Utah
Beehive State · Capital: Salt Lake City · West (Mountain)
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Bordering states: Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada.
About Utah
Utah lies in the Mountain West, bordered by Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Nevada, and meets three of them at Four Corners. It spans three physiographic provinces: the Basin and Range in the west, the Colorado Plateau in the southeast and the Middle Rocky Mountains in the northeast. Ogden, Salt Lake City and Provo stand along the Wasatch Fault, and roughly four in five Utahns live in that narrow corridor. The Uinta Mountains, which run east to west, hold Kings Peak, the high point at 13,534 feet. The Great Salt Lake has no outlet and is the remnant of prehistoric Lake Bonneville. With about twelve inches of precipitation a year, Utah is the second driest state after Nevada.
The Ute, whose name the state carries, shared the land with the Southern Paiute, Goshute, Eastern Shoshone and Diné. Latter-day Saint settlers led by Brigham Young reached the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847, while it was still Mexican territory; it passed to the United States in 1848. Congress refused their proposed State of Deseret and created Utah Territory in 1850. The transcontinental railroad was completed at Promontory Summit on May 10, 1869. Conflict over plural marriage delayed statehood until after the church's 1890 Manifesto, and Utah became the 45th state on January 4, 1896.
Utah had 3,271,616 residents in 2020, up 18.4 percent from 2010, and holds four seats in the US House. Salt Lake City is the capital and largest city and hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics. The Bingham Canyon copper pit, worked since 1906, and the ski resorts above Salt Lake City have shaped the economy. The beehive, from deseret, a Book of Mormon word for honeybee, stands behind the state motto, Industry. Natives include Philo Farnsworth of Beaver, who transmitted the first all-electronic television picture in 1927, and the gun designer John Moses Browning of Ogden.
4 fun facts about Utah
- The Great Salt Lake is so salty that you float effortlessly, saltier than the Pacific Ocean.
- Utah was settled in the 1840s by Mormon pioneers fleeing persecution, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is still headquartered in Salt Lake City.
- Salt Lake City hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics and will host them again in 2034.
- Utah has the third-highest average elevation of any state, after Colorado and Wyoming.
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Frequently asked questions about Utah
Is Utah a US state?
Yes, Utah is one of the 50 US states. It was admitted to the Union in 1896, making it the 45th state. Its capital is Salt Lake City and its largest city is Salt Lake City.
What is the capital of Utah?
The capital of Utah is Salt Lake City.
When did Utah become a state?
Utah became a US state in 1896. It is the 45th state admitted to the Union.
What is the abbreviation for Utah?
The 2-letter USPS abbreviation for Utah is UT.
How big is Utah?
Utah ranks #13 of 50 US states by area. With 39.7 residents per square mile in 2020, it was the 40th most densely populated state.
What is the population of Utah?
Utah had 3,271,616 residents at the 2020 census, the 30th largest population of the 50 states, up 18.4% since 2010. That count gives it 4 seats in the US House of Representatives.
What region is Utah in?
Utah is in the West region of the United States, per the US Census Bureau.
What time zone is Utah in?
Utah observes Mountain Time.
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How to learn the 50 states (full guide)
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