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Idaho was the 43rd state to join the union on July 3, 1890.
Main info[]
- Capital: Boise
- Population: 1,716,943
- State Bird: Mountain Bluebird
- State Flower: Syringa
- State Tree: Western White Pine
- State Song: Here We Have Idaho
- Number of bordered States: 6
- Most Popular Attraction: Bear Lake
- Local Restaurant: Copper Rill Restaurant
- Top 3 Celebrities: Sarah Palin, Picabo Street, and Jake Pitts
- Hypothetical Law: Bicycles are not allowed in tennis courts.
- State Sandwich: Chicken Bacon Cheddar Philly
- Best Sports Team: Idaho Stampede
Fun Facts[]
- The Cataldo mission is the oldest building in Idaho.
- Post Falls is known as Idaho's river city.
- Hell's Canyon is Idaho's deepest gorge.
History[]
Idaho prior to European settlement was inhabited by Native American peoples, some of whom still live in the area. In the early 19th century, Idaho was considered part of the Oregon Country, an area disputed between the U.S. and the United Kingdom. It officially became U.S. territory with the signing of the Oregon Treaty of 1846, but a separate Idaho Territory was not organized until 1863, instead being included for periods in Oregon Territory and Washington Territory. Idaho was eventually admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, becoming the 43rd state.
Forming part of the Pacific Northwest (and the associated Cascadia bioregion), Idaho is divided into several distinct geographic and climatic regions. In the state's north, the relatively isolated Idaho Panhandle is closely linked with Eastern Washington, with which it shares the Pacific Time Zone – the rest of the state uses the Mountain Time Zone. The state's south includes the Snake River Plain (which has most of the population and agricultural land), while the south-east incorporates part of the Great Basin. Idaho is quite mountainous, and contains several stretches of the Rocky Mountains. The United States Forest Service holds about 38% of Idaho's land, the most of any state.
Industries significant for the state economy include manufacturing, agriculture, mining, forestry, and tourism. A number of science and technology firms are either headquartered in Idaho or have factories there, and the state also contains the Idaho National Laboratory, which is the country's largest Department of Energy facility. Idaho's agricultural sector supplies many products, but the state is best known for its potato crop, which comprises around one-third of the nationwide yield. The official state nickname is the "Gem State", which references Idaho's reputation for gemstones and, more broadly, its many wilderness areas.
State Symbols[]
Amphibian Tiger salamander
Bird Mountain bluebird
Raptor: Peregrine falcon
Fish Cutthroat trout
Flower Syringa
Horse breed Appaloosa
Insect Monarch butterfly
Tree Western white pine
Dance Square dance
Food
Fruit: Huckleberry
Vegetable: potato
Fossil Hagerman horse
Gemstone Star garnet
Motto Esto perpetua ("Let it be perpetual")
Slogan Great Potatoes. Tasty Destinations.
Soil Threebear
Song "Here We Have Idaho"
Counties[]
Idaho Counties
Cities[]
- Boise (capital)
- Meridian
- Nampa
- Idaho Falls
- Pocatello
- Caldwell
- Coeur d'Alene
- Twin Falls
- Lewiston
- Post Falls
Famous Births[]
- Lana Turner
- Sacagawea
- Sarah Palin
- Aaron Paul
- Ezra Pound
- Torrie Wilson