Eagle Gate College

Capital: Salt Lake City

Governor: Michael O. Leavitt, R (to Jan. 2005)

Lieut. Governor: Olene Walker, R (to Jan. 2005)

Senators: Robert F. Bennett, R (to Jan. 2005); Orrin G. Hatch, R (to Jan. 2007)

Treasurer: Edward T. Alter, R. (Jan. 2005)

Auditor: Auston G. Johnson, R (Jan. 2005)

Atty. General: Mark Shurtleff, R (to Jan. 2005)

Organized as territory: Sept. 9, 1850

Entered Union (rank): Jan. 4, 1896 (45)

Present constitution adopted: 1896

Motto: Industry

State Symbols:

The region was first explored for Spain by Franciscan friars Escalante and Dominguez in 1776. In 1824 the famous American frontiersman Jim Bridger discovered the Great Salt Lake.

Fleeing religious persecution in the East and Midwest, the Mormons arrived in 1847 and began to build Salt Lake City. The U.S. acquired the Utah region in the treaty ending the Mexican War in 1848, and the first transcontinental railroad was completed with the driving of a golden spike at Promontory Summit in 1869.

Mormon difficulties with the federal government about polygamy did not end until the Mormon Church renounced the practice in 1890, six years before Utah became a state.

Rich in natural resources, Utah has long been a leading producer of copper, gold, silver, lead, zinc, and molybdenum. Oil has also become a major product. Utah shares rich oil shale deposits with Colorado and Wyoming. Utah also has large deposits of low sulphur coal.

Ranked fifth among the states in number of sheep in 1998, Utah also produces large crops of alfalfa, winter wheat, and beans.

Utah's traditional industries of agriculture and mining are complemented by increased tourism and growing aerospace, biomedical, and computer-related businesses.

Utah is a great vacationland with 11,000 miles of fishing streams and 147,000 acres of lakes and reservoirs. Among the many tourist attractions are Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion National Parks; Cedar Breaks, Dinosaur, Hovenweep, Natural Bridges, Rainbow Bridge, Timpanogos Cave, and Grand Staircase (Escalante) National Monuments; the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City; and Monument Valley. Salt Lake City will be the site of the 2002 Winter Olympics.

Nickname: Beehive State

Origin of name: From the Ute tribe, meaning "people of the mountains"

10 largest cities (1999 est.): Salt Lake City, 171,151; Provo, 110,690; West Valley City, 102,718; Sandy, 101,853; Orem, 82,965; Ogden, 68,210; West Jordan, 65,139; Layton, 56,469; Taylorsville, 55,939; St. George, 47,994

Land area: 82,168 sq mi. (212,816 sq km)

Geographic center: In Sanpete Co., 3 mi. N. of Manti

Number of counties: 29

Largest county by population and area: Salt Lake, 850,243 (1999 est.); San Juan, 7,821 sq mi.

National parks: 5

National monuments: 7

State parks/forests: 45 (64,097 ac.):

Residents: Utahan, Utahn

1999 resident population est.: 2,129,836

1990 resident census population (rank): 1,722,850 (35). Male: 855,759; Female: 867,091. White: 1,615,845 (93.8%); Black: 11,576 (0.7%); American Indian: 24,283 (1.4%); Asian: 33,371 (1.9%); Other race: 37,775 (2.2%); Hispanic: 84,597 (4.9%). 1990 percent population under 18: 36.4; 65 and over: 8.7; median age: 26.2.