Economy

Historically, agriculture has dominated the state's economy. Since World War II, however, other industries such as finance, government, and trade have gradually surpassed farming in terms of revenue and employment. Agriculture remains important because many of the state's other industries are directly dependent on farming, especially those that provide services to farmers and those that produce farm equipment and processed foods.

Both in terms of total revenue and total employment, the state's leading industries are the service industry, manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, and services. Service industries account for the largest portion of the state's gross domestic product—the total value of all goods and services produced in the state in a year.

Kansas, with vast expanses of fertile soil, has been a major farm state since it was settled in the 19th century. About 90 per cent of the state's area is in farms. The state has 64,500 farms. Farming in eastern Kansas is diversified; the drier western section is used mainly for raising cattle and wheat.

Kansas ranks among the United States' leaders in wheat production and beef cattle. These products account for nearly four-fifths of the state's farm income. Wheat is grown throughout the state, but production is greatest in the central and western sections. Beef cattle outnumber all other farm animals combined. Many hogs are also raised in Kansas. Corn is the second-ranking crop of the state. Grain sorghum, which is tolerant of hot, dry weather, is widely grown. Other leading crops, by value, include soybeans, hay, and sugar beets. Kansas is also a leading producer of sunflowers. Commercial truck farming, fruit growing, poultry raising, and dairying are carried on mainly in the east.

About one-sixth of Kansas' labor force is engaged in manufacturing, largely in or near Wichita and Kansas City. The state's chief manufactured product is transportation equipment, with Kansas producing over half of the general aviation aircraft manufactured in the United States; mainly military planes, missiles and aircraft parts. Kansas also produces railroad freight cars, locomotive parts, passenger cars, snowplows, trailers, truck parts, and construction and farm equipment.

The second leading manufacturing activity, by value, is food processing, especially meat packing and flour milling. Kansas is a leading state in the production of flour. The grinding of feeds for livestock and poultry is an industry found in many areas.

Petroleum refining is a major industry in a number of cities. The largest refineries are in El Dorado, McPherson, Augusta, and Coffeyville. Among other industries are printing and publishing and the manufacture of chemicals, clay and glass products, industrial machinery, cement, and fabricated metal products. Factories in several cities make a variety of plastics products. The state also produces motor vehicle tires, and a plant in Topeka is one of the largest producers of school yearbooks in the United States.

Kansas is one of the country's more important mineral-producing states. By value, crude petroleum, natural gas, and natural-gas liquids are the chief products. Petroleum, commercially produced from Kansas' portion of the mid-continent oil region, is pumped from thousands of wells scattered throughout much of the state. Kansas ranks among the nation's 10 leading producers of oil. Most of the natural gas that Kansas produces comes from gas fields in the southwest, especially the large Hugoton field. Other minerals and mineral products include salt, stone, sand and gravel, helium, clays, and coal.

In pioneer days, two important westward routes passed through Kansas —the Santa Fe and Oregon trails. Today, one of the nation's chief east-west routes— Interstate 70—passes through Kansas City, Topeka, and Salina. Other Interstate highways and the Kansas Turnpike serve the state. The turnpike, a northeast-southwest route, links Kansas City, Topeka, and Wichita.

Kansas is served by several trunk-line railroads. Kansas City has long been a major railroad junction with large freight classification yards. The state has more than 360 airports, the busiest of which is Wichita Municipal Airport. There is commercial barge traffic on the Missouri River. The largest river ports are at Atchison, Kansas City, and Leavenworth.