Idaho, one of the western states of the United States. It is part of the area known as the Pacific Northwest and is bordered by Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, and Montana and by British Columbia, Canada.
Idaho is the nation's 14th largest state, but one of the smallest in the West. Its area is 83,574 square miles (216,456 km2). More than 60 per cent of the state consists of federally owned range and forest lands.
Idaho's state bird is the mountain bluebird.| Idaho in brief | |||
| General information | |||
| Statehood: July 3, 1890, the 43rd state. | |||
| State abbreviations: Ida. (traditional); ID (postal). | |||
| State capital: Boise, Idaho's capital since 1865. Lewiston served as capital from 1863 to 1865. | |||
| State motto: Esto Perpetua (Let it be perpetual). | |||
| Popular name: The Gem State. | |||
| State song: "Here We Have Idaho." Words by McKinley Helm and Albert J. Tompkins; music by Sallie Hume-Douglas. | |||
| Symbols of Idaho | |||
| State bird: Mountain bluebird. | |||
| State flower: Syringa. | |||
| State tree: Western white pine. | |||
| State flag and seal: Idaho's state flag, first adopted in 1907, bears the state seal on a blue background. On the seal, first adopted in 1891, the woman holding the scales and a spear symbolizes justice, liberty, and equality. The miner represents Idaho's mineral resources. The elk's head stands for wildlife and the pine tree for the state's forests. A sheaf of grain symbolizes agriculture. The seal was updated in 1957. | |||
| Land and climate | |||
| Area: 83,574 mi2 (216,456 km2), including 823 mi2 (2,131 km2) of inland water. | |||
| Elevation: Highest--Borah Peak, 12,662 ft (3,859 m) above sea level. Lowest--Snake River at Lewiston in Nez Perce County, 710 ft (216 m) above sea level. | |||
| Record high temperature: 118 °F (48 °C) at Orofino on July 28, 1934. | |||
| Record low temperature: –60 °F –51 °C) at Island Park Dam on Jan. 18, 1943. | |||
| Average July temperature: 67 °F (19 °C). | |||
| Average January temperature: 23 °F (–5 °C). | |||
| Average yearly precipitation: 19 in (48 cm). | |||
| People | |||
| Population: 1,293,953. | |||
| Rank among the states: 39th. | |||
| Density: 15 per mi2 (6 per km2), U.S. average 78 per mi2 (30 per km2). | |||
| Distribution: 66 percent urban, 34 percent rural. | |||
| Largest cities in Idaho: Boise (185,787); Nampa (51,867); Pocatello (51,466); Idaho Falls (50,730); Meridian (34,919); Coeur d'Alene (34,514). | |||
| Economy | |||
| Chief products | |||
| Agriculture: barley, beef cattle, hay, milk, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat. | |||
| Manufacturing: computer and electronic equipment, food products, wood products. | |||
| Mining: molybdenum, phosphate rock, sand and gravel, silver. | |||
| Government | |||
| State government | |||
| Governor: 4-year term. | |||
| State senators: 35; 2-year terms. | |||
| State representatives: 70; 2-year terms. | |||
| Counties: 44. | |||
| Federal government | |||
| United States senators: 2. | |||
| United States representatives: 2. | |||
| Electoral votes: 4. | |||
| Sources of information | |||
| For information about tourism, write to: Idaho Division of Tourism Development, 700 W. State Street, Boise, ID 83720-0093. The Web site at http://www.visitidaho.org also provides information. | |||
| For information on the economy, write to: Idaho Commerce and Labor, 700 W. State Street, P.O. Box 83720, Boise, ID 83720-0093. The Web site at http://cl.idaho.gov also provides information. | |||
| The state's official Web site at http://www.state.id.us also provides a gateway to much information on Idaho's economy, government, and history. | |||
