Capital: Des Moines

Governor: Tom Vilsack, D (to Jan. 2003)

Lieut. Governor: Sally Pederson, D (to Jan. 2003)

Senators: Chuck Grassley, R (to Jan. 2005); Tom Harkin, D (to Jan. 2003 )

Secy. of State: Chet Culver, D (to Jan. 2003)

Treasurer: Michael L. Fitzgerald, D (to Jan. 2003)

Atty. General: Tom Miller, D (to Jan. 2003)

Organized as territory: June 12, 1838

Entered Union (rank): Dec. 28, 1846 (29)

Present constitution adopted: 1857

Motto: Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain

State Symbols:

Quad Cities - In the heart of America's Midwest

The first Europeans to visit the area were the French explorers Father Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet in 1673. The U.S. obtained control of the area in 1803 as part of the Louisiana Purchase.

During the first half of the 19th century, there was heavy fighting between white settlers and Indians. Lands were taken from the Indians after the Black Hawk War in 1832 and again in 1836 and 1837.

When Iowa became a state in 1846, its capital was Iowa City; the more centrally located Des Moines became the new capital in 1857. At that time, the state's present boundaries were also drawn.

Although Iowa produces a tenth of the nation's food supply, the value of Iowa's manufactured products is twice that of its agriculture. Major industries are food and associated products, non-electrical machinery, electrical equipment, printing and publishing, and fabricated products.

Iowa stands in a class by itself as an agricultural state. Its farms sell over $10 billion worth of crops and livestock annually. Iowa leads the nation in all corn, soybean, and hog marketings, and comes in third in total livestock sales. Iowa's forests produce hardwood lumber, particularly walnut, and its mineral products include cement, limestone, sand, gravel, gypsum, and coal.

Tourist attractions include the Herbert Hoover birthplace and library near West Branch; the Amana Colonies; Fort Dodge Historical Museum, Fort, and Stockade; the Iowa State Fair at Des Moines in August; and the Effigy Mounds National Monument, a prehistoric Indian burial site at Marquette.

Nickname: Hawkeye State

Origin of name: Probably from an Indian word meaning "this is the place" or "the Beautiful Land"

10 largest cities (1999 est.): Des Moines, 190,958; Cedar Rapids, 115,777; Davenport, 98,256; Sioux City, 82,843; Waterloo, 62,800; Iowa City, 61,298; Council Bluffs, 57,365; Dubuque, 56,742; Ames, 48,777; West Des Moines, 44,636

Land area: 55,875 sq mi. (144,716 sq km)

Geographic center: In Story Co., 5 mi. NE of Ames

Number of counties: 99

Largest county by population and area: Polk, 364,672 (1999 est.); Kossuth, 973 sq mi.

State forests: 4 (39,500 ac.)

State parks: 83 (53,000 ac.)

Residents: Iowan

1999 resident population est.: 2,869,413

1990 resident census population (rank): 2,776,755 (30). Male: 1,344,802; Female: 1,431,953. White: 2,683,090 (96.6%); Black: 48,090 (1.7%); American Indian: 7,349 (0.3%); Asian: 25,476 (0.9%); Other race: 12,750 (0.5%); Hispanic: 32,647 (1.2%). 1990 percent population under 18: 25.9; 65 and over: 15.3; median age: 34.0.