Iowa

Iowa is one of the fifty states that, along with Washington D.C., make up the United States of America. Its capital and most populous city is Des Moines. It is located in the Midwest region of the country, Northwest Central division, bordered to the north by Minnesota, to the east by the Mississippi River that separates it from Wisconsin (to the northeast) and Illinois (to the southeast), to the south by Missouri, to the west by the Missouri River that separates it from Nebraska, and to the northwest with the Big Sioux River that separates it from South Dakota. It was admitted to the Union on December 28, 1846, as the 29th state.

92 percent of the state's population is white, and Iowa's largest ethnic group is Germans, who make up 35.7% of the state's population. Its main sources of income are manufacturing, agriculture and tourism. It is the largest producer of soybeans and ethanol in the United States, and has the largest hog herd in the country.

The state's name comes from the Iowa Native American people who inhabited the region. The first Europeans to explore the region were the Frenchmen Louis Jolliet and Jacques Marquette in 1673, who described the region as green and fertile. The first white settlers settled in the region in June 1833.

History

When the first humans arrived in Iowa more than 13,000 years ago, they were hunter-gatherers inhabiting a Pleistocene glacial landscape. By the time European explorers arrived, the Amerindians had become farmers with an economic, social, and political infrastructure. This transformation took place gradually. During the Archaic era (10,500-2,800 years ago) people adapted to new environments and ecosystems and became sedentary, so the population increased. Over 3,000 years ago, during the Late Archaic period, humans in Iowa began domesticating plants and cultivating them. The period that followed, known as the 'Woodland period', was characterized by a greater reliance on agriculture and a more complex social structure. The use of mounds and pottery increased. During the late prehistoric period, beginning around AD 900. C., the cultivation of corn was increased. Social changes fostered stable settlements. With the arrival of products and diseases from Europe through explorers and colonizers, the local population was decimated, affecting the economy and the social structure.

Iowa in 1718. The modern state appears in lighter color.

The first Europeans to visit the region were French explorers Louis Jolliet and Jacques Marquette in 1673. They arrived by sailing up the Mississippi River, and after examining the area they wrote that Iowa appeared to be a green and fertile region. The territory was occupied by the nations: Ioway, Sauk, Mesquaki, Sioux, Potawatomi, Otoe, and Missouri.

Julien Dubuque (1762–1810), born to Norman parents in St. Pierre les Brecquets, on the southern bank of the St. Lawrence River, a little over a hundred kilometers east of Quebec City, Canada, was the first European who lived in what is now Iowa. In 1788 he obtained permission from the chiefs of the Fox tribe (and later also from the Spanish authorities) to mine galena (lead sulphide) on the hills beside the Mississippi River in the contours of the city that today bears his name.

Iowa was obtained by the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. The Patowatamie, Oto, and Missouri had sold their territory to the federal government before 1830, and in June 1833 official colonization of Iowa began by the the United States. Most of the early settlers came from Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Indiana, Kentucky, and Virginia.

The early settlers faced a lonely and harsh life in the first decades. They had to adapt to the vast, treeless prairie that suffered from extensive annual fires from the wild grass that covered the entire field. Only the extreme east of the territory had enough forests to supply the needs for housing construction and fuel. The arrival of the railroad in the 1850s and 1860s further opened the domestic and international markets to the region's agricultural products, and the population grew from 43,112 (1840) to 1 194 020 (1870). As a partial result of an official campaign to attract immigrants in 1869, many came from European countries (primarily from Germany, Sweden, Norway, and the Netherlands).

The federal government accepted Iowa as a state of the Union on December 28, 1846.

Physical geography

The eastern boundary of Iowa—with Wisconsin and Illinois— forms the Mississippi River

The river Des Moines crosses Iowa in the southeast direction, and passes through its capital, also Des Moines

The Missouri forms part of its western border with Nebraska

Finally, the Big Sioux River marks its northwest border with South Dakota

Iowa topographic map, with its counties and major water flows

Iowa is bordered by Minnesota to the north, Nebraska to the west, South Dakota to the northwest, Missouri to the south, Wisconsin to the northeast, and Illinois to the east. The Mississippi River forms the eastern border of the state, and the Missouri River the west. Iowa has 99 counties. The state capital, Des Moines, is located in Polk County.

There are several natural lakes in the state, the largest being Spirit, West Okoboji, and East Okoboji lakes in northwestern Iowa. Man-made lakes include: Odessa, Saylorville, Red Rock, Coralville, MacBride, and Rathbun.

The topography of the state is made up of gently undulating plains. Loess foothills occur along the western border of the state, some of which are several hundred feet deep. In the northeast, along the Mississippi River, is a section of the Driftless Zone, which in Iowa consists of low, rugged hills covered in a coniferous landscape—a landscape not generally associated with this state.

The lowest point is Keokuk, in southeast Iowa, at 146 m, and the highest point, at 509 m, is Hawkeye Point, located north of the city of Sibley in the northwest of Iowa. The average elevation of the state is 335 m. Considering the size of the state (145,743 km²), there is very little difference in elevation.

Iowa has the highest average radon concentrations in the nation due to significant glaciation that crushed the granitic rocks of the Canadian Shield and deposited it in soils, enriching Iowa's farmlands. surface of rocky land area, radon is released as a boiling gas from soils. Many cities in the state, such as Iowa City, have passed radon-resistance requirements for all new home construction.

Climate

DeSoto Lake in the DeSoto Wildlife Refuge.

Iowa, like most of the Midwest, has a statewide humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification 'Dfa') with both hot and cold temperature extremes. The average annual temperature in Des Moines is 10 °C); for some northern locations it is below 8 °C, while Keokuk, on the Mississippi River, averages 12 °C. Winters are harsh and snowfall is common, the capital (Des Moines) receiving an average of 36 inches per season. Spring heralds the start of the severe weather season, bringing increased precipitation and rising temperatures. The Iowa summer is known for its heat and humidity, with daytime temperatures often near 32°C and sometimes over 38°C.

It has an average of 50 days of thunderstorm activity per year. Some of these storms can be intense, with strong winds and hail. The state has a moderately high risk of tornado activity, averaging 37 tornadoes per year, mostly during the spring and summer months.

Administration and politics

Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines

In Iowa, the term political party refers to organizations that have received two percent or more of the votes cast for president or governor in the "last preceding general election". Iowa recognizes two political parties (Democrats and Republicans). Other parties, officially called "independent political organizations," may also appear on the ticket — five of these have had candidates in Iowa elections since 2004 for various offices: the Constitution Party, the Party of the Iowa Greens, the Libertarian Party, the Pirate Party, and the Socialist Workers Party.

Iowa voters supported Bill Clinton in the 1992 and 1996 presidential elections. Al Gore won the state in 2000, and George W. Bush in 2004. In the 2006 election, the Democratic party won two seats in the Iowa's delegation to the House of Representatives, and the Democrats won majorities in both Houses in the Iowa General Assembly.

The Code of Iowa contains the state's statutory laws. It is regularly updated through the Iowa Legislative Service Office with a new edition published in odd-numbered years, and a supplement published in even-numbered years.

Caucus

The state receives considerable attention every four years because the state hosts the first presidential caucus, a meeting of voters to select delegates to the state convention, the primary or preliminary stage in which each party decides who will receive their party's nomination for President of the United States.

Along with the New Hampshire primary a week later, it has become the go-to weapon for picking presidential candidates from the country's two major political parties. The caucus, held in January of the election year, involves people meeting in homes or public places and choosing their candidate, rather than taking secret ballots, as is done in a primary election.. The national and international media give Iowa (and New Hampshire) roughly half of their attention in the national candidate selection process, giving voters enormous leverage. Those who enter the caucus race often expend enormous efforts to reach voters in each of Iowa's 99 counties.

Demographics

Iowa age pyramid

The 2000 US Census Bureau estimated the population of Iowa at 2,926,324, a growth of 5.4% of the state population in 1990, 2,776,755 inhabitants. A 2005 estimate put the state's population at 2,966,334, a 6.8% growth over the state's 1990 population, which was 1.4% of the state's population in 2000, and 0.5% of the estimated population in 2004. The 2011 estimate is 3,062,309.

Iowa's natural population growth between 2000 and 2005 was 53,706—197,163 births minus 143,457 deaths—population growth caused by immigration was 29,386, while interstate migration showed a loss of 41,140 inhabitants. Between 2000 and 2005, Iowa's population grew by 39,952, and between 2004 and 2005, by 13,430.

Ethnic composition

Map of counties in Iowa by racial plurality, per the 2020 U.S. census

Non-Hispanic White

50-60% 60-70% 70-80% 80–90% 90%+

A new 2006 Census Bureau estimate put the state's population at 2,982,085 people, whose ethnic makeup was as follows:

• 91.0 % are white (European or European descendants).
• 3.8 % are Latino or Hispanic (including Mexicans).
• 2.3% are African American.
• 1.5 percent are Asian.
• The rest are made up of people from other ethnic backgrounds.

The Latino/Hispanic population is the fastest growing, due to the high fertility rates of Latina women residing in the United States, and also due to legal and illegal immigration from Latin America and the Caribbean.

Iowa's five largest ancestry groups are: German (35.7% of the state's population), Irish (13.5%), English (9.5%), American (6, 6%, the majority are of Scottish or Irish descent) and Norwegian (5.7%).

Education

University of the State of Iowa

The first school in the state, a private school, was founded in 1830, when Iowa was still part of Michigan Territory, in what is now Lee County. The government of the Territory of Michigan approved in 1820 budgets for the construction of the first public schools in Iowa. In 1858, already as a state, the government of Iowa approved the creation of a public education system, in 1858, made up entirely of schools of primary education. Iowa's public school system began to include secondary schools in 1911. The state made school attendance compulsory in 1902.

Currently, all educational institutions in Iowa must comply with regulations and standards set forth by the Iowa State Board of Education. This board directly controls the state's public school system, which is divided into different school districts. The council is composed of nine members chosen by the governor, plus a director of education, who chairs the council, also chosen by the governor. The mandate of the members of the council is indeterminate, since the governor has the power to replace any member whenever he wants. Each primary city (city), several secondary cities (towns), and each county is served by a school district. In cities, the responsibility for managing the public school system rests with municipal districts, while in less densely inhabited regions this responsibility rests with school districts, which operate countywide in general. Iowa allows "charter schools" —independent public schools, which are not administered by school districts but which depend on public budgets for their operation. School attendance is compulsory for all children and adolescents over seven years of age, until the conclusion of secondary education or up to fifteen years of age.

In 1999, public schools served about 497.3 thousand students, and employed approximately 33.5 thousand teachers. Private schools served about 49.6 thousand students, and employed approximately 3.5 thousand teachers. The state's public school system consumed about $3.11 billion, and public school spending was approximately $6,500 per student. About 88% of the state's residents over the age of 25 have a high school diploma.

Iowa's first public library was founded in 1853, in Fairfield. Iowa public libraries currently move about 7.6 books per capita annually.

The first institution of higher learning was the University of Iowa, approved in 1847, and founded in 1858, in Iowa City, and is now the largest university in the state. Iowa currently has 62 higher education institutions, of which 18 are public and 44 are private.

Religion

Colonias Amana, founded by German footers.

Percentage of population by religious affiliation:

Religion 2019

• Christians – 78 % - 2 484 141
  • Protestants – 60% - 1 910 878
  • Catholics – 18 % - 573 263
• Other religions - 1% - 31 847
• No religion – 21 % - 668 807

Main cities

Iowa County
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Des Moines, capital of the state.

Population  100,000 (urban area)

• Des Moines
• Cedar Rapids
• Davenport
• Sioux City
• Waterloo
• Iowa City
• Council Bluffs

Population  10 000 (urban area)

• Dubuque
• Ames
• West Des Moines
• Cedar Falls
• Fort Madison
• Clinton
• Burlington
• Muscatine
• Newton
• Keokuk
• Pella
• Bettendorf
• Cedar Falls
• Fayette

Economy

It's a corn harvest in Jones County.

Iowa's gross domestic product (GDP) was $103 billion in 2003. The state's per capita income was $28,340. Iowa's unemployment rate was 4.1%.

The primary sector accounts for 4% of Iowa's GDP. Together, agriculture and ranching account for 4% of Iowa's GDP, and employ approximately 136,000 people. The effects of fishing and forestry are minor on the state's economy. Iowa has about 94,000 farms, covering more than 90 percent of the state. Only Nebraska has a higher percentage relative to the area of the state covered by farms. Iowa is the largest corn producer in the United States, producing approximately one-fifth of the corn produced in the country. Iowa also has the largest hog herd in the country. The state is also one of the largest soybean producers in the country. Iowa concentrates about a quarter of the US hog herd. Other important Iowa farm products are straw, oats, apples, legumes, and cattle herds.

Aerogenerators near the city of Williams.

The secondary sector accounts for 26% of GDP. The manufacturing industry contributes 22% of the state's GDP and employs approximately 267 thousand people. The total value of the products manufactured in the state is 31 billion dollars. The main industrialized products manufactured in the state are industrially processed food, machinery, chemical products, electrical equipment, and transportation vehicles. Iowa is the largest producer of ethanol in the country. The construction industry accounts for 4% of the state's GDP, and employs approximately 100,000 people. The effects of mining on the state's economy are insignificant, and it employs about 3,000 people. The main natural mineral resource in the state is limestone.

The tertiary sector contributes 70% of GDP. Approximately 17% of the state's GDP is generated through community and personal services. This sector employs about 535 thousand people. Wholesale and retail trade accounts for 16% of the state's GDP, and employs approximately 420,000 people. Financial and real estate services account for about 16% of the state's GDP, and employ approximately 135,000 people. Des Moines is the financial center of the state, the second largest center of the insurance industry in the United States (behind only Hartford (Connecticut)) and the third largest in the world (behind London and Hartford). Public services account for 12 % of Iowa's GDP, and employ approximately 254,000 people Transportation, telecommunications, and public utilities employ 92,000 people and account for 9% of Iowa's GDP Nearly 85% of the electricity generated in The state is produced by coal-fired or oil-fired power plants.The state's only nuclear power plant, the Duane Arnold Energy Center, produces 11%, and hydroelectric plants produce about 2%.

Transport and means of communication

Interstate highways from Iowa.

Des Moines is Iowa's main transportation hub. It is an important transportation and rail hub for the Midwest region of the United States, and is home to the state's main airport, Des Moines International Airport. In 2002, Iowa had 6,537 kilometers of railways.

In 2003, the state had 182,686 kilometers of public roads, of which 1,259 kilometers were interstate highways, considered part of the United States federal highway system.

Iowa's first newspaper, the Dubuque Visitor, was first published in 1836, in Dubuque, and publication lasted only until 1837. The state's oldest newspaper still in circulation, for its part is the Hawk Eye, which was first published in 1837, in Burlington, under the name Wisconsin Territorial Gazette and Burlington Advertiser. Currently, about 370 newspapers are printed in the state, of which 37 are daily.

The first radio station was founded in 1919, in Iowa City. The state's first television station was founded in 1949, also in Iowa City. Currently, Iowa has 208 radio stations—of which 84 are AM and 124 are FM—and 21 television stations.

Culture

Sports

Iowa had only one major league sports team: the Waterloo Hawks played in the National Basketball Association in the 1949/50 season. Since then, the state has only had minor league professional teams, such as the Iowa Cubs of the Pacific Coast League, the Iowa Energy of the NBA D-League, and the Iowa Stars and Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League.

In college sports, the two top teams in the state are the Iowa Hawkeyes of the Big Ten Conference and the Iowa State Cyclones of the Big 12 Conference. The Hawkeyes have won the Rose Bowl and the Orange Bowl in American football.

Iowa Speedway is an oval track opened in 2006, which has hosted motorsport races in the IndyCar Series, the NASCAR Nationwide Series, and the NASCAR Truck Series. Meanwhile, the Knoxville oval has hosted the Knoxville Nationals since 1961, one of the main sprint car races in the country.

As for golf, the PGA Tour has held an annual tournament in Iowa since 1971 and the Champions Tour since 2001. The 2011 Veterans' US Open was also held there and the 2017 Solheim Cup will be held there.

Status symbols

The jilguero, one of Iowa's symbols.

• Tree: Oak
• Flower: Wild rose (Rosa pratincola)
• Nicknames:
  • Hawkeye State
  • Cyclone State (non-official)
  • Tall Corn State (non-official)
• Lema: Our liberties we prize, and our rights we will maintain (Our freedoms we value, and our rights will be maintained)
• Music:
  • The Song of Iowa
  • Iowa State Fight Song
  • The Bells of Iowa State
• Ships:
  • Class Iowa
  • USS Iowa (BB-4)
  • USS Iowa (BB-53)
  • USS Iowa (BB-61)
• Bird: Carduelis tristis
• Stone: Geoda
• Fish: Ictalurus punctatus (dependent)
• Lemas:
  • Life Changing (Life Change)
  • Fields of Opportunity (Chaps of opportunities)