Nebraska
Cornhusker State · Capital: Lincoln · Midwest (Plains)
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Bordering states: South Dakota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming.
About Nebraska
Nebraska lies on the Great Plains in the Midwest, bordered by South Dakota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado and Wyoming. The Missouri River forms its whole eastern boundary, and every acre of the state drains into it. The land climbs steadily from 840 feet in the southeast to 5,429 feet at Panorama Point in the west, about ten feet per mile. Windblown loess in the east supports row crops, while the Sand Hills, about 19,600 square miles of grass-covered dunes, form the largest dune field in the Western Hemisphere, used for ranching. Beneath lies about 65 percent of the Ogallala Aquifer's water. Each March about half a million sandhill cranes gather on the Platte River between Grand Island and Kearney.
Pawnee villages of earth lodges lined the Loup and the Platte, and the Omaha, Ponca and Otoe-Missouria lived along the Missouri. The land came to the United States in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, and the Platte valley became the route of the Oregon, Mormon and California trails. The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 created the territory. Daniel Freeman's claim near Beatrice on 1 January 1863 is counted as the first under the Homestead Act. Nebraska became the 37th state on 1 March 1867, the only state admitted over a president's veto. In 1879 the Ponca chief Standing Bear won a federal ruling in Omaha that an Indian is a person under the law.
The 2020 census counted 1,961,504 Nebraskans, up 7.4 percent from 1,826,341 in 2010, for three House seats. Lincoln is the capital and Omaha the largest city. Nebraska has the only one-chamber legislature in the country, with 49 senators elected without party labels, and every customer buys electricity from a publicly owned utility. Arbor Day began here in 1872, and Kool-Aid was invented in Hastings in 1927. Gerald Ford was born in Omaha, and Willa Cather grew up in Red Cloud.
4 fun facts about Nebraska
- Nebraska has the only unicameral state legislature in the US (single chamber, no senate vs house).
- Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffett's company, is HQ'd in Omaha.
- Omaha's Blackstone Hotel claims to have created the Reuben sandwich around 1925.
- Nebraska's official soft drink is Kool-Aid (invented in Hastings, 1927).
More about Nebraska
Nebraska geography and climate
Frequently asked questions about Nebraska
Is Nebraska a US state?
Yes, Nebraska is one of the 50 US states. It was admitted to the Union in 1867, making it the 37th state. Its capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha.
What is the capital of Nebraska?
The capital of Nebraska is Lincoln. Note that the largest city in Nebraska is Omaha, not the capital, a common point of confusion.
When did Nebraska become a state?
Nebraska became a US state in 1867. It is the 37th state admitted to the Union.
What is the abbreviation for Nebraska?
The 2-letter USPS abbreviation for Nebraska is NE.
How big is Nebraska?
Nebraska ranks #16 of 50 US states by area. With 25.5 residents per square mile in 2020, it was the 43rd most densely populated state.
What is the population of Nebraska?
Nebraska had 1,961,504 residents at the 2020 census, the 37th largest population of the 50 states, up 7.4% since 2010. That count gives it 3 seats in the US House of Representatives.
What region is Nebraska in?
Nebraska is in the Midwest region of the United States, per the US Census Bureau.
What time zone is Nebraska in?
Nebraska observes Central Time (the state spans multiple time zones).
Learn more
How to learn the 50 states (full guide)
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