Iowa
Hawkeye State · Capital: Des Moines · Midwest (Plains)
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Bordering states: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota.
About Iowa
Iowa lies in the Midwest between two rivers: the Mississippi forms its whole eastern border and the Missouri and Big Sioux its western one, while the north and south edges are surveyed lines. The land slopes gently from Hawkeye Point, 1,670 feet, in the northwest to 480 feet at Keokuk, but it is not uniform. Geologists recognise seven landform regions, including the poorly drained Des Moines Lobe, the Loess Hills of wind blown silt up to 200 feet deep along the Missouri, and the limestone bluffs of the northeast. Deep prairie soils explain why roughly 85 percent of the land is farmland.
Between roughly 750 and 1400 CE, people built more than two hundred mounds on the bluffs near Marquette, some shaped as bears and birds. The Ioway, or Baxoje, later gave the state its name. Julien Dubuque mined lead with Meskwaki permission from 1788, and the region passed to the United States in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. After the Black Hawk War of 1832 settlers began arriving in 1833. Iowa Territory was organised in 1838, and Iowa entered the Union as a free state, the 29th, on 28 December 1846. Its courts ruled against slavery in 1839 and against school segregation in 1868.
Iowa had 3,190,369 residents in 2020, up 4.7 percent from 2010. The state leads the nation in corn, pork and eggs. Henry A. Wallace founded the Hi-Bred Corn Company in 1926, and hybrid seed went from almost none of Iowa's corn in 1933 to nearly all of it by 1943. The farm crisis cut land values by roughly 60 percent between 1981 and 1986. From 1972 the Iowa caucuses opened the presidential nominating calendar. Herbert Hoover, born in West Branch in 1874, was the first president born west of the Mississippi, and Norman Borlaug of Cresco won the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize for his wheat breeding.
4 fun facts about Iowa
- Iowa grows more corn than any other state, about 2.5 billion bushels a year.
- It's the only state bordered entirely by two rivers (Mississippi on the east, Missouri on the west).
- For decades the Iowa caucuses opened the presidential nominating season, and they still do for Republicans.
- "Field of Dreams" was filmed here, the baseball diamond is still there as a tourist attraction.
More about Iowa
Frequently asked questions about Iowa
Is Iowa a US state?
Yes, Iowa is one of the 50 US states. It was admitted to the Union in 1846, making it the 29th state. Its capital is Des Moines and its largest city is Des Moines.
What is the capital of Iowa?
The capital of Iowa is Des Moines.
When did Iowa become a state?
Iowa became a US state in 1846. It is the 29th state admitted to the Union.
What is the abbreviation for Iowa?
The 2-letter USPS abbreviation for Iowa is IA.
How big is Iowa?
Iowa ranks #26 of 50 US states by area. With 57.1 residents per square mile in 2020, it was the 36th most densely populated state.
What is the population of Iowa?
Iowa had 3,190,369 residents at the 2020 census, the 31st largest population of the 50 states, up 4.7% since 2010. That count gives it 4 seats in the US House of Representatives.
What region is Iowa in?
Iowa is in the Midwest region of the United States, per the US Census Bureau.
What time zone is Iowa in?
Iowa observes Central Time.
Learn more
How to learn the 50 states (full guide)
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