Wyoming
Equality State · Capital: Cheyenne · West (Mountain)
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Bordering states: Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Idaho.
About Wyoming
Wyoming spans the Rocky Mountain West between 41 and 45 degrees north, bordered by Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah and Idaho. Its mean elevation of about 6,700 feet is second only to Colorado's, and even its lowest point, about 3,100 feet on the Belle Fourche River, is higher than the summits of more than a dozen states. Gannett Peak in the Wind River Range reaches 13,809 feet. About 96 percent of Yellowstone National Park lies in Wyoming. The record low is 66 below zero, and wind regularly closes Interstate 80 to high-profile vehicles.
The Eastern Shoshone, Crow, Northern Arapaho, Northern Cheyenne and Lakota lived on these basins and plains, and the Fort Bridger Treaty of 1868 created the Wind River Reservation. Emigrants on the Oregon, California and Mormon trails crossed the Continental Divide at South Pass, but settlement followed the Union Pacific, which reached Cheyenne in 1867. Wyoming Territory gave women the vote on December 10, 1869, and Yellowstone became the world's first national park in 1872. When Congress pressed it to drop women's suffrage, the territory refused, and it was admitted on July 10, 1890 as the forty-fourth state.
Wyoming had 576,851 residents in 2020, up 2.3 percent since 2010, the smallest population of any state, with 5.9 people per square mile. Cheyenne is both capital and largest city. The Powder River Basin makes Wyoming the leading coal producer, with roughly 40 percent of the national total, and the state levies no personal income tax. Its nickname, the Equality State, recalls the 1869 suffrage law. Esther Hobart Morris became the country's first woman justice of the peace in 1870, and Nellie Tayloe Ross took office in 1925 as the first woman governor of a US state.
4 fun facts about Wyoming
- Wyoming was the first US state or territory to give women a lasting right to vote (1869), 51 years before the 19th Amendment.
- It's the least populous US state (~580k people, fewer than Washington DC).
- Yellowstone, the world's first national park, is mostly in Wyoming. The Grand Prismatic Spring there is bigger than a football field.
- Wyoming is home to about half of the world's pronghorn.
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Frequently asked questions about Wyoming
Is Wyoming a US state?
Yes, Wyoming is one of the 50 US states. It was admitted to the Union in 1890, making it the 44th state. Its capital is Cheyenne and its largest city is Cheyenne.
What is the capital of Wyoming?
The capital of Wyoming is Cheyenne.
When did Wyoming become a state?
Wyoming became a US state in 1890. It is the 44th state admitted to the Union.
What is the abbreviation for Wyoming?
The 2-letter USPS abbreviation for Wyoming is WY.
How big is Wyoming?
Wyoming ranks #10 of 50 US states by area. With 5.9 residents per square mile in 2020, it was the 49th most densely populated state.
What is the population of Wyoming?
Wyoming had 576,851 residents at the 2020 census, the 50th largest population of the 50 states, up 2.3% since 2010. That count gives it 1 seat in the US House of Representatives.
What region is Wyoming in?
Wyoming is in the West region of the United States, per the US Census Bureau.
What time zone is Wyoming in?
Wyoming observes Mountain Time.
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How to learn the 50 states (full guide)
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