|
|
 |
The State of Idaho (IPA: /ˈaɪdəhoʊ/) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States of America. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans." Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state.
According to the United States Census Bureau, in 2004, Idaho had an estimated population of 1,493,262. The state's postal abbreviation is ID. Idaho is nicknamed the Gem State because of its abundance of natural resources. The state motto is Esto Perpetua (Latin for "Let it be forever").
Idaho borders six states and one Canadian province, but does not border the Pacific Ocean at any point and is not, as such, a coastal state. The states of Washington and Oregon are to the west, Nevada and Utah are to the south, and Montana and Wyoming are to the east. The province of British Columbia, to the north, also shares a small (48 miles (77 km)) border with Idaho. The landscape is rugged with some of the largest unspoiled natural areas in the United States. It is a Rocky Mountain state with abundant natural resources and scenic areas. The state has snow-capped mountain ranges, rapids, vast lakes and steep canyons. The waters of Snake River rush through Hells Canyon, the deepest canyon in the United States. Shoshone Falls plunges down rugged cliffs from a height greater than that of Niagara Falls. The major rivers in Idaho are the Snake River, the Clark Fork/Pend Oreille River, the Clearwater River and the Salmon River. Other significant rivers include the Coeur d'Alene/Spokane River, the Boise River and the Payette River. The Port of Lewiston, at the confluence of the Clearwater and the Snake Rivers is the farthest inland seaport in the Pacific Northwest.
Idaho's highest point is Borah Peak, 12,662 ft (3,859 m), in the Lost River Range north of Mackay. Idaho's lowest point, 745 ft (227 m), is in Lewiston, where the Clearwater River joins the Snake River and continues into Washington.
Southern Idaho, including the Boise metropolitan area, Idaho Falls, Pocatello, and Twin Falls are in the Mountain Time Zone. Areas north of the Salmon River, including Coeur d'Alene, Moscow, Lewiston, and Sandpoint are in the Pacific Time Zone and revolve commercially and culturally around Spokane, Washington. *Information provided from Wikipedia.org | State of Idaho | | Official language(s) | English | | Demonym | Idahoan | | Capital | Boise | | Largest city | Boise | | Largest metro area | Boise metropolitan area | | Area | Ranked 14th in the US | | - Total | 83,642 sq mi (216,632 km²) | | - Width | 305 miles (491 km) | | - Length | 479 miles (771 km) | | - % water | 0.98 | | - Latitude | 43.19 N to 49° N | | - Longitude | 112.35′ W to 117°15′ W | | Population | Ranked 39th in the US | | - Total | 1,293,953 | | - Density | 15.64/sq mi 6.04/km² (44th in the US) | | Elevation | | | - Highest point | Borah Peak 12,662 ft (3,862 m) | | - Mean | 5,000 ft (1,524 m) | | - Lowest point | Snake River 710 ft (217 m) | | Admission to Union | July 3, 1890 (43rd) | | Governor | Butch Otter (R) | | U.S. Senators | Larry Craig (R) Mike Crapo (R) | | Time zones | | | - north of Salmon River | Pacific: UTC−8/−7 | | - remainder | Mountain: UTC 7/ 6 | | Abbreviations | ID, US-ID | | Web site | www.idaho.gov/ |
|
|