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Iowa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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This article is about the U.S. State. For other uses of the term, see Iowa (disambiguation).
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| Official language(s) | English | ||||||||
| Capital Largest city |
Des Moines Des Moines |
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| Area | Ranked 26th | ||||||||
| - Total | 56,272 sq. mi. (145,743 km²) |
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| - Width | 199 miles (320 km) | ||||||||
| - Length | 310 miles (500 km) | ||||||||
| - % water | 0.71 | ||||||||
| - Latitude | 40°36'N to 43°30'N | ||||||||
| - Longitude | 89°5'W to 96°31'W | ||||||||
| Population | Ranked 30th | ||||||||
| - Total (2000) | 2,926,324 | ||||||||
| - Density | 52.4/sq. mi. 20.22/km² (33rd) |
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| Elevation | |||||||||
| - Highest point | Hawkeye Point 1,670 feet (509 m) |
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| - Mean | 1,099 feet (335 m) | ||||||||
| - Lowest point | 480 feet (146 m) | ||||||||
| Admission to Union | December 28, 1846 (29th) | ||||||||
| Governor | Thomas Vilsack (D) | ||||||||
| U.S. Senators | Chuck Grassley (R) Tom Harkin (D) |
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| Time zone(s) | Central: UTC-6/DST-5 | ||||||||
| Abbreviations | IA US-IA | ||||||||
| Web site | www.iowa.gov | ||||||||
Iowa is a Midwest state of the United States.
Contents |
Geography
- See List of counties in Iowa, List of cities in Iowa, List of townships in Iowa and List of Iowa rivers
Iowa is bordered by Minnesota on the north; Nebraska and South Dakota on the west; Missouri on the south; and Wisconsin and Illinois on the east.
The Mississippi River forms the eastern boundary of the state. The boundary along the west is formed by the Missouri River south of Sioux City and by the Big Sioux River north of Sioux City. 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). Man-made lakes include Lake Odessa[1], Saylorville Lake, Lake Red Rock, and Rathbun Lake.
The topography of the state is gently rolling plains. Loess hills lie along the western border of the state. Some of these are several hundred feet thick. 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).
Areas controlled and protected by the National Park Service include:
- Effigy Mounds National Monument near Harpers Ferry
- Herbert Hoover National Historical Site in West Branch
- Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail
- Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail
Climate
Iowa experiences a continental climate with extremes of both heat and cold. The average annual temperature at Des Moines is 50.0°F (10.0°C); for some locations in the north the figure is under 45°F, while Keokuk, on the Mississippi River, averages 52.1°F. Winters are brisk and snowfall common, the capital receiving an average of 36.3 inches per season. Spring ushers in the beginning of the severe weather season, as well as bringing increased precipitation and warming temperatures. The Iowan summer is known for heat and humidity, with daytime temperatures sometimes exceeding 100°F (37.8°C).
History
- Main article: History of Iowa.
Highlights:
- French explorers Louis Joliet and Jacques Marquette are believed to be the first Europeans to visit Iowa. They described Iowa as lush, green, and fertile.
- Iowa has been home to approximately 17 different tribes. Today, only the Meskwaki tribe remains.
- The first American settlers officially moved to Iowa in June 1833. Primarily, they were families from Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri.
- Iowa became the 29th state in the union on December 28, 1846.
- The Chicago and North Western Railway reached Council Bluffs in 1867. Council Bluffs was designated the eastern terminus for the Union Pacific Railroad. The completion of five major railroads across Iowa brought major economic changes as well as travel opportunities.
- During the American Civil War, more than 75,000 Iowans participated in the war, 13,001 of whom died (mostly by disease). Iowa had a higher percentage of soldiers serve in the Civil War, per capita, than any other state in the Union, with nearly 60% of eligible males serving.
- Iowa saw a large increase in farming of beef, corn, and pork during World War I, but farmers saw economic hardships after the war. These hardships were the result of the removal of war-time farm subsidies. Total recovery did not happen until the 1940s.
- The Farm Crisis of the 1980's saw a major decline of family farms in Iowa and around the Midwest, and it was marked by a sharp drop in the state's rural population.
- Although Iowa's primary industry is agriculture, it also produces refrigerators, washing machines, fountain pens, farm implements, and food products that are shipped around the world.
- Iowa is also a major producer of ethanol and biodiesel.
References
- Bergman, Marvin, ed. Iowa History Reader (1996) essays by scholars.
- Ross, Earl D. Iowa Agriculture: An Historical Survey (1951)
- Sage, Leland. A History of Iowa (1974)
- Schwieder, Dorothy. Iowa: The Middle Land (1996) excellent scholarly history
- Wall, Joseph Frazier. Iowa: A Bicentennial History (1978)
Demographics
| Historical populations | |
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| Census year |
Population |
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| 1840 | 43,112 |
| 1850 | 192,214 |
| 1860 | 674,913 |
| 1870 | 1,194,020 |
| 1880 | 1,624,615 |
| 1890 | 1,912,297 |
| 1900 | 2,231,853 |
| 1910 | 2,224,771 |
| 1920 | 2,404,021 |
| 1930 | 2,470,939 |
| 1940 | 2,538,268 |
| 1950 | 2,621,073 |
| 1960 | 2,757,537 |
| 1970 | 2,824,376 |
| 1980 | 2,913,808 |
| 1990 | 2,776,755 |
| 2000 | 2,926,324 |
As of 2005, Iowa has an estimated population of 2,966,334, which is an increase of 13,430, or 0.5%, from the prior year and an increase of 39,952, or 1.4%, since the year 2000. 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, and migration within the country produced a net loss of 41,140 people.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2004, Iowa's population included about 97,000 foreign-born (3.3%).
The racial makeup of the state is:
- 92.6% White non-Hispanic
- 2.1% Black
- 2.8% Hispanic
- 1.3% Asian
- 0.3% Native American
- 1.1% Mixed race
The six largest ancestry groups in Iowa are: German (35.7%), Irish (13.5%), English (9.5%), American (6.6%), Norwegian (5.7%), and Asian-American (1.3%).
Iowans are mostly of Northern European origin. There are large numbers of German-Americans in the state (1 in 3 Iowans answered that they were of German ancestry on the 2000 Census), as well as people of British, Scandinavian, and Dutch ancestry, among others.
6.4% of Iowa's population were reported as under 5, 25.1% under 18, and 14.9% were 65 or older. Females made up approximately 50.9% of the population.
Rural flight
Iowa, in common with other Great Plains states (especially Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, North and South Dakota), is feeling the brunt of falling populations. 89% of the total number of cities in those states have fewer than 3000 people; hundreds have fewer than 1000. Between 1996 and 2004, almost half a million people, nearly half with college degrees, left the six states. "Rural flight" as it is called has led to offers of free land and tax breaks as enticements to newcomers.
Religion
Most Iowans are Protestant Christians, with Lutheranism being the largest single Protestant denomination, followed by Methodist. The state has the second largest population of Reformed Christians, both RCA and CRC.
The religious affiliations of the people of Iowa are:
- Christian ?? 73%
- Protestant ?? 50%
- Lutheran ?? 16%
- Methodist ?? 13%
- Baptist ?? 5%
- Presbyterian ?? 3%
- Pentecostal ?? 2%
- Congregational/United Church of Christ ?? 2%
- Other Protestant or general Protestant ?? 11%
- Catholic ?? 23%
- Other Christian ?? 1%
- Protestant ?? 50%
- Other Religions ?? 6%
- Non-Religious ?? 13%
- Refused to Answer ?? 5%
Economy
The state's total gross state product for 2003 was US$103 billion. Its per capita income for 2003 was US$28,340. Iowa's main agricultural outputs are hogs, corn, soybeans, oats, cattle 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 6%. 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 percent 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.
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 percent, and businesses and industry, a total of 23 percent. Utility companies, including railroads, pay 10 percent. 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, school district and special levies.
Transportation
Interstate highways
These are the interstate highways that go through Iowa:
US highways
These are the United States highways that go through Iowa:
Law and government
The current Governor is Tom Vilsack (Democrat) and the two U.S. Senators:
- Chuck Grassley (R)
- Tom Harkin (D)
The five U.S. Congressmen:
- Jim Leach (R)
- Jim Nussle (R)
- Steve King (R)
- Tom Latham (R)
- Leonard Boswell (D)
The Code of Iowa contains the statutory laws of the State of Iowa. The Iowa Legislative Service Bureau is a non-partisan governmental agency that is responsible for organizing, updating and publishing the Iowa Code. The Iowa Code is republished in full in odd years (i.e., 1999, 2001, 2003, etc..) and is supplemented in even years.
Iowa has a liberal populist tradition but now is fairly evenly divided between the two major political parties. The state supported Democrats in the presidential contests from 1988 through 2000. It was one of only two states that supported Democrat Al Gore that switched to supporting George W. Bush in 2004. President Bush narrowly won the state's 7 electoral votes by a margin of 0.7 percentage points with 49.9% of the vote. Democratic strength is concentrated in the eastern region of the state and in Des Moines.
Iowa is an alcohol monopoly or Alcoholic beverage control state.
Iowa Presidential caucus
The state gets considerable attention every four years because it holds the first presidential caucus, a gathering of voters to select delegates to the state convention. Along with the New Hampshire primary a week later, it has become the starting gun for choosing the two major-party candidates for president. The caucus, held in January of the election year, involves people gathering in homes or public places and choosing their candidate, rather than casting secret ballots, as is done in a primary election. The national and international media give Iowa (and New Hampshire) about half of all the attention accorded the national candidate selection process, which gives the voters enormous leverage. Some candidates decide to skip the Iowa caucus, especially those who oppose ethanol subsidies, and use their resources in other early states such as New Hampshire and South Carolina. Those who enter the caucus expend enormous effort to reach voters in each of Iowa's 99 counties.
U.S. senators from Iowa
List of United States Senators who have represented Iowa:
Important cities and towns
- Main article: List of cities in Iowa
Population figures are given in parentheses and are based on 2004 estimates [2], except for those marked with *, which are special census figures from 2005. Metropolitan Statistical Area figures are 2005 estimates [3].
Population > 100,000 (metropolitan area)
- Des Moines (194,311/MSA 522,454), state capital
- Cedar Rapids (122,206/MSA 246,412)
- Davenport (98,355/MSA 376,309), home of Saint Ambrose University, largest of the Quad Cities
- Sioux City (83,680/MSA 142,571)
- Waterloo (66,767/MSA 161,897)
- Iowa City (63,027/MSA 138,524), home of the University of Iowa
- Council Bluffs (59,347/MSA 813,170), part of Omaha, Nebraska metropolitan area
Population > 10,000
- Dubuque (57,504/MSA 91,631), college town, manufacturing center, river port
- Ames (52,319/MSA 79,952), home of Iowa State University
- West Des Moines (*51,744), suburb of Des Moines and insurance center
- Cedar Falls (36,343), home of the University of Northern Iowa and part of the Waterloo metropolitan area
- Ankeny (*36,161), suburb of Des Moines
- Urbandale (*35,904), suburb of Des Moines
- Bettendorf (31,615), part of the Quad Cities
- Marion (29,825), suburb of Cedar Rapids
- Mason City (28,177), city known for cement manufacturing
- Clinton (27,319), industrial river town
- Marshalltown (26,057), home of Iowa Veterans Home, known for furnace and valve manufacturing
- Fort Dodge (25,723), known for mining and veterinary pharmaceuticals
- Burlington (25,579), industrial river town
- Ottumwa (24,680), industrial river town
- Muscatine (22,713), location of many chemical plants
- Coralville (17,528), suburb of Iowa City
- Newton (15,696), home to the Maytag Corporation's headquarters
- Clive (13,598), suburb of Des Moines
- Johnston (*13,596), suburb of Des Moines
- Boone (12,856), an important hub for the Union Pacific Railroad
- Altoona (12,107), suburb of Des Moines
- Spencer (11,063)
- Oskaloosa (10,945), home of William Penn University
- Fort Madison (10,944) home of the Iowa State Penitentiary
- Keokuk (10,845), river port in extreme southeast
- Pella (10,182), Pella Windows headquarters, Central College, Wyatt Earp's childhood home, Tulip Fest
Education
Iowa has historically placed a strong emphasis on education, which is shown in standardized testing scores. In 2003, Iowa had the second highest average SAT scores by state, and tied for second highest average ACT scores in states where more than 20% of graduates were tested. The national office of ACT is in Iowa City, and the ITBS and ITED testing programs used in many states are provided by the University of Iowa.
An overhaul of the current education system is being discussed. One of the suggested ideas is switching from 180 days to a year-round school system. [4]
State universities
Independent colleges and universities
Community colleges
Professional business and technical colleges and universities
Professional sports teams
The Minor League baseball teams are:
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The Minor League hockey teams are:
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The Minor League soccer teams are:
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Miscellaneous topics
The state is named for the Native American Iowa people.
Famous Iowans
The following is an alphabetical list of famous people born in Iowa (who don't necessarily live in Iowa) as well as famous Iowans in general.
| Name | Occupation | Description |
|---|---|---|
| James Van Allen | Scientist | Born in Mount Pleasant in 1914. |
| Tom Arnold | Film actor | Born in Ottumwa on 6 March 1959. |
| Buffalo Bill | Born William Frederick Cody near Le Claire on February 26, 1846. | |
| Bill Bryson | Popular writer of travel books | Born in Des Moines in 1951. |
| Norman Ernest Borlaug | Nobel Peace Prize laureate | Born near Cresco on March 25, 1914. |
| Johnny Carson | Comedian | Born in Corning on 23 October 1925. |
| Mamie Eisenhower | Wife of President Dwight D. Eisenhower | Born in Boone in 1896. |
| Hayden Fry | College football coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes | Coached into national prominence with several Rose Bowl Game appearances and high national rankings throughout his tenure. |
| George Gallup | American statistician; inventor of the Gallup poll | Born in Jefferson in 1901. |
| Frank Gotch | Professional wrestler; world heavyweight champion | Born south of Humboldt in 1878. |
| Chad Hennings | American football player and US Air Force officer | Born in Elberon on October 20, 1965. |
| Herbert Hoover | 31st President of the United States | Born in West Branch in 1874. He is also buried there. |
| Ashton Kutcher | Film and television actor | Born in Cedar Rapids on February 7, 1978. |
| William D. Leahy | Five star admiral | Born in Hampton on May 6, 1875. |
| Frederick L. Maytag | Maytag founder | Lived his childhood years near Laurel. |
| Robert Millikan | Physicist | Measured the charge of the electron, spent part of his childhood in Maquoketa. |
| Kate Mulgrew | Actress | A film and television actress born in Dubuque, Iowa on April 29, 1955. |
| Charles Murray | American policy writer | Best known for being the co-author of the controversial best seller, The Bell Curve. Born in Newton, Iowa on January 8, 1943. |
| Harry Reasoner | Journalist | Born 17 Apr 1923 at Dakota City, Iowa |
| Donna Reed | Actress | Born as Donna Belle Mullenger January 27, 1921 on a farm near Denison, Iowa |
| Reggie Roby | NFL Punter | Born in Waterloo played college football at University of Iowa. |
| Sage Rosenfels | NFL quarterback | Born in Maquoketa in 1978 and played college football at Iowa State University. |
| Slipknot | Alternative metal/nu metal band | Formed in Des Moines. |
| Sullivan brothers | Died together on the USS Juneau during the Battle of Guadalcanal, were born in Waterloo. | |
| Billy Sunday | a professional baseball player; evangelist | Born in Bina in 1862 and lived in Glenwood, Nevada, and Ames. |
| Ellis "Al" Swearingen | proprietor of the Gem Saloon, Deadwood, SD 1876-1899 (featured in HBO Series "Deadwood") | Born in Oskaloosa in 1845; died in Denver in 1904. |
| Grant Wood | Artist | Known mostly for his painting American Gothic, was born in Anamosa on 13 February 1891. |
| Wright Brothers | Lived for a short time in Cedar Rapids while their father was posted there as a bishop with the Church of the Brethren. | |
| Kurt Warner | American football player | Born in 1971 in Burlington. |
| John Wayne | Film actor | Born as Marion Morrison in Winterset in 1907. |
| Elijah Wood | Film actor | Born in Cedar Rapids on January 28, 1981. |
Animals
Some of the wild animals that can be found in Iowa:
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State symbols
- Nickname: The Hawkeye State
- Bird: Eastern Goldfinch
- Fish: Channel catfish (unofficial)
- Flower: Wild Rose
- Grass: Bluebunch wheatgrass
- Insect: Honey Bee
- Tree: Oak
- Colors:Red, white, and blue (in state flag)
- Fossil: Crinoid (proposed)
- Motto: Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain
- Rock: Geode
- Ships: Iowa class battleship, USS Iowa (BB-4), USS Iowa (BB-53), USS Iowa (BB-61)
- Song: The Song of Iowa
- Soil: Tama (unofficial)
See also
- Iowa: Facts, Map and State Symbols - EnchantedLearning.com
- State Symbols
- The Graduate Center, CUNY: Research Studies: American Religious Identification Survey
- Scouting in Iowa
External links
Dictionary definitions from Wiktionary
Textbooks from Wikibooks
Quotations from Wikiquote
Source texts from Wikisource
Images and media from Commons
News stories from Wikinews
- Official State of Iowa Website
- Iowa News.
- U.S. Census Bureau
- Iowa Code online at Iowa General Assembly
- Iowa Newspapers
- Iowa Employment - State and County Data
- Iowa News. (civil liberties)
- Midwest Regional Climate Center (climate statistics)
- Karl King, Iowa's March King
