Surf Ballroom
Search results
Iowa is the 26th largest in total area and the 31st most populous of the 50 U.S. states, with a population of 3,190,369, according to the 2020 census. The state's capital, most populous city, and largest metropolitan area fully located within the state is Des Moines.
- December 28, 1846 (29th)
- United States
- 56,273 sq mi (145,746 km²)
- Overview
- Relief
- Drainage
- Soils
Iowa, constituent state of the United States of America. It was admitted to the union as the 29th state on December 28, 1846. As a Midwestern state, Iowa forms a bridge between the forests of the east and the grasslands of the high prairie plains to the west. Its gently rolling landscape rises slowly as it extends westward from the Mississippi River, which forms its entire eastern border. The Missouri River and its tributary, the Big Sioux, form the western border, making Iowa the only U.S. state that has two parallel rivers defining its borders. Iowa is bounded by the states of Minnesota to the north, Wisconsin and Illinois to the east, Missouri to the south, and Nebraska and South Dakota to the west. Des Moines, in the south-central part of the state, is the capital. The state name is derived from the Iowa Native American people who once inhabited the area.
Iowa is one of the leading U.S. states in number of farms. More than nine-tenths of its land is devoted to agriculture, making it one of the top states in agricultural production. With rich soils, gently rolling hills, and ample precipitation, the state is particularly suitable for mechanized agriculture and has become a national leader in agribusiness. Traditionally most of Iowa’s industrial enterprises were tied to agricultural production; however, economic downswings and the collapse of land values in the 1980s made it essential for the state to diversify its economy as well as its workforce. By the end of the 20th century, more emphasis had been placed on banking, insurance, biotechnology, and research and development.
Most of Iowa’s landscape is gently rolling hills or flat plains. The state’s elevation generally increases from east-southeast to west-northwest. The lowest point is within the city of Keokuk, in extreme southeastern Iowa where the Des Moines River enters the Mississippi, at just 480 feet (146 metres) above sea level. The highest spot, Hawkeye Point, is in northwest Iowa at 1,677 feet (511 metres) in elevation.
Britannica Quiz
U.S. State Nicknames Quiz
The state’s terrain and rich soils are the products of the continental ice sheets that periodically covered the state during the Pleistocene Epoch (about 2,600,000 to 11,700 years ago). The Illinoian ice sheet covered a small area of southeastern and extreme eastern Iowa, and in so doing it diverted the Mississippi and created a valley along its western front that can still be seen. Some 20,000 to 25,000 years ago the Wisconsin ice sheet moved southward in a lobe that ended at about the site of the present city of Des Moines. The Des Moines lobe began its final retreat about 13,000 to 14,000 years ago. Accompanying the last two stages of glaciation were extensive deposits of windblown silt, or loess. Over the millennia, the prevailing west winds carried the loess from the western plains into Iowa as the glaciers retreated. In extreme western Iowa the loess deposits accumulated to form what are known today as the Loess Hills, a line of bluffs 100 to 200 feet (30 to 60 metres) above the Missouri River valley. Across much of the rest of the state, lesser amounts of loess amassed. The combination of loess and prairie grasses generated an unusually fertile soil across most of Iowa.
The most varied relief anywhere in Iowa is the Driftless Area, a dry upland that was bypassed by glaciers, near the Mississippi River in northeastern Iowa. There tributaries of the Mississippi cut deeply into the underlying bedrock. The Mississippi bluffs stand 300 to 400 feet (90 to 120 metres) above the valley, and the network of tributaries creates a scenic and hilly landscape.
Are you a student? Get Britannica Premium for only 24.95 - a 67% discount!
Most of the state is drained by the Mississippi River; only the extreme western and south-central areas are drained by the Missouri. Both of these rivers flow quite gently, while the upper Iowa and Turkey rivers in the Driftless Area generally have more rapids. Most of the state is underlain by pre-Illinoian drift, which has been eroded for at leas...
Most of the soils of Iowa, formed under prairie vegetation, are thick, dark in colour, and rich in organic matter and minerals. Only in the Driftless Area and along the dissected river valleys of the south and southeast are there lighter-coloured and less-fertile forest soils.
See Iowa from a Whole New Perspective. Whether you're seeking rest and relaxation, outdoor exploration or family adventures, the opportunities are endless. Travel Iowa is the official tourism website of the State of Iowa. Explore places and events and discover the best things to do in Iowa.
Welcome to Iowa.gov, the hub for information on government, education, business regulations, health, transparency, and more. Get Started. Welcome to Iowa. Public meetings. State jobs. Open data. Track legislation. Agency Alignment. Most Used Tasks. File for unemployment.
Jan 18, 2024 · Outline Map. Key Facts. Iowa, a Midwestern state in the United States, is framed by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri and Big Sioux Rivers to the west. It shares its borders with Minnesota to the north, Missouri to the south, Nebraska and South Dakota to the west, and Illinois and Wisconsin to the east.
- Des Moines
- Des Moines (566,004)
- US-IA
- State of Iowa
Apr 4, 2024 · Things to Do in Iowa, United States: See Tripadvisor's 425,135 traveler reviews and photos of Iowa tourist attractions. Find what to do today or anytime in April. We have reviews of the best places to see in Iowa. Visit top-rated & must-see attractions.
May 26, 2022 · 1. National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium. 2. State Capitol. 3. Iowa State Fair. 4. National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library. 5. Maquoketa Caves State Park. 6. University of Iowa Campus, Iowa City. 7. Amana Colonies. 8. RAGBRAI. 9. The Bridges of Madison County. 10. Des Moines Art Center. 11. Herbert Hoover National Historic Site. 12.
