South Dakota
Mount Rushmore State · Capital: Pierre · Midwest (Plains)
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Bordering states: North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, Montana.
About South Dakota
South Dakota lies in the Midwest between North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming and Montana. The Missouri River runs down its middle and divides what residents call East River from West River. East River was overrun by the ice sheets, gets more than twenty inches of rain and grows corn and soybeans. West River was never glaciated, is much drier and is ranching country. In the far west the Black Hills rise as a separate dome with a granite core, topped by Black Elk Peak at 7,244 feet, the highest ground in the United States east of the Rockies. The climate is extreme: in 1936 McIntosh fell to 58 below zero in February and Gann Valley reached 120 degrees in July.
The Arikara farmed the Missouri terraces from earth lodge towns, and by the 1770s the Lakota were hunting in the Black Hills. The land passed to the United States with the 1803 Louisiana Purchase, and Dakota Territory was organized in 1861. The Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868 reserved the Black Hills for the Great Sioux Reservation, but gold found during Custer's 1874 expedition brought in miners, then war, and Congress took the hills. South Dakota became the 40th state on November 2, 1889. In December 1890 the Seventh Cavalry killed roughly 250 to 300 Lakota at Wounded Knee Creek.
The 2020 census counted 886,667 residents, up 8.9 percent from 2010, with one seat in the US House. Pierre is the capital and Sioux Falls the largest city, a banking center since the state repealed its interest rate ceiling in 1980 and Citibank moved its credit card operation there the next year. Mount Rushmore, carved from 1927 to 1941, gave the state its nickname. Natives include the physicist Ernest Lawrence of Canton, winner of the 1939 Nobel Prize, and Billy Mills, raised at Pine Ridge, who won the 10,000 metres at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
4 fun facts about South Dakota
- Mount Rushmore, with the faces of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt, was carved from 1927 to 1941.
- The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally draws hundreds of thousands of riders every August, far more than the population of Pierre.
- The Crazy Horse Memorial has been under carving since 1948 and is still unfinished.
- South Dakota's trust and banking laws have made Sioux Falls a hub for trust companies and credit card banks.
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Frequently asked questions about South Dakota
Is South Dakota a US state?
Yes, South Dakota is one of the 50 US states. It was admitted to the Union in 1889, making it the 40th state. Its capital is Pierre and its largest city is Sioux Falls.
What is the capital of South Dakota?
The capital of South Dakota is Pierre. Note that the largest city in South Dakota is Sioux Falls, not the capital, a common point of confusion.
When did South Dakota become a state?
South Dakota became a US state in 1889. It is the 40th state admitted to the Union.
What is the abbreviation for South Dakota?
The 2-letter USPS abbreviation for South Dakota is SD.
How big is South Dakota?
South Dakota ranks #17 of 50 US states by area. With 11.7 residents per square mile in 2020, it was the 46th most densely populated state.
What is the population of South Dakota?
South Dakota had 886,667 residents at the 2020 census, the 46th largest population of the 50 states, up 8.9% since 2010. That count gives it 1 seat in the US House of Representatives.
What region is South Dakota in?
South Dakota is in the Midwest region of the United States, per the US Census Bureau.
What time zone is South Dakota in?
South Dakota observes Central Time (the state spans multiple time zones).
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How to learn the 50 states (full guide)
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