000, and in 2008, [[Barack Obama]] won the state by 10 percentage points. |
| − | In the 2006 elections, the Iowa Democrats gained two seats in the Iowa delegation to the [[United States House of Representatives]], and Democrats won a majority in both houses of the | + | In the 2006 elections, the Iowa Democrats gained two seats in the Iowa delegation to the [[United States House of Representatives]], and Democrats won a majority in both houses of the Iowa General Assembly. |
On the January 4, 2008 national primaries for President of the United States, Iowa voters selected the Democratic Party nomination contender U.S. Senator Barack Obama of Illinois as the winner. As the Iowa caucus is believed to be the first crucial test for the rest of the campaign, it is considered a key stepping stone on the path to the White House. It helped catapult Senator Obama's quest for winning caucuses and primaries throughout the rest of the country, ultimately resulting in him securing the nomination and being elected the 44th President of the United States. | On the January 4, 2008 national primaries for President of the United States, Iowa voters selected the Democratic Party nomination contender U.S. Senator Barack Obama of Illinois as the winner. As the Iowa caucus is believed to be the first crucial test for the rest of the campaign, it is considered a key stepping stone on the path to the White House. It helped catapult Senator Obama's quest for winning caucuses and primaries throughout the rest of the country, ultimately resulting in him securing the nomination and being elected the 44th President of the United States. | ||
===Presidential caucus=== | ===Presidential caucus=== | ||
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The state gets considerable attention every four years because it holds the first presidential [[Iowa caucus|caucuses]], gatherings of voters to select delegates to the state conventions. Along with the [[New Hampshire primary]] the following week, Iowa's caucuses have become the starting points for choosing the two major-party candidates for president. The caucuses, held in January of the election year, involve people gathering in homes or public places and choosing their candidates, rather than casting secret ballots as is done in a [[Presidential primary|primary]] [[election]]. The national and international media give Iowa (and [[New Hampshire]]) much of the attention accorded the national candidate selection process, which gives Iowa voters enormous leverage. Those who enter the caucus race often expend enormous effort to reach voters in each of Iowa's 99 counties. | The state gets considerable attention every four years because it holds the first presidential [[Iowa caucus|caucuses]], gatherings of voters to select delegates to the state conventions. Along with the [[New Hampshire primary]] the following week, Iowa's caucuses have become the starting points for choosing the two major-party candidates for president. The caucuses, held in January of the election year, involve people gathering in homes or public places and choosing their candidates, rather than casting secret ballots as is done in a [[Presidential primary|primary]] [[election]]. The national and international media give Iowa (and [[New Hampshire]]) much of the attention accorded the national candidate selection process, which gives Iowa voters enormous leverage. Those who enter the caucus race often expend enormous effort to reach voters in each of Iowa's 99 counties. | ||
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==Education== | ==Education== | ||
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Iowa takes pride in its education system. The graduation rate for high school seniors has gradually increased to 90.8% in 2006.<ref name="Report">{{cite web | title = The State Report Card For No Child Left Behind| publisher = Iowa Department of Education| url = http://www.iowa.gov/educate/index2.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_view&gid=4184&Itemid=55| date = | accessdate =2008-01-23 }}</ref> The state has the third highest graduation rate in the nation.<ref name="UHF">{{cite web | title = High School Graduation| publisher = United Health Foundation| url = http://www.unitedhealthfoundation.com/shr2005/components/hsgrad.html| date = | accessdate =2008-01-23 }}</ref> Iowa continually ranks in the top 3 for [[ACT (examination)|ACT]] and [[SAT]] scores.<ref name="Schools">{{cite web | title = Quick Facts about Iowa Schools| publisher = Iowa Department of Education| url = http://www.iowa.gov/educate/content/view/281/1003/| date = | accessdate =2008-01-23 }}</ref> Iowa has 365 school districts,<ref name="Schools"/> and has the twelfth best student to teacher ratio of 13.8 students per teacher.<ref name="NEA"/> Teacher's pay, however, is ranked forty-second with the average salary being $39,284.<ref name="NEA">{{cite web | title = Education Stats| publisher = National Education Association| url = http://www.nea.org/edstats/RankFull06b.htm| date = | accessdate =2008-01-23 }}</ref> Iowa has three state universities: the [[University of Iowa]], [[Iowa State University]], and the [[University of Northern Iowa]]; and many private colleges and universities and community colleges. | Iowa takes pride in its education system. The graduation rate for high school seniors has gradually increased to 90.8% in 2006.<ref name="Report">{{cite web | title = The State Report Card For No Child Left Behind| publisher = Iowa Department of Education| url = http://www.iowa.gov/educate/index2.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_view&gid=4184&Itemid=55| date = | accessdate =2008-01-23 }}</ref> The state has the third highest graduation rate in the nation.<ref name="UHF">{{cite web | title = High School Graduation| publisher = United Health Foundation| url = http://www.unitedhealthfoundation.com/shr2005/components/hsgrad.html| date = | accessdate =2008-01-23 }}</ref> Iowa continually ranks in the top 3 for [[ACT (examination)|ACT]] and [[SAT]] scores.<ref name="Schools">{{cite web | title = Quick Facts about Iowa Schools| publisher = Iowa Department of Education| url = http://www.iowa.gov/educate/content/view/281/1003/| date = | accessdate =2008-01-23 }}</ref> Iowa has 365 school districts,<ref name="Schools"/> and has the twelfth best student to teacher ratio of 13.8 students per teacher.<ref name="NEA"/> Teacher's pay, however, is ranked forty-second with the average salary being $39,284.<ref name="NEA">{{cite web | title = Education Stats| publisher = National Education Association| url = http://www.nea.org/edstats/RankFull06b.htm| date = | accessdate =2008-01-23 }}</ref> Iowa has three state universities: the [[University of Iowa]], [[Iowa State University]], and the [[University of Northern Iowa]]; and many private colleges and universities and community colleges. | ||
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==Famous Iowans== | ==Famous Iowans== | ||
| − | + | Iowa has been the birthplace of one president, [[Herbert Hoover]], and one [[Vice President of the United States|vice-president]], [[Henry A. Wallace]]. Among the [[Nobel Prize]] winners born in Iowa are [[Norman Borlaug]], [[Nobel Peace Prize]], [[Alan J. Heeger]], [[Nobel Prize in Chemistry]], and [[Stanley B. Prusiner]], [[Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine]]. Olympic gymnastics gold medal winner [[Shawn Johnson]] was born in Iowa. | |
| − | Iowa has been the birthplace of one | ||
==State symbols== | ==State symbols== | ||
| − | * | + | *Nickname(s): The Hawkeye State,<ref>{{cite web | title=Iowa Department of Economic Development Travel Iowa web site - State Symbols | url=http://www.traveliowa.com/iowafacts/symbols.html | publisher= Iowa Department of Economic Development | accessmonthday=August 7 |accessyear=2007}}</ref> The Tall Corn State |
| − | *Bird: | + | *Bird: American Goldfinch<ref name="statesymbols"/><ref name="Census_Facts4Students"/> |
| − | *Fish: | + | *Fish: Channel catfish (unofficial)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.statefishart.com/states/midwest/io.htm|title=National State-Fish Art: Iowa (Unofficial) State Fish<!-- Bot generated title —>}}</ref> |
| − | *Flower: Wild | + | *Flower: Wild Rose<ref name="statesymbols"/><ref name="Census_Facts4Students"/> |
| − | *Grass: | + | *Grass: Bluebunch wheatgrass<ref name="Census_Facts4Students">{{cite web | url = http://www.census.gov/schools/facts/iowa.html | title = State Facts for Students - Iowa | accessdate = 2007-11-20 | publisher = U.S. Census Bureau }}</ref> |
| − | *Tree: | + | *Tree: Oak<ref name="statesymbols"/><ref name="Census_Facts4Students"/> |
*Colors:Red, white, and blue (in state flag) | *Colors:Red, white, and blue (in state flag) | ||
| − | *Fossil: | + | *Fossil: Crinoid (proposed) |
*Motto: "Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain"<ref name="statesymbols"/> | *Motto: "Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain"<ref name="statesymbols"/> | ||
| − | *Rock: | + | *Rock: Geode<ref name="statesymbols">{{cite web | title=Iowa General Assembly - Iowa State Symbols | url=http://www.legis.state.ia.us/Pubinfo/StateSymbols/ | publisher=www.legis.state.ia.us | accessmonthday=November 24 | accessyear=2006}}</ref><ref name="Census_Facts4Students"/> |
*Song: ''The Song of Iowa''<ref name="statesong">{{cite web | title=New Citizen Civic Handbook, page 44 | *Song: ''The Song of Iowa''<ref name="statesong">{{cite web | title=New Citizen Civic Handbook, page 44 | ||
| url = http://www.sos.state.ia.us/pdfs/NewCitizens/EntireEnglish.pdf | year=2006 | publisher=sos.state.ia.us | accessmonthday=December 26 | accessyear=2006|format=PDF}}</ref> | | url = http://www.sos.state.ia.us/pdfs/NewCitizens/EntireEnglish.pdf | year=2006 | publisher=sos.state.ia.us | accessmonthday=December 26 | accessyear=2006|format=PDF}}</ref> | ||
| − | == | + | ==Notes== |
| − | + | {{reflist|2}} | |
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==References== | ==References== | ||
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==External links== | ==External links== | ||
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*[http://www.iowa.gov/ Official State of Iowa Website] | *[http://www.iowa.gov/ Official State of Iowa Website] | ||
*[http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/state/state_energy_profiles.cfm?sid=IA Energy Data & Statistics for Iowa- From the U.S. Department of Energy] | *[http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/state/state_energy_profiles.cfm?sid=IA Energy Data & Statistics for Iowa- From the U.S. Department of Energy] | ||
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*[http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/19000.html U.S. Census Bureau Quick Facts] | *[http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/19000.html U.S. Census Bureau Quick Facts] | ||
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{{coord|display=title|42|N|93|W|region:US-IA_type:adm1st_scale:3000000}} | {{coord|display=title|42|N|93|W|region:US-IA_type:adm1st_scale:3000000}} | ||
Revision as of 04:34, 15 November 2008
Template:US state The State of Iowa is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States of America. It is the 29th state of the United States, having joined the Union on December 28, 1846. The state is named for the Ioway people, a Siouan tribe of Native Americans that formerly lived there. It is officially known as the "Hawkeye State" and unofficially known as the "Tall Corn State".[1][2]
Geography
The Mississippi River separates Iowa from Illinois and Wisconsin to form the eastern boundary of the state. The Missouri River on the west edge of the state forms the boundary for Nebraska (with the exception of Carter Lake).[3] The Big Sioux River in the northwest corner of the state forms the North/South boundary with South Dakota. To the north lies Minnesota and to the south lies Missouri. There are several natural lakes in the state, most notably Spirit Lake, West Okoboji Lake, and East Okoboji Lake in northwest Iowa (see Iowa Great Lakes).To the east lies Clear Lake, Iowa. Man-made lakes include Lake Odessa,[1] Saylorville Lake, Lake Red Rock, Coralville Lake, Lake MacBride and Rathbun Lake.
Iowa's natural vegetation is the Tallgrass prairie and Savanna while the topography of the state is gently rolling plains. Loess hills lie along the western border of the state, some of which are several hundred feet thick.[4] In the northeast, along the Mississippi River, is a section of the Driftless Zone, which in Iowa consists of low rugged hills covered with conifers—a landscape not usually associated with this state.
The point of lowest elevation is Keokuk in southeastern Iowa, at 480 feet (146 m). The point of highest elevation, at 1,670 feet (509 m), is Hawkeye Point, located in a feedlot north of Sibley in northwest Iowa. The mean elevation of the state is 1,099 feet (335 m). Considering the size of the state at 56,271 square miles (145,743 km²), there is very little elevation difference.
Iowa has 99 counties. The state capital, Des Moines, is located in Polk County (#60).
Iowa has the highest average radon concentrations in the nation due to significant glaciation that ground the granitic rocks from the Canadian Shield and deposited it as soils making up the rich Iowa farmland.[5] Many cities within the state, such as Iowa City have passed requirements for radon resistant construction in all new homes.
Climate
Iowa, like most of the Midwest, has a humid continental climate throughout the state (Koppen climate classification Dfa) with extremes of both heat and cold. The average annual temperature at Des Moines is 50 °F (10 °C); for some locations in the north the figure is under 45 °F (8 °C), while Keokuk, on the Mississippi River, averages 52 °F (12 °C). Winters are brisk and snowfall is common. Spring ushers in the beginning of the severe weather season. Iowa averages about 50 days of thunderstorm activity per year.[6] Tornadoes are common during the spring and summer months, with an average of 37 tornadoes in a single year.[7] The Iowa summers are known for heat and humidity, with daytime temperatures often near 90 °F (32 °C) and sometimes exceeding 100 °F (38 °C).
History
Prehistory
When the first Native Americans arrived in what is now Iowa more than 13,000 years ago, they were hunters and gatherers living in a Pleistocene glacial landscape. By the time European explorers visited Iowa, Native Americans were largely settled farmers with complex economic, social, and political systems. This transformation happened gradually. During the Archaic period (10,500-2,800 years ago) Native Americans adapted to local environments and ecosystems, slowly becoming more sedentary as populations increased. More than 3,000 years ago, during the Late Archaic period, Indians in Iowa began utilizing domesticated plants. The subsequent Woodland period saw an increase on the reliance on agriculture and social complexity, with increased use of mounds, ceramics, and specialized subsistence. During the Late Prehistoric period (beginning about A.D. 900) increased use of maize and social changes led to social flourishing and nucleated settlements. The arrival of European trade goods and diseases in the Protohistoric period led to dramatic population shifts and economic and social upheaval, with the arrival of new tribes and early European explorers and traders.[8]
The first Europeans to explore Iowa were French citizens following the Sac and Meskwaki (Fox) tribes.[9] The first American settlers(Marquette and Jolliet) officially moved to Iowa in June 1833. Primarily, they were families from Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri. On December 28, 1846, Iowa became the 29th state in the union. Iowa supported the Union during the American Civil War, voting heavily for Lincoln, though there was a strong antiwar "Copperhead" movement among settlers of southern origins and among Catholics. There were no battles in the state, but Iowa sent large supplies of food to the armies and the eastern cities. Following the Civil War, Iowa's population continued to grow dramatically, from 674,913 people in 1860 to 1,194,020 in 1870. In 1917, the United States entered World War I and farmers as well as all Iowans experienced a wartime economy. For farmers, the change was significant. Since the beginning of the war in 1914, Iowa farmers had experienced economic prosperity. In the economic sector, Iowa also has undergone considerable change. Beginning with the first farm-related industries developed in the 1870s, Iowa has experienced a gradual increase in the number of business and manufacturing operations. The period since World War II has witnessed a particular increase in manufacturing operations. While agriculture continues to be the state's dominant industry, Iowans also produce a wide variety of products including refrigerators, washing machines, fountain pens, farm implements, and food products that are shipped around the world.
Demographics
Population
As of 2007, Iowa has an estimated population of 2,988,046, which is an increase of 15,480, or 0.5%, from the prior year and an increase of 61,722 or 2.1%, since the year 2000.[10] This includes a natural increase since the last census of 53,706 people (that is 197,163 births minus 143,457 deaths) and a decrease due to net migration of 11,754 people out of the state. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 29,386 people, while migration within the country produced a net loss of 41,140 people. 6.1% of Iowa's population were reported as under the age of five, 22.6% under 18, and 14.7% were 65 or older. Males made up approximately 49.2% of the population.[10] The population density of the state is 52.7 people per square mile.[11] The center of population of Iowa is located in Marshall County, in the city of Marshalltown.[12]
Race and ancestry
Iowa's population included about 97,000 foreign-born (3.3%).[10] Iowans are mostly of Western European descent. The five largest ancestry groups in Iowa are: German (35.7%), Irish (13.5%), English (9.5%), American (6.6%) and Norwegian (5.7%). The racial make up of the state is 91.0% white (non-Hispanic), 3.8% Hispanic, 2.5% black, 1.6% Asian, and 0.4% American Indian. 1% of respondents report two or more races.[10]
Rural flight
Iowa, in common with other Midwestern states (especially Kansas, Nebraska, and North and South Dakota), is feeling the brunt of rural flight, although Iowa has been gaining population since approximately 1990. 89% of the total number of cities in those states have fewer than 3,000 people; hundreds have fewer than 1,000. Between 1996 and 2004, almost half a million people, nearly half with college degrees, left the five states, and headed for major population centers like Minneapolis and Chicago.
Religion
A 2001 survey from the City University of New York found that 52% of Iowans are Protestant, while 23% are Roman Catholic, and other religion made up 6%. 13% responded with non-religious, and 5% did not answer.[13] The largest Protestant denominations by number of adherents are the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America with 268,543; and the United Methodist Church with 248,211.[14]
Western Iowa
Some of the most dramatic scenery in Iowa is found in the southwest, home of the unique Loess Hills. The Iowa Great Lakes include several resort areas such as Spirit Lake, Arnolds Park, and the Okoboji Lakes. Northwest Iowa is also home to some of the largest concentrations of wind turbine farms in the world.
Northeast and Northern Iowa
The Driftless Area of northeast Iowa is starkly beautiful, with steep hills and deep valleys, checked with forest and terraced fields. Effigy Mounds National Monument in Allamakee and Clayton Counties has the largest assemblage of animal-shaped prehistoric mounds in the world.
Economy
If the economy is measured by gross domestic product, in 2005 it was about $124 billion.[15] If measured by gross state product, for 2005 it was US$113.5 billion.[16] Its per capita income for 2006 was US $23,340.[16] The role of agriculture in Iowa's economy can be measured in multiple ways, but its total impact, including agriculture-affiliated business, has been measured as 16.4% (in terms of value added) and 24.3% (in terms of total output). This is lower than the economic impact in Iowa of non-farm manufacturing, which accounts for 22.4% of total value added and 26.5% of total output.[17] Iowa's main agricultural outputs are hogs, corn, soybeans, oats, cattle, eggs and dairy products. Its industrial outputs are food processing, machinery, electric equipment, chemical products, publishing and primary metals. Iowa produces the nation's largest amount of ethanol. Des Moines also serves as a center for the insurance industry.
Iowa imposes taxes on net state income of individuals and estates and trusts. There are currently nine income tax brackets, ranging from 0.36% to 8.98%. The state sales tax rate is 5%, with non-prepared food having no tax.[18] Iowa has two local option sales taxes that may be imposed by counties after an election at which the majority of voters favors the tax. They are in addition to the 5% state sales tax. The regular local option tax is imposed on the gross receipts from sales of tangible personal property. It usually remains in effect until it is repealed, but the ordinance may include a sunset clause. The school infrastructure local option tax is automatically repealed 10 years after it is imposed, unless the ballot imposes a shorter time frame.[18]
Property tax is levied on the taxable value of real property, that is, mostly land, buildings, structures, and other improvements that are constructed on or in the land, attached to the land or placed upon a foundation. Typical improvements include a building, house or mobile home, fences, and paving. The following five classes of real property are evaluated: residential, agricultural, commercial, industrial and utilities/railroad (which is assessed at the state level). Homeowners pay less than half of the property tax collected each year in Iowa. Farmers pay 21%, and businesses and industry, a total of 23%. Utility companies, including railroads, pay 10%. Iowa has more than 2,000 taxing authorities. Most property is taxed by more than one taxing authority. The tax rate differs in each locality and is a composite of county, city or rural township, school district and special levies.
Companies
Iowa is the headquarters for seven of the top 1,000 companies for revenue.[19] They include Principal Financial, Rockwell Collins, Casey's General Stores, and HNI. Iowa is also headquarters to other companies including Hy-Vee, a major grocery store in Iowa and six other states, Pella Corporation, Vermeer Company, Kum & Go gas stations, Von Maur (a department store), Pioneer Hi-Bred, McLeodUSA, and Fareway grocery stores, among others.
File:Iowa overview.jpg
Iowa's major interstates, larger cities, and counties.
Law and government
File:Iauds.jpg
Current sample Iowa license plate
—>
File:Iowa capitol.jpg
Capitol in 2003 after regilding
The current Governor is Chet Culver (D)
Other statewide elected officials are:
- Patty Judge (D) - Lieutenant Governor
- Michael Mauro (D) - Secretary of State
- David Vaudt (R) - Auditor of State
- Michael Fitzgerald (D) - Treasurer of State
- Bill Northey (R) - Secretary of Agriculture
- Tom Miller (D) - Attorney General
The two U.S. Senators:
- Tom Harkin (D)
- Chuck Grassley (R)
The five U.S. Congressmen:
- Bruce Braley (D) - First District
- Dave Loebsack (D) - Second District
- Leonard Boswell (D) - Third District
- Tom Latham (R) - Fourth District
- Steve King (R) - Fifth District
The Code of Iowa contains the statutory laws of the State of Iowa. It is periodically updated by the Iowa Legislative Service Bureau, with a new edition published in odd-numbered years and a supplement published in even-numbered years.
Iowa is an alcohol monopoly or Alcoholic beverage control state.
Political parties
In Iowa, the term "political party" refers to political organizations which have received two percent or more of the votes cast for president or governor in the "last preceding general election".[20] Iowa recognizes two political parties - the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. Third parties, officially termed "nonparty political organizations" can appear on the ballot as well - five of these have had candidates on the ballot in Iowa since 2004 for various positions: the Constitution Party, the Iowa Green Party, the Libertarian Party, the Pirate Party, and the Socialist Workers Party.[21][22]
Voter trends
| Year | Republican | Democratic |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 44.74% 677,508 | 54.04% 818,240 |
| 2004 | 49.92% 751,957 | 49.28% 741,898 |
| 2000 | 48.22% 634,373 | 48.60% 638,517 |
| 1996 | 39.92% 492,644 | 50.31% 620,258 |
| 1992 | 37.33% 504,890 | 43.35% 586,353 |
| 1988 | 44.8% 545,355 | 55.1% 670,557 |
| 1984 | 53.32% 703,088 | 45.97% 605,620 |
Iowa is currently listed as a swing state in national politics. From 1968 to 1988, it voted Republican in the presidential election, voting for Richard Nixon in 1968 and 1972, Gerald Ford in 1976, and Ronald Reagan in 1980 and 1984. However, in 1988, Democratic candidate Michael Dukakis won the state, beating Republican candidate George H. W. Bush by a surprisingly large margin in that state, and winning in several traditionally Republican counties. The state subsequently voted Democratic in succeeding elections, voting for Bill Clinton in 1992 and 1996, and Democrat Al Gore in 2000, and in 2008, Barack Obama won the state by 10 percentage points.
In the 2006 elections, the Iowa Democrats gained two seats in the Iowa delegation to the United States House of Representatives, and Democrats won a majority in both houses of the Iowa General Assembly.
On the January 4, 2008 national primaries for President of the United States, Iowa voters selected the Democratic Party nomination contender U.S. Senator Barack Obama of Illinois as the winner. As the Iowa caucus is believed to be the first crucial test for the rest of the campaign, it is considered a key stepping stone on the path to the White House. It helped catapult Senator Obama's quest for winning caucuses and primaries throughout the rest of the country, ultimately resulting in him securing the nomination and being elected the 44th President of the United States.
Presidential caucus
The state gets considerable attention every four years because it holds the first presidential caucuses, gatherings of voters to select delegates to the state conventions. Along with the New Hampshire primary the following week, Iowa's caucuses have become the starting points for choosing the two major-party candidates for president. The caucuses, held in January of the election year, involve people gathering in homes or public places and choosing their candidates, rather than casting secret ballots as is done in a primary election. The national and international media give Iowa (and New Hampshire) much of the attention accorded the national candidate selection process, which gives Iowa voters enormous leverage. Those who enter the caucus race often expend enormous effort to reach voters in each of Iowa's 99 counties.
Education
Iowa takes pride in its education system. The graduation rate for high school seniors has gradually increased to 90.8% in 2006.[23] The state has the third highest graduation rate in the nation.[24] Iowa continually ranks in the top 3 for ACT and SAT scores.[25] Iowa has 365 school districts,[25] and has the twelfth best student to teacher ratio of 13.8 students per teacher.[26] Teacher's pay, however, is ranked forty-second with the average salary being $39,284.[26] Iowa has three state universities: the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, and the University of Northern Iowa; and many private colleges and universities and community colleges.
Famous Iowans
Iowa has been the birthplace of one president, Herbert Hoover, and one vice-president, Henry A. Wallace. Among the Nobel Prize winners born in Iowa are Norman Borlaug, Nobel Peace Prize, Alan J. Heeger, Nobel Prize in Chemistry, and Stanley B. Prusiner, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Olympic gymnastics gold medal winner Shawn Johnson was born in Iowa.
State symbols
- Nickname(s): The Hawkeye State,[27] The Tall Corn State
- Bird: American Goldfinch[28][29]
- Fish: Channel catfish (unofficial)[30]
- Flower: Wild Rose[28][29]
- Grass: Bluebunch wheatgrass[29]
- Tree: Oak[28][29]
- Colors:Red, white, and blue (in state flag)
- Fossil: Crinoid (proposed)
- Motto: "Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain"[28]
- Rock: Geode[28][29]
- Song: The Song of Iowa[31]
Notes
- ↑ Iowa History Online
- ↑ Our Iowa Magazine
- ↑ Carter Lake Preservation Society.
- ↑ Geology of the Loess Hills, Iowa. United States Geological Survey (July 1999). Retrieved 2008-03-26.
- ↑ The Iowa Radon Lung Cancer Study.
- ↑ US Thunderstorm distribution. src.noaa.gov. Last accessed February 13, 2008.
- ↑ Mean Annual Average Number of Tornadoes 1953–2004. ncdc.noaa.gov. Last accessed November 1, 2006.
- ↑ Alex, Lynn M. (2000) Iowa's Archaeological Past. University of Iowa Press, Iowa City.
- ↑ Official Site of the Meswaki Nation. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Iowa QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau.
- ↑ [Title=The New York Times 2008 Almanac|Author=edited by John W. Wright|Date=2007|Page=178]
- ↑ Population and Population Centers by State: 2000.
- ↑ American Religious Identification Survey 2001. The Graduate Center of the City University of New York. Retrieved 2007-08-16.
- ↑ http://www.thearda.com/mapsReports/reports/state/19_2000.asp
- ↑ Iowa State University. Gross domestic product by sector and state. Regional Capacity Analysis Program. Retrieved on: April 26, 2008.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Iowa Quick Facts—State Data Center.
- ↑ Multiple Measures of the Role of Agriculture in Iowa's Economy.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Iowa Department of Revenue Local Option. Retrieved 2006-06-05.
- ↑ FORTUNE 500 2006: States.
- ↑ Forming a New Political Party in Iowa (PDF). Elections Division, Iowa Secretary of State. Retrieved 2007-07-26.
- ↑ Official Results Report - Statewide: 2006 General Election (PDF). Iowa Secretary of State. Retrieved 2007-07-26.
- ↑ Canvass Summary: 2004 General Election (PDF). Chester J. Culver, Iowa Secretary of State. Retrieved 2007-07-26.
- ↑ The State Report Card For No Child Left Behind. Iowa Department of Education. Retrieved 2008-01-23.
- ↑ High School Graduation. United Health Foundation. Retrieved 2008-01-23.
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 Quick Facts about Iowa Schools. Iowa Department of Education. Retrieved 2008-01-23.
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 Education Stats. National Education Association. Retrieved 2008-01-23.
- ↑ Iowa Department of Economic Development Travel Iowa web site - State Symbols. Iowa Department of Economic Development. Retrieved August 7, 2007.
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 28.3 28.4 Iowa General Assembly - Iowa State Symbols. www.legis.state.ia.us. Retrieved November 24, 2006.
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 29.2 29.3 29.4 State Facts for Students - Iowa. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2007-11-20.
- ↑ National State-Fish Art: Iowa (Unofficial) State Fish.
- ↑ New Citizen Civic Handbook, page 44 (PDF). sos.state.ia.us (2006). Retrieved December 26, 2006.
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
External links
- Official State of Iowa Website
- Energy Data & Statistics for Iowa- From the U.S. Department of Energy
- Iowa State Databases - Annotated list of searchable databases produced by Iowa state agencies and compiled by the Government Documents Roundtable of the American Library Association.
- U.S. Census Bureau Quick Facts
Coordinates:
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