lt;/ref> | Former Iowa Territory | Number of Representatives elected to U.S. Congress 5 | Demonym Iowan | Motto Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain. | Capital Des Moines, Iowa | OfficialLang English | LargestCity Des Moines, Iowa | LargestMetro Des Moines metropolitan area | Governor Chet Culver (Democratic Party (United States) | Lieutenant Governor Patty Judge (D) | Legislature Iowa General Assembly | Upperhouse Iowa Senate | Lowerhouse Iowa House of Representatives | Senators Chuck Grassley (Republican Party (United States)
Tom Harkin (D) |Representative3 Democrats, 2 Republicans | PostalAbbreviation IA | AreaRank 26^th | TotalAreaUS 56,272 | TotalArea 145,743 | LandArea 144 700.8 | Number of counties 99 | WaterAreaUS 402 | WaterArea 1,042 | PCWater 0.71 | PopRank 30th |2000Pop3,007,856 (2009 est.)lt;/ref> | DensityRank 35th | 2000DensityUS 53.5 | 2000Density 20.7 | MedianHouseholdIncome $48,075 | IncomeRank 24^th | AdmittanceOrder 29^th | AdmittanceDate December 28, 1846 | TimeZone Central Standard Time UTC-06 Central Daylight Time UTC-05 | Latitude 40° 23′ N to 43° 30′ N | Longitude 90° 8′ W to 96° 38′ W | LengthUS 199 | Length 320 | WidthUS 310 | Width 500 | HighestPoint Hawkeye Point lt;ref name"usgs">lt;/ref> | HighestElevUS 1,670 | HighestElev 509 | MeanElevUS 1,099 | MeanElev 335 | LowestPoint Mississippi River lt;ref name"usgs"/> at Keokuk | LowestElevUS 480 | LowestElev 146 | ISOCode US-IA |Website www.iowa.gov }} Iowa ( is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States an area often referred to as the "American Heartland." It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many Indigenous peoples of the Americas tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration.lt;/ref> Iowa was a part of the French French colonial empire of New France After the Louisiana Purchase settlers laid the foundation for an agriculture-based economy in the heart of the Corn Belt lt;/ref> Iowa is often known as the "Food Capital of the World",lt;/ref> however Iowas economy, culture, and landscape are diverse. In the mid and late 20th century, Iowas agricultural economy transitioned to a diversified economy of advanced manufacturing, processing, financial services, biotechnology, and green energy production.lt;/ref> Iowa has been listed as one of the safest states in which to live.lt;/ref> Des Moines is Iowas List of capitals in the United States and largest city.

Geography

Boundaries

Image:Iowa topography.jpg Iowa is bordered by the Mississippi River on the east; the Missouri River and the Big Sioux River on the west; the northern boundary is a line along 43 degrees, 30 minutes north latitude.lt;/ref>It should be noted that the Missouri and Mississippi river boundaries are as they were mapped in the 19th century, which can vary from their modern courses. The southern border is the Des Moines River and a line along approximately 40 degrees 35 minutes north, as decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in Missouri v. Iowalt;ref>Case citation lt;/ref> after a standoff between Missouri and Iowa known as the Honey War lt;/ref> Iowa has 99 county but 100 county seat because Lee County, Iowa has two. The state capital, Des Moines, Iowa is located in Polk County, Iowa

Geology and terrain

Iowas bedrock geology generally increases in age from west to east. In northwest Iowa Cretaceous bedrock is ca. 74 million years old, in eastern Iowa Cambrian bedrock dates to ca. 500 million years ago.lt;/ref> Despite popular perception, Iowa is generally not flat; most of the state consists of rolling hills. PriorPrior, Jean C. (1991) Landforms of Iowa.University of Iowa Press, Iowa City. http://www.igsb.uiowa.edu/Browse/landform.htm divides Iowa into eight landform based on glaciation soil , topography and river drainage. Loess hills lie along the western border of the state, some of which are several hundred feet thick.lt;/ref> In the northeast, along the Mississippi River, is a section of the Driftless Zone which in Iowa consists of steep hills and valleys which appear almost mountainous. There are several natural lakes in the state, most notably Spirit Lake (Iowa) West Okoboji Lake and East Okoboji Lake in northwest Iowa (see [[Iowa Great Lakes]]. To the east lies Clear Lake, Iowa Man-made lakes include Lake Odessa,lt;/ref> Saylorville Lake Lake Red Rock (Des Moines River) Coralville Lake Lake MacBride, and Rathbun Lake. The northwest part of the state also contains a considerable number of remnants of the once common wetland areas such as Barringer Slough

Ecology and environment

Iowas natural vegetation is tallgrass prairie and savanna in upland areas, with dense forest and wetlands in floodplains and protected river valleys, and pothole wetlands in northern prairie areas.Prior, Jean C. (1991) Landforms of Iowa.University of Iowa Press, Iowa City. Most of Iowa is used for agriculture, crops cover 60% of the state, grasslands (mostly pasture and hay with some prairie and wetland) cover 30%, and forests cover 7%; urban areas and water cover another 1% each.Iowa DNR: Iowas Statewide Land Cover Inventory, http://www.igsb.uiowa.edu/Browse/landcvr/landcvr.htm The explosion in the number of high-density livestock facilities in Iowa has led to increased risk of rural water contamination and a perceived decline in air quality.lt;/ref> Other factors negatively affecting Iowas environment include the extensive use of older coal-fired power plants,lt;/ref> fertilizer and pesticide runoff from crop production,lt;/ref> and diminishment of the Jordan Aquifer lt;/ref> There is a dearth of natural areas in Iowa; less than 1% of the tallgrass prairie that once covered most of Iowa remain intact, only about 5% of the states prairie pothole wetlands remain, and most of the original forest has been lost.Iowas Threatened and Endangered Species Program, http://www.iowadnr.gov/other/threatened.html Iowa ranks 49th of U.S. states in public land holdings.Iowa Must Step Up Investment in Public Lands "Des Moines Register", June 1, 2005, http://www.nicholasjohnson.org/politics/IaChild/eddmr601.html Threatened or endangered animals in Iowa include the Bald Eagle Least Tern Piping Plover Indiana Bat Sturgeon the Discus macclintocki Mussel and the Shiner (fish) Federally Listed Animals in Iowa, http://www.agriculture.state.ia.us/livingOnTheEdge/endangeredAnimals.asp Endangered or threatened plants include Western Prairie Fringed Orchid Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid Milkweed Bush Clover and Northern Wild Monkshood Federally Listed Plants in Iowa, http://www.agriculture.state.ia.us/livingOnTheEdge/endangeredPlants.asp

Climate

Image:Iowa rainfall.jpg Iowa, like most of the Midwest has a humid continental climate throughout the state (Koppen climate classification Dfa with extremes of both heat and cold. The average annual temperature at Des Moines, Iowa is for some locations in the north the figure is under while Keokuk, Iowa on the Mississippi River averages Winters are brisk and snowfall is common. Spring ushers in the beginning of the severe weather season. Iowa averages about 50 days of thunderstorm activity per year.http://www.srh.noaa.gov/key/HTML/tstmhazards.htm US Thunderstorm distribution]. src.noaa.gov. Retrieved February 13, 2008. Tornado s are common during the spring and summer months, with an average of 37 tornadoes in a single year.http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/img/climate/research/tornado/small/avgt5304.gif Mean Annual Average Number of Tornadoes 1953–2004]. ncdc.noaa.gov. Retrieved November 1, 2006. In 2008, twelve people were killed by tornadoes in Iowa, making it the deadliest year since 1968 and also the second most tornadoes in a year with 105, which matched the total from 2001.http://www.usatoday.com/weather/storms/tornadoes/2009-01-02-iowa-tornadoes_N.htm?csp34 2008 Iowa tornadoes deadliest since 1968]. USA Today. Retrieved January 2, 2009. Iowa summers are known for heat and humidity, with daytime temperatures often near and sometimes exceeding Average winters in the state have been known to drop well below freezing, even dropping below Iowa has a relatively smooth gradient of varying Precipitation (meteorology) across the state, with areas in the southeast of the state receiving an average of over 38 inches of rain annually, and the northwest of the state receiving less than 28 inches.http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/pcpn/ia.gif Average Annual Precipitation Iowa, 1961-1990 (GIF File)] - Christopher Daly, Jenny Weisburg The pattern of precipitation across Iowa is seasonal, with more rain falling in the summer months. In Des Moines, roughly in the center of the state, over two-thirds of the 34.72 inches of rain fall from April through September, and about half of the average annual precipitation falls from May through August.lt;/ref> | class"wikitable" "text-align:center;font-size:90%;"| | colspan"13" style"text-align:center;font-size:120%;background:#E8EAFA;"|Monthly Normal High and Low Temperatures For Various Iowa Cities (°F) |- ! style"background:#e5afaa; color:#000; height:17px;"| City ! style"background:#e5afaa; color:#000;"| Jan ! style"background:#e5afaa; color:#000;"| Feb ! style"background:#e5afaa; color:#000;"| Mar ! style"background:#e5afaa; color:#000;"| Apr ! style"background:#e5afaa; color:#000;"| May ! style"background:#e5afaa; color:#000;"| Jun ! style"background:#e5afaa; color:#000;"| Jul ! style"background:#e5afaa; color:#000;"| Aug ! style"background:#e5afaa; color:#000;"| Sep ! style"background:#e5afaa; color:#000;"| Oct ! style"background:#e5afaa; color:#000;"| Nov ! style"background:#e5afaa; color:#000;"| Dec |- ! style"background:#c5dfe1; color:#000; height:16px;"| Davenportlt;/ref> | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 30/13 | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 36/19 | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 48/29 | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 61/41 | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 72/52 | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 81/63 | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 85/68 | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 83/66 | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 76/57 | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 65/45 | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 48/32 | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 35/20 |- ! style"background:#f8f3ca; color:#000; height:16px;"| Des Moines | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 29/12 | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 35/18 | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 48/29 | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 61/40 | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 72/51 | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 82/61 | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 86/66 | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 84/64 | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 76/54 | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 64/42 | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 47/29 | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 33/17 |- ! style"background:#c5dfe1; color:#000; height:16px;"| Dubuque | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 25/9 | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 31/15 | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 43/26 | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 57/38 | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 69/49 | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 79/58 | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 82/62 | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 80/60 | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 72/52 | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 60/40 | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 44/28 | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 30/15 |- ! style"background:#f8f3ca; color:#000; height:16px;"| Sioux City | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 29/8 | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 35/15 | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 47/26 | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 62/37 | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 73/49 | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 82/58 | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 86/63 | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 84/61 | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 76/50 | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 64/38 | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 45/25 | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 32/13 |- ! style"background:#c5dfe1; color:#000; height:16px;"| Waterloo | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 26/6 | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 32/13 | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 45/25 | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 60/36 | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 72/48 | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 82/58 | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 85/62 | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 83/60 | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 75/50 | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 62/38 | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 45/25 | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 31/12 |- | colspan"13" style"text-align:center;font-size:90%;background:#E8EAFA;"|[http://www.ustravelweather.com/weather-iowa/] |}

Prehistory

Image:Iowa archaeology edgewater.JPG ]] When Indigenous peoples of the Americas first arrived in what is now Iowa more than 13,000 years ago, they were hunters and gatherers living in a Pleistocene glacial landscape. By the time European explorers visited Iowa, American Indians were largely settled farmers with complex economic, social, and political systems. This transformation happened gradually. During the Archaic period (10,500-2,800 years ago), American Indians adapted to local environments and ecosystems, slowly becoming more sedentary as populations increased. More than 3,000 years ago, during the Late Archaic period, American Indians in Iowa began utilizing domesticated plants. The subsequent Woodland period saw an increased reliance on agriculture and social complexity, with increased use of mounds, ceramics, and specialized subsistence. During the Late Prehistoric period (beginning about A.D. 900) increased use of maize and social changes led to social flourishing and nucleated settlements. The arrival of European trade goods and diseases in the Protohistoric period led to dramatic population shifts and economic and social upheaval, with the arrival of new tribes and early European explorers and traders. There were numerous Indian tribes living in Iowa at the time of early European exploration. Tribes which were probably descendants of the prehistoric Oneota include the Sioux Ho-Chunk Ioway and Otoe (tribe) Tribes which arrived in Iowa in the late prehistoric or protohistoric periods include the Illiniwek Meskwaki Omaha (tribe) and Sauk Alex, Lynn M. (2000) Iowas Archaeological Past. University of Iowa Press, Iowa City.

History

Early exploration and trade, 1673-1808

Image:Iowa 1718.jpg The first known European explorers to document Iowa were Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet who traveled the Mississippi River in 1673 documenting several Indian villages on the Iowa side.lt;/ref>History of Iowa, Iowa Official Register, http://publications.iowa.gov/135/1/history/7-1.html The area of Iowa was claimed for France and remained a French territory until 1763. The French, prior to their impending defeat in the French and Indian War transferred ownership to their ally, Spain.."Herbermann, Charles. The Catholic Encyclopedia: An International Work of Reference on the Constitution, Doctrine, Discipline, and History of the Catholic Church Encyclopedia Press, 1913, p. 380 (Original from Harvard University). Spain practiced very loose control over the Iowa region, granting trading licenses to French and British people traders, who established trading posts along the Mississippi and Des Moines River . Iowa was part of a territory known as Louisiana (New France) or Louisiana and European traders were interested in lead and furs obtained by Indians. The Sauk and Meskwaki effectively controlled trade on the Mississippi in the late 18th and early 19th century. Among the early traders on the Mississippi were Julien Dubuque René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle and Paul Marin de la Malgue Along the Missouri River at least five French and English trading houses were built prior to 1808.lt;/ref> In 1800, Napoleon Bonaparte took control of Louisiana from Spain in a Third Treaty of San Ildefonso After the 1803 Louisiana Purchase Iowa was placed under United States control. Much of Iowa was mapped by Zebulon Pike in 1805,Pike (1965): The expeditions of Zebulon Montgomery Pike to headwaters of the Mississippi River through Louisiana Territory and in New Spain during the years 1805-6-7, Ross & Haines but it was not until the construction of Fort Madison, Iowa in 1808 that the U.S. established tenuous military control over the region.lt;/ref>

War of 1812 and unstable U.S. control

Image:Fort Madison 1810.jpg 1810.]] Fort Madison, Iowa was built to control trade and establish U.S. dominance over the Upper Mississippi, but it was poorly designed and disliked by the Sauk and Ho-Chunk many of whom allied with the British, who had not abandoned claims to the territory.Prucha, Francis P. (1969) The Sword of the Republic: The United States Army on the Frontier 1783–1846 Macmillan, New York. Fort Madison was defeated by British-supported Indians in 1813 during the War of 1812 and Fort Shelby (Wisconsin) in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin also fell to the British. Black Hawk (chief) took part in the siege of Fort Madison.Jackson, Donald (1960), A Critics View of Old Fort Madison, Iowa Journal of History and Politics 58(1) pp.31–36Black Hawk (1882) Autobiography of Ma-Ka-Tai-Me-She-Kia-Kiak or Black Hawk.Continental Printing, St. Louis. (Originally published 1833) After the war, the U.S. reestablished control of the region through the construction of Fort Armstrong Fort Snelling in Minnesota and Fort Atkinson (Nebraska) in Nebraska lt;/ref>

Trade and Indian removal, 1814-1832

The U.S. encouraged settlement of the east side of the Mississippi and removal of Indians to the west. Trade continued in furs and lead, but disease and forced population movement decimated Indian cultures and economies. A disputed 1804 treaty between Quashquame and William Henry Harrison that surrendered much of Illinois to the U.S. enraged many Sauk and led to the 1832 Black Hawk War As punishment for the uprising, and as part of a larger settlement strategy, treaties were subsequently designed to remove all Indians from Iowa. The Sauk and Meskwaki were pushed out of the Mississippi valley in 1832, out of the Iowa River valley in 1843, and out of Iowa altogether in 1846, although many Meskwaki clandestinely returned, founding the Meskwaki Settlement that remains to this day. The Ho-Chunk were removed in 1850, and the Sioux were removed by the late 1850s. Western Iowa around modern Council Bluffs, Iowa was used as a way station for other tribes being moved west, including the Potawatomi

U.S. settlement and statehood, 1832-1860

Image:Iowa territorial seal.jpg ]] The first American settlers officially moved to Iowa in June 1833.lt;/ref> Primarily, they were families from Ohio Pennsylvania New York Indiana Kentucky and Virginia On July 4, 1838, the U.S. Congress established the Territory of Iowa President Martin Van Buren appointed Robert Lucas (governor) governor of the territory, which at the time had 22 counties and a population of 23,242.Iowa Official Register, Volume Number 60, page 314 Almost immediately after achieving territorial status, a clamor arose for statehood. On December 28, 1846, Iowa became the 29^th state in the Union when President James K. Polk signed Iowas admission bill into law. Once admitted to the Union, the states boundary issues resolved, and most of its land purchased from the Indians, Iowa set its direction to development and organized campaigns for settlers and investors, boasting the young frontier states rich farmlands, fine citizens, free and open society, and good government."Official Encouragement of Immigration to Iowa", Marcus L. Hansen, IJHP", 19 (April 1921):159-95 ===Civil War, 1861-1865=== Iowa supported the Union during the Civil War, voting heavily for [[Abraham Lincoln]], though there was a strong antiwar "[[Copperheads (politics)|Copperhead]]" movement among settlers of southern origins and among [[Catholics]]. There were no battles in the state, but Iowa sent large supplies of food to the armies and the eastern cities. Much of Iowas support for the Union can be attributed to [[Samuel J. Kirkwood]], its wartime governor. Of a total population of 675,000, about 116,000 men were subjected to military duty. Iowa contributed proportionately more men to Civil War military service than did any other state, north or south, sending more than 75,000 volunteers to the armed forces, over one-sixth of whom were in their graves before [[Battle of Appomattox Courthouse|Appomattox]].Iowa Official Register, Volume No. 60, page 315 Most fought in the great campaigns in the [[Mississippi Valley]] and in the [[American South|South]].{{cite web|url=http://www.iowanationalguard.com/Museum/IA_History/CivilWar.htm |title=Civil War |publisher=Iowanationalguard.com |date= |accessdate=2010-07-26}} Iowa troops fought at Wilson Creek in Missouri Pea Ridge in Arkansas Forts Henry and Donelson, Shiloh, Chattanooga, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, and Rossville Gap as well as Vicksburg, Iuka, and Corinth. They served with the Army of the Potomoc in Virginia and fought under Union General Philip Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley Many died and were buried at Andersonville. They marched on General Nathaniel Banks ill-starred expedition to the Red River. Twenty-seven Iowans have been awarded the Medal of Honor the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government, which was first awarded in the Civil War.Iowa Official Register, Volume No. 60, pages 315-316 Iowa had several brigadier generals and four major generals—Grenville Mellen Dodge Samuel R. Curtis Francis J. Herron and Frederick Steele and saw many of its generals go on to state and national prominence following the war.

Agricultural expansion, 1865-1930

Image:Barclay barn 1875.jpg Following the Civil War, Iowas population continued to grow dramatically, from 674,913 people in 1860 to 1,194,020 in 1870. The introduction of railroads in the 1850s and 1860s transformed Iowa into a major agricultural producer. In 1917, the United States entered World War I and farmers as well as all Iowans experienced a wartime economy. For farmers, the change was significant. Since the beginning of the war in 1914, Iowa farmers had experienced economic prosperity. In the economic sector, Iowa also has undergone considerable change. Beginning with the first farm-related industries developed in the 1870s, Iowa has experienced a gradual increase in the number of business and manufacturing operations.

Depression, World War II, and the rise of manufacturing, 1930-1985

The transition from an agricultural economy to a mixed economy happened slowly. The Great Depression and World War II accelerated the shift away from smallholder farming to larger farms, and began a trend of urbanization that continues. The period since World War II has witnessed a particular increase in manufacturing operations. While agriculture continued to be the states dominant industry, Iowans also produce a wide variety of products including refrigerators, washing machines, fountain pens, farm implements, and food products. The Farm Crisis of the 1980s caused a major recession in Iowa, causing poverty not seen since the Depression.The Midwest Farm Crisis of the 1980s, http://eightiesclub.tripod.com/id395.htm The crisis spurred a major population decline in Iowa that lasted a decade.Population Trends: The Changing Face of Iowa, http://iwin.iwd.state.ia.us/iowa/ArticleReader?itemid00003011

Reemergence as a mixed economy, 1985-present

After bottoming out in the 1980s, Iowas economy began to become increasingly less dependent on agriculture, and now has a mix of manufacturing, biotechnology, finance and insurance services, and government services.Iowa Industries Iowa Workforce Development. http://www.iowalifechanging.com/downloads/iaindustries.pdf The population of Iowa has increased at a faster rate than the U.S. as a whole, and Iowa now has a predominantly urban population.Iowa Data Center, 2000 Census: http://data.iowadatacenter.org/datatables/urbanrural/urstagesexbymalefemale2000.pdf

Demographics

Major Cities

Iowas fifteen largest cities, based on 2009 estimates from the United States Census Bureau are:lt;/ref> | class"wikitable" |- !Rank !City !2008-09 Population Estimatelt;/ref> !2008-09 Metro Population Estimatelt;/ref> |- | style"text-align:left;"|1 | style"text-align:left;"|Des Moines, Iowa |198,460 |562,906 |- | style"text-align:left;"|2 | style"text-align:left;"|Cedar Rapids, Iowa |128,056 |255,452 |- | style"text-align:left;"|3 | style"text-align:left;"|Davenport, Iowa |101,306 |379,066 |- | style"text-align:left;"|4 | style"text-align:left;"|Sioux City, Iowa |82,807 |144,360 |- | style"text-align:left;"|5 | style"text-align:left;"|Iowa City, Iowa |67,831 |149,437 |- | style"text-align:left;"|6 | style"text-align:left;"|Waterloo, Iowa |66,896 |164,220 |- | style"text-align:left;"|7 | style"text-align:left;"|Council Bluffs, Iowa |59,911 |849,517 |- | style"text-align:left;"|8 | style"text-align:left;"|Dubuque, Iowa |57,222 |92,724 |- | style"text-align:left;"|9 | style"text-align:left;"|Ames, Iowa |56,510 |86,754 |- | style"text-align:left;"|10 | style"text-align:left;"|West Des Moines, Iowa |53,889 |* |- | style"text-align:left;"|11 | style"text-align:left;"|Ankeny, Iowa |43,319 |* |- | style"text-align:left;"|12 | style"text-align:left;"|Cedar Falls, Iowa |38,589 |**** |- | style"text-align:left;"|13 | style"text-align:left;"|Urbandale, Iowa |38,369 |* |- | style"text-align:left;"|14 | style"text-align:left;"|Marion, Iowa |33,213 |*** |- | style"text-align:left;"|15 | style"text-align:left;"|Bettendorf, Iowa |33,098 |** |- | colspan 4|*[[Des Moines Metro]] **[[Quad_Cities_Metropolitan_Area|Quad Cities]] ***[[Cedar Rapids |Cedar Rapids Metro]] ****[[Waterloo-Cedar Falls|Waterloo Metro]]lt;/center> |}

Population

Image:Iowa population map.png As of 2008, Iowa has an estimated population of 3,002,555, which is an increase of about 19,000 people or 0.6%, from the prior year and an increase of 76,000 or 2.6%, since the year 2000. This is the first time the state has topped the three million mark in population. Iowa is the 30th most populated state in the country.lt;/ref> In 2007, the latest demographic information available shows that the state had a natural increase of 53,706 people in population from the last census (that is 197,163 births minus 143,457 deaths) and a decrease of 11,754 due to net migration of people out of the state. Immigration to the United States from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 29,386 people, while migration within the country produced a net loss of 41,140 people. 6.1% of Iowas population were reported as under the age of five, 22.6% under 18, and 14.7% were 65 or older. Males made up approximately 49.2% of the population. The population density of the state is 52.7 people per square mile.TitleThe New York Times 2008 Almanac|Authoredited by John W. Wright|Date2007|Page178] The center of population of Iowa is located in Marshall County, Iowa in the city of Marshalltown, Iowa lt;/ref>

Race and ancestry

Iowas population included about 97,000 foreign-born (3.3%). Iowans are mostly of Western Europe n descent. The five largest ancestry groups in Iowa are: German American (35.7%), Irish American (13.5%), British American (9.5%), American (6.6%), and Norwegian American (5.7%). The racial make up of the state is 91.0% White (non-Hispanic), 3.8% Hispanic and Latino Americans 2.5% Black or African American 1.6% Asian people and 0.4% Native Americans in the United States One percent of respondents report two or more races.lt;/ref>

Rural to urban population shift; brain drain

Image:Iowa pop 00 to 08.jpg Image:Rural flight2.jpg and urban Polk County, Iowa illustrating the flight of young adults (red) to urban centers in Iowa.based on 2000 U.S. Census Data]] Iowas population is more urban than rural, with 61 percent living in urban areas in 2000, a trend that began in the early 20th century. Urban counties in Iowa grew 8.5% from 2000 to 2008, while rural counties declined by 4.2%.Iowans still flocking to cities, census stats show. Cedar Rapids Gazette June 30, 2009, http://www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID/20090701/NEWS/707019956/1001/NEWS The shift from rural to urban has caused population increases in more urbanized counties such as Dallas County, Iowa Johnson County, Iowa Linn County, Iowa and Polk County, Iowa at the expense of more rural counties.U.S. Census Bureal State and County Quick Facts, http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/19000.html Iowa, in common with other Midwestern states (especially Kansas Nebraska North Dakota and South Dakota , is feeling the brunt of rural flight although Iowa has been gaining population since approximately 1990. Some smaller communities, such as Denison, Iowa and Storm Lake, Iowa have mitigated this population loss through gains in immigrant laborers.In This Small Town in Iowa the Future Speaks Spanish. New York Timeseptember 14, 2005, http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/14/books/14grim.html Another demographic problem for Iowa is the youth brain drain in which educated young adults leave the state after completing their education or to obtain education elsewhere. During the 1990s, Iowa had the second highest exodus rate for single, educated young adults, second only to North Dakota.Iowa Brain Drain Iowa Civic Analysis Network, University of Iowa, http://www.uiowa.edu/~ican/Papers%202006/braindrain122806.pdf Significant loss of educated young people contributes to economic stagnation and the loss of services for remaining citizens.

Religion

Image:Amana Colonies.JPG founded by German Pietists ]] A 2001 survey from the City University of New York found that 52% of Iowans are Protestantism while 23% are Roman Catholic Church and other religions made up 6%. 13% responded with non-religious, and 5% did not answer.lt;/ref> The largest Protestant denominations by number of adherents are the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America with 268,543; and the United Methodist Church with 248,211.lt;/ref> The study Religious Congregations & Membership: 2000lt;/ref> found that in the southernmost two tiers of Iowa counties and in other counties in the center of the state, the largest religious group was the United Methodist Church in the northeast part of the state, including Dubuque County, Iowa and Linn counties (where Cedar Rapids is located), the Roman Catholic Church was the largest; and in ten counties, including three in the northern tier, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America was the largest. The study also found rapid growth in Evangelical Christian denominations. Historically, religious sects and orders who desired to live apart from the rest of society established themselves in Iowa, such as the Amish and Mennonite near Kalona, Iowa and in other parts of eastern Iowa such as Davis County, Iowa and Buchanan County, Iowa Elmer Schwieder and Dorothy Schwieder (2009) A Peculiar People: Iowas Old Order Amish University of Iowa Press Other religious sects and orders living apart include Quakers around West Branch, Iowa and Le Grand, Iowa German Pietists who founded the Amana Colonies followers of Transcendental Meditation who founded Maharishi Vedic City, Iowa and Cistercian monks and nuns at the New Melleray Abbey and Our Lady of the Mississippi Abbey Abbies near Dubuque, Iowa

Language

English is the most common language used in Iowa, used by 94% of the population.lt;/ref> William Labov and colleagues, in the monumental Atlas of North American Englishlt;ref>Labov, W., S. Ash, and C. Boberg, Atlas of North American English.Berlin, Germany: Mouton de Gruyter, 2006. http://www.mouton-online.com/anae.php found that the English spoken in Iowa divides into two large linguistic regions. Natives of northern Iowa — including Sioux City Fort Dodge and the Waterloo, Iowa region — tend to speak the dialect that linguists call North Central American English which is also found in North Dakota and South Dakota Minnesota Wisconsin and Michigan Natives of central and southern Iowa — including such cities as Council Bluffs Des Moines and Iowa City — tend to speak the Midland American English dialect also found in Nebraska, central Illinois, and central Indiana.lt;/ref> After English, Spanish language is the second-most-common language spoken in Iowa, with 120,000 people in Iowa of Hispanic or Latino origin2000 U.S. Census: http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DTTable?_bmy&-geo_id04000US19&-ds_nameACS_2008_3YR_G00_&-redoLogfalse&-mt_nameACS_2008_3YR_G2000_B03001 and 47,000 people born in Latin America.2000 U.S. Census: http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DTTable?_bmy&-geo_id04000US19&-ds_nameACS_2008_3YR_G00_&-_langen&-redoLogfalse&-mt_nameACS_2008_3YR_G2000_C05006&-CONTEXTdt The third-most-common language is German language spoken by 17,000 people in Iowa; two notable German dialects used in Iowa include Amana German spoken around the Amana Colonies and Pennsylvania German language spoken among the Amish in Iowa. No other language is spoken by more than 0.5 percent of the Iowa population. The only Indigenous languages of the Americas used regularly in Iowa is Fox language used around the Meskwaki Settlement Native American Languages, http://www.native-languages.org/meskwaki-sauk.htm

Culture

Central Iowa

Image:Des Moines skyline.jpg Iowas capital and largest city.]] Des Moines, Iowa is the largest city in Iowa and the states political, economic, and cultural center. It is home to the state government, the State of Iowa Historical Museum, Drake University Science Center of Iowa and Blank IMAX Dome Theater, Des Moines Art Center Des Moines Botanical Center and various cultural events and attractions, including the annual Iowa State Fair Drake Relays World Food Festival, and the Des Moines Arts Festival. Adventureland (Iowa) is an amusement park located in Altoona, Iowa just northeast of Des Moines, Living History Farms is located in Urbandale, Iowa and the Iowa Speedway is located in Newton, Iowa east of Des Moines. Terrace Hill is located in Des Moines and is the official residence of the List of Governors of Iowa Ames, Iowa is the home of Iowa State University the Iowa State Center Brunnier Art Gallery, Reiman Gardens and the Christian Petersen Art Gallery. The Meskwaki Settlement west of Tama, Iowa is the only American Indian settlement in Iowa and is host to a large annual Pow-wow The Clint Eastwood movie The Bridges of Madison County (film) took place and was filmed in Madison County, Iowa The John Wayne Birthplace Museum is in Winterset, Iowa Other communities with vibrant historic downtown areas include Indianola, Iowa Pella, Iowa Knoxville, Iowa Perry, Iowa and Marshalltown, Iowa

Eastern Iowa

Image:Old capital iowa city.jpg ]] Iowa City prides itself on being a cultural destination, and is home to the University of Iowa and its famed Iowa Writers' Workshop the Iowa Old Capitol Building (Iowas original state capitol), the Ped Mall (Iowa City) the Iowa City Englert Theatre and the Landlocked Film Festival Iowa City is the first U.S. "City of Literature in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. The Herbert Hoover National Historic Site and Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum are located in West Branch, Iowa They contain the birthplace and grave of former President Herbert Hoover along with his presidential museum. The Amana Colonies, Iowa are a group of settlements of Germans Pietists comprising of seven villages which have been named an American cultural National Historic Landmark The Cedar Rapids Museum of Art has one of the most significant collections of paintings by Grant Wood and Marvin Cone Cedar Rapids, Iowa is also home to the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library and the historic Queen Anne Style architecture style Brucemore mansion. Davenport, Iowa boasts several cultural attractions, including the Figge Art Museum River Music Experience Putnam Museum and IMAX Theater Davenport Skybridge Quad City Symphony Orchestra and plays host to the annual Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Jazz Festival and performances by Ballet Quad Cities Other communities with vibrant historic downtown areas include West Liberty, Iowa Fairfield, Iowa Mount Pleasant, Iowa Fort Madison, Iowa LeClaire, Iowa Mount Vernon, Iowa Ottumwa, Iowa Washington, Iowa and Wilton, Iowa

Western Iowa

Image:Kurmmann block sioux city.jpg Sioux City, Iowa ]] Some of the most dramatic scenery in Iowa is found in the west, home of the unique Loess Hills The Iowa Great Lakes include several resort areas such as Spirit Lake, Iowa Arnolds Park, Iowa and the Okoboji Lakes. The Sanford Museum and Planetarium in Cherokee, Iowa Grotto of the Redemption in West Bend, Iowa Danish Immigrant Museum in Elk Horn, Iowa and the Fort Museum and Frontier Village in Fort Dodge, Iowa are regional destinations. Sioux City, Iowa considers itself to be the cultural capital of northwest Iowa and boasts a revitalized downtown and beautiful riverfront. The Missouri River city is home to the Sergeant Floyd Monument Sergeant Floyd River Museum, Trinity Heights, and the restored Orpheum Theater (Sioux City) Image:Loess hills.jpg ]] Council Bluffs, Iowa the major city of southwest Iowa, sits at the base of the Loess Hills National Scenic Byway and has become a gaming and entertainment destination. With three casino resorts, the city also includes such cultural attractions as the Western Hills Trails Center, Union Pacific Railroad Museum, historic General Dodge House, and a Lewis and Clark Monument and scenic overlook. Northwest Iowa is home to some of the largest concentrations of wind turbine farms in the world. Other western communities with vibrant historic downtown areas include Storm Lake, Iowa Spencer, Iowa Le Mars, Iowa Glenwood, Iowa Carroll, Iowa Atlantic, Iowa Red Oak, Iowa Denison, Iowa Creston, Iowa Mount Ayr, Iowa Sac City, Iowa and Walnut, Iowa

Northeast and Northern Iowa

The Driftless Area of northeast Iowa has many steep hills and deep valleys, checked with forest and terraced fields. Effigy Mounds National Monument in Allamakee County, Iowa and Clayton County, Iowa has the largest assemblage of animal-shaped prehistoric mounds in the world. Image:Fort Atkinson Iowa.jpg ]] Together, the largest cities in northern Iowa are the twin cities of Waterloo, Iowa and Cedar Falls, Iowa home of the Grout Museum and the University of Northern Iowa respectively. Dubuque, Iowa is transforming itself into a regional tourist destination with cultural features such as the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium along with many of the other new businesses booming in the Port of Dubuque like the Diamond Jo Casino Much of the movie [[Field of Dreams]]was shot in Dyersville, Iowa Maquoketa Caves State Park is located in Jackson County, Iowa northwest of Maquoketa, Iowa which contains more caves than any other state park in Iowa. Fort Atkinson, Iowa has the remains of an original 1840s Dragoon fortification. Other communities with vibrant historic downtown areas include Decorah, Iowa McGregor, Iowa Mason City, Iowa Elkader, Iowa Algona, Iowa Spillville, Iowa Charles City, Iowa and Independence, Iowa

Statewide

RAGBRAI — the Registers Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa — attracts thousands of bicyclists and support personnel. It has crossed the state on various routes each year since 1973. Iowa is home to more than 70 wineries,ISU Extension Midwest Grape and Wine Industry Institute, http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Wine/Resources/iowawineries.htm and hosts five regional wine tasting trails.Iowa Wine Growers Association, https://iowawinegrowers.org/mos/Frontpage/Itemid,1/ Many Iowa communities hold farmers markets during warmer months, these are typically weekly events, but larger cities can host multiple markets.Iowa Farmers Market Association, http://www.iafarmersmarkets.org/About_Us.html

Economy

Image:Iowa quarter, reverse side, 2004.jpg with reverse image based on a painting by American artist Grant Wood ] Image:Iowa products 2006.jpg While Iowa is often viewed as a farming state, in reality agriculture is a small portion of a diversified economy, with manufacturing, biotechnology, finance and insurance services, and government services contributing substantially to Iowas economy. This economic diversity has helped Iowa weather the Late-2000s recession better than most states, with unemployment substantially lower than the rest of the nation.Iowas initial jobless claims grow. Des Moines RegisterApril 2, 2009, http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20090402/BUSINESS/90402018/-1/NEWS04City has lowest unemployment in nation, Iowa City Press-CitizenMay 5., 2009,http://www.press-citizen.com/article/20090604/NEWS01/906040336/1079/news01 If the economy is measured by gross domestic product, in 2005 Iowas GDP was about US $124 billion.Iowa State University. http://www.recap.iastate.edu/atlas/industries/gdp-by-state-industry.php Gross domestic product by sector and state]. Regional Capacity Analysis Program. Retrieved on: April 26, 2008. If measured by gross state product, for 2005 it was US $113.5 billion.lt;/ref> Its per capita income for 2006 was US $23,340. On July 2, 2009, Standard and Poor's rated the state of Iowas credit as AAA (the highest of its credit ratings, held by only 11 U.S. state governments).Iowa officials tout credit rating, argue it shows states finances are strong, Associated PressJuly 3, 2009,http://www.timesrepublican.com/page/content.detail/id/84311.html?isap1&nav5013 As of January 2010, the states unemployment rate is 6.6%.http://www.bls.gov/lau/ Bls.gov]; Local Area Unemployment Statistics

Manufacturing

Manufacturing is the largest sector of Iowas economy, with $20.8 billion (21%) of Iowas 2003 gross state product. Major manufacturing sectors include food processing, heavy machinery, and agricultural chemicals. Sixteen percent of Iowas workforce is dedicated to manufacturing. Food processing is the largest component of manufacturing. Its industrial outputs include food processing, machinery, electric equipment, chemical products, publishing, and primary metals. Companies with direct or indirect processing facilities in Iowa include ConAgra Foods Wells Dairy Barilla H. J. Heinz Company Wonder Bread Hostess (brand) Snack Cakes, Tones Spices, General Mills and Quaker Oats Major non-food advanced manufacturing firms with production facilities in Iowa include 3M ALCOA Amana Corporation Dexter Apache Holdings, Inc., Electrolux Frigidaire Emerson Process Management Fisher Controls HON Industries The HON Company IPSCO Steel, John Deere Lennox International Maytag Corporation Pella (company) Rockwell Collins Vermeer Company and Winnebago Industries

Agriculture

File:Iowa harvest 2009.jpg in Jones County, Iowa ]] Image:Ethanol butler co iowa.jpg ]] Directly and indirectly, agriculture has always been a major component of Iowas economy. However, the direct production and sale of raw agricultural products contributes only about 3.5% of Iowas gross state product.2007 Iowa Factbookp. 59, Des Moines:Iowa Legislative Services Agency. The indirect role of agriculture in Iowas economy can be measured in multiple ways, but its total impact, including agriculture-affiliated business, has been measured at 16.4% in terms of value added and 24.3% in terms of total output. This is lower than the economic impact in Iowa of non-farm manufacturing, which accounts for 22.4% of total value added and 26.5% of total output.lt;/ref> Iowas main agricultural outputs are pig maize soybean , oat , cattle eggs, and dairy products. Iowa is the nations largest producer of ethanol and maize and some years is the largest grower of soybeans as well. In 2008, the 92,600 farms in Iowa produced 19% of the nations corn, 17% of the soybeans, 30% of the hogs, and 14% of the eggs.State Fact Sheets: Iowa. USDA http://www.ers.usda.gov/statefacts/ia.htm File:Wall Mural, Mt Ayr, IA Post Office, 1998.jpg Post Office, "The Corn Parade" by Orr C. Fischer, commissioned as part of the New Deal lt;/ref>]] Major Iowa agricultural product processors include Archer Daniels Midland Ajinomoto Cargill, Inc. Diamond V Mills, Garst Seed Company, Heartland Pork Enterprises, Hy-Vee Monsanto Company Pioneer Hi-Bred International and Quaker Oats lt;/ref> File:maytag.jpg

Other sectors

Image:Turbines iowa.jpg ]] Iowa also has a strong financial and insurance sector, with approximately 6,100 firms, including AEGON Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company Aviva Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company ING Group Marsh & McLennan Companies MetLife Principal Financial Group Principal Capital Management Wellmark Blue Cross & Blue Shield (which, according to the American Medical Association, provided 71% of the states health insurance in 2007),Competition in Health Insurance: 2007 update || https://catalog.ama-assn.org/Catalog/product/product_detail.jsp?productIdprod1350008 Wells Fargo and Wells Fargo Financial Services. Biotechnology has expanded dramatically in Iowa in the past decade, with firms including Bio-Research Products Inc., Boehringer Ingelheim Boehringer-Ingelheim Diosynth, Inc., Wyeth Penford Products Co., Integrated DNA Technologies , Roche Applied Science Wacker Chemie and Wyeth Ethanol production consumes approximately one-third of Iowas corn production, and renewable fuels account for 8% of the states gross domestic product. A total of 39 ethanol plants produced 3.1 billion gallons of fuel in 2009.lt;/ref> In addition to ethanol, renewable energy has become a major economic force in western Iowa, with wind turbine electrical generation increasing exponentally since 1990. As of 2008, wind accounted for 15% of energy produced and 7.1% of the states power needs; Iowa ranked second in wind generating capacity of U.S. states.Report: Iowas Wind Leadership not hurting consumers. Cedar Rapids GazetteApril 14, 2009, p. 8B. Major producers of turbines and components in Iowa include Acciona Energy of West Branch, Iowa TPI Composites of Newton, Iowa and Siemens Energy of Fort Madison Iowa is the headquarters for five of the top 1,000 companies for revenue.lt;/ref> They include Principal Financial Rockwell Collins Casey's General Stores HNI and Terra Industries Iowa is also headquarters to other companies including Hy-Vee Pella (company) Vermeer Company Kum & Go gas stations, Von Maur Pioneer Hi-Bred McLeodUSA and Fareway grocery stores.

Taxation

Iowa imposes taxes on net state income of individuals, estates, and trusts. There are currently nine income tax brackets, ranging from 0.36% to 8.98%. The state sales tax rate is 6%, with non-prepared food having no tax.Iowa Department of Revenue, Iowa Tax / Fee Descriptions and Rates, http://www.iowa.gov/tax/taxlaw/taxtypes.html#sales Iowa has one local option sales tax that may be imposed by counties after an election.Iowa Department of Revenue, Iowa Local Option Tax Information, http://www.iowa.gov/tax/educate/localoption.html Property tax is levied on the taxable value of real property. Iowa has more than 2,000 taxing authorities. Most property is taxed by more than one taxing authority. The tax rate differs in each locality and is a composite of county, city or rural township, school district and special levies. Iowa allows its residents to deduct their federal income tax s from their state income taxes.lt;/ref>

Transportation

File:Iowa license plate.gif design, introduced in 1996.]]

Interstate highways

Image:Iowa overview.jpg Iowa has four primary interstate highways Interstate 29 runs along the western edge of the state through Council Bluffs and Sioux City, Iowa Interstate 35 goes from the southern border to the northern border through the center of the state, including Des Moines, Iowa Interstate 74 begins at Interstate 80 just north and east of Davenport, Iowa Interstate 80 goes from the west end of the state to the east end through Council Bluffs, Iowa Des Moines, Iowa City, Iowa and the Quad Cities Interstate 380 (Iowa) is an List of auxiliary Interstate Highways which runs from Interstate 80 near Iowa City through Cedar Rapids, Iowa ending in Waterloo, Iowa and is part of the Avenue of the Saints highway.

Airports with scheduled flights

Iowa is served by several major airports including the Des Moines International Airport the Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids, Quad City International Airport which is located in Moline, Illinois and Eppley Airfield located in Omaha, Nebraska Smaller airports in the state include the Dubuque Regional Airport Fort Dodge Regional Airport Mason City Municipal Airport Sioux Gateway Airport Southeast Iowa Regional Airport and Waterloo Regional Airport

Railroads

Amtrak s [[California Zephyr]]serves the south of Iowa with stops at Burlington, Iowa Mount Pleasant, Iowa Ottumwa, Iowa Osceola, Iowa and Creston, Iowa on its daily route between Chicago, Illinois and Emeryville, California (across the bay from San Francisco, California . Burlington and Fort Madison, Iowa are also served by Amtraks [[Southwest Chief]] running daily between Chicago and Los Angeles, California

Law and government

Image:Iowa capitol.jpg :See [[List of Governors of Iowa]], [[Iowa General Assembly]], and [[Iowa State Capitol]] The current Governor is Chet Culver (D) Other statewide elected officials are: *Patty Judge (D) - Lieutenant Governor *Michael Mauro (D) - Secretary of State *David Vaudt (R) - Auditor of State * Michael Fitzgerald (D) - Treasurer of State *Bill Northey (R) - Secretary of Agriculture *Thomas John Miller (D) - Attorney General The two U.S. Senators: *Tom Harkin (D) *Chuck Grassley (R) The five U.S. Congressmen: *Bruce Braley (D) - Iowa's 1st congressional district *Dave Loebsack (D) - Iowa's 2nd congressional district *Leonard Boswell (D) - Iowa's 3rd congressional district *Tom Latham (R) - Iowa's 4th congressional district *Steve King (R) - Iowa's 5th congressional district The Code of Iowa contains the statutory law of the State of Iowa. It is periodically updated by the Iowa Legislative Service Bureau, with a new edition published in odd-numbered years and a supplement published in even-numbered years. Iowa is an alcohol monopoly or Alcoholic beverage control state

Political parties

Image:Samuel Jordan Kirkwood.jpg founder of the Iowa Republican Party, abolitionist, and Iowas Civil War governor.]] In Iowa, the term "political party" refers to political organizations which have received two percent or more of the votes cast for president or governor in the "last preceding general election".lt;/ref> Iowa recognizes two political parties - the Republican Party of Iowa and the Iowa Democratic Party Third party (politics) officially termed "nonparty political organizations" can appear on the ballot as well - five of these have had candidates on the ballot in Iowa since 2004 for various positions: the Constitution Party (United States) the Green Party (United States) the Libertarian Party (United States) the United States Pirate Party and the Socialist Workers Party (United States) lt;/ref>lt;/ref>

Voter trends

| class"wikitable" style"float:right; font-size:79%;" |+ Presidential elections results |- style"background:lightgrey;" ! Year ! Republican Party (United States) ! Democratic Party (United States) |- | style"text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"|United States presidential election, 2008 | style"text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;"|44.74% 677,508 | style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"|54.04% 818,240 |- | style="text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;"|[[United States presidential election, 2004|2004]] | style="text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;"| 49.92% 751,957 | style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"|49.28% 741,898 |- | style"text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"|United States presidential election, 2000 | style"text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;"|48.22% 634,373 | style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"|48.60% 638,517 |- | style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"|[[United States presidential election, 1996|1996]] | style="text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;"|39.92% 492,644 | style"text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"|50.31% 620,258 |- | style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"|[[United States presidential election, 1992|1992]] | style="text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;"|37.33% 04,890 | style"text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"|43.35% 586,353 |- | style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"|[[United States presidential election, 1988|1988]] | style="text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;"|44.8% 45,355 | style"text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"|55.1% 670,557 |- | style="text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;"|[[United States presidential election, 1984|1984]] | style="text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;"|53.32% 703,088 | style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"|45.97% 605,620 |} Iowa is currently listed as a swing state in national politics. The state currently leans slightly Democratic according to the Cook Partisan Voting Index which by analyzing recent elections gives Iowa a score of D+1. However, the state is far from homogeneous in its political leanings; Cook finds that Iowas five political districts range in political orientation. Iowa's 2nd congressional district in the Eastern/Southeastern part of the state, leans distinctly Democratic, with a D+7 (strong Democratic) score; but Iowa's 5th congressional district which covers most of Western Iowa, leans strongly Republican, scoring R+9. From 1968 to 1984, Iowa voted for the Republican candidate in the presidential election, and from 1988 to 2000 the state voted for the Democrat; in the latter election, the Democratic candidate won by little more than 4,000 votes. In the United States presidential election, 2004 election, Iowa went by about 10,000 votes for George W. Bush but in United States presidential election, 2008 Barack Obama won by a much larger margin of about 150,000 votes. In the 2006 elections, the Iowa Democrats gained two seats in the Iowa delegation to the United States House of Representatives and Democrats won a majority in both houses of the Iowa General Assembly

Presidential caucus

The state gets considerable attention every four years because it holds the first presidential Iowa caucus gatherings of voters to select delegates to the state conventions. Along with the New Hampshire primary the following week, Iowas caucuses have become the starting points for choosing the two major-party candidates for president. The caucuses, held in January of the election year, involve people gathering in homes or public places and choosing their candidates, rather than casting secret ballots as is done in a Presidential primary election The national and international media give Iowa (and New Hampshire much of the attention accorded the national candidate selection process, which gives Iowa voters enormous leverage. Those who enter the caucus race often expend enormous effort to reach voters in each of Iowas 99 counties.

Civil rights

Image:union block.jpg building, Mount Pleasant, Iowa scene of early civil rights and womens rights activities. Listed as one of the most endangered historic sites in Iowa. Preservation Iowa 2008 Most Endangered Properties, http://www.preservationiowa.org/programs/endangeredArchive.php?endangered_year2008]] In the 19th century Iowa was among the earliest states to enact prohibitions against race discrimination, especially in education, but was slow to achieve full integration in the 20th century. In the very first decision of the Iowa Supreme Court — In Re the Matter of Ralph1 Morris 1 (Iowa 1839) decided July 1839 — the Court rejected slavery in a decision that found that a slave named Ralph became free when he stepped on Iowa soil, 26 years before the end of the Civil War.lt;/ref> The state did away with racial barriers to marriage in 1851, more than 100 years before the U.S. Supreme Court would ban Anti-miscegenation laws nationwide.http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-defending-iowa-web,0,2979128.story Gay marriage and Iowa: Whys everyone so surprised?], Chicago Tribune April 10, 2009 The Iowa Supreme Court decided Clark v. The Board of Directorslt;ref>24 Iowa 266 (1868) in 1868, ruling that racially segregated "separate but equal" schools had no place in Iowa, 85 years before [[Brown v. Board of Education]] By 1875 a number of additional court rulings effectively ended segregation in Iowa schools.lt;/ref> Social and housing discrimination continued against Blacks at state universities until the 1950s.Breaux, Richard M. (2004) "Maintaining a Home for Girls": The Iowa Federation of Colored Womens Clubs at the University of Iowa 1919-1950, Cultural Capital and Black Educationed. V.P. Franklin and C.J. Savage. Information Age, Greenwich The Court heard Coger v. The North Western Union Packet Co.lt;ref>37 Iowa 145 (1873) in 1873, ruling against racial discrimination in public accommodations 91 years before the U.S. Supreme Court reached the same decision. In 1884, the Iowa Civil Rights Act apparently outlawed discrimination by businesses, reading: "All persons within this state shall be entitled to the full and equal enjoyment of the accommodations, advantages, facilities, and privileges of inns, restaurants, chophouses, eating houses, lunch counters, and all other places where refreshments are served, public conveyances, barber shops, bathhouses, theaters, and all other places of amusement." However, the courts chose to narrowly apply this act, allowing de-facto discrimination to continue.Iowa Civil Rights Commission, http://www.iowa.gov/government/crc/docs/annual66activities.html Racial discrimination at public businesses was not deemed illegal until 1949, when the court ruled in [[State of Iowa v. Katz]]that businesses had to serve customers regardless of race; the case began when Edna Griffin was denied service at a Des Moines drugstore.African-Americans in Iowa, 1838-2005, http://www.iptv.org/IowaPathways/myPath.cfm?ounidob_000238 Full racial civil rights were codified under the Iowa Civil Rights Act of 1965.Iowa Civil Rights Commission http://www.state.ia.us/government/crc/publications/brochures/english_brochure.html As with racial equality, Iowa was a vanguard in womens rights in the mid 19th century, but was slow to give women the right to vote. In 1847, the University of Iowa became the first public university in the U.S. to admit men and women on an equal basis.About Iowa, http://www.uiowa.edu/homepage/about-UI/index.html In 1869, Iowa became the first state in the union to admit women to the practice of law, with the Court ruling that women may not be denied the right to practice law in Iowa and admitting Arabella A. Mansfield to the practice of law. Several attempts to grant full voting rights to Iowa women were defeated between 1870 and 1919. In 1894 women were given "partial suffrage", which allowed them to vote on issues, but not for candidates. It was not until the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified in 1920 that women had full suffrage in Iowa.The Fight for Womens Suffrage, http://www.iptv.org/iowapathways/myPath.cfm?ounidob_000320 Although Iowa supported the Federal Equal Rights Amendment in 1980 and 1992 Iowa voters rejected an Equal Rights Amendment to the state constitution.How Did Iowa Coalitions Campaign for the Equal Rights Amendment in 1980 and 1992? http://womhist.alexanderstreet.com/iowaera/intro.htm Post-Civil Rights era court decisions in Iowa clarified and expanded citizens rights. The landmark U.S. Supreme Court case Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969) confirmed the right of students to express political views. On April 3, 2009, the Iowa Supreme Court decided [[Varnum v. Brien]]WL 874044 (Iowa 2009) (Publication to N.W.2d pending as of April 09, 2009.) holding in a unanimous decision,lt;/ref> that the states law forbidding same-sex marriage was unconstitutional This makes Iowa the third state in the U.S. and first in the Midwest to permit same-sex marriage.lt;/ref> lt;/ref>

Sister states

Iowa has seven official partner states:lt;/ref> *Hebei Province, Peoples Republic of China (1983) *Stavropol Krai Russia (1989) *Taiwan Republic of China (1989) *Terengganu Malaysia (1987) *Veneto Region, Italy (1997) *Yamanashi Prefecture Japan (1960) *Yucatán Mexico (1964)

Education

Primary and secondary schools

The graduation rate for high school seniors has gradually increased to 90.8% in 2006.lt;/ref> The state has the third highest graduation rate in the nation.lt;/ref> Iowa continually ranks in the top 3 for ACT (examination) and SAT scores.lt;/ref> In 2008, Iowa ranked top in the nation for average SAT scores per student and second in the nation for average ACT (examination) scores per student.lt;/ref> Iowa has 365 school districts, and has the twelfth best student to teacher ratio of 13.8 students per teacher. Teachers pay, however, is ranked forty-second with the average salary being $39,284.lt;/ref> The Iowa State Board of Education works with the Iowa Department of Education to provide oversight, supervision, and support for the states education system that includes all public elementary and secondary schools, nonpublic schools that receive state accreditation, area education agencies, community colleges, and teacher preparation programs. The State Board consists of ten members: nine voting members who are appointed by the governor for six-year terms and subject to Senate confirmation; and one nonvoting student member who serves a one-year term, also appointed by the governor.

Colleges and universities

Image:Fountain of Four Seasons.jpg in Ames, Iowa ]] The Iowa Board of Regents is composed of nine citizen volunteers appointed by the governor to provide policymaking, coordination, and oversight of the states public universities, two special K-12 schools, and affiliated centers. Iowas three public universities include: *Iowa State University Ames, Iowa *University of Iowa Iowa City, Iowa *University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, Iowa The special K-12 schools include the Iowa School for the Deaf in Council Bluffs, Iowa and the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School in Vinton, Iowa Both Iowa State University and the University of Iowa are major research institutions and members of the prestigious Association of American Universities In addition to the three state universities, Iowa has multiple private colleges and universities. Private colleges and universities include: *Buena Vista University Storm Lake, Iowa *Clarke College Dubuque, Iowa *Des Moines University Des Moines, Iowa *Divine Word College Epworth, Iowa *Drake University Des Moines *Emmaus Bible College (Iowa) Dubuque *Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary Ankeny, Iowa *Graceland University Lamoni, Iowa *Iowa Wesleyan College Mount Pleasant, Iowa *Kaplan University Cedar Falls, Iowa Cedar Rapids, Iowa Council Bluffs, Iowa Davenport, Iowa Mason City, Iowa and Urbandale, Iowa *Maharishi University of Management Fairfield, Iowa *Palmer College of Chiropractic Davenport, Iowa *Saint Ambrose University Davenport, Iowa *University of Dubuque Dubuque *Upper Iowa University Fayette, Iowa *Waldorf College Forest City, Iowa *William Penn University Oskaloosa, Iowa Private liberal arts colleges include: *Ashford University Clinton, Iowa *Briar Cliff University Sioux City, Iowa *Central College (Pella, Iowa) Pella, Iowa *Coe College Cedar Rapids, Iowa *Cornell College Mount Vernon, Iowa *Dordt College Sioux Center, Iowa *Grand View University Des Moines, Iowa *Grinnell College Grinnell, Iowa *Loras College Dubuque, Iowa *Luther College (Iowa) Decorah, Iowa *Morningside College Sioux City *Mount Mercy College Cedar Rapids *Northwestern College (Iowa) Orange City, Iowa *Simpson College Indianola, Iowa *Wartburg College Waverly, Iowa

Sports

Iowa has professional sports teams in baseball, basketball, hockey, football and soccer. The state has four major college teams playing in Division I (NCAA) for all sports. In football, Iowa State University and the University of Iowa compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), whereas the University of Northern Iowa and Drake University compete in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).

Baseball

File:Modern Woodmen Park.jpg is home to the Quad Cities River Bandits baseball team]] Iowa has four Class A Minor league baseball teams in the Midwest League They are the Burlington Bees Cedar Rapids Kernels Clinton LumberKings and the Quad Cities River Bandits The Sioux City Explorers are part of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball The Waterloo Bucks play in the Northwoods League Des Moines is home to the Iowa Cubs a Class AAA team in the Pacific Coast League

Football

The Sioux City Bandits are an Indoor football team in the United Indoor Football League. The Iowa Barnstormers (AF2) play in the Arena Football League (2010) They play their home games at Wells Fargo Arena.

Hockey

The Quad City Mallards games are played in Moline, Illinois are part of the International Hockey League (2007–) The United States Hockey League has four teams in Iowa: the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders Sioux City Musketeers Waterloo Black Hawks and Des Moines Buccaneers The Omaha Lancers previously played in Council Bluffs, Iowa from 2002 to 2009, but have since moved back to Omaha, Nebraska The North Iowa Outlaws play in the North American Hockey League in Mason City, Iowa The Quad City Jr Flames are a Tier III Jr. A hockey team located in Davenport, Iowa and are part of the Central States Hockey League

Basketball

Iowa has two professional basketball teams. The Iowa Energy an NBA Development League team that plays in Des Moines is affiliated with the Chicago Bulls and Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association The Quad Cities Riverhawks of the Premier Basketball League are based in Davenport, Iowa but play at Wharton Field House in Moline, Illinois

Soccer

The Des Moines Menace play their home games at Valley Stadium in West Des Moines, Iowa

College

The state has four NCAA Division I college teams—in Division I (NCAA) the Iowa State University Iowa State Cyclones of the Big 12 Conference and the University of Iowa Iowa Hawkeyes of the Big Ten Conference in Football Championship Subdivision the University of Northern Iowa Northern Iowa Panthers of the Missouri Valley Conference and Missouri Valley Football Conference (despite the similar names, the conferences are administratively separate) and the Drake University Drake Bulldogs of the Missouri Valley Conference in most sports and Pioneer Football League for football.

Notable Iowans

Image:HerbertClarkHoover.jpg ]] Image:HenryAgardWallace.jpg ]] Iowa has been the birthplace of List of Presidents of the United States Herbert Hoover Vice President of the United States Henry A. Wallace and two first ladies Lou Henry Hoover and Mamie Eisenhower Other national leaders who lived in Iowa include President Ronald Reagan John L. Lewis Harry Hopkins Carrie Chapman Catt Jefferson Davis Black Hawk (chief) and John Brown (abolitionist) Five Nobel Prize winners hail from Iowa: Norman Borlaug recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize Thomas Cech recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry Alan J. Heeger also a recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry; John Mott recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize; and Stanley B. Prusiner recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine Other notable scientists who worked or were born in Iowa include astronomer and space pioneer James A. Van Allen ecologist Aldo Leopold computer pioneer John Vincent Atanasoff inventor and plant scientist George Washington Carver geochemist Clair Cameron Patterson and Intel founder Robert Noyce Notable writers, artists, and news personalities born in Iowa include Bill Bryson George Gallup Susan Glaspell Harry Reasoner Phil Stong and Grant Wood Entertainers from Iowa include Tom Arnold (actor) Bix Beiderbecke Johnny Carson Buffalo Bill Cody Simon Estes William Frawley Ashton Kutcher Cloris Leachman Glenn Miller Kate Mulgrew Donna Reed Brandon Routh Tionne Watkins John Wayne Andy Williams Meredith Willson and Elijah Wood Famous Iowa athletes include Cap Anson Dallas Clark Bob Feller Dan Gable Frank Gotch Shawn Johnson Zach Johnson Lolo Jones and Kurt Warner

State symbols

Image:Carduelis-tristis-002.jpg Iowa state bird.]] *Nickname: The Hawkeye State lt;ref>lt;/ref>lt;/ref> *Bird: Eastern Goldfinch lt;ref name"statesymbols"/> *Flower: Rosa arkansana lt;ref name"statesymbols"/> *Grass: Bluebunch Wheatgrass lt;ref name"Census_Facts4Students">lt;/ref> *Tree: Oak lt;ref name"statesymbols"/> *Motto: "Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain." *Rock: Geode lt;ref name"statesymbols">lt;/ref>

See also

References

http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/usstates/iafamous.htm

Notes

External links

*http://www.iowa.gov/ Official State of Iowa Website] **http://www.legis.state.ia.us/Constitution.html Constitution of the state of Iowa] *http://www.traveliowa.com/ Iowa Travel and Tourism Division] *http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/state/state_energy_profiles.cfm?sidIA Energy Data & Statistics for Iowa- From the U.S. Department of Energy] *http://wikis.ala.org/godort/index.php/Iowa Iowa State Databases] - Annotated list of searchable databases produced by Iowa state agencies and compiled by the Government Documents Roundtable of the American Library Association. *http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/19000.html U.S. Census Bureau Quick Facts] * Category:Iowa Category:States of the United States Category:Midwestern United States Category:States and territories established in 1846 af:Iowa ang:Iowa ar:آيوا an:Iowa arc:ܐܝܐܘܐ frp:Iowa ast:Iowa az:Ayova bn:আইওয়া zh-min-nan:Iowa be:Штат Аёва bcl:Iowa bi:Iowa bs:Iowa br:Iowa bg:Айова ca:Estat d'Iowa cv:Айова cs:Iowa co:Iowa cy:Iowa da:Iowa de:Iowa nv:Áawah Hahoodzo et:Iowa el:Αϊόβα es:Iowa eo:Iovao eu:Iowa fa:آیووا fo:Iowa fr:Iowa fy:Iowa ga:Iowa gv:Iowa gd:Iowa gl:Iowa hak:Oi-hò-fà xal:Айов ko:아이오와 주 haw:‘Iowa hy:Այովա hi:आयोवा hr:Iowa io:Iowa ig:Áyowạ bpy:আইৱা id:Iowa ik:Aioua os:Айовæ is:Iowa it:Iowa he:איווה jv:Iowa kn:ಅಯೋವಾ pam:Iowa ka:აიოვა ks:आयोवा kw:Iowa sw:Iowa ht:Ayowa ku:Iowa lad:Iowa la:Iova lv:Aiova lt:Ajova lij:Iowa li:Iowa lmo:Iowa hu:Iowa mk:Ајова mg:Iowa ml:ഐയവ mi:Iowa mr:आयोवा arz:ايوا ms:Iowa mn:Айова nah:Iowa nl:Iowa ja:アイオワ州 frr:Iowa no:Iowa nn:Iowa oc:Iowa uz:Ayova pnb:آئیووا pap:Iowa pms:Iowa nds:Iowa pl:Iowa pt:Iowa ro:Iowa (stat SUA) rm:Iowa qu:Iowa suyu ru:Айова sa:आयोवा sq:Iowa scn:Iowa simple:Iowa sk:Iowa sl:Iowa szl:Iowa sr:Ајова fi:Iowa sv:Iowa tl:Ayowa ta:அயோவா tt:Айова th:รัฐไอโอวา tg:Айова tr:Iowa uk:Айова ur:آئیووا ug:Lowa Shitati vi:Iowa vo:Iowa war:Iowa wuu:爱荷华州 yi:אייאווע yo:Iowa diq:İowa bat-smg:Ajova zh:艾奥瓦州