Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
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Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Table of Contents
Reader’s Guide vi Guide to State Articles x Alabama 1 Alaska 23 Arizona 41 Arkansas 61 California 81 Colorado 117 Connecticut 139 Delaware 161 Florida 177 Georgia 203 Hawaii 225 Idaho 241 Illinois 257 Glossary 281 Abbreviations & Acronyms 286
v
Reader’s Guide
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition, presents profiles of the 50 states of the nation, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the US dependencies, arranged alphabetically in four volumes. Junior Worldmark is based on the seventh edition of the reference work, Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States. The Worldmark design organizes facts and data about every state in a common structure. Every profile contains a map, showing the state and its location in the nation. For this fifth edition of Junior Worldmark, facts were updated and many new photographs were added depicting the unique economic and social features of the individual states. In addition, the page design has been changed to improve aesthetics and usability of the set. Each state’s political history is documented in the updated table listing the governors who have served the state since the founding of the nation. The population profiles give users of Junior Worldmark access to the latest population data for the states. A subject index to all four volumes appears at the end of volume four. vi
Sources Due to the broad scope of this encyclopedia many sources were consulted in compiling the information and statistics presented in these volumes. Of primary importance were the publications of the US Bureau of the Census. The most recent agricultural statistics on crops and livestock were obtained from files posted by the US Department of Agriculture on its worldwide web site at http://www.econ.ag.gov. Finally, many fact sheets, booklets, and state statistical abstracts were used to update data not collected by the federal government.
Profile Features The Junior Worldmark structure—40 numbered headings—allows student researchers to compare two or more states in a variety of ways. Each state profile begins by listing the origin of the state name, its nickname, the capital, the date it entered the union, the state song and motto, and a description of the state coat of arms. The profile also presents a picture and textual description of both the state seal and the state flag (color versions of the flags and seals can be found on the endpages of each volume). Next, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Reader’s Guide
a listing of the official state animal, bird, fish, flower, tree, gem, etc. is given. The introductory information ends with the standard time given by time zone in relation to Greenwich mean time (GMT). The world is divided into 24 time zones, each one hour apart. The Greenwich meridian, which is 0 degrees, passes through Greenwich, England, a suburb of London. Greenwich is at the center of the initial time zone, known as Greenwich mean time (GMT). All times given are converted from noon in this zone. The time reported for the state is the official time zone. The body of each country’s profile is arranged in 40 numbered headings as follows:
1 Location and Size. The state is located on the North American continent. Statistics are given on area and boundary length. Size comparisons are made to the other 50 states of the United States.
2 Topography. Dominant geographic features including terrain and major rivers and lakes are described.
3
Climate. Temperature and rainfall are given for the various regions of the state in both English and metric units.
4 Plants and Animals. Described here are the plants and animals native to the state.
5 Environmental Protection. Destruction of natural resources—forests, water supply, air—is described here. Statistics on solid waste production, hazardous waste sites, and endangered and extinct species are also included. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
6 Population. Census statistics, including the seven categories identifying race introduced with the 2000 census of population, are provided. Population density and major urban populations are summarized.
7 Ethnic Groups. The major ethnic groups are ranked in percentages. Where appropriate, some description of the influence or history of ethnicity is provided.
8 Languages.
The regional dialects of the state are summarized as well as the number of people speaking languages other than English at home.
9 Religions. The population is broken down according to religion and/or denominations.
10 Transportation.
Statistics on roads, railways, waterways, and air traffic, along with a listing of key ports for trade and travel, are provided.
11
History. Includes a concise summary
of the state’s history from ancient times (where appropriate) to the present.
12 State Government. The form of government is described, and the process of governing is summarized. A table listing the state governors, updated to 2006, accompanies each entry.
13 Political Parties. Describes the significant political parties through history, where appropriate, and the influential parties as of 2006. vii
Reader’s Guide
14 Local Government. The system of local 23 Fishing. The relative significance of fishgovernment structure is summarized.
15 Judicial System. Structure of the court system and the jurisdiction of courts in each category is provided. Crime rates as reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are also included.
ing to the state is provided, with statistics on fish and seafood products.
24 Forestry. Land area classified as forest is given, along with a listing of key forest products and a description of government policy toward forest land.
Mining. Description of mineral depos16 Migration. Population shifts since the its25 and statistics on related mining activity and
end of World War II are summarized.
export are provided.
17 Economy. This section presents the key 26 Energy and Power. Description of the elements of the economy. Major industries and employment figures are also summarized.
18
Income. Personal income and the pov-
erty level are given as is the state’s ranking among the 50 states in per person income.
19 Industry. Key industries are listed, and important aspects of industrial development are described.
state’s power resources, including electricity produced and oil reserves and production, are provided.
27
Commerce. A summary of the amount of wholesale trade, retail trade, and receipts of service establishments is given.
28 Public Finance. Revenues, ex-penditures, and total and per person debt are provided.
Taxation. 20 Labor. Statistics are given on the civilian 29 explained.
labor force, including numbers of workers, leading areas of employment, and unemployment figures.
21 Agriculture.
Statistics on key agricultural crops, market share, and total farm income are provided.
22 Domesticated
Animals. Statistics on livestock—cattle, hogs, sheep, etc.—and the land area devoted to raising them are given.
viii
The state’s tax system is
30 Health. Statistics on and description of such public health factors as disease and suicide rates, principal causes of death, numbers of hospitals and medical facilities appear here. Information is also provided on the percentage of citizens without health insurance within each state.
31 Housing. Housing shortages and government programs to build housing are described. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Reader’s Guide
Statistics on numbers of dwellings and median home values are provided.
39 Famous People. In this section, some
32 Education.
When a person is noted in a state that is not the
Statistical data on educational achievement and primary and secondary schools is given. Per person state spending on primary and secondary education is also given. Major universities are listed, and government programs to foster education are described.
33 Arts. A summary of the state’s major cultural institutions is provided together with the amount of federal and state funds designated to the arts.
34 Libraries and Museums. The number of libraries, their holdings, and their yearly circulation is provided. Major museums are listed.
35 Communications. The state of telecommunications (television, radio, and telephone) is summarized. Activity related to the Internet is reported where available.
36 Press. Major daily and Sunday newspapers are listed together with data on their circulations.
37
Tourism, Travel, and Recreation. Under this heading, the student will find a summary of the importance of tourism to the state, and factors affecting the tourism industry. Key tourist attractions are listed.
38 Sports.
The major sports teams in the state, both professional and collegiate, are summarized.
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
of the best-known citizens of the state are listed. state of his of her birth, the birthplace is given.
40 Bibliography.
The bibliographic and
web site listings at the end of each profile are provided as a guide for further reading. Because many terms used in this encyclopedia will be new to students, each volume includes a glossary and a list of abbreviations and acronyms. A keyword index to all four volumes appears in Volume 4.
Acknowledgments Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition, draws on the seventh edition of the Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States. Readers are directed to that work for a complete list of contributors, too numerous to list here. Special acknowledgment goes to the government officials throughout the nation who gave their cooperation to this project.
Comments and Suggestions We welcome your comments on the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition, as well as your suggestions for features to be included in future editions. Please write to: Editors, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, U•X•L, 27500 Drake Road, Farmington Hills, Michigan 48331-3535; or call toll-free: 1-800-877-4253. ix
Guide to State Articles All information contained within a state article is uniformly keyed by means of a number to the left of the subject headings. A heading such as “Population,” for example, carries the same key numeral (6) in every article. Therefore, to find information about the population of Alabama, consult the table of contents for the page number where the Alabama article begins and look for section 6.
Introductory matter for each state includes: Origin of state name Nickname Capital Date and order of statehood Song Motto Flag Official seal Symbols (animal, tree, flower, etc.) Time zone Sections listed numerically 1 Location and Size 2 Topography 3 Climate 4 Plants and Animals 5 Environmental Protection 6 Population 7 Ethnic Groups 8 Languages 9 Religions 10 Transportation 11 History 12 State Government 13 Political Parties 14 Local Government 15 Judicial System 16 Migration 17 Economy 18 Income 19 Industry 20 Labor 21 Agriculture 22 Domesticated Animals x
23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40
Fishing Forestry Mining Energy and Power Commerce Public Finance Taxation Health Housing Education Arts Libraries and Museums Communications Press Tourism, Travel, and Recreation Sports Famous Persons Bibliography
Alphabetical listing of sections Agriculture 21 Arts 33 Bibliography 40 Climate 3 Commerce 27 Communications 35 Domesticated Animals 22 Economy 17 Education 32 Energy and Power 26 Environmental Protection 5 Ethnic Groups 7 Famous Persons 39 Fishing 23 Forestry 24
Health 30 History 11 Housing 31 Income 18 Industry 19 Judicial System 15 Labor 20 Languages 8 Libraries and Museums 34 Local Government 14 Location and Size 1 Migration 16 Mining 25 Plants and Animals 4 Political Parties 13 Population 6 Press 36 Public Finance 28 Religions 9 Sports 38 State Government 12 Taxation 29 Topography 2 Tourism, Travel, and Recreation 37 Transportation 10 Explanation of symbols A fiscal split year is indicated by a stroke (e.g. 1999/00). Note that 1 billion = 1,000 million = 109. The use of a small dash (e.g., 1998–99) normally signifies the full period of calendar years covered (including the end year indicated).
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Alabama State of Alabama
O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Probably after the
Alabama Indian tribe. N I CKNAME : The Heart of Dixie. C AP ITAL: Montgomery. ENT ERED UNION: 14 December 1819 (22nd). O FFICIAL SEAL: The map of Alabama, including
names of major rivers and neighboring states, surrounded by the words “Alabama Great Seal.” FLAG: Crimson cross of St. Andrew on a square white field. C OAT OF ARMS: Two eagles, symbolizing courage, support a shield bearing the emblems of the five governments (France, England, Spain, Confederacy, United States) that have held sovereignty over Alabama. Above the shield is a sailing vessel modeled upon the ships of the first French settlers of Alabama; beneath the shield is the state motto. M OT TO: Aldemus jura nostra defendere (We dare defend our rights). SONG: “Alabama.” FLOWER: Camellia. TREE: Southern (longleaf) pine. B IRD: Yellowhammer. FISH: Tarpon. G E M: Star Blue Quartz. M INERAL: Hematite. R OCK OR STONE: Marble. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Birthdays of Robert E. Lee and Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; George Washington’s/ Thomas Jefferson’s Birthdays, 3rd Monday in February; Mardi Gras, February or March; Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Confederate Memorial Day, 4th Monday in April; Jefferson Davis’s Birthday, 1st Monday in June; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day/American Indian Heritage Day, 2nd Monday in October; Veterans Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 6 AM CST = noon GMT.
1
Location and Size
Located in the eastern south-central United States, Alabama ranks 29th in size among the 50 states, with a total area of 51,705 square miles (133,915 square kilometers), of which land constitutes 50,767 square miles (131,486 square kilometers) and inland water 938 square miles (2,429 square kilometers). Alabama extends roughly 200 miles (320 kilometers) east-west. The maximum north-south extension is 300 1
Alabama
miles (480 kilometers). Its total boundary length is 1,044 miles (1,680 kilometers). Dauphin Island, in the Gulf of Mexico, is the largest offshore island.
2
Topography
Alabama is divided into four major geographic regions: the Gulf coastal plain, the Piedmont Plateau, the ridge and valley section, and Appalachian (or Cumberland) Plateau. The coastal plain of the south includes the area that was historically known as the Black Belt region, the center of cotton production and plantation slavery in Alabama. The piedmont of east-central Alabama contains rolling hills and valleys. Alabama’s highest elevation, Cheaha Mountain, 2,405 feet (733 miles) above sea level, is located at the northern edge of this region. North and west of the piedmont is a series of parallel ridges and valleys running in a northeast-southwest direction. The Appalachian Plateau covers most of northwestern Alabama. The largest lake wholly within Alabama is Guntersville Lake, covering about 108 square miles (280 square kilometers). It was formed during the development of the Tennessee River region by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). The longest rivers are the Alabama, 160 miles (260 kilometers); the Tennessee; and the Tombigbee. Archaeologists believe that Russell Cave, in northeastern Alabama, was the earliest site of human habitation in the southeastern United States. Other major caves in northern Alabama are Manitou, Sequoyah, and the DeSoto Caverns. Wheeler Dam on the Tennessee River is now a national historic monument. Other major 2
Alabama Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:
4,599,030 3.4% 2.2% 98.9% 71.0% 25.8% 0.5% 0.9% 0.0% 0.8% 1.0%
Population by Age Group 65 and over (13%) Under 18 (24%)
45 to 64 (26%) 18 to 24 (9%)
25 to 44 (28%)
Major Cities by Population City Birmingham Montgomery Mobile Huntsville Tuscaloosa Hoover Dothan Decatur Auburn Gadsden
Population
% change 2000–05
231,483 200,127 191,544 166,313 81,358 67,469 62,713 54,909 49,928 37,405
-4.7 -0.7 -3.7 5.1 4.4 7.5 8.6 1.8 16.1 -4.0
Notes: †A person of Hispanic or Latino origin may be of any race. NA indicates that data are not available. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey and Population Estimates. www.census.gov/ (accessed March 2007).
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Alabama
TENNESSEE
ALABAMA
LAUDERDALE
n Te n
Explanation
William B. Bankhead National Forest
Rock Bridge Canyon
Area of Interest
MORGAN
WINSTON
CHEROKEE
CULLMAN
N 25
Buckís Pocket Lake State Park Guntersville St. Park
MARSHALL
MARION
0
Desoto St. Park
FRANKLIN
U.S. Interstate Route
25
Cathedral
Caverns Huntsville State Park
Decatur
COLBERT
State Capital
0
JACKSON
Monte Sano St. Park
Wheeler Lake
Joe Wheeler St. Park LAWRENCE
City (more than 100,000 people)
65
Wilson Lake
eR .
se
City (25,000-100,000 people)
MADISON
Joe Wheeler St. Park
Florence
es
Point of Interest
LIMESTONE
Guntersville Lake BLOUNT
DE KALB
ETOWAH
65
Weiss Lake
Gadsden
LAMAR
50 miles
59
WALKER
CALHOUN
FAYETTE
50 kilometers
Rickwood Caverns State Park
GEORGIA
Fort McClellen ST. CLAIR
Anniston JEFFERSON
20
Birmingham PICKENS
TALLADEGA
CLEBURNE RANDOLPH
TUSCALOOSA SHELBY
Cheaha St. Park
Bessemer
Lake Lurleen State Park
Hoover
459
Talladega National Forest
Oak Mt. State Park
Tuscaloosa
CLAY
BIBB
CHAMBERS
TALLAPOOSA
COOSA CHILTON
GREENE
Talladega National Forest
HALE
SUMTER
20
Wind Creek St. Park
Lake Martin
59 PERRY ELMORE
85
LEE
MISSISSIPPI
Auburn
AUTAUGA
Paul M. Grist State Park MARENGO
Selma
DALLAS
Chickasaw State Park
CHOCTAW
Chewacla State Park
MACON
Phenix City
Montgomery
William B. Dannelly Reservoir
Tuskegee National Forest
RUSSELL
Fort Benning
MONTGOMERY
BULLOCK
LOWNDES
WILCOX
Roland Cooper State Park BUTLER
CLARKE
Bladon Springs State Park
PIKE
Lakepoint Resort State Park
MONROE
Blue Springs St. Park
m To
WASHINGTON
CONECUH
bi
g
be
COFFEE
HENRY
DALE
e
R.
COVINGTON
R. ma Claude D. ba la Kelley A St. Park BALDWIN
Fort Rucker
65 Frank Jackson State Park
HOUSTON
Dothan
ESCAMBIA GENEVA
MOBILE
Conecuh National Forest
Prichard
Chattahoochee State Park
FLORIDA
Mobile Mobile Bay
Dauphin Is.
BARBOUR CRENSHAW
Meaher 10 State Park
Bon Secour Bay Gulf St. Park
Gulf
of
Mexico
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
3
Alabama
Looking south, Spanish moss clings to bald cypress at Florala State Park along Lake Jackson. The 31st parallel, “Ellicott’s Line,” established in 1799 as the boundary between the United States and Spanish West Florida, passes through Lake Jackson. DAN BROTHERS, ALABAMA BUREAU OF TOURISM.
dams include Guntersville, Martin, Millers Ferry, Jordan, Mitchell, and Holt.
an average precipitation of 66.3 inches (168 centimeters) a year between 1971 and 2000.
3
4
Climate
Alabama’s three climatic divisions are the lower coastal plain, the northern plateau, and the Black Belt and upper coastal plain, lying between the two extremes. Birmingham’s temperature ranges from a normal January daily minimum of 34°f (1°c) to a normal July daily maximum of 90°f (32°c). In Mobile, the comparable minimum and maximum figures are 41°f (5°c) and 91°f (33°c). The record low temperature for the state is -27°f (-33°c), registered in 1966; the all-time high is 112°f (44°c), registered in 1925. Mobile, one of the rainiest cities in the United States, recorded 4
Plants and Animals
Alabama was once covered by vast forests of pine, which still form the largest proportion of the state’s forest growth. The state also has an abundance of poplar, cypress, hickory, oak, and various gum trees. Red cedar grows throughout the state; southern white cedar is found in the southwest; hemlock in the north. Other native trees include hackberry, ash, and holly, with species of palmetto and palm in the Gulf Coast region. Mammals include the white-tailed deer, Florida panthers, bobcats, beavers, muskrats, and weasels. Alabama’s birds include golden and Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Alabama
Alabama Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number
Percent
Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,447,100 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,402,921 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41,684 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,356 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17,566 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,772 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415 White and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,930 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,326 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,119 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . 292 Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,234 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . 23 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 392 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 629 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Three or more races. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,495
. . . . . 100.0 . . . . . . 99.0 . . . . . . . 0.9 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . 0.4 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1
Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.
bald eagles, osprey, and yellowhammer (the state bird). Game birds include quail, duck, geese, and wild turkey. Freshwater fish such as bream, shad, and bass are common. Along the Gulf Coast there are seasonal runs of tarpon (the state fish), pompano, redfish, and bonito. In April 2006, a total of 79 animals, fish, and birds were listed as endangered by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. These included the Alabama beach mouse, gray bat, Alabama red-belly turtle, finback and humpback whales, bald eagle, and wood stork. Seventeen plant species were also endangered.
5
Environmental Protection
The Alabama Environmental Management Commission and the Alabama Department Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
of Environmental Management (ADEM) were established in 1982. The Environmental Commission, whose seven members are appointed to six-year terms by the governor and approved by the Alabama Senate, is charged with managing the state’s land, air, and water resources. The ADEM administers all major federal environmental groups including the Clean Air Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, and solid and hazardous waste laws. The most active environmental groups in the state are the Alabama Environmental Council, Sierra Club, League of Women Voters, Alabama Audubon Council, and Alabama Rivers Alliance. Major concerns of environmentalists in the state are the improvement of land-use planning 5
Alabama
was expected to reach over 4.66 million by 2015, and 4.8 million by 2025. In 2004, the population density was 89.3 persons per square mile (34.5 persons per square kilometer). About two out of every three Alabamians live in urban areas. In 2005, persons under the age of 18 accounted for 24% of the population, while 13% were age 65 or older. In 2004, Birmingham was the largest city in the state with an estimated 231,483 residents, followed by Montgomery with 200,127 people, and Mobile with 191,544 people.
7 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., American civil rights leader, receives the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, Norway, December 10, 1964. King, age 35 at the time, was the youngest man ever to receive the prize, the twelfth American, and the third African American to be given the honor. AP IMAGES.
and the protection of groundwater. Another issue is the transportation, storage, and disposal of hazardous wastes. In 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency’s database listed 258 hazardous waste sites in Alabama, 13 of which were on the National Priorities List as of 2006. One of the nation’s five largest commercial hazardous waste sites is in Emelle, in Sumter County. Alabama’s solid waste stream is about 4.500 million tons a year (1.10 tons per capita). There are 108 municipal land fills and 8 curbside recycling programs in the state. Air quality is generally satisfactory.
6
Population
In 2006, Alabama ranked 23rd in population among the 50 states, with an estimated total of 4,599,030 million people. Alabama’s population 6
Ethnic Groups
Alabama’s population is primarily divided between whites and blacks. According to the 2000 census, the black population of Alabama, primarily descendents of African slaves, was about 1,155,930 people, or about 26% of the population. Among whites reporting a single ancestry group, 343,254 were Irish and 344,735 were English. Also in 2000, there were about 22,430 Native Americans, mostly of Creek or Cherokee descent. Creek Indians are centered around the small community of Poarch in southern Alabama. Most of the Cherokee live in the northeastern part of the state. In 2000, the Asian population totaled 31,346 people, and Pacific Islanders numbered 1,409. About 6,900 were Asian Indians, 4,116 were Koreans, and 6,337 were Chinese. People of Hispanic or Latino descent totaled 75,830. In total, foreign-born residents in Alabama numbered 87,772 (2% of the state’s population) in 2000. Alabama is also home to about 10,000 Cajuns. This group is of uncertain racial origin but is thought to combine Anglo-Saxon, French, Spanish, Choctaw, Apache, and African ancestries. The Cajuns live primarily in the pine woods Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Alabama
area of upper Mobile and lower Washington counties. They are ethnically unrelated to the Cajuns of Louisiana.
8
Languages
Alabama English is mostly a Southern dialect. Some regional terms include croker sack or tow sack (burlap bag), batter cakes (made of cornmeal), and harp (harmonica). A dragonfly might be called a mosquito hawk in some regions. In 2000, a total of 96.1% of all residents five years old or older spoke only English at home. The three principal languages other than English spoken at home were Spanish or Spanish Creole (with 89,729 speakers), French or French Patois (Cajun, 13,656), and German (14,905).
9
Religions
The residents of Alabama are predominantly Baptist. The first Baptist church in the state, the Flint River Church in Madison County, was organized in 1808. In 1809, the Old Zion Methodist Church was founded in the Tombigbee area. As of 2000, the Southern Baptist Convention, with 1,380,121 members was the fastest growing and largest denomination within the state, adding another 24,454 members in 2002. In 2003, the United Methodist Church had 306,289 members. In 2004, there were 140,365 Roman Catholics in Alabama. In 2000 there were 119,049 Church of Christ members, and an estimated 9,100 Jews. About 45.2% of the population were not counted as members of any religious organization. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
10
Transportation
The first rail line in the state was Tuscumbia Railroad, chartered in 1830. As of 2003, Alabama had 3,735 total rail miles (6,013 kilometers) of track. There were five Class I railroads operating in the state. As of 2006, Amtrak passenger service connected Birmingham, Anniston, and Tuscaloosa with Washington, DC, and New Orleans, Louisiana. Other passenger service included a route connecting Mobile with Jacksonville, Florida, and New Orleans. As of 2004, there were 95,483 miles (151,778 kilometers) of public streets, roads, and highways. In the same year, the state had 1.677 million registered automobiles, 2.778 million trucks, and about 3,000 buses. There were also 3.613 million licensed drivers in 2004. Most of the major interstate highways in Alabama intersect at Birmingham. The coming of the steamboat to Alabama waters, beginning in 1818, stimulated settlement in the Black Belt. However, the high price of shipping cotton by water contributed to the eventual displacement of the steamboat by the railroad. Thanks to the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Tennessee River has been transformed since the 1930s into a year-round navigable waterway, with three locks and dams in Alabama. The Alabama-Coosa and Black WarriorTombigbee systems also have been made navigable by locks and dams. River barges carry bulk cargoes. There are 1,270 miles (2,043 kilometers) of navigable inland water and 50 miles (80 kilometers) of Gulf coast. The only deepwater port is Mobile, with a large ocean-going trade. In 2005, Alabama had 277 public-use airports, which included 182 airports, 90 heliports, 7
Alabama
1 STOLport (Short Take-Off and Landing), and 4 seaplane bases. The largest and busiest facility is Birmingham International Airport. In 2004, the airport had 1,498,651 boardings.
11
History
Moundville (near Tuscaloosa) is one of the most important Native American Mound Builder sites in the southeastern United States. This site includes 20 “platform mounds” for Native American buildings, dating from 1200 to 1500. When the first Europeans arrived, half the inhabitants of present-day Alabama were members of either the Creek tribe or smaller groups living under Creek control. During the 16th century, five Spanish expeditions entered or explored the region now called Alabama. The most extensive was that of Hernando de Soto, whose army marched from the Tennessee Valley to the Mobile Delta in 1540. In 1702, two French naval officers established Ft. Louis de la Mobile, the first permanent European settlement in Alabama. Mobile remained in French hands until 1763, when it was turned over to the British under the terms of the Treaty of Paris. A British garrison held Mobile during the American Revolution until it was captured in 1780 by the forces of Spain, an ally of the rebellious American colonists. Spanish control of Mobile lasted until the city was again seized during the War of 1812, this time by American troops. West Florida, including Mobile, was the only territory added to the United States as a result of that war. At the start of the 19th century, Native Americans still held most of present-day Alabama. War broke out in 1813 between 8
American settlers and a Creek faction known as the Red Sticks, who were determined to resist the advancing whites. After General Andrew Jackson and his Tennessee militia crushed the Red Sticks in 1814 at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend in central Alabama, he forced the Creek to sign a treaty ceding some 40,000 square miles (103,600 square kilometers) of land to the United States, thereby opening about three-fourths of the present state to white settlement. Statehood From 1814 onward, pioneers, caught
up by what was called “Alabama fever,” poured into the state. They came from the Carolinas, Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee, and Kentucky looking for opportunities in what Andrew Jackson called “the best unsettled country in America.” In 1817, Alabama became a territory; on 2 August 1819, a state constitution was adopted. On the following 14 December, Alabama was admitted to statehood. Alabama seceded from the Union in January 1861 and shortly thereafter joined the Confederacy. Montgomery served as capital of the Confederacy until May, when the seat of government was moved to Richmond, Virginia. During the Confederacy’s dying days in the spring of 1865, federal troops swept through Tuscaloosa, Selma, and Montgomery. Estimates of the number of Alabamians killed in the Civil War range from 25,000 upward. During Reconstruction, Alabama was under military rule until readmitted to the Union in 1868. Cotton remained the foundation of the Alabama economy in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. However, with the abolition of slavery it was now raised by sharecroppers. Alabama also attempted to create a “New Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Alabama
Birmingham’s most famous Civil Rights landmark, Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, is just across the street from the Civil Rights Institute. On 15 September 1963, a fatal bomb explosion at the church horrified the city and the nation and became a turning point in the Civil Rights Movement. DAN BROTHERS, ALABAMA BUREAU OF TOURISM.
South” in which agriculture would be balanced by industry. In the 1880s and 1890s, at least 20 Alabama towns were touted as ironworking centers. Birmingham, founded in 1871, became the New South’s leading industrial center.
reactions to them—such as the 1963 bombing of a church in Birmingham in which four young black girls were killed—helped influence the US Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Civil Rights During the 1950s and 1960s, national
The civil rights era brought other momentous changes to Alabama. New racial attitudes among most whites have contributed to a vast improvement in the climate of race relations since 1960. Hundreds of thousands of black voters are now an important force in state politics. Blacks attend school, colleges, and universities of their choice and enjoy equal access to all public facilities. In 1984 there were 314 black elected officials, including 25 mayors, 19 lawmakers in the Alabama state legislature, and an associ-
attention focused on civil rights demonstrations in Alabama, including the Montgomery bus boycott of 1955, the Birmingham and University of Alabama demonstrations of 1963, and the voting rights march from Selma to Montgomery in 1965. The leading opponents were Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and Governor George C. Wallace, who was against racial integration. These black protests and the sometimes violent Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
9
Alabama
Alabama Governors: 1819–2007 1819–1820 1820–1821 1821–1825 1825–1829 1829–1831 1831 1831–1835 1835–1837 1837 1837–1841 1841–1845 1845–1847 1847–1849 1849–1853 1853–1857 1857–1861 1861–1863 1863–1865 1865 1865–1868 1868–1870 1870–1872 1872–1874 1874–1878 1878–1882 1882–1886 1886–1890 1890–1894 1894–1896 1896–1900 1900 1900–1901
William Wyatt Bibb Thomas Bibb Israel Pickens John Murphy Gabriel Moore Samuel B. Moore John Gayle Clement Comer Clay Hugh McVay Arthur Pendleton Bagby Benjamin Fitzpatrick Joshua Lanier Martin Reuben Chapman Henry Watkins Collier John Anthony Winston Andrew Barry Moore John Gill Shorter Thomas Hill Watts Lewis Eliphalet Parsons Robert Miller Patton William Hugh Smith Robert Burns Lindsay David Peter Lewis George Smith Houston Rufus Wills Cobb Edward Asbury O’Neal Thomas Seay Thomas Goode Jones William Calvin Oates Joseph Forney Johnston William Dorsey Jelks William James Samford
Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Whig Democrat Whig Whig Whig Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat
ate justice of the state supreme court. In 1990, a total of 704 blacks held elective office. By 2001, that number had increased to 756. In the last decades of the 20th century, Alabama sought to improve its educational system and the general health of its residents. However, widespread poverty worked against the state, and despite falling poverty rates, the state remained one of the nation’s poorer states. In 1969, some 25.4% of the population lived below federal poverty levels, By the end of the century, that level had fallen to 16%, but was 10
1901–1904 1904–1905 1905–1907 1907–1911 1911–1915 1915–1919 1919–1923 1923–1927 1924 1927–1931 1931–1935 1935–1939 1939–1943 1943–1947 1947–1951 1951–1955 1955–1959 1959–1963 1963–1967 1967–1968 1968–1971 1971–1972 1972 1972–1979 1979–1983 1983–1987 1987–1993 1993–1995 1995–1999 1999–2002 2002–
William Dorsey Jelks Democrat Russell McWhortor Cunningham Democrat William Dorsey Jelks Democrat Braxton Bragg Comer Democrat Emmett O’Neal Democrat Charles Henderson Democrat Thomas Erby Kilby Democrat William Woodward Brandon Democrat Charles Samuel McDowell Democrat David Bibb Graves Democrat Benjamin Meek Miller Democrat David Bibb Graves Democrat Frank Murray Dixon Democrat George Chauncey Sparks Democrat James Elisha Folsom Democrat Seth Gordon Persons Democrat James Elisha Folsom Democrat John Malcolm Patterson Democrat George Corley Wallace Democrat Lurleen Burns Wallace Democrat Albert Preston Brewer Democrat George Corley Wallace Democrat Jere Locke Beasley Democrat George Corley Wallace Democrat Forrest Hood (Fob) James, Jr. Democrat George Corley Wallace Democrat Harold Guy Hunt Republican James Elisha Folsom, Jr. Democrat Forrest Hood (Fob) James, Jr. Republican Donald Siegelman Democrat Bob Riley Republican
still above the national average of 12.4% of the population. In 1986, Alabama elected a former Baptist minister, Guy Hunt, as its first Republican governor since the Reconstruction era that followed the Civil War. Hunt was reelected in 1990, but allegations of financial misdeeds, including the mismanagement of public funds, resulted in his indictment, and subsequent conviction on fraud and conspiracy charges. Hunt was forced to resign the governorship, making him only the fourth governor in the history of the United Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Alabama
States to be convicted of criminal charges while in office. Governor Hunt was succeeded by Democrat Donald Siegelman, who also served one term. When he left office, the state budget surplus of $57 million was the second-largest in the state’s history. In 2002, Republican Rob Riley was elected the state’s 52nd governor. In August 2005 Alabama was severely affected by Hurricane Katrina, with several counties declared federal disaster areas.
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State Government
Alabama’s legislature consists of a 35-seat senate and a 105-seat house of representatives, all of whose members are elected at the same time for four-year terms. Elected executive officials include the governor and lieutenant-governor (separately elected), secretary of state, attorney general, treasurer, and auditor. The governor is limited to a maximum of two consecutive terms. A bill becomes a law when it is passed by a majority of both houses and is either signed by the governor or left unsigned for six days while the legislature is in session, or passed over the governor’s veto by a majority of the elected members of each house. The governor may “pocket veto” a measure submitted fewer than five days before adjournment by not signing it within ten days after adjournment. As of December 2004, Alabama’s governor earned a salary of $96,371. Legislators received living expenses in the amount of $2,280 per month plus $50 per day for each of the three days per week that the legislature is in session. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
13
Political Parties
During the 20th century, the Democratic Party has commanded practically every statewide office, major and minor. However, in recent years Republicans have made gains in national and statewide races. In the 2000 presidential elections, 57% of the vote went to Republican George W. Bush; 42% to Democrat Al Gore; and 1% to others. In 2004, President Bush carried the state with 62.5% of the vote, to John Kerry’s 36.8%. Alabama’s delegation of US Representatives following the 2006 election consisted of two Democrats and five Republicans. Both US Senators were Republicans. The state legislature following the 2006 elections consisted of 23 Democrats and 12 Republicans in the State Senate, and 62 Democrats and 43 Republicans in the State House. In 2002, Republican Bob Riley was elected governor, after serving six years in the US House of Representatives. In 2006, Riley was reelected governor with 58% of the vote. There were 16 women serving in the state legislature following the 2006 elections, or 11.4%.
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Local Government
In 2005, Alabama had 67 counties, 451 municipalities, 128 public school districts, and 525 special districts. Counties are governed by county commissions, usually consisting of three to seven commissioners, elected by district. Until the late 1970s, the most common form of municipal government was the commission, whose members were elected either at-large or by district. Partly in response to court orders requiring district elections in order to permit the election of 11
Alabama
Alabama Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR
ALABAMA WINNER
DEMOCRAT
1948 Thurmond (SRD) 1952 Stevenson (D) 1956 Stevenson (D) 1960 *Kennedy (D) 1964 Goldwater (R) 1968 Wallace (AI) 1972 *Nixon (R) 1976 *Carter (D) 1980 *Reagan (R) 1984 *Reagan (R) 1988 *Bush (R) 1992 Bush (R) 1996 Dole (R) 2000 *Bush, G. W. (R) 2004 *Bush, G. W. (R) *Won US presidential election.
— 275,075 279,542 318,303 — 195,918 256,923 659,170 636,730 551,899 549,506 690,080 662,165 692,611 693,933
REPUBLICAN
40,930 149,231 195,694 236,110 479,085 146,591 728,701 504,070 654,192 872,849 815,576 804,283 769,044 941,173 1,176,394
more black officials, there has since been a trend toward the mayor-council form. Local government had around 188,349 fulltime employment positions, in 2005.
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Judicial System
The high court of Alabama is the supreme court, consisting of a chief justice and eight associate justices, all elected for staggered six-year terms. It issues opinions on constitutional issues and hears cases appealed from the lower courts. The court of civil appeals has exclusive appeals jurisdiction in all suits involving sums up to $10,000. This court’s three judges are elected for six-year terms, and the one who has served the longest is the presiding judge. The five judges of the court of criminal appeals are also elected for six-year terms. Those judges choose the presiding judge by majority vote. 12
Circuit courts, which included 40 districts and 131 judgeships, have exclusive original jurisdiction over civil actions involving sums of more than $5,000, and over criminal prosecutions involving felony offenses. They also have original jurisdiction and appeals jurisdiction over most cases from district and municipal courts. A new system of district courts replaced county and juvenile courts as of January 1977, staffed by judges who serve six-year terms. Municipal court judges are appointed by the municipality. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Alabama in 2004 had a violent crime rate (murder/nonnegligent manslaughter; forcible rape; robbery; aggravated assault) of 426.6 crimes per 100,000 population. As of 31 December 2004, a total of 25,887 prisoners were held in state and federal prisons in Alabama. Alabama has a death penalty, and from 1976 through May 2006, had executed 34 prisoners.
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Migration
Since the Civil War, migration to Alabama has been slight. Many blacks left Alabama from World War I (1914–18) through the 1960s to seek employment in the East and Midwest. Overall, Alabama may have lost as many as 944,000 residents through migration between 1940 and 1970, but enjoyed a net gain from migration of over 143,000 between 1970 and 1990, and an additional 114,000 in domestic and 13,000 in international migration between 1990 and 1998. In the period 2000–05, net international migration was 25,936, while net domestic migration totaled 10,521, for a net gain of 36,457 people. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Alabama
17
Economy
Cotton dominated Alabama’s economy from the mid-19th century to the 1870s, when large-scale industrialization began. The coal, iron, and steel industries were the first to develop, followed by other industries such as textiles, clothing, paper, and wood products. Although Alabama’s prosperity has increased, particularly in recent decades, the state still lags in wage rates and per capita income. One factor that has hindered the growth of the state’s economy is declining investment in resource industries owned by large corporations outside the state. Between 1974 and 1983, manufacturing grew at little more than half the rate of all state goods and services. The 1980 to 1982 recession hit the state harder than the nation as a whole. The state began to recover in the mid-1980s, and in the economic expansion of the 1990s. However, by the end of the decade, Alabama entered recession earlier the nation did in 2001. The state in 2002 suffered many job losses, especially in manufacturing and in the textile and apparel industries. Alabama’s gross state product (GSP) in 2004 was $139.8 billion. In that same year, there were 86,651 businesses that had employees. Of that total, an estimated 97.3% were small businesses.
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Income
Alabama’s per capita (per person) income in 2004 was $27,695, for a rank of 41st among the 50 states. For the period 2002–04, the median household income was $38,111, compared to the national average of $44,473. In the same period, an estimated 15.5% of all Alabamians Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
were living below the federal poverty level, as compared to 12.4% nationally.
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Industry
Alabama’s industrial boom began in the 1870s with the exploitation of the coal and iron fields in the north. An important stimulus to manufacturing in the north was the development of ports and power plants along the Tennessee River. Although Birmingham remains highly dependent on steel, the state’s industry has diversified considerably since World War II (1939–45). As of 2004, the principal employers among industry groups were food and kindred products, transportation equipment manufacturing, fabricated metal product manufacturing, wood product manufacturing , plastics and rubber products manufacturing, and primary metal manufacturing. A total of 259,058 people were employed in the state’s manufacturing sector in that same year.
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Labor
In April 2006, the civilian labor force in Alabama numbered 2,173,500, with approximately 78,500 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 3.6%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. It was estimated that in April 2006, about 5.6% of the labor force was employed in construction, 19.4% in trade, transportation, and public utilities, 4.9% in financial activities, 10.9% in professional and business services, 10.3% in education and health services, 8.5% in leisure and hospitality services, and 18.4% in government. Data for manufacturing in that month was not available. 13
Alabama
In 1871, James Thomas Rapier, a black Alabamian who would later serve a term as a US representative from the state, organized the first black labor union in the South, the shortlived Labor Union of Alabama. The Knights of Labor began organizing in the state in 1882. In 2005, a total of 195,000 of Alabama’s 1,909,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of a union. This represented 10.2% of those so employed. The national average was 12%. Unions were especially strong in the northern industrial cities and in Mobile.
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Agriculture
Alabama ranked 25th among the 50 states in agricultural income in 2005, with $3.89 billion. There was considerable diversity in Alabama’s earliest agriculture. By the mid-19th century, however, cotton had taken over. By 1860, cotton was grown in every county and one-crop agriculture had already worn out much of Alabama’s farmland. Diversification began early in the 20th century, a trend accelerated by the destructive effects of the boll weevil on cotton growing. As of 2004 there were some 44,000 farms in Alabama, occupying approximately 8.7 million acres (3.5 million hectares), or roughly 30% of the state’s land area. Soybeans and livestock are raised in the Black Belt; peanuts in the southeast; vegetables, livestock, and timber in the southwest; and cotton and soybeans in the Tennessee River Valley. In 2004, Alabama ranked 3rd in the United States in the production of peanuts, with 557.2 million pounds (253.27 million kilograms). Other crops included soybeans, 6.65 million bushels; wheat, 2.88 million bushels; sweet potatoes, 380,000 hundredweight (17.3 million kilo14
Sculpted in Italy and dedicated in 1919, the Boll Weevil Monument in Enterprise is thought to be the world’s only statue commemorating an insect pest. The “boll weevil” was not added to the top of the cast lead statue until 1948. DAN BROTHERS, ALABAMA BUREAU OF TOURISM.
grams); and pecans, 1 million pounds (450,000 kilograms). The 2004 cotton crop of 820,000 bales was valued at $205.06 million.
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Domesticated Animals
The principal livestock-raising regions of Alabama are the far north, the southwest, and the Black Belt. In 2003 Alabama produced an estimated 522.2 million pounds (237.4 million kilograms) of cattle and calves, valued at $371 million, and an estimated 48.7 million pounds Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Alabama
(22.1 million kilograms) of hogs, valued at $20 million. There were 1,360,000 cattle and an estimated 180,000 hogs and pigs on Alabama farms and ranches in 2004. Alabama is a leading producer of chickens, broilers, and eggs. In broiler production, the state was surpassed only by Georgia and Arkansas in 2003, with an estimated 5.4 billion pounds (2.5 billion kilograms), valued at $1.8 billion. That year, Alabama ranked fourth in chicken production, with over 76.34 million pounds (29.4 million kilograms), worth $5.2 million. Egg production totaled 2.19 billion, worth $295.6 million.
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Fishing
In 2004, Alabama’s commercial fish catch was about 26.6 million pounds (12.1 million kilograms), worth $37 million. The principal fishing port is Bayou La Batre, which brought in about 19.1 million pounds (8.7 million kilograms), worth $28.4 million. Alabama ranked fifth in the Gulf region for volume of shrimp landings with a total of 16.1 million pounds (7.3 million kilograms). Catfish farming is of growing importance. As of January 2005, there were 230 catfish farms in the state. As of 2003, there were 69 processing and 26 wholesaling plants in the state, with a combined total of about 1,649 employees. The commercial fishing fleet had about 1,775 boats and vessels. There were 486,877 sport fishing licenses issued in Alabama in 2004.
24
Forestry
Forestland in Alabama, predominantly pine covering 22,981,000 acres (9,302,000 hectares), was Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
over 3% of the nation’s total in 2004. Nearly all of that was classified as commercial timberland and 21,757,000 acres (8,805,000 hectares) of it were privately owned. Four national forests covered a gross acreage of 1,288,000 acres (521,250 hectares) in 2003. Production of softwood and hardwood lumber totaled 2.72 billion board feet in 2004 (seventh in the United States). Alabama’s TREASURE Forest program was created to certify and sustain forestlands in the state. This program has already certified over 1.57 million acres (635,000 hectares).
25
Mining
In 2004, Alabama’s nonfuel mineral industry’s output was valued at $972 million, which consisted entirely of industrial minerals. In that year, the state produced 4.8 million metric tons of portland cement, 14.7 million metric tons of construction sand and gravel, 49.1 million metric tons of crushed stone, and 2.12 million metric tons of common clay. These four products accounted for nearly 93% of all nonfuel mineral output, with cement and crushed stone together accounting for 69% of production. The state ranked 18th nationally in total nonfuel mineral production and accounted for more than 2% of all nonfuel mineral production in the United States.
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Energy and Power
Electrical generating plants in Alabama had a total net summer generating capacity (utility and nonutility) of 30.162 million kilowatts in 2003. The same year, total electrical production was 137.487 billion kilowatt hours. Of the total amount generated, 92.3% came from elec15
Alabama
tric utilities, with the remainder coming from independent producers, and combined heat and power service producers. Coal-fired plants accounted for 55.8% of the power generated, with nuclear plants accounting for 23%. In 2004 crude oil output averaged 20,000 barrels per day. Proven reserves in that same year totaled 53 million barrels. During 2004, marketed natural gas production was 316 billion cubic feet (8.9 billion cubic meters). Proven reserves of dry or consumer-grade natural gas, as of 31 December 2004, totaled 4,120 billion cubic feet (117 billion cubic meters). Coal production, which began in the 19th century, was 22,271,000 tons in 2004, of which 16,114,000 tons came from underground mines. Coal reserves in 2004 totaled 341 million tons.
27
Commerce
Alabama had $43.6 billion in wholesale trade sales in 2002. In that same year, the state’s retail trade sector had sales of $43.7 billion. Motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts dealers accounted for the largest share of retail sales in 2002, at $11.9 billion, followed by general merchandise stores at $7.6 billion, and food and beverage stores at $6.08 billion. In 2002, there were 19,608 retail establishments in Alabama, of which gasoline stations were the most numerous at 2,978 outlets, followed by motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts dealers at 2,643 outlets. Alabama exported $10.7 billion worth of goods in 2005. 16
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Public Finance
The Division of the Budget within the Department of Finance prepares and administers the state budget, which the governor submits to the legislature for amendment and approval. The state’s fiscal year runs from 1 October through 30 September. Total revenues amounted to over $21.56 billion in 2004, while total expenditures amounted to $19.54 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($7.6 billion), public welfare ($4.56 billion), and highways ($1.19 billion). At the end of the 2004 fiscal year, the total debt of the Alabama state government was $6.36 billion, or $1,406.38 per person.
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Taxation
As of 1 January 2006, the personal income tax ranged from 2% to 5%. The tax on corporate net income was 6.5%. The state also imposes a sales tax of 4%. However, localities may charge up to an additional 7%. Food purchased for consumption off-premises (such as at home) is taxable. Cigarettes are taxed at 42.5 cents per pack, while gasoline is taxed by the state at 18 cents per gallon. Alabama’s tax rates are according to those set in its 1901 state constitution. State tax collections in 2005 totaled $7.8 billion ($1,711 per person). Of that total, property taxes accounted for 3%, while general sales taxes accounted for 26.1% and selective sales taxes accounted for 25.1%. Individual income taxes that year accounted for 32.5%, while corporate income taxes accounted for 5.1%. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Alabama
30
Health
As of October 2005, Alabama’s infant death rate was estimated at 8.8 per 1,000 live births. The state’s overall death rate in 2003 was 10.4 deaths per 1,000 population. In 2002, the death rate (per 100,000 people) from heart disease was 294.1, while the death rate from cancer stood at 216.2, followed by 71.3 for cerebrovascular diseases, 33.1 for diabetes, and 51.9 from chronic lower respiratory diseases. In all of these categories, Alabama ranked above the national death rates for these illnesses. In 2004, about 24.8% of the state’s population were smokers. The mortality rate from HIV infection was 4.2 per 100,000 population, lower than the national average of 4.9 per 100,000 population for 2002. In 2004, the reported AIDS case rate was around 10.3 per 100,000 people. Alabama had 107 community hospitals in 2003 with about 15,600 beds. Alabama had 216 physicians per 100,000 population in 2004. The average cost per day for hospital care was $1,166. About 14% of Alabama’s adult population did not have health insurance in 2004.
31
Housing
In 2004, there were an estimated 2,058,951 housing units in Alabama. In that same year, about 71.9% of all housing units were owneroccupied. About 67.3% of all housing units were detached, single-family homes, and 14.6% were mobile homes. It was estimated that about 96,954 households across the state lacked telephone service, 6,757 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 5,212 lacked complete kitchen facilities. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
In 2004, approximately 27,400 new privately owned units were authorized. The median home value was $94,679. The median monthly housing cost for mortgage owners was $872 while the cost for renters was $519.
32
Education
In 2004, a total of 82.4% of all Alabamians age 25 and older were high school graduates. About 22.3% had obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Total enrollment was estimated at 740,000 in fall 2002 and was expected to reach 709,000 by fall 2014. Enrollment in nonpublic schools in fall 2003 was 73,105 students. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $5.4 billion. As of fall 2002, there were 246,414 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In 2005, Alabama had 75 degree-granting institutions. The largest state universities are Auburn University and the three University of Alabama campuses, including Birmingham, Huntsville, and the main campus in Tuscaloosa. Tuskegee University, founded as a normal and industrial school in 1881 under the leadership of Booker T. Washington, has become one of the nation’s most famous black colleges.
33
Arts
The Alabama State Council on the Arts, established by the legislature in 1966, provides aid to local nonprofit arts organizations. There were 62 local arts councils in 2003. The Alabama Humanities Foundation was established in 1974. The Alabama Center for Traditional Culture, established in 1990, works in conjunction with 17
Alabama
Huntsville, Montgomery, and Tuscaloosa have symphony orchestras. The Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers Convention takes place in October at Athens State College. Every June, the annual Hank Williams Memorial Celebration is held near the country singer’s birthplace at the Olive West Community. There are opera groups in Huntsville and Mobile.
34
The W. C. Handy Music Festival is held every summer in Florence. The festival was named to honor the musical genius of W. C. Handy, the “Father of the Blues.” DAN BROTHERS, ALABAMA BUREAU OF TOURISM.
the State Council to promote and preserve local arts and culture. The Alabama Jazz and Blues Federation, also established in 1990, has been very active in offering monthly jam sessions for artists, an annual summer festival, and several concerts throughout the year. The Alabama Shakespeare Festival State Theater performs in Montgomery and as of 2006, was the sixth-largest Shakespeare festival in the world. The Birmingham Festival of Arts was founded in 1951 and the city’s Alabama School of Fine Arts has been state-supported since 1971.
18
Libraries and Museums
As of 30 September 2001, Alabama had 207 public library systems, with a total of 283 libraries, of which 77 were branches. Alabama public libraries had a combined total of 8.8 million volumes in 2001, when the total circulation was 15,988,000. The Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library of the University of Alabama had 1.89 million volumes, while the Birmingham Public Library had 19 branches and 973,936 volumes. The Alabama Department of Archives and History Library, at Montgomery, 260,000 volumes, and several special collections on Alabama history and government. Collections on aviation and space exploration in Alabama’s libraries, particularly its military libraries, may be the most extensive in the United States outside of Washington, DC. In 1997, the Alabama Public Library Service and its regional library for the blind and physically handicapped had over 480,000 books, videos, and audio tapes, including more than 25,000 books in Braille. Memorabilia of Werner von Braun are in the library at the Alabama Space and Rocket Center at Huntsville. Also, the Redstone Arsenal’s Scientific Information Center holds some 227,000 volumes and 1.8 million technical reports.
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Alabama
Having made ports of call at Florence and Decatur, a day of steamboating aboard the Delta Queen draws to a close on the waters of Lake Guntersville. Steamboat transportation was extremely important to Alabama’s cotton merchants in the mid1800s. DAN BROTHERS, ALABAMA BUREAU OF TOURISM.
Alabama had 81 museums in 2000. The most important art museum is the Birmingham Museum of Art. Other museums include the George Washington Carver Museum at Tuskegee Institute, the Women’s Army Corps Museum and Military Police Corps Museum at Ft. McClellan, the US Army Aviation Museum at Ft. Rucker, and the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts. Also in Montgomery are Old Alabama Town and the F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald home. Russell Cave National Monument has an archaeological exhibit. In Florence is the W. C. Handy Home; at Tuscumbia, Helen Keller’s birthplace, Ivy Green.
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
35
Communications
In 2004, a total of 92.2% of Alabama’s occupied housing units had telephones. During 2005, Alabama had 93 major operating radio stations (19 AM, 74 FM) and 22 major television stations. In 2000, 69% of television households in the Birmingham area subscribed to cable television. A total of 44,371 Internet domain names had been registered in Alabama by 2000.
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Press
The oldest Alabama newspaper still in existence in the state is the Mobile Register, founded in
19
Alabama
1813. As of 2005, Alabama had 21 morning dailies; 3 evening dailies; and 20 Sunday papers. The leading daily, the Birmingham News, had a 2005 daily circulation of 167,889. The Mobile Register had a daily circulation of 88,253.
37
Tourism, Travel & Recreation
In 2004, about 20 million people visited the State of Alabama. A top tourist attraction is the Alabama Space and Rocket Center at Huntsville, home of the US Space Camp. Other attractions include many antebellum houses and plantations such as Magnolia Grove (a state shrine) at Greensboro, and the first White House of the Confederacy at Montgomery. The celebration of Mardi Gras in Mobile, which began in 1704, predates that in New Orleans and now occupies several days before Ash Wednesday. Gulf beaches are a popular attraction and Point Clear, across the bay from Mobile, has been a fashionable resort, especially for southerners, since the 1840s. The state fair is held at Birmingham every October. Alabama has four national park sites, which include Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site and Russell Cave National Monument, an almost continuous archaeological record of human habitation from at least 7000 bc to about ad 1650. Tannehill Historical State Park features anteand postbellum dwellings, a restored iron furnace over a century old, and a museum of iron and steel. The Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo at Dauphin Island also attracts thousands of visitors. Alabama’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail is a major tourist attraction, with seven championship courses located from Huntsville to Mobile. 20
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Sports
Alabama is home to a number of professional teams in various sports. The Birmingham Power was a member of the National Women’s Basketball League (NWBL) until 2005, and the Birmingham Steeldogs are an Arena League football squad. There are minor league baseball and hockey clubs at Birmingham, Mobile, and Huntsville. Two major professional stock car races, the UAW-Ford 500 and Aaron’s 499, are held at Alabama International Motor Speedway in Talladega. Dog racing was legalized in Mobile in 1971. Four of the major hunting-dog competitions in the United States are held annually in the state. College football is very popular. The University of Alabama is a perennial topten entry. Competing in the Southeastern Conference, Alabama’s Crimson Tide has won 12 national championships and 21 SEC titles. Auburn University, which also competes in the Southeastern Conference, has won a total of 14 bowl games, 6 SEC titles, and have produced two Heisman trophy winners (Pat Sullivan and Bo Jackson). The Blue-Gray game, an all-star contest, is held at Montgomery on Christmas Day and the Senior Bowl game is played in Mobile in January. Additionally, Alabama-Huntsville won NCAA Division II hockey championships in 1996, 1997, and 1998. Boat races include the annual Dauphin Island Race, the largest one-day sailing race in the United States. The Alabama Sports Hall of Fame is located at Birmingham. There are several famous athletes who were born in Alabama. Among the most notable are Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Alabama
Alabama native Condoleezza Rice was the first African American woman named Secretary of State. AP IMAGES.
Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Jesse Owens, and Bo Jackson.
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Famous Alabamians
A widely known political figure was George Corley Wallace (1919–1998), who served as governor 1963–67 and 1971–79, and was elected to a fourth term in 1982. Wallace, an outspoken opponent of racial desegregation in the 1960s, was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1964 and 1972. While campaigning in Maryland’s Democratic presidential primary on 15 May 1972, Wallace was shot and paralyzed from the waist down by a would-be assassin. Birmingham native Condoleeza Rice (b.1954) was the first African American woman to be appointed National Security Advisor. President George W. Bush, who appointed her to the post in 2001, nominated her to serve as Secretary of State. She was confirmed by the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
US Senate in 2005, another first for an African American woman. Civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. (b.Georgia, 1929–1968), winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, first came to national prominence as leader of the Montgomery bus boycott of 1955. He also led demonstrations at Birmingham in 1963 and at Selma in 1965. His widow, Coretta Scott King (1927–2006), is a native Alabamian. Another world figure, black educator Booker T. Washington (b.Virginia, 1856–1915), built Alabama’s Tuskegee Institute from a school where young blacks were taught building, farming, cooking, brickmaking, dressmaking, and other trades into an internationally known agricultural research center. Tuskegee’s most famous faculty member was George Washington Carver (b.Missouri, 1864–1943), who discovered some 300 different peanut products, 118 new ways to use sweet potatoes, and numerous other crop varieties and applications. Famous musicians from Alabama include Nat “King” Cole (1917–1965) and Hank Williams (1923–1953). Alabama’s prominent sports figures include Jesse Owens (James Cleveland Owens, 1913–1980), winner of four gold medals in track and field at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin; Vonetta Flowers (b.1973), winner (with teammate Jill Bakken) of the gold medal in bobsledding at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, becoming the first African American to win a gold medal in a winter olympics; Joe Louis (Joseph Louis Barrow, 1914–1981), world heavyweight boxing champion from 1937 to 1949; and baseball stars Willie Mays (b.1931), and (Louis) Henry Aaron (b.1934), all-time US home-run leader. 21
Alabama
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Bibliography
BOOKS Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Freedman, Russell. Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. New York: Holiday House, 2006. Hart, Joyce. Alabama. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2006. Heinrichs, Ann. Alabama. Chanhassen, MN: Child’s World, 2005. Johnston, Lissa Jones. Alabama. Milwaukee, WI:
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Gareth Stevens Pub., 2006. McAuliffe, Emily. Alabama Facts and Symbols. Mankato, MN: Hilltop Books, 2000. Murray, Julie. Alabama. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. WEB SITES Alabama Bureau of Tourism and Travel. Alabama. www.touralabama.org (accessed March 1, 2007). Official Website of the State of Alabama. www. alabama.gov/portal/index.jsp (accessed March 1, 2007).
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Alaska State of Alaska O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : From the Aleut word
“alyeska,” meaning “great land.” NICKNAME: Land of the Midnight Sun; The Last
Frontier. C AP ITAL: Juneau. ENT ERED UNION: 3 January 1959 (49th). O FFICIAL SEAL: In the inner circle symbols of mining,
agriculture, and commerce are depicted against a background of mountains and the northern lights. In the outer circle are a fur seal, a salmon, and the words “The Seal of the State of Alaska.” FLAG: On a blue field, eight gold stars form the Big Dipper and the North Star. M OT TO: North to the Future. SONG: “Alaska’s Flag.” FLOWER: Wild forget-me-not. TREE: Sitka spruce. B IRD: Willow ptarmigan. FISH: King salmon. G E M: Jade. M INERAL: Gold. SP ORT: Dogteam racing (mushing). LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Martin Luther King Jr. Day, 3rd Monday in January; Presidents’ Day, 3rd Monday in February; Seward’s Day, last Monday in March; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Alaska Day, 18 October; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. TI ME: 3 AM Alaska Standard Time, 2 AM HawaiiAleutian Standard Time = noon GMT.
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
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Location and Size
Situated at the northwest corner of the North American continent, Alaska is separated by Canadian territory from the conterminous 48 states. Alaska is the largest of the 50 states, with a total area of 591,004 square miles (1,530,699 square kilometers). Land takes up 570,833 square miles (1,478,456 square kilometers) and inland water 20,171 square miles (52,243 square kilometers). Alaska is more than twice the size of Texas, the next-largest state, and occupies 16% of the total US land area. The east-west extension is 2,261 miles (3,639 kilometers). The maximum north-south extension is 1,420 miles (2,285 kilometers). Alaska is bounded on the north by the Arctic Ocean and Beaufort Sea; on the east by Canada’s Yukon Territory and province of British Columbia; on the south by the Gulf of Alaska, 23
Alaska
Pacific Ocean, and Bering Sea; and on the west by the Bering Sea, Bering Strait, Chukchi Sea, and Arctic Ocean. Alaska’s many offshore islands include St. Lawrence, St. Matthew, Nunivak, and the Pribilof group in the Bering Sea; Kodiak Island in the Gulf of Alaska; and the Aleutian Islands in the Pacific. The total boundary length of Alaska is 8,187 miles (13,176 kilometers), including a general coastline of 6,640 miles (10,686 kilometers). The tidal shoreline extends 33,904 miles (54,563 kilometers). The northernmost point in the United States, Point Barrow, at 71°23′30″n, 156°28′30″w, lies within the state of Alaska, as does the westernmost point, Cape Wrangell on Attu Island in the Aleutians, at 52°55′30″n, 172°28′e. Little Diomede Island, belonging to Alaska, is less than 2 miles (3 kilometers) from Big Diomede Island, which belongs to Russia.
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Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:
670,053 6.9% 4.8% 93.1% 69.2% 3.4% 14.2% 4.5% 0.5% 1.3% 6.9%
Population by Age Group 65 and over (7%) Under 18 (29%) 45 to 64 (27%)
18 to 24 (10%) 25 to 44 (27%)
Topography
There are six distinct geographic regions of Alaska. In the southeast is a narrow coastal panhandle region cut off from the main Alaskan landmass by the St. Elias Range. This region features numerous mountain peaks of 10,000 feet (3,000 meters) in elevation. The south-central region includes the Kenai Peninsula and Cook Inlet, a great arm of the Pacific. The southwestern region includes the Alaska Peninsula, filled with lightly wooded, rugged peaks, and the Aleutian islands, which are barren lands of volcanic origin. Western Alaska extends from Bristol Bay to the Seward Peninsula. This region includes the Yukon River (1,900 miles/3,058 kilometers) and the Kuskokwim River (680 miles/1,094 kilometers), which are the longest in the state. The 24
Alaska Population Profile
Major Cities by Population City Anchorage Fairbanks Juneau Sitka Wasilla Kenai Ketchikan Palmer Kodiak Bethel
Population
% change 2000–05
275,043 31,324 30,987 8,986 8,471 7,464 7,410 6,920 6,273 6,262
5.7 3.6 0.9 1.7 54.9 7.5 -6.5 52.7 -1.0 14.5
Notes: †A person of Hispanic or Latino origin may be of any race. NA indicates that data are not available. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey and Population Estimates. www.census.gov/ (accessed March 2007).
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Alaska
Beaufort Sea
Chukchi Sea
ALASKA
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge NORTH SLOPE
Explanation . eR
Point of Interest
l lvil Co
Noatak National Preserve
City (25,000-100,000 people) City (more than 100,000 people)
Gates of the Arctic National Park
NORTHWEST ARCTIC
State Capital
Kotzebue Sound
RUSSIA Bering Strait
Kanuti N.W.R.
Selawik N.W.R.
Bering Land Bridge Nat’l Pres.
Ko yu ku kR .
Area of Interest Kobuk Valley Natíl Park
N Yukon Flats Natíl Wildlife Ref.
0
Koyukuk N.W.R.
er iv R
Fairbanks
Nowitna N.W.R.
Norton Sound
100 100
200 miles
200
300 kilometers
Yukon Charley Rivers N. P.
. R
R.
MATANUSKA SUSITNA
Lake Clark Natíl Park
Anchorage
Kuskokwim Bay
Iliamna Lake
Togiak N.W.R.
ANCHORAGE
Chugach St. Park
WoodTikchik St. Park Inlet
Chugach National Forest
Kenai N.W.R
Tongass Natíl Forest
Katmai Natíl Park Chugach National Forest
Becharof N.W.R. Bristol Bay
CANADA
Wrangell St. Elias Natíl Park
Prince William Sound
Cook
KENAI PENINSULA
BRISTOL BAY
HAINES
Juneau
Glacier Bay Natíl Park
JUNEAU
SITKA
LAKE AND PENINSULA
Aniakchak Natíl Mon Izembek N.W.R.
na
0
Tetlin N.W.R.
Kuskokwim
Bering Sea
Tan a
Denali Natíl Park
Innoki N.W.R.
Yuk on
Yukon Delta Natíl W.R.
FAIRBANKS NORTH STAR
Alaska Peninsula N.W.R.
Kodiak N.W.R.
Gulf
of
Admiralty Natíl Mon.
Alaska KETCHIKAN GATEWAY
KODIAK ISLAND
ALEUTIANS EAST
Misty Fjords Natíl Mon.
PA C I F I C OCEAN
Aleutian Islands National Wildlife Refuge
PACIFIC OCEAN
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Alaska
Mt. McKinley (20,320 feet–6,194 meters) is the tallest mountain in North America. The mountain is also known as Denali, its Athabaskan name. ALASKA DIVISION OF TOURISM.
interior region of Alaska extends north of the Alaska Range and south of the Brooks Range. The Arctic region extends from Kotzebue, north of the Seward Peninsula, east to Canada. The 11 highest mountains in the United States are located in Alaska, including the highest in North America, Mt. McKinley at 20,320 feet (6,194 meters). (Mt. McKinley is also known as Denali.) The state also includes half the world’s glaciers, the largest of which, Malaspina, covers more area than the entire state of Rhode Island. Ice fields cover 4% of the state. Alaska has more than three million lakes. The largest lake is Iliamna, occupying about 1,000 square miles (2,600 square kilometers). 26
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Climate
Americans who called Alaska “Seward’s icebox” when it was first purchased from the Russians were unaware of the variety of climatic conditions within the state’s six topographic regions. The minimum daily winter temperatures in the Arctic region of the state and in the Brooks Range average -20°f (-29°c) and the ground at Point Barrow is frozen permanently to 1,330 feet (405 meters). However, the summer maximum daily temperatures in the Alaskan lowlands average above 60°f (16°c) and have been known to exceed 90°f (32°c). The southeastern region is moderate, ranging from a daily average of 30°f (-1°c) in January to 56°f (13°c) in July. The south-central zone has a similar summer range, but winters are somewhat harsher. The Aleutian Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Alaska
Alaska Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years.
Total population One race Two races White and Black or African American White and American Indian/Alaska Native White and Asian White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander White and some other race Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native Black or African American and Asian Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Black or African American and some other race American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Asian and some other race Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race Three or more races
Number
Percent
626,932 592,786 31,743 2,460 16,920 4,103 647 3,113 1,064 310 92 393 811 208 503 582 450 87 2,403
100.0 94.6 5.1 0.4 2.7 0.7 0.1 0.5 0.2 — — 0.1 0.1 — 0.1 0.1 0.1 — 0.4
Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.
Islands have chilly, damp winters and rainy, foggy weather for most of the year. Western Alaska is also rainy and cool. The all-time high for the state was 100°f (38°c), recorded at Ft. Yukon on 27 June 1915. The lowest temperature in the state was registered as -79.8°f (-62°c) at Prospect Creek Camp, in the northwestern part of the state, on 23 January 1971. This was also the lowest temperature ever officially recorded in the United States. Juneau receives an average of 55.2 inches (140 centimeters) of precipitation each year. The average annual snowfall in Juneau is 99 inches (251 centimeters). Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
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Plants and Animals
Life zones in Alaska range from grasslands, mountains, and tundra to thick forests, in which Sitka spruce (the state tree), western hemlock, tamarack, white birch, and western red cedar predominate. Mammals abound in the wilderness. Reindeer and elk inhabit coastal islands. Moose move within ranges they establish, but do not migrate seasonally or move in herds as do caribou. Kodiak, polar, black, and grizzly bears, Dall sheep, and an abundance of small mammals are also found. The sea otter and musk ox have been successfully reintroduced. Round Island, along the north shore of Bristol Bay, has the world’s 27
Alaska
Retreating Margerie Glacier in Glacier Bay. © DANNY LEHMAN/CORBIS.
largest walrus rookery. North America’s largest population of bald eagles nests in Alaska, and whales migrate annually to the icy bays. Pristine lakes and streams are famous for trout and salmon fishing. In all, 386 species of birds, 430 fishes, 105 mammals, 7 amphibians, and 3 reptiles have been found in the state. As of April 2006, 12 species were listed as endangered by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, including the Eskimo curlew, short-tailed albatross, leatherback sea turtle, Steller sea-lion, and bowhead, finback, and humpback whales. Numerous species considered endangered in the conterminous United States remain common in Alaska. 28
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Environmental Protection
Alaska’s number one environmental health problem is the unsafe water and sanitation facilities in over 135 of Alaska’s communities—mostly Alaskan Native villages. The people of these communities must carry their water from streams or watering points to their homes and people must use “honey buckets” or privies for disposal of human waste. In 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency’s database listed 86 hazardous waste sites, six of which were on the National Priorities List. Oil development on the North Slope and in Cook Inlet, mining throughout the state, and timber harvesting largely in the southern regions Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
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continue to be areas of focus for environmental protection, as do winter violations of air quality standards for carbon monoxide in Anchorage and Fairbanks.
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Population
In 2006, Alaska ranked 47th in United States with an estimated total of 670,053 residents. Less than 1% of Alaska’s total land area has developed settlement areas. In 2000, the population density was 1.2 persons per square mile (0.46 persons per square kilometer), making Alaska the nation’s most sparsely settled state. The Census Bureau projects a population of 732,544 people in 2015 and 820,881 by 2025. In 2005, the median age was only 33.4 years (compared with the national median of 36.2). In 2005, about 29% of the population was under 18 years old and only 7% of all Alaskans were 65 years of age or older. Alaska is also one of the few states where men outnumber women; as of 2004, women accounted for 48.3% of Alaskan residents. About half of Alaska’s residents live in the city of Anchorage, which had an estimated population of 275,043 in 2005. Fairbanks had an estimated 2005 population of 31,324.
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Ethnic Groups
The population of Alaska includes the highest percentage of Native Americans that any other state. In 2005, Alaska Natives accounted for 14.2% of Alaska’s population. The primary subgroups of Native Americans are Athabaskan and Tlingit-Haida. There are also small numbers of Tsimshian. In 2000, there were about 45,919 Eskimos in the state and 11,941 Aleuts. These Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Alaska Governors: 1959–2004 1959–1966 1966–1969 1969–1970 1970–1974 1974–1982 1982–1986 1986–1990 1990–1994 1994–2002 2002–2006 2006–
William Allen Egan Democrat Walter Joseph Hickel Democrat Keith Harvey Miller Republican William Allen Egan Democrat Jay Sterner Hammond Republican William Jennings Sheffield Democrat Steve Camberling Cowper Democrat Walker Joseph Hickel Independent Tony Knowles Democrat Frank Murkowski Republican Sarah H. Palin Republican
two groups live mostly in scattered villages to the north and northwest. In 2000, the black population was 21,787. The Asian population, which totaled about 25,116, included 12,712 Filipinos, 1,414 Japanese, and 4,573 Koreans. Pacific Islanders numbered 3,309. About 25,852 residents were of Hispanic or Latino origin, with 13,334 of those claiming Mexican ancestry. Foreign-born persons numbered 37,170, or 5.9% of the population.
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Languages
From the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian groups of lower Alaska, one of the only words to have influenced local language is hooch (from Tlingit hoochino). Other native words have escaped into general usage, notably the Inuit word mukluk and Aleut word parka. Native place-names abound: Skagway and Ketchikan (Tlingit), Kodiak and Katmai (Inuit), and Alaska and Akutan (Aleut). As of 2000, 85.7% of the population five years old and older speaks only English in the home. Other major languages spoken in the home, and the number of people speaking them, include various Native American, Alaskan, and 29
Alaska
Aleut languages, 30,121; Spanish, 16,674; and Tagalog, 8,934.
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Religions
The largest religious organization in the state is the Roman Catholic Church, which had 52,892 adherents in 2004. Southern Baptists constituted the largest Protestant denomination, with 22,959 adherents in 2000. The Orthodox Church in America—Territorial Dioceses had 20,000 adherents. Many Aleuts are Russian Orthodox. The Latter-day Saints (Mormons) had 27,600 adherents in 2006. Other major groups (with 2000 data) include: Assemblies of God, 11,638; Independent, Non-Charismatic Churches, 7,600; and Episcopalians, 6,693. There were about 3,525 Jews and 1,381 Muslims. About 65.7% of the population were not counted as members of any religious organization.
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Transportation
Regular passenger and freight railroad service began in 1923, when the Alaska Railroad began operation. The Alaska Railroad links communities between Whittier, Seward, Anchorage, and Fairbanks. As of 2003, this railroad of 466 route miles (750 kilometers) was not connected to any other North American line. The Alaska Highway, which extends 1,523 miles (2,451 kilometers) from Dawson Creek, British Columbia, to Fairbanks, is the only total road link with the rest of the United States. Instate roads are few and far between. In total, 14,107 miles (22,712 kilometers) of roads were in use in 2004, including more than 1,800 miles (2,896 kilometers) of roads in national parks and forests. During the same year, the state 30
Alaska Presidential Vote by Major Political Parties, 1960–2004 YEAR
ALASKA WINNER
DEMOCRAT
REPUBLICAN
1960 Nixon (R) 29,809 30,953 1964 *Johnson (D) 44,329 22,930 1968 *Nixon (R) 35,411 37,600 1972 *Nixon (R) 32,967 55,349 1976 Ford (R) 44,058 71,555 1980 *Reagan (R) 41,842 186,112 1984 *Reagan (R) 62,007 138,377 1988 *Bush (R) 72,584 119,251 1992** Bush (R) 78,294 102,000 1996** Dole (R) 80,380 122,746 2000 *Bush, G. W. (R) 79,004 167,398 2004 *Bush, G. W. (R) 111,025 190,889 * Won US presidential election. ** Independent candidate Ross Perot received 73,481 votes in 1992 and 26,333 votes in 1996.
had 669,000 registered vehicles and 482,532 licensed drivers. The largest public transit system is in Anchorage. The Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) provides year-round scheduled ferry service to over 30 communities throughout southeast and southwest Alaska. This ferry system extends over 3,500 route miles (5,632 kilometers) and connects communities with each other, with regional centers, and with the continental road system. Water transport in Alaska is dominated by Valdez. Kenai/Nikishka is the state’s second-largest freight-handling port and also has petroleum as its principal commodity. Anchorage is the state’s largest general cargo port. Air travel is the primary means of intrastate transportation, with regional carriers serving remote communities. There were a total of 678 airports in the state in 2005, including three major international airports in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau. Anchorage International Airport (AIA) is a major refueling stop for interJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Alaska
national freight airplanes and is a freight hub for Federal Express and United Parcel Service.
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History
At some time between 10,000 and 40,000 years ago, the ancestors of all of America’s aboriginal peoples trekked over a land bridge that connected northeastern Siberia with northwestern America. These early hunter-gatherers dispersed, eventually becoming three distinct groups: Aleut, Eskimo, and Indian. Ages passed before overseas voyagers rediscovered Alaska. Separate Russian parties led by Aleksei Chirikov and Vitas Bering (who had sailed in 1728 through the strait that now bears his name) landed in Alaska in 1741. In 1784, the first permanent Russian settlement was established on Kodiak Island: 15 years later, the Russian American Company was granted a monopoly over the region. Its manager, Aleksandr Baranov, established Sitka as the company’s headquarters. In 1802, the Tlingit Indians captured Sitka but two years later lost the town and the war with the Russian colonizers. Increasingly, the imperial Russian government viewed the colonies as a drain on the treasury. In 1867, as a result of the persistence of Secretary of State William H. Seward, a devoted American expansionist, Russia agreed to sell its American territories to the United States for $7,200,000. From 1867 until the first Organic Act of 1884, which provided for a federally appointed governor, Alaska was administered first by the US Army, then by the US Customs Service. The Gold Rush The pace of economic develop-
ment quickened after the discovery of gold in 1880 at Juneau. But it was the major strike in Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Canada’s Klondike region in 1898 that sparked a mass stampede to the Yukon Valley and other regions of Alaska, including the Arctic. Subsequent development of the fishing and timber industries increased Alaska’s prosperity and prospects, although the region suffered from a lack of transportation facilities. A significant achievement came in 1914 when construction started on the Alaska Railroad connecting Seward, a new town with an ice-free port, with Anchorage and Fairbanks. Congress granted territorial status to the region in 1912, and the first statehood bill was introduced in Congress four years later. Mineral production declined sharply after 1914. Population declined too, and conditions remained depressed through the 1920s, although gold mining was helped by a rise in gold prices in 1934. World War II provided the next great economic impetus for Alaska; the Aleutian campaign following the Japanese invasion of the islands, though not as pivotal as the combat in other areas of the Pacific, did show American policymakers that Alaska’s geography was in itself an important resource. Statehood The US government built the Alaska Highway and many other facilities, including docks, airfields, and an extension of the Alaska Railroad. Population soared as thousands of civilian workers and military personnel moved to the territory. The Alaska Statehood Act was adopted by Congress in June 1958 and ratified by Alaska voters that August. On 3 January 1959, President Dwight Eisenhower signed the proclamation that made Alaska the 49th state.
In 1971, the Native Claims Settlement Act provided an extensive grant to the state’s natives 31
Alaska
but also precipitated a long federal-state controversy over land allocations. A major oil field was discovered in 1968, and in 1974, over the opposition of many environmentalists, construction began on the 789-mile (1,270-kilometer) TransAlaska Pipeline from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez. The state’s dependence on oil—82% of its revenue came from oil industry taxes and royalties—became a disadvantage when overproduction in the Middle East drove the price of oil down from $36 a barrel at the peak of Alaska’s oil boom in 1980–81 to $13.50 a barrel in 1988. In 1986, the state’s revenues had declined by twothirds. Alaska lost 20,000 jobs between 1985 and 1989. On 24 March 1989, the Exxon Valdez, a 987-foot oil tanker, hit a reef and ran aground. The tanker spilled 11 million gallons of crude oil. The oil eventually contaminated 1,285 miles of shoreline, fouling Prince William Sound and its wildlife sanctuary, the Gulf of Alaska, and the Alaska Peninsula. In the settlement of the largest environmental suit in US history brought by the state and federal governments, Exxon was fined $1.025 billion in civil and criminal penalties. One issue of national debate has been whether or not to open the nearly 20-million acre (8.1 million hectare) Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to commercial development. Since the early 1990s, the US Senate had (until March 2006) continually voted to reject drilling in ANWR, but the US House of Representatives had voted in favor. With oil prices remaining high in the mid-2000s, the issue of opening the wildlife refuge to oil or gas drilling or other development remained hotly debated. 32
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State Government
Under Alaska’s first and only constitution— adopted in 1956, effective since the time of statehood, and amended 29 times by January 2005—the house of representatives consists of 40 members elected for two-year terms; the senate has 20 members elected for staggered fouryear terms. The minimum age is 21 for a representative, 25 for a senator; legislators must have resided in the state for at least three years before election and in the district at least one year. Alaska’s executive branch, modeled after New Jersey’s, features a strong governor who appoints all cabinet officers (except the commissioner of education) and judges subject to legislative confirmation. The lieutenant governor is the only other elected executive. The governor must be at least 30 years of age and must have been a US citizen for seven years and an Alaska resident for seven years. The term of office is four years, and the governor is limited to two consecutive terms. The qualifications for the lieutenant governor are the same as for the governor. As of December 2004, the governor’s salary was $85,766. After a bill has been passed by the legislature, it becomes law if it is: signed by the governor; left unsigned for 15 days (Sundays excluded) while the legislature is in session or for 20 days after it has adjourned; or passed by a two-thirds vote of the combined houses over a gubernatorial veto (to override a veto of an appropriations bill requires a three-fourths vote). Constitutional amendments require a two-thirds vote of the legislature and ratification by the electorate. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Alaska
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Political Parties
As of 2004, of 472,000 registered voters, approximately 16% were Democrats, while 25% were Republican, and 59% were unaffiliated or members of other parties. In presidential elections since 1968, Alaskans have voted Republican 10 consecutive times. Alaskans reelected incumbent Republican George W. Bush with 61.8% of the vote in 2004 (an increase from 59% in 2000) to Democrat John Kerry’s 35.0%. Both US Senators and its sole US Representative are Republicans. Alaska’s state legislature consisted of 9 Democrats and 11 Republicans in the state senate, and 17 Democrats and 23 Republicans in the state house following the 2006 elections. Republican Sarah Palin won the 2006 Alaska governor’s race, with 49% of the vote. There were 11 women serving in Alaska’s legislature following the 2006 elections, or 18.3%.
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Local Government
Alaska is divided into 149 cities, most of them governed by elected mayors and village councils. In 2005, there were 12 counties in the state, and 53 public school systems. Forty-four million acres of federal land have been returned to native Alaskan tribes, operated under The Bureau of Indian Affairs. Juneau, Sitka, and Anchorage, Alaska’s three unified municipalities, have consolidated city and borough functions.
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Judicial System
The supreme court, consisting of a chief justice and four associate justices, hears appeals for civil matters from the 15 superior courts, whose 40 Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
judges are organized among the four state judicial districts, and for criminal matters from the three-member court of appeals. The superior court has original jurisdiction in all civil and criminal matters, and it hears appeals from the district court. The lowest court is the district court, of which there are 56 in four districts. All judges are appointed by the governor from nominations made by the Judicial Council, but are thereafter subject to voter approval; supreme court justices serve terms of 10 years; court of appeals and superior court judges, eight years; and district judges, four years. In 2004, the violent crime rate was 634.5 crimes per 100,000 population; crimes against property in that same year totaled 3,382.8 incidents per 100,000 people. Alaska has no capital punishment statute. There were 4,554 inmates in state and federal prisons as of 31 December 2004.
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Migration
The earliest immigrants to North America, more than 10,000 years ago, likely came to Alaska via a land bridge across what is now the Bering Strait. The Russian fur traders who arrived during the 1700s found Aleuts, Eskimos, and Indians already established there. Despite more than a century of Russian sovereignty over the area, however, few Russians came, and those that did returned to the mother country with the purchase of Alaska by the United States in 1867. Virtually all other migration to Alaska has been from the continental US—first during the gold rush of the late 19th century, and most recently during the oil boom of the 1970s. Between 2000 and 2006, the population increased 6.9%. 33
Alaska
17
Economy
When Alaska gained statehood in 1959, its economy was almost totally dependent on the US government. Fisheries, limited mining (mostly gold and gravel), and some lumber production made up the balance. That all changed with development of the petroleum industry during the 1970s. Construction of the Trans– Alaska Pipeline brought a massive infusion of money and people into the state. The collapse of oil prices in the mid-1980s hit Alaska hard. But by 1990, a recovery was underway. By 2000, oil revenues accounted for 85% of total state revenues. As of 2006, rising oil prices were expected to benefit the Alaskan economy. Commercial fishing is one of the foundations of the Alaska economy. Alaska’s fishery accounts for 50% of the total annual US catch. Alaska groundfish catches are especially important. The value of Alaska’s forest products grew substantially during the late 1980s and into the 1990s, but they began to drop after that, as the supply of timber shrank. Tourism, attracting 1.1 million visitors in 2000, is the second largest primary employer in the state. Tourism brings in more than $1 billion to the state each year. In 2005, Alaska had the lowest personal bankruptcy rate in the United States.
18
Income
In 2005, Alaska had a gross state product (GSP) of $40 billion. In 2004, Alaska has the 17th highest per capita (per person) income in the United States at $34,000. The median household income in 2004 was $54,627, compared to the national average of $44,473. For the period 34
2002–04, a total of 9.2% of all Alaskans were living below the federal poverty level, compared to 12.4% nationwide.
19
Industry
Alaska’s small but growing manufacturing sector is centered on petroleum refining and the processing of lumber and food products, especially seafood. In 2004, a total of 10,262 people in Alaska were employed in the state’s manufacturing sector. Of that total, 8,696 were actual production workers. In the food manufacturing industry, there were 7,289 production workers, of which 6,486 were actually involved in the production process. In 2004, Alaska’s manufacturing sector paid $351.5 million in wages. Of that amount, the food-manufacturing sector accounted for $207.2 million.
20
Labor
In April 2006, the civilian labor force in Alaska numbered 342,300, with approximately 24,000 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 7%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. It was estimated that as of April 2006, 6.1% of the labor force was employed in construction; 20.4% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 4.7% in finance; 7.5% in professional and business services; 11.4% in education and health services; 9.9% in leisure and hospitality services; and 26% in government. Data for manufacturing was unavailable. In 2005, 63,000 of Alaska’s 275,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions. This represented 22.8% of those Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Alaska
so employed. The national average is 12%. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters is especially strong in the state, covering a range of workers from truck drivers to school administrators.
21
Agriculture
A short but intense growing season provides good potential for the Alaskan commercial agriculture, although the expense of getting agricultural products to market is a limiting factor. International export opportunities are being developed. Alaska’s 620 farms covered 900,000 acres (364,000 hectares) in 2004. Hay, potatoes, lettuce, cabbage, carrots, beef, pork, dairy products, and greenhouse and nursery items are common commodities produced. In 2004, hay production was 28,000 tons, valued at$6.44 million. Other crops included potatoes, 177,000 hundredweight (8 million kilograms), and barley for grain, 145,000 tons. The leading farming regions of Alaska are the Matanuska Valley, northeast of Anchorage, and Delta Junction, north of Fairbanks.
22
Domesticated Animals
Dairy and livestock products account for about 55% of Alaska’s agricultural receipts. In 2003, an estimated 16.7 million pounds (7.6 million kilograms) of milk were produced. Milk cows numbered 1,300 in 2003. Meat and poultry production is negligible by national standards.
23
Fishing
In 2005, Alaska was the leading commercial fishing state in terms of volume and value. The total catch was over 5.3 billion pounds (2.4 billion kilograms) valued at over $1.7 billion dollars. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Landings at the port of Dutch Harbor-Unalaska had the highest volume of all US domestic ports (886.4 million pounds/402.9 million kilograms) and the second highest catch in terms of value ($155 million). The Kodiak port ranked fourth in the nation in volume (312.6 million pounds/142 million kilograms) and fourth in value ($91 million). According to 2004 figures, the salmon catch amounted to 697.8 million pounds (317.1 million kilograms), valued at $225.3 million and representing 94% of total US salmon landings. Landings of pollock and the pacific cod are also significant. The Alaskan catch of sea herring accounted for 94% of the Pacific coast catch. Alaska had the third largest catch of dungeness crab in the nation, a major export item for the state. As of 2003, Alaska had 306 processing and wholesale plants with an average of about 8,077 employees. In 2002, the commercial fishing fleet had 14,035 boats and vessels. Anglers are also attracted by Alaska’s abundant stocks of salmon and trout. There were about 468,735 sport anglers licensed in Alaska in 2004.
24
Forestry
In 2004, Alaska’s forested area was 127,380,000 acres (51,550,000 hectares), far more than any other state. However, the area of harvestable timberland was only 11,865,000 acres (4,801,000 hectares). Some 35,875,000 acres (14,519,000 hectares) of forestland were privately held in 2004. Alaska contains the nation’s largest national forests, Tongass in the southeast (17.4 million acres/7 million hectares) and Chugach 35
Alaska
along the Gulf Coast (6.9 million acres/2.8 million hectares). Timber companies harvest logs from the two national forests with the majority from the Tongass National Forest. The timber is made available for harvest through a competitive bidding process.
25
Mining
The US Geological Survey estimated the 2004 value for Alaska nonfuel mineral production at $1.32 billion. Metallic minerals accounted for 94% of Alaska’s total nonfuel mineral production in 2004, including zinc, lead, and silver produced at the Red Dog Mine in the northwestern part of the state and gold produced at Fort Knox Mine near Fairbanks. Red Dog is among the largest producers of zinc in the world. According to preliminary figures, in 2004 Alaska produced 2.8 million metric tons of crushed stone, and 10.2 million metric tons of sand and gravel. In 2002 (the latest year for which data was available) gold production totaled 37,258 pounds (16,900 kilograms) and silver production totaled 1,232,384 pounds (559,000 kilograms).
26
Energy and Power
As of 2004, the Alaskan production of crude oil was 17% of the nation’s total. At 908,000 barrels per day, the state was second only to Texas in the amount of crude oil produced. The Trans-Alaska Pipeline runs 789 miles (1,270 kilometers) from the North Slope oil fields to the port of Valdez on the southern coast. Most of Alaska’s energy products are produced and refined locally. The state’s six refineries had a combined crude distillation capacity of 374,000 barrels per day in 36
2005. Proven reserves as of 2004 totaled 4.33 billion barrels, or 20% of all US reserves. Marketed natural gas production in 2004 was 471.9 billion cubic feet (13.4 billion cubic meters). As of 31 December 2004, proven reserves were 8.4 trillion cubic feet (238.7 billion cubic meters). Total electric power production (utility and nonutility) was 6.39 billion kilowatt hours in 2003. The total installed capacity was 1.89 million kilowatts. Almost all generating facilities were government owned. Alaska has no nuclear power plants. Production of coal in 2004 was 1,512,000 tons, from a single mine at Healy. In 2000, Alaska ranked first among the states in per capita energy consumption, with a total of 944 million Btu (237.9 million kilocalories).
27
Commerce
Sales from wholesale trade in 2002 amounted to $3.6 billion and retail sales totaled $7.4 billion that year. Most retail sales were in the Anchorage metropolitan area. The leading types of retail businesses by number of establishments were: miscellaneous store retailers (458); food and beverage stores (384); motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts dealers (302); clothing and clothing accessories stores (259); and sporting goods, hobby, book, and music stores (247). In terms of sales, general-merchandise stores accounted for the largest share of retail sales at $1.8 billion, followed by motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts dealers at $1.7 billion, and food and beverage stores at $1.2 billion. Exports of goods made in Alaska came to nearly $3.5 billion in 2005. One-third of Alaska’s manufactured goods are exported to other countries, the highest ratio of all the states, with paper and food products the leading items. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Alaska
Alaska is the leading fish-exporting state and the largest exporter of salmon. By federal law, Alaskan petroleum cannot be exported to foreign countries.
28
Public Finance
Alaska’s annual budget is prepared by the Division of Budget and Management, within the Office of the Governor, and submitted by the governor to the legislature for amendment and approval. The fiscal year runs from 1 July through 30 June. In 2004, Alaska’s total revenues amounted to more than $8.8 billion, and total expenditures amounted to about $8.09 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($1.7 billion), public welfare ($1.47 billion), and highways ($828 million). As of 2004, the outstanding debt of Alaska was over $5.7 billion. At about $8,708 per capita (per person), Alaska’s ratio of state government debt per person was one of the highest in the nation.
29
Taxation
The huge sums generated by the sale of oil leases and by oil and gas royalties make Alaska’s tax structure highly unusual. There are no state sales or personal income taxes, but some localities impose a sales tax, as well as a property tax. The corporate tax rate in 2005 ranged from 1% to 9.4% depending on the tax bracket. Selective sales taxes (excises) are imposed on tobacco products, motor fuels, insurance premiums, alcoholic beverages, public utilities and amusements. Other taxes include various license and franchise fees, but there is no fee for vehicle operating licenses. Each Alaskan resident also Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
receives a dividend from the state’s oil earnings. In 1999, the dividend was $1,770. In 2004, Alaska citizens received $1.87 in federal spending, which ranked the state secondhighest nationally.
30
Health
In 2005, Alaska’s infant mortality rate was 5.8 per 1,000 live births. Alaska’s death rate was 4.9 deaths per 1,000 population in 2003. The death rate from accidents (53.7 per 100,000) was one of the highest in the United States. The suicide rate in Alaska is the second-highest in the country, after Wyoming, with 20.5 per 100,000 residents. The commercial fishing industry has one of the highest occupational fatality rates in Alaska. During the early 1990s the annual occupational fatality rate for the fishing industry was 200 per 100,000 workers. The fatality rate for the shellfish industry was 530 per 100,000 in that period. The other major causes of death in 2002 were heart disease, cancer, cerebrovascular diseases, chronic lower respiratory diseases, and diabetes. The death rates for heart disease and diabetes represent the lowest in the nation. Among Alaskan adults age 18 and older, 24.7% were smokers in 2004. The reported AIDS case rate in 2004 was 8.4 per 100,000 people. In 2003, Alaska had 19 hospitals with about 1,500 beds. Alaska had 217 physicians per 100,000 population in 2004 and 761 nurses per 100,000 population in 2005. In 2004, there was a total of 490 dentists in the state. In 2004, 18% of the Alaskan adult population was uninsured. Alaska’s Pioneer Homes, operated by the state’s Department of Administration, are residential facilities for Alaskans over 65 (with at 37
Alaska
least one year of residency in the state) that offer five levels of care from independent living to full medical care, including Alzheimer’s units.
31
Housing
Despite the severe winters, housing designs in Alaska do not differ notably from those in other states. Builders do usually provide thicker insulation in walls and ceilings, but the high costs of construction have not encouraged more energyefficient adaptation to the environment. In native villages, traditional dwellings like the half-buried huts of the Aleuts have long since given way to conventional, low-standard housing. In point of fact, Alaska’s Eskimos never built snow houses, as did those of Canada. In the Eskimo language, the word igloo refers to any dwelling. In 2004, there were an estimated 271,533 housing units, of which 228,358 were owneroccupied. About 61% of all units were singlefamily, detached dwellings. It was estimated that about 5,542 units statewide lacked telephone service while 6,017 lacked complete plumbing facilities and 5,489 lacked complete kitchen facilities. In 2004, the state authorized 3,100 new privately owned housing units. The median home value was $179,304. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,421 while the median monthly rental cost was $808.
32
Education
As of 2004, 90.2% of the population over 25 years of age had completed high school. Some 25.5% had obtained a bachelor’s degree. Total enrollment in public schools was 134,000 in the fall of 2002. Private school enroll38
ment was 6,177 in fall 2003. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $1.6 billion, or $10,114 per student, the eighthhighest among the 50 states. As of 2005, Alaska had eight degree-granting institutions. The University of Alaska is the state’s leading higher-educational institution. The main campus, established in 1917, is at Fairbanks; satellite campuses are located in Anchorage and Juneau. Private institutions include Sheldon Jackson College, Alaska Bible College (a theological seminary), and Alaska Pacific University. The University of Alaska’s Rural Education Division has a network of education centers. As of fall 2002, there were 29,546 students enrolled in college or graduate school.
33
Arts
The Council on the Arts (founded in 1966) sponsors tours by performing artists, supports artists’ residencies in the schools, aids local arts projects, and purchases the works of living Alaskans for display in state buildings. In 2003, there were nearly 90,000 artists who contributed to Alaska’s art programs. Alaska is a member state of the regional Western States Arts Federation. Fairbanks, Juneau, and Anchorage have symphony orchestras and Anchorage has a civic opera. The Alaska Repertory Theater tours the state. The annual Alaska Folk Festival in Juneau (est. 1975) is one of the largest cultural/musical festivals in the state, drawing over 10,000 people each year.
34
Libraries and Museums
Alaskan public libraries had an estimated combined book stock of 2,264,000 and a circulaJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Alaska
tion of 3,628,000 in 2001; facilities are located in seven boroughs and in most larger towns. Anchorage had the largest public library system, with five branches and 554,686 volumes in 1998. Also notable are the State Library in Juneau and the library of the University of Alaska at Fairbanks. Alaska had 44 museums in 2000. The Alaska State Museum in Juneau offers an impressive collection of native crafts and Alaskan artifacts. Sitka National Historical Park features Indian and Russian items and the nearby Museum of Sheldon Jackson College holds important native collections. Noteworthy historical and archaeological sites include the Totem Heritage Center in Ketchikan. Anchorage has the Anchorage Museum of History and Art and the Alaska Zoo.
35
Communications
Considering the vast distances traveled and the number of small, scattered communities, the US mail is a bargain for Alaskans. In 2004, 95.6% of the state’s residences had telephones. In addition, by June of that year, there were 307,323 mobile telephone subscribers. There were 41 major radio stations in 2005, along with 15 television stations. Prime Cable of Alaska is the state’s major cable carrier. A total of 13,558 Internet domain names had been registered in Alaska by the year 2000. In 2003, 72.7% of Alaska households had a computer and 67.6% had Internet access.
36
Press
As of 2005, Alaska had seven daily newspapers and five Sunday newspapers. The leading paper in 2005 was the Anchorage Daily News, with a Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
daily circulation of 76,231 and a Sunday circulation of 82,179. The Tundra Times, also published in Anchorage, is a statewide weekly devoted to native concerns. There are about 30 publishers in Alaska, including the University of Alaska Press, Denali Press, Alaska Geographic, Rainforest Publishers, and Inside Passage Press. Alaska Business Monthly, Alaska magazine, and Alaska Outdoors are popular statewide magazines.
37
Tourism, Travel & Recreation
With thousands of miles of unspoiled scenery and hundreds of mountains and lakes, Alaska has vast tourist potential. Alaska’s tourism industry is estimated at over $1 billion per year. In 2004, about 52,000 visitors came from overseas. Cruise travel along the Gulf of Alaska is one of the fastest growing sectors in the tourist trade. Sportfishing and outdoor adventure opportunities have also become popular. Millions of visitors travel to the state’s national parks, preserves, historical parks, and monuments, which totaled 52.9 million acres (21.7 million hectares) in 1999. Denali State Park is home to Mt. McKinley, the highest peak in North America. One of the most popular tourist destinations is Glacier Bay National Monument.
38
Sports
There are no major league professional sports teams in Alaska, but there is a minor league hockey team in Anchorage. In addition, college hockey teams, such as University of AlaskaFairbanks, are involved at the NCAA Division I level. Sports in Alaska generally revolve around the outdoors, including skiing, fishing, hiking, mountain biking, and camping. Perhaps the biggest sporting event in the state is the Iditarod 39
Alaska
1741), a seaman in Russian service who commanded the discovery expedition in 1741, and Aleksandr Baranov (b.Russia, 1746–1819), the first governor of Russian America. Secretary of State William H. Seward (b.New York, 1801– 1872), who was instrumental in the 1867 purchase of Alaska, ranks as the state’s “founding father,” although he never visited the region. Sheldon Jackson (b.New York, 1834–1909), a Presbyterian missionary, introduced the reindeer to the region and founded Alaska’s first college in Sitka. Benny Benson (1913–1972), born at Chignik, designed the state flag at the age of 13.
Secretary of State William H. Seward was instrumental in the 1867 purchase of Alaska, and ranks as the state’s “founding father,” although he never visited the region. EPD PHOTOS/NATIONAL ARCHIVES.
Trail Sled Dog Race, covering 1,159 miles (1,865 kilometers) from Anchorage to Nome. The race is held in March and both men and women compete. With a $50,000 purse, it is the most lucrative sled dog race in the world. Other annual sporting events include the Great Alaska Shootout, in which college basketball teams from around the country compete in Anchorage in November, and the World EskimoIndian Olympics in Fairbanks in July.
39
Famous Alaskans
Alaskan’s best-known officeholder was Ernest Gruening (b.New York, 1887–1974), a territorial governor from 1939 to 1953 and US senator from 1959 to 1969. Outstanding historical figures include Vitus Bering (b.Denmark, 1680– 40
40
Bibliography
BOOKS Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Dubois, Muriel. Alaska Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Hilltop Books, 2003. McNamara, Katharine. Narrow Road to the Deep North: A Journey into the Interior of Alaska. San Francisco, CA: Mercury House, 2001. Murray, Julie. Alaska. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Stefoff, Rebecca. Alaska. 2nd ed. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2006. Strudwick, Leslie. Alaska. Mankato, MN: Weigl, 2001. Thomas, William. Alaska. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2007. WEB SITES Alaska Travel Industry Association. Alaska. www. travelalaska.com/homepage.html (accessed March 1, 2007). State of Alaska. Alaska Kids. www.state.ak.us/kids (accessed March 1, 2007). Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Arizona State of Arizona
O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Probably from the Pima
or Papago Indian word arizonac, meaning “place of small springs.” N I CKNAME : The Grand Canyon State. C AP ITAL: Phoenix. ENT ERED UNION: 14 February 1912 (48th). O FFICIAL SEAL: Depicted on a shield are symbols of the state’s economy and natural resources, including mountains, a rising sun, and a dam and reservoir in the background; irrigated farms and orchards in the middle distance; a quartz mill, a miner, and cattle in the foreground; and the state motto. The words “Great Seal of the State of Arizona 1912” surround the shield. FLAG: A copper-colored five-pointed star symbolic of the state’s copper resources rises from a blue field; six yellow and seven red segments radiating from the star cover the upper half. M OT TO: Ditat Deus (God enriches). SONG: “Arizona;” “Arizona March Song.” FLOWER: Blossom of the saguaro cactus. TREE: Palo verde. B IRD: Cactus wren. N E CKWEAR: Bola tie. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Martin Luther King Jr./Civil Rights Day, 3rd Monday in January; Lincoln/Washington/Presidents’ Day, 3rd Monday in February; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October; Veterans Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 5 AM MST = noon GMT. Arizona does not
observe daylight savings time.
1
Location and Size
Located in the Rocky Mountains region of the southwestern United States, Arizona ranks sixth in size among the 50 states. The total area of Arizona is 114,000 square miles (295,260 square kilometers), of which land takes up 113,508 square miles (293,986 square kilometers) and inland water 492 square miles (1,274 square kilometers). Arizona extends about 340 miles (547 kilometers) east-west. The state’s maximum north-south extension is 395 miles (636 kilometers). Arizona’s total boundary length is 1,478 miles (2,379 kilometers). 41
Arizona
2
Topography
The Colorado Plateau, which covers two-fifths of the state in the north, is an arid upland region characterized by deep canyons, including the Grand Canyon, a vast gorge more than 200 miles (320 kilometers) long, up to 18 miles (29 kilometers) wide, and more than 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) deep. Also within this region are the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest, as well as Humphreys Peak, the highest point in the state, at 12,633 feet (3,853 meters). The Mogollon Rim separates the northern plateau from a central region of alternating basins and ranges. Ranges in the Mexican Highlands in the southeast include the Chiricahua, Dos Cabezas, and Pinaleno mountains. The Sonora Desert, in the southwest, contains the lowest point in the state, 70 feet (21 meters) above sea level, on the Colorado River near Yuma. The Colorado is the state’s major river. Tributaries of the Colorado include the Little Colorado and Gila rivers. Arizona has few natural lakes, but there are several large artificial lakes formed by dams for flood control, irrigation, and power development. These include Lake Mead, formed by Hoover Dam; Lake Mohave, formed by David Dam; Lake Havasu, formed by Parker Dam; Roosevelt Lake, formed by Theodore Roosevelt Dam; and the San Carlos Lake, created by Coolidge Dam.
3
Climate
Arizona has a dry climate. Average daily temperatures at Yuma, in the southwestern desert, range from 48°f to 69°f (8°c to 20°c) in January and from 81°f to 107°f (27°c to 41°c) in July. The maximum recorded temperature was 128°f 42
Arizona Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:
6,166,318 20.2% 28.6% 97.6% 76.2% 3.1% 4.7% 2.2% 0.1% 11.3% 2.4%
Population by Age Group 65 and over (13%) Under 18 (27%)
45 to 64 (23%) 18 to 24 (9%)
25 to 44 (28%)
Major Cities by Population City
Population
% change 2000–05
Phoenix Tucson Mesa Glendale Chandler Scottsdale Gilbert Tempe Peoria Yuma
1,461,575 515,526 442,780 239,435 234,939 226,013 173,989 161,143 138,200 84,688
10.6 5.9 11.7 9.4 33.0 11.5 58.6 1.6 27.5 9.3
Notes: †A person of Hispanic or Latino origin may be of any race. NA indicates that data are not available. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey and Population Estimates. www.census.gov/ (accessed March 2007).
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Arizona
ARIZONA Explanation Point of Interest City (20,000-100,000 people) City (more than 100,000 people) State Capital
UTAH
U.S. Interstate Route
40
Area of Interest
N
MOHAVE
50 kilometers
COCONINO
NAVAJO
Kaibab Indian Reservation Kaibab National Forest
NEVADA
APACHE
Navajo Indian Reservation
Navajo National Monument
Marble Canyon National Monument
Canyon De Chelly National Monument
Grand Canyon National Park
Lake Mead National Recreation Area
Hopi Indian Reservation
Havasupai Ind. Res.
LA PAZ
Red Lake
Hualapai Ind. Res.
Lake Mohave
YAVAPAI
40
Sunset Crater Nat’l Mon. de
r Ve
Bullhead City
Flagstaff
R.
Fort Mohave Ind. Res.
Wupatki Natíl Mon.
Kaibab National Forest
Petrified For. National Park
40
Prescott National Forest
Coconino National Forest
Lake Havasu Lake Havasu City
Littl
e Co
lorad
o R.
Apache Sitgreaves National Forest
Prescott
Zuni Indian Reservation
NEW MEXICO
25
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
50 miles
ad o R .
0
25
Co lor
0
GILA
CALIFORNIA
Tonto National Forest
Alamo Lake St. Park
Buckskin Mountain St. Park Colorado River Indian Reservation
Fort Apache Indian Reservation MARICOPA
Sun City
Yuma Proving Ground
Kofa National Wildlife Ref.
17 GREENLEE
Peoria
Phoenix Tempe
Mesa Gilbert Chandler
Co ado R lor
Gila
PINAL
R. Apache National Forest
8 Sa
GRAHAM COCHISE
Picacho Peak St. Park
19
MEXICO
10
Tucson
San Xavier Ind. Res. Coronado National Forest
Coronado National Forest
.
Papago Ind. Res. Organ Pipe Cactus Nat’l Mon.
Saguaro National Monument
R ro
PIMA
Cabeza Prieta Nat’l Wildlife Ref.
10
. zR ru C
Luke-Williams Air Force Range
ed nP
a nt Sa
Yuma YUMA
San Carlos Indian Reservation
Scottsdale
Glendale 10
Coronado National Forest
Coronado National Forest
SANTA CRUZ
Sierra Vista
Coronado Nat’l Monument
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
43
Arizona
The Grand Canyon at dawn. GETTY IMAGES.
(53°c), registered at Lake Havasu City on 29 June 1994. The record minimum of -40°f (-40°c), was set at Hawley Lake on 7 January 1971. Annual precipitation ranges from 3 inches (8 centimeters) in the extreme southwest to between 25 and 30 inches (63 to 76 centimeters) at the highest elevations of the state. Snow falls on the highest peaks each winter, sometimes accumulating as much as 100 inches (254 centimeters). Snowfall is rare in the southern and western lowlands. 44
4
Plants and Animals
The desert is known for many varieties of cacti including the saguaro, whose blossom is the state flower; the cholla; and the widely utilized yucca. Desert flowers include the night-blooming cereus. The jojoba is a medicinal desert flower that is also harvested for its oil-bearing seeds. Trees include spruce, fir, juniper, ponderosa pine, oak, and piñon. Arizona’s native animals range from desert species of lizards and snakes to the deer, elk, and Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Arizona
Arizona Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number
Percent
Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,130,632 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,984,106 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138,655 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13,732 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23,009 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15,624 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,044 White and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62,927 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,889 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,346 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . 200 Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,537 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 809 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . 249 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,430 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,556 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,537 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 766 Three or more races. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,871
. . . . . 100.0 . . . . . . 97.1 . . . . . . . 2.7 . . . . . . . 0.3 . . . . . . . 0.4 . . . . . . . 0.3 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 1.2 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.2
Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.
antelope of the northern highlands. Mountain lion, jaguar, coyote, and black and brown bears are found in the state. Prairie dog “towns” dot the northern regions. Rattlesnakes are abundant, and the desert is filled with reptiles such as the collared lizard and chuckwalla. Native birds include the thick-billed parrot, white pelican, and cactus wren (the state bird). As of April 2006, there were 35 animal species and 18 plant species listed as endangered or threatened by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. These include the desert tortoise, the lesser long-nosed bat, the southern bald eagle, masked bobwhite (quail), Sonoran pronghorn, ocelot, jaguar, black-footed ferret, four species of chub, two species of gray Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
wolf, woundfin, Apache trout, Gila topminnow, Gila trout, and southwestern willow flycatcher.
5
Environmental Protection
Aside from Phoenix, whose air quality is poorer than that of most other US cities, Arizona has long been noted for its clear air, open lands, and beautiful forests. The main environmental concern of the state is to protect these resources in the face of growing population, tourism, and industry. State agencies with responsibility for the environment include the State Land Department, the Game and Fish Commission, the Department of Health Services, and the Department of Water Resources. 45
Arizona
Legislation enacted in 1980 attempts to apportion water use among cities, mining, and agriculture, the last of which, through irrigation, accounts for the largest share of the state’s annual water consumption. In 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency’s database listed 167 hazardous waste sites in Arizona, nine of which were on the National Priorities List as of 2006.
6
Population
Arizona rose to 16th (from 17th) in population among the 50 states, with an estimated total population of 6,166,318 people in 2006. The population is projected to reach 9.5 million by 2025. In 2004, Arizona had a population density of only 50.6 persons per square mile (19.5 persons per square kilometer). In 2004, the median age was 34.1 years old. As of 2005, approximately 13% of Arizonans were 65 years of age or older and about 27% of all residents were 18 years old or younger. Three out of four Arizonans live in urban areas. Phoenix had a 2005 population of over 1.46 million people. The next largest cities in 2005 were Tucson, 515,526; Mesa, 442,780; Glendale, 239,435; and Chandler, 234,939. More than half of the population lives in Maricopa County, which includes every major city except Tucson.
7
Ethnic Groups
In 2000, Arizona had the third-highest population of Native Americans in the nation, with a total of 255,879 people, or 5% of the state total population. The largest single Native American nation, the Navaho, had a population of 104,565 in 2000. The Navaho reservation is located primarily in the northeastern part of the 46
state. Herders by tradition, the people are also famous for their crafts. There are at least 12 and perhaps 17 other tribes within the states. After the Navaho, the leading tribes are the Papago in the south, the Apache in the east, and the Hopi in the northeast. The Hopi reservation had a population of 6,946 in 2000. Also in 2000, the largest ethnic majority is the Hispanic and Latino population, estimated at 1,295,617. In 2006, about 28.6% of the total population reported Hispanic or Latino origins. There are some old, long-settled Spanish villages, but most Hispanics (about 1,065,578 people) are of Mexican origin. There were an estimated 158,873 black residents as of 2000. In 2006, about 3.1% of the population was black. Filipinos, Chinese, Japanese, and other Asians made up 2.2% of the population.
8
Languages
The linguistic influence of Arizona’s Papago, Pima, Apache, Navajo, and Hopi tribes is almost totally limited to some place-names, including Arizona, Tucson, and Yuma. Most borrowed Indian words are derived from the Nahuatl speech of the Mexican Aztecs—for example, coyote, chili, mesquite, and tamale. English in the state is a blend of North Midland and South Midland dialects without clear regional differences. As of 2000, 74.1% of all residents five years old and older speak only English at home. Other languages spoken at home, and the number of people speaking them, include Spanish, 927,395 (or 19.5%); Navaho, 89,951; various Native American languages, 30,109; and German, 25,103. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Arizona
9
Religions
The first religions of Arizona were the sacred beliefs and practices of the Indians. Catholic missionaries began converting Arizona Indians (Franciscans among the Hopi, and Jesuits among the Pima) to the Christian faith in the late 17th century. In 2004, the state had 906,692 Catholics. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) was the second-largest Christian denomination with 346,677 adherents in 2006. Other major Christian denominations included the Southern Baptist Convention, 138,516 adherents; Assemblies of God reported 82,802 members in 2000 while the United Methodist Church had 53,232 members. Arizona’s estimated Jewish population in 2000 was 81,675. There were about 11,857 Muslims the same year. There were also about 25 Buddhist and 9 Hindu congregations. About 60% of the population were not counted as members of any religious organization.
10
Transportation
In 2003, there were 1,836 rail miles (2,956 kilometers), with 10 railroads operating in the state. The state has two Class I railroads, Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Union Pacific. Amtrak provides limited passenger service through Flagstaff, Kingman, and other cities in the north, and through Tucson, Phoenix, and Yuma on the southern route. The most famous early road was El Camino de Diablo (The Devil’s Highway), opened by the missionary Eusebio Kino in 1699. In 2004, the state had 58,112 miles (93,554 kilometers) of public streets and roads. In 2004, there were 3.9 million motor vehicles registered, includJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
ing 2 million automobiles, 1.6 million trucks, and 1,000 buses. There were 3,783,927 licensed drivers in 2004. Arizona had 190 airports and 108 heliports in 2005. The leading air terminal was Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport; Tucson International Airport ranked second.
11
History
It is believed that by ad 500, early inhabitants of present-day Arizona had acquired a basic agriculture from what is now Mexico. They were divided into several cultures—the Anasazi, the Mogollon, and the Hohokam. For reasons unknown—a devastating drought is the most likely explanation—these cultures were in decay and the population much reduced by the 14th century. Two centuries later, when the first Europeans arrived, most of the natives were living in simple shelters in fertile river valleys, dependent on hunting, gathering, and small-scale farming for subsistence. The Hopi were the oldest group, their roots reaching back to the Anasazi. The Spanish presence in Arizona involved exploration, missionary work, and settlement. Between 1539 and 1605, four expeditions crossed the land, followed by Franciscan and Jesuit missionaries. The Spanish military outpost, or presidio, established at Tubac on the Santa Cruz River in 1752 was the first major European settlement in Arizona. The end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th were periods of relative peace on the frontier. When Mexico revolted against Spain in 1810, the Arizona settlements were not affected. However, with the outbreak of the Mexican War in 1846, two US armies marched across the region. The California gold rush of 1849 47
Arizona
Statehood The development of rich gold mines
along the lower Colorado River and in the interior mountains attracted both people and money to Arizona, as did the discovery of silver in Tombstone and other districts in the late 1870s. Phoenix, established in 1868, grew steadily as an agricultural center, eventually becoming the state capital in 1889. On 14 February 1912, Arizona entered the Union as the 48th State.
The San Xavier Mission at the San Xavier Indian Reservation south of Tucson. SCOTT S. WARREN/AURORA/ GETTY IMAGES.
saw thousands of Americans pass along the Gila River. In 1850, most of present-day Arizona became part of the new US Territory of New Mexico; the southern strip was added by the Gadsden Purchase in 1853. The outbreak of the Civil War in 1861 saw the declaration of southern Arizona as Confederate territory. A small Confederate force entered Arizona in 1862 but was driven out by a volunteer Union army from California. On 24 February 1863, President Abraham Lincoln signed into law the Organic Act of Arizona, a measure creating the new Territory of Arizona. 48
World War I spurred the expansion of the copper industry, intensive agriculture, and livestock production, but the 1920s brought depression: banks closed, mines shut down, and agricultural production declined. To revive the economy, local citizens pushed highway construction, tourism, and the resort business. Arizona also shared in the general distress caused by the Great Depression of the 1930s and received large amounts of federal aid for relief and recovery. Prosperity returned during World War II as camps for military training, prisoners of war, and displaced Japanese-Americans were built throughout the state. Arizona emerged from World War II a modern state. Wartime industries spawned an expanding peacetime manufacturing boom that soon provided the principal source of income, followed by tourism, agriculture, and mining. During the 1950s, the political scene changed. Arizona Republicans captured the governorship, gained votes in the legislature, won congressional seats, and brought a viable two-party system to the state. The rise of Barry Goldwater of Phoenix to national prominence further encouraged Republican influence. Meanwhile, air conditioning changed lifestyles, prompting a significant migration to the state. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Arizona
Arizona politics in recent years have been rocked by the discovery of corruption in high places. In 1988, Governor Evan Mecham was impeached on two charges of official misconduct. In 1989, two senators, John McCain and Dennis DeConcini, were indicted for influencing federal bank regulators on behalf of Lincoln Savings and Loan Association. Lincoln’s president, Charles Keating Jr., had contributed large sums to the senators’ re-election campaigns. In 1990, Peter MacDonald, the leader of the Navajo Nation, was convicted in the Navajo Tribal Court of soliciting $400,000 in bribes and kickbacks. In 1996, Governor Fife Symnigton was indicted on 23 counts of fraud and extortion in connection with his business ventures before becoming governor in 1991. He was convicted in 1997 and replaced by Jane Hull. Hull was elected in her own right in the 1998 elections, but lost the 2002 election to Janet Napolitano. Napolitano was thus the first woman elected to succeed another woman as a governor of a US state.
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State Government
Legislative authority is vested in a 30-member senate and a 60-member house of representatives. All senators and representatives serve twoyear terms and are chosen at the general election in November of each even-numbered year. Chief executive officials elected statewide include the governor, secretary of state the designated successor to the governor, as there is no lieutenant governor), treasurer, attorney general, state mine inspector, and superintendent of public instruction, all of whom serve four-year terms. Bills may originate in either house of the legislature and must be passed by both houses and approved by the governor in order to become Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Important to the state’s history and development were Chiricahua Apache leaders Cochise (1812?–1874) and Geronimo (1829–1909), pictured above, who fought against the U.S. Army and avoided capture in the Southwest for over two decades. EPD PHOTOS/NATIONAL ARCHIVES.
law. A two-thirds vote in each house is necessary to override the governor’s veto. Under the initiative procedure, legislation and proposed constitutional amendments can be placed on the ballot by petition. In 2004, the governor’s salary was $95,000 and the legislative salary was $24,000.
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Political Parties
Conservative Republican Senator Barry Goldwater, who was first elected in 1952 and 49
Arizona
Arizona Presidential Vote by Major Political Parties, 1960–2004 YEAR
ELECTORAL VOTE
ARIZONA WINNER
DEMOCRAT
REPUBLICAN
PROGRESSIVE
1948 1952 1956 1960 1964
4 4 4 4 5
*Truman (D) *Eisenhower (R) *Eisenhower (R) Nixon (R) Goldwater (R)
95,251 108,528 112,880 176,781 237,753
77,597 152,042 176,990 221,241 242,535
3,310 — — — —
1968
5
*Nixon (R)
170,514
266,721
AMERICAN IND.
46,573 AMERICAN
1972 1976 1980 1984 1988
6 6 6 7 7
*Nixon (R) Ford (R) *Reagan (R) *Reagan (R) *Bush (R)
198,540 295,602 246,843 333,854 454,029
402,812 418,642 529,688 681,416 702,541
Bush (R) *Clinton (D) *Bush, G. W. (R) *Bush, G. W. (R)
543,086 653,288 685,341 893,524
572,086 622,073 781,652 1,104,294
21,208 7,647 18,784 10,585 13,351 IND. (PEROT)
1992 8 1996 8 2000 8 2004 10 *Won US presidential election.
won the Republican presidential nomination in 1964, led the Republican party to dominance in Arizona politics in the post-World War II period. Arizonans gave the most votes to Republican presidential candidates in every election from 1952 through 1992. Several Arizona Republicans were appointed to high office during the Nixon years. Democrat and former governor Bruce Babbitt was named Secretary of the Interior for the Clinton administration in 1992. Although Democrat Bill Clinton carried the state in the 1992 presidential election, Republicans continue to dominate Arizona politics. Republican John McCain was reelected US senator in 2004. Arizona’s other senator as of 2006, Jon Kyl, is also a Republican. Following the 2006 midterm elections, the state’s US House delegation consists of four Republicans and four Democrats. Republican George W. Bush was the Arizona winner in the 2000 and 50
353,741 112,072 45,645 —
2004 presidential elections. Following the 2006 elections, the state house had 32 Republicans and 28 Democrats, while the state Senate consists of 18 Republicans and 12 Democrats. However, Arizonans elected a Democrat, Janet Napolitano, as governor in 2002, and reelected her in 2006. Following the 2006 elections, there were 30 women (representing 33% of the total) serving in the Arizona state legislature.
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Local Government
Arizona is divided into 15 counties. Local governmental units include towns, cities, and charter cities. Towns generally follow the councilmayor form of government. In 2005, there were 87 municipal governments and 305 special districts. The state also had 410 school districts. Each of the 21 Indian reservations in Arizona has Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Arizona
a tribal council or board with members elected by the people.
15
Judicial System
The supreme court is the highest court in Arizona and has administrative responsibility over all other courts in the state. The court of appeals is organized in two geographical divisions which together have 22 judges. The superior court is the general trial court of the state; there must be at least one superior court judge in every Arizona county. Counties are divided into precincts, each of which has a justice court. Every incorporated city and town has a police court. According to the FBI Crime Index of 2004, Arizona had a violent crime rate of 504.1 reported incidents per 100,000 population. In December 2004, federal and state institutions held 32,515 prisoners. As of 2006, Arizona had executed 22 prisoners since 1976.
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Migration
Arizona’s first migrants were the ancient peoples who came from Asia across the Bering Strait more than 12,000 years ago. Hispanic settlers began arriving in the late 17th century. Anglo migration, especially from the South, became significant as the United States developed westward to California, and increased at an even faster rate with the building of the railroads during the 1880s. Migration has accelerated since World War II (1939–45). Mexico is the main source of foreign immigrants. In the period 2000–05, net international migration was 168,078 and net internal migration was 408,160 for a net gain of 576,238 people. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Arizona Governors: 1913–2007 1913–1916 1917 1918 1919–1922 1923–1928 1929–1930 1931–1932 1933–1936 1937–1938 1939–1940 1941–1948 1948–1950 1951–1954 1955–1958 1959–1964 1965–1966 1967–1975 1975–1977 1977–1978 1978–1987 1987–1988 1988–1991 1991–1998 1998–2002 2002–
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George Wylie Paul Hunt Democrat Thomas Edward Campbell Republican George Wylie Paul Hunt Democrat Thomas Edward Campbell Republican George Wylie Paul Hunt Democrat John C. Phillips Republican George Wylie Paul Hunt Democrat Benjamin Baker Moeur Democrat Rawghlie Clement Stanford Democrat Robert Taylor Jones Democrat Sidney Preston Osborn Democrat Dan E. Garvey Democrat John Howard Pyle Republican Ernest William McFarland Democrat Paul Jones Fannin Republican Samuel Pearson Goddard, Jr. Democrat John Richard Williams Republican Raul Hector Castro Democrat Wesley H. Bolin Democrat Bruce Edward Babbitt Democrat Evan Mecham Republican Rose Mofford Democrat Fife Symington (resigned) Republican Jane D. Hull Republican Janet Napolitano Democrat
Economy
Mining and cattle-raising were the main economic activities during the territorial period. With the introduction of irrigation in the early 1900s, farming became more important. Improvements in transportation later in the 20th century led to the development of manufacturing and tourism. Leading industries today include electronic components from the manufacturing sector, copper from the mining sector, and cattle and cotton from the farming sector. Tourism is also an important contributor to revenues. Between 1973 and 1983, the state population increased by 39% (4th in the nation), and 51
Arizona
total personal income rose by 218% (6th in the nation). The economic recession of 1991 caused a decrease in jobs, but economic recovery in the 1990s was rapid. The state’s economy slowed during the 2001 recession in the nation, with many job layoffs. In 2004, 12,421 new businesses were formed and business terminations totaled 17,553.
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Income
In 2005, the gross state product was $216 billion. In 2004, Arizona ranked 39th among the 50 states with a per capita (per person) income of $28,658. The three-year average median household income for 2002–04, was $42,590 compared to the national average of $44,473. For the same, 13.8% of Arizonians lived below the federal poverty level, compared to the national average of 12.4%. In 2001, the median income for a family of four was $56,067 compared to the national average of $63,278.
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Industry
Manufacturing, which has grown rapidly since World War II, became the state’s leading economic activity in the 1970s. The major manufacturing centers are the Phoenix and Tucson areas. Principal industries include transportation equipment, computer and electronic equipment (semiconductors, communication equipment), fabricated metals, wood products, and food products. Major companies in the state include Motorola, Allied Signal Aerospace, and Honeywell. 52
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Labor
In April 2006, the civilian labor force in Arizona numbered 2,948,600, with approximately 127,600 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 4.3%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. It was estimated that in 2001, about 8.1% of the labor force was employed in construction; 7% in manufacturing; 19.4% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 6.8% in financial services; 15% in professional business services; 10.8% in education and health; 10.2% in leisure and hospitality services, and 15.5% in government. Organized labor has a long history in Arizona. A local of the Western Federation of Miners was founded in 1896. Nevertheless, the state’s work force is much less organized than that of the nation as a whole. In 2005, 145,000 of Arizona’s 2,366,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions. This represented 6.1% of those so employed. The national average is 12%.
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Agriculture
Arizona’s agricultural output (including livestock products) was valued at $3.18 billion in 2005 (29th in the United States). In 2004, there were about 10,200 farms covering 24.7 million acres (10.7 million hectares), or about 39% of the state’s total area, but only 1.9 million acres (389,000 hectares), or 1.3% of the state, were actually farmed for crops. Arizona’s farmed cropland is intensely cultivated and highly productive. About 95% of all farmland is dependent on irrigation provided by dams and water projects. In 2004, the state produced a total of 680,000 bales of Upland cotton, with a total Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Arizona
value of $163.2 million. Arizona also produced 6,000 bales of American-Pima cotton, valued at $2.8 million. Other crops are head lettuce, hay, wheat, sorghum, barley, grapes, and citrus fruits.
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Domesticated Animals
The total inventory of cattle and calves was an estimated 910,000 in 2005, with a value of $928.2 million. In 2005, the state had an estimated 100,000 sheep and lambs. In 2004, the state had 136,000 hogs and pigs valued at $14.9 million. A total of 3.5 billion pounds (1.6 billion kilograms) of milk was produced in 2003.
23
Fishing
Arizona has no commercial fishing. Sport fishing, however, is popular with residents and tourists. In 2004, the state had about 361,958 licensed sport fishermen. The Alchesay and the Williams Creek National Fish Hatcheries, located on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation in east central Arizona, have played a leading role in the recovery of the threatened Apache trout. Rainbow, cutthroat, brown, and brook trout are raised for stocking primarily on Indian lands in Arizona, western New Mexico, and southern Colorado. The coldwater Willow Beach National Hatchery, located downriver from Hoover Dam on the Arizona side of the Colorado River, raises rainbow trout. Approximately 750,000 trout are stocked annually in the Colorado River. The Pinetop Fish Health Center is a federally sponsored research and technology center. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
24
Forestry
The lumber industry in Arizona began during the 19th century, when the building of the transcontinental railroad created a demand for railroad ties. Production of lumber from Arizona’s forests remained strong until the 1990s, during which the primary emphasis shifted to conservation and recreation. Lumber production in 2004 was 65 million board feet. The main forest regions stretch from the northwest to the southeast, through the center of the state. Altogether, in 2003 there were 19,427,000 acres (7,862,000 hectares) of forestland in Arizona, over 25% of the state’s area and 2.6% of the US total forestland. Commercial timberland accounted for only 3,527,000 acres (1,427,000 hectares). National forests covered 11,891,000 acres (4,812,000 hectares). Lumber production remains an important emphasis on the Kaibab, Coconino, and Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, and on the Hualapai, Navajo, Ft. Apache, and San Carlos Apache Indian Reservations.
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Mining
Arizona ranked third in the nation in nonfuel mineral production value in 2004. According to US Geological Survey estimates, nonfuel mineral production in Arizona during 2004 was valued at $3.3 billion. Copper represented 64% of the nonfuel mineral production value in 2004. Construction sand and gravel was the state’s second-leading nonfuel mineral, followed by molybdenum concentrates, portland cement, and crushed stone. In 2004, Arizona continued to lead the nation in copper and molybdenum production. 53
Arizona
The state accounted for over 62% of all copper mined and produced in the United States. Arizona also ranked second in production of gemstones; third in perlite and construction sand and gravel; seventh in silver; and tenth in gold. Population growth and freeway construction projects in metropolitan Phoenix have contributed to Arizona’s ranking as the nation’s thirdlargest producer of sand and gravel.
26
Energy and Power
In 2003, Arizona produced 94 billion kilowatt hours of electric power (utility and nonutility). The state had 45 electrical power service providers. as of 2006, the state had one nuclear power plant in operation—the Palo Verde nuclear plant in Maricopa County. In 2004, Arizona had six producing natural gas and gas condensate wells. In the same year, marketed gas production totaled about 331 million cubic feet (9.4 million cubic meters). Also in 2004, the state had two producing surface coal mines. Coal production that year was 12.7 million tons.
27
Commerce
In 2002, wholesale sales in Arizona totaled $60.9 billion. Most wholesale establishments are located in Maricopa and Pima counties. Retail sales in 2002 totaled $56.4 billion. In 2005, exports of goods produced in Arizona were worth $14.9 billion.
28
Public Finance
The governor’s budgets are prepared in the Office of Strategic Planning and Budgeting (OSPB). 54
Government revenues for 2006 were $25.7 billion, while expenditures for the same period were $21.7 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($7.1 billion), public welfare ($5.1 billion), and highways ($1.8 billion). Arizona’s total outstanding debt was $6.7 billion, or about $1,180.13 per person.
29
Taxation
In 2005, 60.8% of state tax revenues were raised by the Arizona’s sales taxes (general and selective) and 25.9% by the state’s personal income tax. The state retail sales tax rate is 5.6% (with exemptions for food). Localities can impose up to 4.5% additional sales tax for a maximum 10.1%. The personal income tax has five brackets ranging from 2.87% to 5.04%. Selective sales taxes (excises) accounted for 13.5% of state tax collections in 2005. Such excises are imposed on motor fuels, tobacco products, insurance premiums, alcoholic beverages, public utilities, and amusements. Arizona’s corporate income tax is a flat 6.968% on net income. In 2005, corporate taxes accounted for 6.4% of state tax collections. In 2005, Arizona ranked 40th among the states in per capita tax burden at about $1,854 per person, compared to the national average of $2,192 per person.
30
Health
In 2005, Arizona’s infant mortality was 6.9 per 1,000 live births. The overall death rate in 2003 was 7.8 deaths per 1,000 population). As of 2002, death rates for major causes of death (per 100,000 population) were heart disease, 198.9; cancer, 171.5; cerebrovascular diseases, 46.5; Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Arizona
chronic lower respiratory diseases, 47.2; and diabetes, 22.6. In 2004, the reported acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) rate was at about 9.8 per 100,000. As of 2004, about 18.5% of state residents were smokers. In 2003, there were 61 community hospitals, with 10,800 beds. The state had 225 physicians per 100,000 people in 2004 and 522 nurses per 100,000 in 2005. In 2003, the average cost per day for hospital care was $1,570. At least 17% of the state population was uninsured in 2004.
31
Housing
In 2004, an estimated 2,458,231 housing units were in Arizona, of which 2,131,534 were occupied. In the same year, 68.7% of all housing units were owner-occupied. About 59% of all units were single-family detached homes and about 13.2% were mobile homes. It was estimated that about 101,678 units statewide were without telephone service, 14,897 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 11,543 lacked complete kitchen facilities. During 2004, approximately 90,600 new units were authorized. Also in 2004, the median value of a home was $145,741. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,130 while the median cost monthly cost for renters was $691.
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Education
In 2004, 84.4% of Arizonans 25 years old and over were high school graduates. Some 28% had obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. The first public school in the state opened in 1871 at Tucson, with 1 teacher and 138 students. Total enrollment in public schools was estimated Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
at 938,000 in fall 2002. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 46,366. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $6.7 billion, or $6,036 per student. As of fall 2002, there were 401,605 students enrolled in college or graduate school. As of 2005, Arizona had 74 degree-granting institutions. The leading public higher educational institutions, the University of Arizona at Tucson and Arizona State University (originally named the Arizona Territorial Normal School) at Tempe, were both established in 1885. The American Graduate School of International Management, a private institution, is located in Glendale.
33
Arts
The Arizona Commission on the Arts was established as a permanent state agency in 1967. The Arizona Humanities Council was established in 1973. Many state arts programs are supported by the Arizona Arts Endowment Fund (also called Arizona ArtShare), which was established in 1996. Arizona is also a member state of the Western States Art Federation. In 2005, the National Endowment for the Arts awarded 18 grants totaling $977,400 to Arizona arts organizations. Arizona has traditionally been a center for Indian folk arts and crafts. Modern Arizona artists are featured at the Tucson Museum of Art and the Yuma Art Center. Musical and dramatic performances are presented in Phoenix, Tucson, Scottsdale, and other major cities. There are two major orchestras, the Phoenix Symphony and the Tucson Symphony Orchestra. The Arizona Opera Company and the Arizona Theatre Company perform in both Tucson and Phoenix. Ballet Arizona is based in Phoenix. The annual 55
Arizona
Grand Canyon Music Festival (est. 1984) features the finest in both classical and folk music.
34
Libraries and Museums
In 2001, Arizona had 35 public library systems with a combined book stock of 8,760,000 volumes and total circulation of 33,066,000. There were a total of 176 public libraries in the state. Principal public libraries include the Phoenix Public Library, the State Library and Department of Archives, and the Arizona Historical Society Library. The largest university libraries are located at the University of Arizona and Arizona State University. Arizona has more than 120 museums and historic sites. Attractions in Tucson include the Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona Museum of Art, Arizona Historical Society, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Flandreau Planetarium, and Gene C. Reid Zoological Park. Phoenix has the Heard Museum (anthropology and primitive art), Arizona Mineral Resources Museum, Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix Zoo, Pueblo Grande Museum, and the Desert Botanical Garden. The Museum of Northern Arizona and Lowell Observatory are in Flagstaff. Kitt Peak National Observatory is in Tucson. Archaeological and historical sites include the cliff dwellings at the Canyon de Chelly, Casa Grande Ruins, Montezuma Castle, Tonto, and Tuzigoot national monuments and the town of Tombstone, the site of the famous O. K. Corral gunfight in the early 1880s.
35
Communications
Over 91.8% of the households in Arizona had telephones in 2004. Also in 2004, there were 56
over 3 million mobile wireless phone subscribers. There were 70 major radio stations broadcasting in Arizona in 2005 (15 AM and 55 FM). The state also had 15 major television stations in 2005. In 2000, 59% of Phoenix’s 1,390,750 television households received cable. A total of 131,164 Internet domain names had been registered in Arizona by the year 2000. In 2003, 64.3% of households had a computer and 55.2% had Internet access.
36
Press
The Weekly Arizonian, started in 1859, was the first newspaper in the state. The Daily Arizona Miner, the state’s first daily, was founded at Prescott in 1866. As of 2005 there were 10 morning dailies, 6 evening dailies, and 11 Sunday editions of newspapers. Leading dailies (with 2005 daily circulation figures) include the Arizona Republic (413,268); the Arizona Daily Star (100,824); and The Citizen (30,090). Among the most notable magazines and periodicals published in Arizona are Arizona Highways, Phoenix Magazine, Phoenix Living, and Arizona Living, devoted to the local and regional lifestyle.
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Tourism, Travel & Recreation
Tourism and travel is a leading industry in Arizona. In 2004, tourism and travel accounted for more than $13.76 billion in direct sales. There were about 27.8 million domestic visitors and 900,000 from overseas. There are 22 national parks and monuments located entirely within Arizona. There are also 14 state parks that regularly attract over 1 million visitors per year. By far the most popular is Grand Canyon National Park. Petrified Forest Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Arizona
England’s London Bridge was shipped in pieces to Lake Havasu, where it was reconstructed in 1971. AP IMAGES.
National Park and Saguaro National Monument are also popular national parks. Popular for sightseeing and shopping are the state’s Indian reservations, particularly those of the Navajo and Hopi. The red rock country of Sedona is a popular destination. There are also a number of resorts and spas across the state. Biosphere 2 in Oracle is another popular tourist attraction.
38
Sports
There are five major league professional teams in Arizona, all in Phoenix: the Cardinals of the National Football League, the Suns of the National Basketball Association, the Coyotes of Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
the National Hockey League, the Mercury of the Women’s National Basketball Association, and the Diamondbacks of the National League in baseball. The Diamondbacks captured the World Series in 2001. There is a minor league hockey team, also in Phoenix. Several Major League Baseball teams hold spring training in Arizona, and there is a minor league team in Tucson, as well as several rookie league teams throughout the state. There is horse racing at Turf Paradise in Phoenix, and dog racing at Phoenix, Tucson, and Yuma. Auto racing is held at Manzanita Raceway and International Raceway, in Phoenix. Phoenix International Raceway also hosts a NASCAR Winston Cup event in early November. Both 57
Arizona
A group of visitors rides a pontoon raft through rapids in Grand Canyon National Park. AP IMAGES.
Phoenix and Tucson have hosted tournaments on the Professional Golfers Association’s nationwide tour. The first organized rodeo that awarded prizes and charged admission was held in Prescott on 4 July 1988 and rodeos continue to be held throughout the state. Both Arizona State and the University of Arizona are members of the Pacific 10 Conference. The Sun Devils won the Rose Bowl in 1987 and played in the bowl in 1997. The Wildcats captured NCAA Division I baseball championships three times and the NCAA Division I men’s basketball championship in 1997. The Sun Devils won the championship in 1981. College football’s Fiesta Bowl is held annually at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, the home stadium for the Arizona State football team. 58
Other annual sporting events include the Thunderbird Balloon Classic in Scottsdale in November.
39
Famous Arizonians
Although Arizona entered the Union relatively late, many of its citizens have achieved national prominence, especially since World War II. William H. Rehnquist (b.Wisconsin, 1924– 2005) was appointed associate justice of the US Supreme Court in 1971 and chief justice in 1986. In 1981 Sandra Day O’Connor (b.Texas, 1930) became the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court. Barry Goldwater (1909–1998), son of a pioneer family, was elected to the US Senate in 1952, won the Republican presidential nomination in 1964, and returned to the Senate in 1968. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Arizona
Chiricahua Apache leaders Cochise (1812?– 1874) and Geronimo (1829–1909), who, resisting the forced resettlement of their people by the US government, launched a series of raids that occupied the Army in the Southwest for over two decades. Wyatt Earp (b.Illinois, 1848–1929) was a legendary lawman of Tombstone during the early 1880s. César Chávez (1927–1993) was a well-known activist for migrant workers and president of the United Farm Workers of America. A writer whose name has been associated with Arizona is Zane Grey (b.Ohio, 1875–1939), who wrote many of his western adventure stories in his summer home near Payson. Well-known performing artists from Arizona include singers Marty Robbins (1925–1970) and Linda Ronstadt (b.1946). Joan Ganz Cooney (b.1929), president of the Children’s Television Workshop, was one of the creators of the awardwinning children’s program, Sesame Street.
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
40
Bibliography
BOOKS Blashfield, Jean F. Arizona. New York: Children’s Press, 2000. Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Brown, Jonatha A. Arizona. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2006. McAuliffe, Emily. Arizona Facts and Symbols. New York: Bridgestone Books, 2003. McDaniel, Melissa. Arizona. Tarrytown, NY: Benchmark Books, 2000. Murray, Julie. Arizona. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. WEB SITES Arizona Office of Tourism. Arizona: Grand Canyon State. www.arizonaguide.com (accessed March 1, 2007). State of Arizona. Arizona @ Your Service. www. az.gov (accessed March 1, 2007).
59
Arkansas State of Arkansas
O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : French derivation of
Akansas or Arkansas, a name given to the Quapaw Indians by other tribes. N I CKNAME : The Natural State. C AP ITAL: Little Rock. ENT ERED UNION: 15 June 1836 (25th). O FFICIAL SEAL: Coat of arms surrounded by the words “Great Seal of the State of Arkansas.” FLAG: On a red field, 25 stars on a blue band border, a white diamond containing the word “Arkansas” and four blue stars. C OAT OF ARMS: In front of an American eagle is a shield displaying a steamboat, plow, beehive, and sheaf of wheat, symbols of Arkansas’s industrial and agricultural wealth. The angel of mercy, the goddess of liberty encircled by 13 stars, and the sword of justice surround the eagle, which holds in its talons an olive branch and three arrows, and in its beak a banner bearing the state motto. M OT TO: Regnat populus (The people rule). SONG: “Arkansas.” FLOWER: Apple blossom. TREE: Pine. B IRD: Mockingbird. IN S ECT: Honeybee. G E M: Diamond. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Robert E. Lee’s birthday, 19 January; Birthdays of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert E. Lee, 3rd Monday in January; George Washington’s Birthday and Daisy Gatson Bates Day, 3rd Monday in February; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Eve, 24 December; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 6 AM CST = noon GMT.
1
Location and Size
Located in the western south-central United States, Arkansas ranks 27th in size among the 50 states. The total area of Arkansas is 53,187 square miles (137,754 square kilometers), of which land takes up 52,078 square miles (134,882 square kilometers) and inland water, 1,109 square miles (2,872 square kilometers). Arkansas extends about 275 miles (443 kilometers) east-west and 240 miles (386 kilometers) north-south. The total boundary length of Arkansas is 1,168 miles (1,880 kilometers). 61
Arkansas
2
Topography
The Boston Mountains (sometimes called the Ozark Mountains) in the northwest and the Ouachita Mountains in the west-central region are Arkansas’s major uplands as well as the only mountain chains between the Appalachians and the Rockies. The wide valley of the Arkansas River separates the two chains. The Arkansas lowlands belong to two major regions: the Mississippi Alluvial Plain and the Gulf Coastal Plain. The highest elevation in Arkansas is Magazine Mountain, at 2,753 feet (840 meters), north of the Ouachitas in the Arkansas River Valley. The state’s lowest point, at 55 feet (17 meters), is on the Ouachita River in south-central Arkansas. Arkansas’s largest lake is the artificial Lake Ouachita, covering 63 square miles (163 square kilometers). Lake Chicot, in southeastern Arkansas is the state’s largest natural lake, with a length of 18 miles (29 kilometers). Principal rivers include the Mississippi, forming most of the eastern boundary; the Arkansas, which begins in Colorado and flows through Kansas and Oklahoma before passing through Arkansas to the Mississippi; and the Red, White, Ouachita, and St. Francis rivers, all of which drain south and southeast into the Mississippi. Numerous springs are found in Arkansas, of which the best known are Mammoth Springs and Hot Springs. Crowley’s Ridge, a unique strip of hills formed by sedimentary deposits and windblown sand, lies west of and parallel to the St. Francis River for about 180 miles (290 kilometers). The ridge is rich in fossils and has an unusual diversity of plant life. 62
Arkansas Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:
2,810,872 5.1% 4.7% 98.6% 79.0% 15.4% 0.7% 0.9% 0.2% 2.4% 1.4%
Population by Age Group
Under 18 (25%)
65 and over (14%)
45 to 64 (25%)
18 to 24 (9%)
25 to 44 (27%)
Major Cities by Population City Little Rock Fort Smith Fayetteville Springdale Jonesboro North Little Rock Pine Bluff Conway Rogers Hot Springs
Population
% change 2000–05
184,564 82,481 66,655 60,096 59,358 58,803 52,693 51,999 48,353 37,847
0.8 2.8 14.8 31.2 6.9 -2.7 -4.3 20.5 24.5 5.9
Notes: †A person of Hispanic or Latino origin may be of any race. NA indicates that data are not available. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey and Population Estimates. www.census.gov/ (accessed March 2007).
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Arkansas
MISSOURI
BENTON
Beaver Lake
CARROLL
BAXTER
BOONE
Bull Shoals Lake
Ozark National Forest
FULTON
Bull Shoals St. Park
MARION
MADISON
Dave Donaldson Black River Wildlife Mgmt. Area
SHARP
GREENE
IZARD
Withrow Springs Fayetteville State Park
WASHINGTON
NEWTON
Harold E. Alexander Wildlife Mgmt. Area
Ozark National Forest
Buffalo National River
Springdale
SEARCY
LAWRENCE
Shirey BayRainey Brake W. M. A.
Buffalo National River STONE
Devil’s Den State Park
Ozark National Forest
Lake Fort Smith State Park
Fort Smith
VAN BUREN
Earl Buss Bayou Deview W. M. A.
POPE CONWAY
FAULKNER
Lake Dardanelle
Henry Gray Hurrican Lake WOODRUFF W. M. A. Rex Hancock Black Swamp W. M. A.
WHITE
40
YELL
PRAIRIE
LONOKE
Jacksonville PULASKI SALINE
Lake Ouachita State Park
POLK
N. Little Rock
Little Rock
Wattensaw W. M. A.
440
HOT SPRING
CLARK
ARKANSAS
Lake Catherine State Park
Pine Bluff Arsenal
DeGray Lake State Park
DALLAS
Crater of Diamonds State Park
LITTLE RIVER
Millwood State Park Red R.
as R
.
pp
si
s si
is M
.
MISSISSIPPI
DESHA
NEVADA
Poison Springs Wildlife Mgmt. Area
30 Bois D’Arc Wildlife Mgmt. Area MILLER
ans
LINCOLN
Hope Wildlife Mgmt. Area
iR
White River National Wildlife Ref.
CLEVELAND
HEMPSTEAD
SEVIER
Ark
JEFFERSON
MONROE
Bayou Meto Wildlife Mgmt. Area
Pine Bluff
Howard Lake County Greeson Wildlife Mgmt. W. M. A. Area
St. Francis National Forest PHILLIPS
GRANT
Daisy State Park
LEE
Dagmar W. M. A.
40
Hot Springs
PIKE
40 W. Memphis
PERRY
GARLAND
TENNESSEE
Village Creek St. Park
ST. FRANCIS
SCOTT
Ouachita National Forest
CRITTENDEN
CROSS
Conway
Petit Jean State Park
HOWARD
55 MISSISSIPPI
Greers Ferry Lake
LOGAN
MONTGOMERY
Big Lake Wildlife Mgmt. Area
POINSETT
CLEBURNE
JOHNSON
SEBASTIAN
Big Lake National Wildlife Ref. St. Francis Sunken Lands W. M. A.
Jonesboro
JACKSON
FRANKLIN
Fort Chaffee
CRAIGHEAD
INDEPENDENCE
Ozark Folk Center
Ozark National Forest
CRAWFORD
OKLAHOMA
CLAY
RANDOLPH
Mammoth Spring State Park
CALHOUN
DREW BRADLEY
OUACHITA
Cut-off Creek Wildlife Management Area
LAFAYETTE
COLUMBIA
Sulphur River Wildlife Mgmt. Area
ARKANSAS
ASHLEY
UNION
Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge
Overflow National Wildlife Refuge
Explanation CHICOT
Point of Interest City (25,000-100,000 people)
Lafayette Wildlife Management Area
City (more than 100,000 people) State Capital
TEXAS
40
U.S. Interstate Route Area of Interest
LOUISIANA
N 25
0 0
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
25
50 miles 50 kilometers
63
Arkansas
3
Climate
Arkansas has a temperate climate with warmer temperatures and more humidity in the southern lowlands than in the mountainous regions. At Little Rock, the normal daily temperature ranges from 40°f (4°c) in January to 82°f (27°c) in July. A record low temperature of -29°f (-34°c) was set on 13 February 1905 at the Pond weather station. A record high of 120°f (49°c) was set on 10 August 1936 at the Ozark station. Average yearly precipitation is approximately 45 inches (114 centimeters) in the mountainous areas and greater in the lowlands. Little Rock receives an annual average of 50.5 inches (128 centimeters). Snowfall in the capital averages 5.1 inches (12 centimeters) a year.
4
Plants and Animals
Arkansas has at least 2,600 native plants and there are many adopted exotic species. Cypresses, water oak, hickory, and ash grow in the Mississippi Valley, while Crowley’s Ridge is thick with tulip trees and beeches. The St. Francis Valley is home to the rare cork tree. A forest belt of oak, hickory, and pine stretches across south-central and southwestern Arkansas. The state has at least 26 native varieties of orchid and the passion flower is abundant. Arkansas’s native animals include 15 varieties of bat and 3 each of rabbit and squirrel. There are also mink, armadillo, white-tailed deer, and eastern chipmunks. Black bears roam the swamp and mountain regions. Arkansas has 20 frog and toad species, 23 varieties of salamander, and 36 kinds of snake. Among 300 native birds are such game birds as the eastern wild turkey, mourning dove, and bobwhite quail. Among local fish 64
are catfish, gar, and the unusual paddle fish. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission lists the leopard darter and fat pocketbook pearly mussel as threatened species. The peregrine falcon, Indiana and gray bats, and the eastern prairie fringed orchid are among those listed as endangered.
5
Environmental Protection
The Arkansas Pollution Control Commission was created in 1949 and the Arkansas Department of of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) was created in 1971. The Commission determines the environmental policies for the state and the Department employees are responsible for implementing those policies. In 2001, the ADEQ focused on recycling waste oil, resulting in a 91% increase in the amount of waste oil recycled. In 2002, the ADEQ turned its attention to recycling of wood waste. In 1987, the state adopted some of the first “ecoregion” water quality standards in the nation. These standards recognize the distinct physical, chemical, and biological properties of the six geographical regions of the state and establish separate water quality standards within each region. Citizens’ groups actively involved with environmental issues include: the Arkansas Native Plant Society, Arkansas Audubon Society, Arkansas Canoe Club, Arkansas Herpetological Society, Arkansas Wildlife Federation, Audubon Society of Central Arkansas, League of Women Voters, Ozark Society, Sierra Club— Arkansas Chapter, and National Water Center. The Arkansas Environmental Federation presents industry’s viewpoints on environmental issues. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Arkansas
Arkansas Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number
Percent
Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,673,400 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,637,656 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33,818 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,773 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16,439 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,061 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351 White and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,608 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,088 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 406 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 600 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . 59 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 484 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177 Three or more races. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,926
. . . . . 100.0 . . . . . . 98.7 . . . . . . . 1.3 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . 0.6 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1
Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.
The Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission was established in 1975 for the preservation of rivers and natural areas and to serve as a source of information on plant and animal species of Arkansas. In 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency’s database listed 78 hazardous waste sites, 10 of which were on the National Priorities List as of 2006, in Arkansas.
6
Population
In 2006, Arkansas ranked 32nd in the United States in population with an estimated total of 2,810,872 residents. The average population density in 2004 was 52.9 persons per square mile (20.4 persons per square kilometer). The Census Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Bureau estimates that the population will be 2.96 million by 2015. As of 2005, about 14% of all residents were 65 years old or older. About 25% were 18 years old or younger. The median age in 2004 was 36.6. The largest city in Arkansas is Little Rock, which had a 2005 estimated population of 184,564. Other major cities (with estimated population figures from 2005) include Fort Smith, 82,481; Fayetteville, 66,655; Springdale, 60,096; Jonesboro, 59,358; and North Little Rock, 58,803.
7
Ethnic Groups
As of 2000, Arkansas’s population is predominantly white, composed mainly of descendants 65
Arkansas
of immigrants from the British Isles. The largest minority group consisted of about 418,950 black Americans. As of 2006, blacks accounted for 15.4% of the population. In 2006, 0.7% of the population was Native American. In the same year, 4.7% of the total population were of Hispanic or Latino origin. The Asian population was estimated at 0.9% and Pacific Islanders made up 0.2% of the population. The 2000 census listed 3,974 Vietnamese, 3,126 Chinese, 2,489 Filipinos, 3,104 Asian Indians, and 1,036 Japanese. The total foreign-born population numbered 73,690, or 2.8% of all Arkansas residents.
8
Languages
Arkansas English is essentially a blend of Southern and South Midland speech, with South Midland dominating the mountainous northwest and Southern the southeastern agricultural areas. A few place names, such as Arkansas itself, Choctaw, Caddo, and Ouachita, attest to the onetime presence of Native Americans, mostly members of the Caddoan tribes, in the Territory of Arkansas. Common in the east and south are the terms redworm (earthworm) and mosquito hawk (dragonfly). In the northwest the south Midland terms include whirlygig (merry-goround) and sallet (garden greens). As of 2000, about 2,368,450 Arkansans (95% ) who are five years old or older speak only English at home. The most common other languages spoken at home are Spanish (82,465 people), German (7,444), and French (7,312). 66
9
Religions
The largest denomination in Arkansas is the Southern Baptist Convention, which had 685,301 adherents in 2000. The first Baptist church was likely that of the Salem congregation, begun in 1818 near what is now Pochahontas. Other leading Protestant groups in 2000 were the United Methodist Church, with 179,383 adherents; the American Baptist Association, 115,916 adherents; the Baptist Missionary Association of America, 87,244 adherents; and the Churches of Christ, 86,342 adherents. In 2004, The Roman Catholic population of Arkansas was 106,051. The estimated Jewish population in 2000 was 1,600. About 42.9% of the population were not counted as members of any religious organization.
10
Transportation
The most important railroad—the St. Louis, Iron Mountain, and Southern line—reached Little Rock in 1872 and was subsequently acquired by financier Jay Gould, who added the Little Rock and Ft. Smith line to it in 1882. As of 2003, Arkansas had 3,484 rail miles (5,609 kilometers) of track. As of 2006, Amtrak passenger trains serviced Little Rock, Walnut Ridge, Malvern, Arkadelphia, and Texarkana en route from St. Louis to Dallas. By 2004, Arkansas had 98,606 miles (158,755 kilometers) of public roads, streets, and highways. During the same year, about 950,000 automobiles and 938,000 trucks were registered in Arkansas, and there were 1,862,430 licensed drivers. Beginning in the 1820s, steamboats replaced keelboats and flatboats on Arkansas rivers. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Arkansas
Steamboat transportation reached its peak during 1870–90 until supplanted by the railroads that were opened during the same two decades. Development of the Arkansas River, completed during the early 1970s, made the waterway commercially navigable all the way to Tulsa. In 2005, Arkansas had 238 airports and 83 heliports. The principal airport in the state is Adams Field at Little Rock.
11
History
Foremost among the Native American tribes in Arkansas were the Quapaw, an agricultural people who had migrated to southern Arkansas in the early 16th century; the Caddo, fighters from Texas; the warlike Osage; and the Choctaw and Chickasaw of the northeast. Another prominent tribe, the Cherokee, arrived in the early 19th century, after federal and state authorities had driven them westward. Nearly all these tribes had been expelled to what is now Oklahoma by the time Arkansas became a state. The first Europeans to set foot in Arkansas were Spaniards, led by Hernando de Soto in 1541. More than 100 years later, in 1673, a small band of Frenchmen led by Jacques Marquette, a Jesuit missionary, and Louis Jolliet, a fur trader and explorer, ended their voyage down the Mississippi at the mouth of the Arkansas River. Nine years later, the French explorer Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle, claimed all the Mississippi Valley for his king, Louis XIV. Statehood In 1762 France ceded the territory to
Spain. Restored to France in 1800, the territory was sold to the United States in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. After first becoming part of the Missouri Territory, Arkansas gained territoJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
rial status in its own right in 1819. The territorial capital was moved from Arkansas Post to Little Rock in 1821. By 1835, Arkansas Territory had a population of 52,240, including 9,838 slaves. It was admitted to the Union in 1836 as a slave state, paired with the free state of Michigan in accordance with the Missouri Compromise. Increasing numbers of slaves were brought into the largely agricultural state as the cultivation of cotton spread. Arkansas, like the rest of the South, was headed for secession, although it waited to commit itself until the Civil War had begun. There was considerable Union sentiment in the state, but pro-Union sympathies crumbled after Confederate guns fired on Fort Sumter, South Carolina. On 6 May 1861, at a convention held in Little Rock, Arkansans voted 69–1 to secede. By September 1863, the Union Army had taken Little Rock, and the Capital was moved to Washington, in Hempstead County, until the conclusion of hostilities in 1865. Like virtually all white southerners, Arkansas’s white majority hated the postwar Reconstruction government. In 1874 the white Democratic majority adopted a new state constitution, throwing out the carpetbagger constitution of 1868. Modernization Industrialization, urbanization,
and modernization did not come to Arkansas until after the depression of the 1930s. Following World War II, the state became the first in the South to racially integrate its public colleges and universities. Little Rock’s school board decided in 1954 to comply with the US Supreme Court’s racial desegregation decision. Nevertheless, in September 1957, Governor Orval E. Faubus called out the National Guard to block the inte67
Arkansas
The Old State House in Little Rock, the oldest standing state capitol building west of the Mississippi River, was built in the mid-1800s. It became a museum in 1947. LITTLE ROCK CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU.
gration of Central High School at Little Rock. US President Dwight D. Eisenhower enforced a federal court order to integrate the school by sending in federal troops. Faubus, then in his second term, was elected to a third term and then to three more. The contrast between Faubus and his successor could not have been greater. Winthrop Rockefeller, millionaire heir of a famous family, moved to Arkansas from New York in the early 1950s, establishing himself as a gentleman rancher and building a Republican Party organization in one of the most strongly Democratic states in the Union. In 1966, Rockefeller became the first Republican governor of Arkansas since Reconstruction. He helped bring a new image and spirit to the state. 68
Rockefeller’s successors have continued his progressive approach. Governor Bill Clinton, who became United States President in 1992, introduced investment tax credits to help corporations modernize their facilities and thereby to create jobs. Clinton also signed a “bare bones” health insurance law which dropped state requirements for some of the more costly coverages and thus made health insurance affordable for small businesses. Clinton increased spending for education and passed legislation requiring competency tests for teachers. But Clinton remained hampered in his efforts to increase government spending because the state constitution requires that any increase in the state income tax obtain approval of two-thirds of the Legislature. Bill Clinton was elected president of the United States in 1992. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Arkansas
Arkansas Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR
ARKANSAS WINNER
DEMOCRAT
REPUBLICAN
STATES’ RIGHTS DEMOCRAT
1948 1952
*Truman (D) Stevenson (D)
149,659 226,300
50,959 177,155
40,068 —
1956
Stevenson (D)
213,277
186,287
CONSTITUTION
7,008 NAT’L STATES’ RIGHTS
1960 1964
*Kennedy (D) *Johnson (D)
215,049 314,197
184,508 243,264
1968
Wallace (AI)
188,228
190,759
28,952 2,965 AMERICAN IND.
240,982 AMERICAN
1972 1976
*Nixon (R) *Carter (D)
199,892 498,604
448,541 267,903
1980 1984 1988
*Reagan (R) *Reagan (R) *Bush (R)
398,041 388,646 349,237
403,164 534,774 466,578
1992 1996
*Clinton (D) *Clinton (D)
505,823 475,171
337,324 325,416
2000 *Bush, G. W. (R) 2004 *Bush, G. W. (R) * Won US presidential election.
422,768 469,953
472,940 572,898
2,887 — LIBERTARIAN
8,970 2,221 3,297 IND. (PEROT)
99,132 69,884 PROGRESSIVE (NADER)
Two school shootings shocked the state in recent years. On 24 March 1998, two students (ages 11 and 13) went on a rampage in a Jonesboro school, killing four students and one teacher, and wounding ten others. Another shooting, in the small community of Prairie Grove on 11 May 2000, involved an angry seventh-grade student who exchanged gunfire with a police officer. Both were injured. Arkansas continues to rank among the poorest states in the nation, with a per capita personal income in 2004 of only $25,814 (49th among the states).
12
State Government
Arkansas’s fifth constitution, enacted in 1874, had been amended 91 times by January 2005. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
28,747 —
Arkansas’s legislature, the general assembly, consists of a 35-member senate and a 100-member house of representatives. Senators serve four-year terms; representatives serve for two years. A bill passed by both houses of the legislature becomes law if: it is signed by the governor; the governor’s veto is overridden by a majority of all elected members of each house; or the bill is neither signed nor returned by the governor within five days when the legislature is in session. The executive officers elected statewide are the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, treasurer, auditor, and attorney general, all of whom serve four-year terms. The governor may serve a maximum of two consecutive terms. The governor and lieutenant governor must be at least 30 years old, and must be Arkansas resi69
Arkansas
The state capitol building in Little Rock. LITTLE ROCK CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU.
dents for seven years. As of 2004, the governor’s salary was $75,296, and legislators’ salaries were $13,751 per biennial session.
13
Political Parties
Republicans ruled during Reconstruction, which ended in Arkansas after the election of 1872. During the 1890s, as in the rest of the South, Democrats succeeded in passing laws imposing segregation and disenfranchising blacks as well as poor whites. Although elected to the governorship as a progressive in 1954, Democrat Orval Faubus took a segregationist stand on racial matters in 1957. Faubus’s successor, progressive Republican Winthrop Rockefeller, was followed by three more progressives, all Democrats: Dale Bumpers, David Pryor, and Bill Clinton. In a major upset, 70
Clinton was defeated in 1980 by Republican Frank White, but Clinton recaptured the statehouse in 1982 and won reelection in 1984, 1986, and 1990. Clinton ran for and won the US presidency in 1992 and was reelected to a second term in 1996. In 1994, Democratic governor Jim Guy Tucker was one of the few of his party nationwide to resist a Republican landslide. Tucker was subsequently forced to resign due to scandal and was succeeded by his Lieutenant-Governor, Republican Mike Huckabee, who was elected to a full term in 1998 and reelected in 2002. In 2006, Democrat Mike Beebe was elected governor. In the 2004 presidential election, Arkansas made Republican George W. Bush its winner with 54% of the votes. Both US senators from Arkansas were Democrats following the 2006 midterm elecJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Arkansas
Arkansas Governors: 1836–2007 1836–1840 1840–1844 1844 1844–1849 1849 1849 1849–1851 1851 1852–1860 1860–1862 1862 1862–1864 1864–1868 1868–1871 1871–1873 1873–1874 1874–1877 1877–1881 1881–1883 1883–1885 1885 1885–1889 1889–1893 1893–1895 1895–1897 1897–1901 1901–1907 1907 1907 1907–1909 1909
James Sevier Conway Archibald Yell Samuel Adams Thomas Stevenson Drew John Williamson Richard C. Byrd John Selden Roane John R. Hampton Elias Nelson Conway Henry Massey Rector Thomas Fletcher Harris Flanagin Isaac Murphy Powell Clayton Ozra A. Hadley Elisha Baxter Augustus Hill Garland William Read Miller Thomas James Churchill James Henderson Berry Ben T. Embry Simon P. Hughes James Philip Eagle William Meade Fishback James Paul Clarke Daniel Webster Jones Jeff Davis John Sebastian Little John I. Moore Xenophon Overton Pindall Jesse M. Martin
Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Indep-Dem Democrat Democrat Unionist Republican Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat
1909–1913 1913 1913 1913 1913–1917 1917–1921 1921–1925 1925–1927 1927–1928 1928–1933 1933–1937 1937–1941 1941–1945 1945–1949 1949–1953 1953–1955 1955–1967 1967–1971 1971–1975 1975 1975–1979 1979 1979–1981 1981–1983 1983–1992 1992–1999 1999–2006 2006–
George W. Donaghey Joseph Taylor Robinson William Kavanaugh Oldham Junius Marion Futrell George Washington Hays Charles Hillman Brough Thomas Chipman McRae Tom Jefferson Terral John Ellis Martineau Harvey Parnell Junius Marion Futrell Carl Edward Bailey Homer Martin Adkins Benjamin Travis Laney Sidney Sanders McMath Francis Adams Cherry Orval Eugene Faubus Winthrop Rockefeller Dale Leon Bumpers Robert Cowley Riley David Hampton Pryor Joe Purcell William Jefferson Clinton Frank D. White William Jefferson Clinton James Guy Tucker Mike Huckabee Mike Beebe
Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat
Independent Democrat – Indep-Dem
tions. The state’s US representatives following those elections included one Republican and three Democrats. Also in 2006, the state legislature had 27 Democrats and 8 Republicans in the state senate, and 75 Democrats and 25 Republicans in the state house. There were 23 women serving in the state legislature following the 2006 elections, or 17%.
of the peace, elected for two-year terms. Elected county executives, who serve two-year terms, include the sheriff, assessor, coroner, treasurer, and county supervisor. Arkansas had 499 municipalities in 2005. There were 310 public school districts.
14
Arkansas’s highest court is the supreme court, consisting of a chief justice and six associate justices, elected for staggered eight-year terms. An appeals court of 12 judges, also elected for eight-year terms, was established in 1978. Other
Local Government
There are 75 counties in Arkansas, 10 of them with two county seats. Each county is governed by a quorum court, consisting of 9–15 justices Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
15
Judicial System
71
Arkansas
courts include the circuit courts (law) and the chancery courts (equity). Arkansas had an FBI Violent Crime Index rate of 499.1 per 100,000 population in 2001. In 2004 there were 13,807 prisoners in state and federal correctional institutions.
16
Migration
Near the end of the 18th century, Indians from east of the Mississippi, displaced by white settlement, entered the area now known as Arkansas. However, as the availability of cheap land in Louisiana Territory drew more and more white settlers, particularly veterans of the War of 1812 who had been promised land, the Indians were pressured to cross the border from Arkansas to present-day Oklahoma. After the end of the Mexican War, thousands of Arkansans immigrated to Texas and others were attracted to California in 1849 by the gold rush. Because of a law passed in 1859 requiring free blacks to leave the state by the end of the year or risk being enslaved, Arkansas’s population of free blacks dropped from 682 in 1858 to 144 in 1860. During Reconstruction, the state government encouraged immigration by both blacks and whites. Later immigrants included Italians and, in the early 1900s, Germans. During the Depression era (1930s) and thereafter, Arkansas lost a substantial proportion of its farm population and many blacks left the state for the industrial cities of the Midwest and the east and west coasts. Between 1990 and 1998, the state’s overall population increased by 8%. In the period 2000–06, the population increased by 5.1%. 72
17
Economy
Cotton dominated Arkansas’s agricultural economy until well into the 20th century, when rice, soybeans, poultry, and fish farming diversified the economy. Coal mining, bauxite mining, the extraction of oil, and lumbering all developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but industrialization was limited. Not until the 1950s did Arkansas enjoy significant success in attracting industry, thanks in large part to the efforts of Winthrop Rockefeller. By the mid-1990s, Arkansas’s principal industries had become manufacturing, dominated by lumber and wood products companies; agriculture; forestry; and tourism. Fifty-seven Fortune 500 firms are found in Arkansas, including Walmart Stores, Tyson Foods, Dillard Department Stores, Beverly Enterprises, and Alltel (all headquartered in the state). Arkansas’s gross state product in 2004 was $80.9 billion.
18
Income
In 2004, Arkansas had a per capita personal income of $25,814, which ranked 49th in the United States (including the District of Columbia). In 2004, the median household income was $33,948, compared to the national average of $44,473. In 2001, the median income for a family of four was $47,838, compared to the national average of $63,278. For the period 2000–04, 17.6% of Arkansans lived below the federal poverty level, compared to 12.4% of the population nationwide. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Arkansas
19
Industry
Manufacturing in Arkansas is diverse, ranging from blue jeans to bicycles, though resource industries such as rice processing and woodworking still play a major role. Earnings of persons employed in Arkansas totaled $6.4 billion in 2004. The largest industries in 2004 were food manufacturing, accounting for $1.3 billion of total wages; fabricated metal product manufacturing, $610.7 million wages; and plastics and rubber products manufacturing paying $537.290 million in wages.
20
Labor
In April 2006, the civilian labor force in Arkansas numbered 1,398,400, with approximately 71,800 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 5.1%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. It was estimated that in 2006 4.6% of the labor force was employed in construction; 16.5% in manufacturing; 20.8% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 4.4% in finance, insurance, and real estate; 30.1% in services; and 17.4% in government. Chartered in 1865, the Little Rock Typographical Union, consisting of Arkansas Gazette employees, was the first labor union in the state. The United Mine Workers was established in the Ft. Smith area by 1898. Six years later, the UMW led in the founding of the Arkansas Federation of Labor. Union strength waned after the war, however, and the labor movement is not a powerful force in the state today. In 2005, 54,000 of Arkansas’s 1,138,000 employed wage and salary workers were memJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
bers of unions. This represented 4.8% of those so employed. The national average is 12%.
21
Agriculture
Farm marketings in Arkansas were over $6 billion in 2005 (11th in the United States). The state is the nation’s leading producer of rice and is among the leaders in cotton, soybeans, and sorghum. Cotton was first grown in the state about 1800 along the river valleys and became widespread in the post-Civil War period. As elsewhere in the South, sharecropping by tenant farmers predominated well into the 20th century, until modernization gradually brought an end to the system. During 2004, Arkansas produced 124,425,000 bushels of soybeans, 32,860 bushels of wheat, 3,570,000 tons of hay, and 4,704,000 bushels of sorghum for grain. The rice harvest in 2004 was 96,600,000 hundredweight (4.39 million kilograms) and the cotton crop was 2,085,000 bales.
22
Domesticated Animals
Poultry farms are found throughout Arkansas, but especially in the northern and western regions. Broiler production accounts for over 40% of the state’s agricultural receipts. Arkansas was the second-highest broiler-producing state in the United States in 2003 (after Georgia). About 5.4 billion pounds (2.5 billion kilograms) of broilers were valued at $2 billion. In 2004, it was estimated that Arkansas produced 3.5 billion eggs. Arkansas produced 477 million pounds (217 million kilograms) of turkey valued at $176.5 million in 2003. The same year Arkansas sold 125.9 million pounds (57 73
Arkansas
million kilograms) of chickens valued at $8.8 million. The dairy yield of the state’s 29,000 milk cows in 2003 was 352 million pounds (160 million kilograms) of milk. In 2005, Arkansas had an estimated 1.9 million cattle and calves valued at $1.5 billion. In 2004, Arkansas had an estimated 330,000 hogs and pigs valued at $32.3 million.
23
Fishing
As of 2005, the state ranked second only to Mississippi in catfish farming. The same year, there were 153 catfish operations covering 31,500 acres (14,300 hectares) of water surface, with 100.6 million stocker-size and 185 million fingerling/fry catfish. Some producers rotate fish crops with row crops, periodically draining their fish ponds and planting grains in the rich and well-fertilized soil. Most public fishing areas are frequently stocked with trout. Arkansas had 685,634 licensed anglers in 2004. There are three national fish hatcheries in Arkansas.
24
Forestry
In 2003, forestland comprised 18,771,000 acres (7,596,000 hectares), 56% of the state’s total land area. Of that total, 18,373,000 acres (7,435,000 hectares) were commercial timberland. The southwest and central plains, the state’s timber belt, constitute one of the most concentrated sources of yellow pine in the United States. Lumber production in 2004 totaled 2.9 billion board feet, third in the United States. Three national forests in Arkansas covered a total of 3,540,000 acres (1,432,638 hectares) in 2003. 74
25
Mining
In 2004, the US Geological Survey estimate of the value of mineral production in Arkansas was $518 million. 33 million metric tons of crushed stone were produced in 2004, as well as 9.37 million metric tons of construction sand and gravel. Arkansas continues to be the leading bromineproducing state, accounting for most US production. Bromine, crushed stone, cement (both portland and masonry), and construction sand and gravel, respectively, were the top four nonfuel minerals, accounting for 92% of all nonfuel mineral output by value.
26
Energy and Power
As of 2003, Arkansas power plants had a total production of 50.4 billion kilowatt hours, with 82.6% of the total production coming from electric utilities. As of 2006, the state had one nuclear power plant During 2004, 18,000 barrels per day of crude petroleum were produced and reserves were 51 million barrels. Production of natural gas was 169.6 billion cubic feet (4.8 billion cubic meters), with 1,853 billion cubic feet (52.1 billion cubic meters) of reserves remaining. About 7,000 short tons of coal were mined in 2004.
27
Commerce
Arkansas had wholesale sales totaling $34.4 billion in 2002. Retail sales that year totaled $25.6 billion. In 2005, exports of goods produced within Arkansas amounted to $3.8 billion, ranking the state 36th in the nation. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Arkansas
28
Public Finance
Under the 1874 constitution, state expenditures may not exceed revenues. For 2006, however, revenues for the state were at about $14 billion and expenditures were $12.5 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($4.7 billion), public welfare ($2.3 billion), and highways ($1.1 billion). State government debt totaled $3.7 billion, or about $1,363 per person.
29
Taxation
In 2005, the state income tax ranged from 1% to 7%, which ranks the state 49th in the nation. The state sales tax is 6%. The state also imposes severance taxes on oil, natural gas, and other natural resources, along with levies on liquor, gasoline, and cigarettes. City and county property taxes in Arkansas are among the lowest in the nation. Total tax revenues for 2005 were at approximately $6.5 million, 28.6% of which came from individual income taxes and 39.3% from the sales tax.
30
Health
In 2005, the infant death rate was 7.6 per 1,000 live births. The overall death rate in 2003 was 10.2 per 1000 resident population. The incidence of death due to cerebrovascular disease was 82.4 per 100,000 population, the highest in the nation. In 2004, the reported AIDS case rate was 6.7 per 100,000 of the population. The HIV death rate in Arkansas was 3 per 100,000 population the same year. Of adults age 18 years and older, 25.5% were smokers in 2004. In Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
2003 state health care expenditures totaled $3 million. In 2003, Arkansas’s 88 hospitals had 9,900 beds. Hospital expenses were $1,130 per inpatient day. In 2004, the state had 205 physicians per 100,000 population and a total of 729 nurses per 100,000 in 2005. About 17% of the adult population was uninsured in 2002.
31
Housing
In 2004, there were an estimated 1,233,203 housing units in Arkansas, of which 1,099,086 were occupied. In the same year, 65.5% of all housing units were owner-occupied. About 69% of all units were single-family, detached homes and 12.7% were mobile homes. The average household size was 2.43 people. It was estimated that about 98,716 units were without telephone service, 1,709 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 5,662 lacked complete kitchen facilities. Though most units relied on gas and electricity for heating fuels, about 40,890 households used wood for a primary heating source. About 15,900 new housing units were authorized in 2004. The median home value was $79,006. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $773 while the monthly cost for renters was at a median of $517.
32
Education
In 2004, 79.2% of all Arkansans 25 years of age and older were high school graduates. Only 18.8% had completed four or more years of college. In 1957, the Little Rock school system became the site for public controversy when the school board announced its voluntary com75
Arkansas
pliance with the Supreme Court’s desegregation decision. Though several public schools in the state had been peaceably integrated, on 5 September 1957, then Governor Faubus ordered the National Guard to seize Central High School to prevent the entry of nine black students. The National Guardsmen were withdrawn by a federal court order later that month and President Dwight Eisenhower dispatched federal troops to Little Rock to patrol the school grounds until the end of the 1958 spring semester. By 1980, Central High School had a nearly equal balance of black and white students and the state’s school system was one of the most integrated in the South. Total enrollment in public schools was estimated at 451,000 in fall 2002. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $3.5 billion. Enrollment in nonpublic schools in fall 2003 was 27,500. As of fall 2002, there were 127,372 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In the same year Arkansas had 47 degree-granting institutions. The largest institution of higher education in the state is the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville (established in 1871). The state university system also has campuses at Fort Smith, Little Rock, Monticello, and Pine Bluff and a medical school.
33
Arts
The Arkansas Arts Council was established in 1971 as one of six agencies of the Department of Arkansas Heritage. Arkansas recieves a total of $616,200 in grants for state art organizations from the National Endowment for the Arts in 2005. Arkansas also received $1.7 million dollars from the National Endowment for 76
the Humanities and is affiliated with the MidAmerica Arts Alliance. Little Rock is the home of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, the Arkansas Festival Ballet, the Arkansas Repertory Theater, and the Arkansas Arts Center, which holds art exhibits and classes, and children’s theater performances. The Shakespeare Festival of Arkansas is staged at the Center Stage Theater in Little Rock. The best-known center for traditional arts and crafts is the Ozark Folk Center at Mountain View. The Arkansas Folk Festival is held there during two weekends in April and the Family Harvest Festival for three weeks in October. Lyon College at Batesville sponsors two-week summer workshops in Ozark crafts, music, and folklore in association with the center. The Grand Prairie Festival of Arts is held at Stuttgart in September.
34
Libraries and Museums
During 2001, Arkansas had 35 library systems, with a total of 209 libraries, of which 169 were branches. That year, the state’s public libraries held a total circulation of 10.5 million. Important collections include those of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, Arkansas State University at Jonesboro, the Central Arkansas Library System of Little Rock, and the News Library of the Arkansas Gazette, also in Little Rock. There were 78 museums in 2000 and a number of historic sites. Principal museums include the Arkansas Arts Center, the Museum of Science and History, and the University of Arkansas Museum at Fayetteville, specializing in archaeology, anthropology, and the sciences. Hampson Museum State Park, near Wilson, has one of the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Arkansas
William J. Clinton Presidential Library. © ZACK SECKLER/CORBIS.
largest collections of Mound Builder artifacts in the United States. Civil War battle sites include the Pea Ridge National Military Park, the Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park, and the Arkansas Post National Memorial. The Ft. Smith National Historic Site includes buildings and museums from the days when the town was a military outpost on the border of Indian Territory.
35
Communications
In 2004, 88.6% of the state’s households had telephones, the lowest rate in the nation. There were 63 major radio stations (7 AM, 56 FM) and 17 major television stations in 2005. A total of 23,195 Internet domain names were registered as of 2000. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
36
Press
The first newspaper in Arkansas, the Arkansas Gazette (established in 1819), was the state’s most widely read and influential journal until 1991 when publication ceased. In 2005, there were 14 morning dailies, 14 evening papers, and 16 Sunday papers. The leading dailies (with 2005 circulations) were the Southwest Times Record (37,669) and the Arkansas Democrat Gazette (182,391).
37
Tourism, Travel & Recreation
In 2004, the state had about 218 million visitors with travel expenditures reaching over $3.9 billion dollars. The state has 14 tourist information centers. 77
Arkansas
38
Sports
Arkansas has no major league professional sports teams, but has a minor league baseball team, the Travelers. Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs has a 62day thoroughbred-racing season each spring and dog races are held in West Memphis from April through November. Several major rodeos take place in summer and fall, including the Rodeo of the Ozarks in Springdale in early July. The University of Arkansas has competed in the Southeastern Conference since 1990. The Razorback football team has won seven bowl games. The men’s basketball team won the NCAA Division I basketball championship in 1994 and won or shared the Southwest Conference championship five times. They won the Southeastern Conference in 1994 and 2000.
39 Canoe moving along the Buffalo National River. © WILLIAM A. BAKE/CORBIS.
Leading attractions are the mineral waters and recreational facilities at Hot Springs, Eureka Springs, Mammoth Spring, and Heber Springs. The Crater of Diamonds, near Murfreesboro, is the only known public source of natural diamonds in North America. For a fee, visitors may hunt for diamonds and keep any they find. More than 100,000 diamonds have been found in the area since 1906. The World’s Championship Duck Calling Contest is held at the beginning of the winter duck season in Stuttgart. The city of Hamburg hosts the Armadillo Festival.
78
Famous Arkansans
Arkansas has produced one president of the United States, William Jefferson Clinton (b. 1946). Clinton, a Democrat, defeated incumbent George H. W. Bush in the 1992 presidential election and was reelected in 1996. Clinton was elected governor of Arkansas in 1978, becoming the nation’s youngest governor. Hattie W. Caraway (b.Tennessee, 1878– 1950), was the first woman elected to the US Senate, serving from 1931 to 1945. Senator J. William Fulbright (b.Missouri, 1905–1995) was chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. John H. Johnson (b.1918), publisher of the nation’s leading black-oriented magazines— Ebony, Jet, and others—is an Arkansan. John Gould Fletcher (1886–1950) was a Pulitzer Prize-
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Arkansas
General Douglas MacArthur (1880–1964), born in Arkansas, was supreme commander of Allied forces in the Pacific during World War II and in Korea. In this famous WWII picture, MacArthur wades ashore at Leyte in the Philippine Islands after American troops had secured the area from the Japanese. EPD PHOTOS/NATIONAL ARCHIVES.
winning poet. Another prominent Arkansan resident poet and writer is Maya Angelou (b.Missouri, 1928). Perhaps the best-known country music performers from Arkansas are Johnny Cash (1932–2003) and Glen Campbell (b.1938). Notable Arkansas sports personalities include football coach Paul “Bear” Bryant (1913–1983); Brooks Robinson (b.1937), considered by some the best-fielding third baseman in baseball history; Lou Brock (b.1939), who was known for
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
his base-stealing ability; and star pass-catcher Lance Alworth (b.Mississippi, 1940).
40
Bibliography
BOOKS Altman, Linda Jacobs. Arkansas. New York: Benchmark Books, 2000. Angelou, Maya. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. New York: Bantam, 1971. Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000.
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Arkansas
Kule, Elaine A. Arkansas Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003. Lantier, Patricia. Arkansas. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2006. McNair, Sylvia. Arkansas. New York: Children’s Press, 2001. Murray, Julie. Arkansas. Edina, MN: Abdo
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Publishing, 2006. WEB SITES Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. Arkansas: the Natural State. www.arkansas.com/ (accessed March 1, 2007). Official Website for the State of Arkansas. www.state. ar.us/ (accessed March 1, 2007).
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
California State of California
O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Probably from the
mythical island California in a 16th-century romance by Garci Ordónez de Montalvo. N I CKNAME : The Golden State. C AP ITAL: Sacramento. ENT ERED UNION: 9 September 1850 (31st). O FFICIAL SEAL: In the foreground is the goddess Minerva; a grizzly bear stands in front of her shield. The scene also shows the Sierra Nevada, San Francisco Bay, a miner, a sheaf of wheat, and a cluster of grapes, all representing California’s resources. The state motto and 31 stars are displayed at the top. The words “The Great Seal of the State of California” surround the whole. FLAG: The flag consists of a white field with a red star at upper left and a red stripe and the words “California Republic” across the bottom; in the center, a brown grizzly bear walks on a patch of green grass. M OT TO: Eureka (I have found it). SONG: “I Love You, California.” FLOWER: Golden poppy. TREE: California redwood. A NIMAL: California grizzly bear (extinct), California gray whale (marine mammal). B IRD: California valley quail. FISH: South Fork golden trout. IN S ECT: California dog-face butterfly (flying pansy). R EPT ILE: California desert tortoise. G E M: Benitoite. FOSSIL: California saber-toothed cat. M INERAL: Native gold. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
R O C K O R S T O N E : Serpentine. C O L O R S : Blue and gold. L E G A L H O L I D AY S : New Year’s Day, 1 January;
Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Lincoln’s Birthday, 12 February; Presidents’ Day, 3rd Monday in February; Cesar Chavez Day, 31 March; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 4 AM PST = noon GMT.
1
Location and Size
Situated on the Pacific coast of the southwestern United States, California is the nation’s third-largest state (after Alaska and Texas). The total area of California is 158,706 square miles (411,048 square kilometers), of which land takes 81
California
up 156,299 square miles (404,814 square kilometers) and inland water 2,407 square miles (6,234 square kilometers). California extends about 350 miles (560 kilometers) east-west. Its maximum north-south extension is 780 miles (1,260 kilometers). The eight Santa Barbara islands lie from 20 to 60 miles (32–97 kilometers) off California’s southwestern coast. The small islands and islets of the Farallon group are about 30 miles (48 kilometers) west of San Francisco Bay. The total boundary length of the state is 2,050 miles (3,299 kilometers), including a general coastline of 840 miles (1,352 kilometers).
2
Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:
36,457,549 7.6% 35.5% 96.9% 60.9% 6.1% 0.7% 12.4% 0.4% 16.4% 3.1%
Population by Age Group 65 and over (11%) Under 18 (27%)
Topography
California is the only state in the United States with an extensive seacoast, high mountains, and deserts. Mt. Whitney is the highest point in the contiguous United States, at 14,494 feet (4,419 meters). It is located no more than 80 miles (129 kilometers) from the lowest point in the entire country, Death Valley, which is 282 feet (86 meters) below sea level. California’s principal geographic regions are the Sierra Nevada in the east, the Coast Ranges in the west, the Central Valley between them, and the Mojave and Colorado deserts in the southeast. California has 41 mountains exceeding 10,000 feet (3,050 meters). After Mt. Whitney, the highest peaks in the state are Mt. Williamson, in the Sierra Nevada, at 14,375 feet (4,382 meters) and Mt. Shasta at 14,162 feet (4,317 meters), an extinct volcano in the Cascades. Lassen Peak (10,457 feet/3,187 meters), also in the Cascades, is a dormant volcano. 82
California Population Profile
45 to 64 (23%) 18 to 24 (10%)
25 to 44 (29%)
Major Cities by Population City
Population
% change 2000–05
Los Angeles San Diego San Jose San Francisco Long Beach Fresno Sacramento Oakland Santa Ana Anaheim
3,844,829 1,255,540 912,332 739,426 474,014 461,116 456,441 395,274 340,368 331,804
4.1 2.6 1.9 -4.8 2.7 7.8 12.1 -1.1 0.7 1.2
Notes: †A person of Hispanic or Latino origin may be of any race. NA indicates that data are not available. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey and Population Estimates. www.census.gov/ (accessed March 2007).
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
California
OREGON
Lava Beds National Monument
DEL NORTE
Klamath Nat’l For. SISKIYOU
Modoc Nat’l For.
Klamath Nat’l For.
Marble Mt. Wilderness Area
MODOC
LASSEN
TRINITY
Modoc Nat’l For. HUMBOLDT
Salmon-Trinity Alps Wilderness Area
Lassen Volcanic Nat’l Park
SHASTA
Lassen National Forest
PLUMAS
TEHAMA
Trinity Nat’l For. MENDOCINO
5
Explanation
Plumas Nat’l For.
BUTTE
Mendocino Nat’l For.
CALIFORNIA Point of Interest City (100,000-500,000 people)
SIERRA
GLENN
Tahoe National Forest COLUSA
LAKE
SUTTER YUBA
NEVADA
Lake Tahoe
PLACER
80 NAPA
Sacramento Santa Rosa
0
Vallejo
25
50 miles
MONO
Concord Berkeley COSTA OaklandCONTRA
CALAVERAS
Stockton SAN JOAQUIN
Hayward Fremont
TUOLUMNE
0
Yosemite Nat’l Park
25
50 kilometers
Modesto
ALAMEDA
Sunnyvale
N
Toiyabe National Forest
ALPINE
AMADOR
SACRAMENTO
SOLANO
San Francisco
Area of Interest
EL DORADO
505
MARIN
U.S. Interstate Route
5
Eldorado National Forest
YOLO
SONOMA
City (more than 500,000 people) State Capital
NEVADA
STANISLAUS
SANTA CLARA
SAN MATEO
SANTA CRUZ
MARIPOSA
MERCED
San Jose
INYO
Sierra Nat’l For.
Inyo Nat’l For.
MADERA SAN BENITO
Monterey Bay
Salinas
Fresno
FRESNO
TULARE
MONTEREY
5
Sequoia Nat’l Park
KINGS
Los Padres National Forest
Death Valley Nat’l Mon.
Sequoia Nat’l For. KERN
SAN LUIS OBISPO
15
PA
China Lake Naval Weapons Center
Los Padres Nat’l Forest
SANTA BARBARA
VENTURA
40
LOS ANGELES
CI
Santa Clarita
Angeles Nat’l For.
FI
Thousand Oaks Oxnard
C Santa Rosa Is.
Santa Cruz Is.
O
Channel Islands National Park
Los Angeles
Glendale Pasadena El Monte
San Bernardino
C
Ontario Riverside Fullerton Moreno Orange Valley Irvine
RIVERSIDE
Pomona
Inglewood Anaheim Torrance
E
A
Long Beach Garden Grove Huntington Beach Santa Ana Santa
ORANGE
15 5
Catalina Is.
N
San Nicolas Is.
Twentynine Palms Marine Corps Base
Rancho Cucamonga
Simmi Valley
San Miguel Is.
ARIZONA
SAN BERNARDINO
Bakersfield
Oceanside Gulf of Santa Catalina
San Clemente Is.
San Diego
Joshua Tree Nat’l Monument
10 San Bernardino Nat’l For. SAN DIEGO
IMPERIAL
Cleveland Salton Sea Nat’l For. Escondido Salton Sea Nat’l Wildlife Refuge Chula Vista
Chocolate Mtn. Gunnery Range
8
MEXICO Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
83
California
California is famous for its beaches. © JAMES CORRIGAN/EPD PHOTOS.
Melted snow from the Sierra Nevada feeds the state’s principal rivers, the Sacramento and San Joaquin. In the south, most rivers are dry creek beds except during the spring flood season. They either dry up from evaporation in the hot summer sun or disappear beneath the surface, like Death Valley’s Amargosa River. The Salton Sea, in the Imperial Valley of the southeast, is the state’s largest lake, occupying 374 square miles (969 square kilometers). This saline sink was created accidentally in the early 1900s when Colorado River water, via an irrigation canal, flooded a natural depression. Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada covers 192 square miles (497 square kilometers). 84
The California coast is indented by two magnificent natural harbors, San Francisco Bay and San Diego Bay, and two smaller bays, Monterey and Humboldt. Two groups of islands lie off the California shore: the Santa Barbara Islands, situated west of Los Angeles and San Diego; and the rocky Farallon Islands, off San Francisco. The San Andreas Fault, extending from north of San Francisco Bay for more than 600 miles (970 kilometers) southeast to the Mojave Desert, is a major active earthquake zone and was responsible for the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906. Because water is scarce in the southern part of the state and because an adequate water supply is essential both for agriculture and for industry, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
California
California Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number
Percent
Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33,871,648 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32,264,002 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,513,166 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101,705 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175,273 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247,396 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26,920 White and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 684,475 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . 25,204 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25,203 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . 4,257 Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47,923 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14,560 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . 1,837 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29,004 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36,050 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82,728 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10,631 Three or more races. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94,480
. . . . . 100.0 . . . . . . 95.3 . . . . . . . 4.5 . . . . . . . 0.3 . . . . . . . 0.5 . . . . . . . 0.7 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . 2.0 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.3
Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.
more than 1,000 dams and reservoirs have been built in California. By 1993, there were 1,336 reservoirs in the state. Popular reservoirs for recreation are located along the tributaries of the Sacramento and San Joaquim rivers. Clair Lake Eagle, also known as Trinity Lake, is located on the Trinity River.
3
Climate
Generally there are two seasons—a long, dry summer, with low humidity and cool evenings, and a mild, rainy winter—except in the high mountains, where four seasons prevail and snow lasts from November to April. California has four main climatic regions. Mild summers and Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
winters prevail in central coastal areas, where temperatures are steadier than anywhere else in the United States. In the area between San Francisco and Monterey, for example, the difference between average summer and winter temperatures is seldom more than 10°f (6°c). Mountainous regions are characterized by milder summers and colder winters, with markedly low temperatures at high elevations. The Central Valley has hot summers and cool winters, while the Imperial Valley is marked by very hot and dry summers, with temperatures frequently exceeding 100°f (38°c). Average annual temperatures for the state range from 47°f (8°c) in the Sierra Nevada to 85
California
73°f (23°c) in the Imperial Valley. The highest temperature ever recorded in the United States was 134°f (57°c), which was registered in Death Valley on 10 July 1913. The state’s lowest temperature was -45°f (-43°c), recorded on 20 January 1937 at Boca, near the Nevada border. Los Angeles has an average January minimum temperature of 48°f (9°c) and an average July maximum of 73°f (27°c). San Francisco has a January average minimum of 46°f (7°c) and a July average maximum of 66°f (18°c). Sacramento’s January minimum average is 38°f (3°c), with a July maximum of 93°f (34°c). Annual precipitation varies from only 2 inches (5 centimeters) in the Imperial Valley to 68 inches (173 centimeters) at Blue Canyon, near Lake Tahoe. San Francisco has an average annual precipitation of 20 inches (51 centimeters), Sacramento has 17.4 inches (44 centimeters), and Los Angeles has 14 inches (35 centimeters). The largest one-month snowfall ever recorded in the United States—390 inches (991 centimeters)— fell in Alpine County in January 1911. There is an average of between 300 and 400 inches (760 to 1,020 centimeters) of snowfall annually in the high elevations of the Sierra Nevada, but snow is rare in the coastal lowlands. San Francisco is the windiest city in the state, with an average annual wind speed of 11 miles per hour (18 kilometers per hour). During the summer there are heavy fogs in San Francisco and all along the coast. Tropical rainstorms occur often in California during the winter.
4
Plants and Animals
The state’s six life zones are the lower Sonoran (desert); upper Sonoran (foothill regions and 86
some coastal lands); transition (coastal areas and moist northeastern counties); and the Canadian, Hudsonian, and Arctic zones, comprising California’s highest elevations. Plant life in the arid climate of the lower Sonoran zone features native cactus, mesquite, and paloverde. The Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia) is found in the Mojave Desert. Flowering plants include the dwarf desert poppy and a variety of asters. Fremont cottonwood and valley oak grow in the Central Valley. The upper Sonoran zone includes the unique chaparral belt, with forests of small shrubs, stunted trees, and herbaceous plants. The golden poppy (Eschscholtzia californica)—the state flower—also flourishes in this zone. The transition zone includes most of the state’s forests, with such magnificent specimens as the redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) and “big tree” or giant sequoia (Sequoia gigantea), among the oldest living things on earth (some are believed to be at least 4,000 years old). Characteristic wildflowers include varieties of mariposa, tulip, and tiger and leopard lilies. The high elevations of the Canadian zone contain abundant Jeffrey pine, red fir, and lodgepole pine. Just below the timberline, in the Hudsonian zone, grow the whitebark, foxtail, and silver pines. At approximately 10,500 feet (3,200 meters) begins the Arctic zone, a treeless region whose plant life includes a number of wildflowers, including Sierra primrose, yellow columbine, alpine buttercup, and alpine shooting star. Among the numerous plant species found in California that are federally classified as endangered are the Contra Costa wallflower, Antioch Dunes evening primrose, and San Clemente Island larkspur. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
California
The General Sherman tree in the Sequoia National Forest. © COREL CORPORATION.
Mammals found in the deserts of the lower Sonoran zone include the jackrabbit, kangaroo rat, squirrel, and opossum. The Texas night owl, roadrunner, and various species of hawk are common birds, and reptiles include the sidewinder and horned toad. The upper Sonoran zone is home to such mammals as the antelope, brown-footed woodrat, and ring-tailed cat. Birds of this zone include the California thrasher and California condor. Animal life is abundant amid the forests of the transition zone. Colombian black-tailed deer, black bear, gray fox, cougar, and bobcat are found. Garter snakes and rattlesnakes are common, and birds include the kingfisher, chickadee, towhee, and hummingbird. Mammals of the Canadian zone include the mountain weasel, snowshoe hare, and several speJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
cies of chipmunk. Birds include the blue-fronted jay and Sierra hermit thrush. Birds become scarcer as one ascends to the Hudsonian zone. Principal mammals of this region are also visitors from other zones, though the Sierra coney and white-tailed jackrabbit make their homes here. Aquatic life in California is abundant. Many trout species are found, among them rainbow, golden, and Tahoe. Migratory species of salmon are also common. Deep-sea life-forms include sea bass, yellowfin tuna, barracuda, and several types of whale. Native to the cliffs of northern California are seals, sea lions, and many types of shorebirds. Joint efforts by state and federal wildlife agencies have established an ambitious—if somewhat controversial—recovery program to revitalize the dwindling population of the majes87
California
The Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco. ROBERT HOLMES.
tic condor, the largest bird native to the United States. As of April 2006, there were 124 animal species and 179 plant species on the threatened and endangered species list. These include the Jan Joaquin kit fox, salt marsh harvest mouse, California least tern, California condor, San Francisco garter snake, and Owens River pupfish. Ten butterflies listed as endangered on the federal list are California species. Among threatened aquatic animals are the Paiute cutthroat trout, and Southern sea otter.
5
Environmental Protection
Efforts to preserve natural wilderness areas in California go back at least to 1890, when the 88
US Congress created three national parks in the Sierra Nevada: Sequoia, Grant (now part of Kings Canyon), and Yosemite. In 1892, naturalist John Muir and other wilderness lovers founded the Sierra Club. Over the next century, numerous other natural areas were designated national parklands. Among the most recent were Death Valley National Park (1994), Joshua Tree National Park (1994), and “Rosie the Riveter” World War II Home Front National Historical Park (2000). California has four Ramsar Wetlands of International Importance. California’s primary resource problem is water, particularly in the southern two-thirds of the state which accounts for about 75% of annual water consumption but only 30% of the supply. Water has been diverted from the Sierra Nevada snow runoff and from the Colorado River to the cities and dry areas largely by means of aqueducts, some 700 miles (1,100 kilometers) of which have been constructed in federal and state undertakings. In December 1994, the state and federal governments joined together to form the Bay Delta Accord, intended to restore the environmentally threatened San Francisco Bay area through a combination of better conservation efforts and public and private investment. Air pollution, particularly smog, has been a serious problem. Smog is caused by cold air that traps unburned hydrocarbons at ground level. Most smog particles are created by automobile exhaust emissions. In 1960, the state legislature passed the first automobile antismog law in the nation, requiring that all cars be equipped with antismog exhaust devices. In early 1995, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved a California ozone-reduction plan that ordered car manufacturers to design and proJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
California
duce cars that will be 50% to 84% cleaner than the ones sold in 1990. State land-reclamation programs have been important in providing new agricultural land and controlling flood damage. In the 1980s, the state legislature enacted stringent controls on toxic waste. California has since been a leader in recycling waste products. In 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency’s database listed 903 hazardous waste sites in the states, 93 of which were on the National Priorities List in 2006. The California Department of Water Resources is responsible for maintaining adequate groundwater levels, enforcing water-quality standards, and controlling floodwaters. The state Department of Conservation has overall responsibility for conservation and protection of the state’s soil, mineral, petroleum, geothermal, and marine resources. The California Coastal Commission, created in 1972, is designated by federal law to review projects that effect California’s coastline, including offshore oil leasing, which has become a source of concern in recent years.
6
Population
In 2006, California had an estimated population of 36,457,549 people, the highest population among the 50 states. The population density in 2004 was 230.2 persons per square mile (88.8 persons per square kilometer). The population is projected to reach 44.3 million by 2025. In 2004, the median age was 34.1 years old. As of 2005, about 27% of the population was 18 years of age or younger and 11% of the population was 65 or older. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Los Angeles is the second most populous city in the United States (behind New York City). In 2005, the major cities and their estimated populations were Los Angeles, 3,844,829; San Diego, 1,255,540; San Jose, 912,332; San Francisco, 739,426; Long Beach, 474,014; Fresno, 461,116; Sacramento, 456,441; Oakland, 395,274; Santa Ana, 340,368; and Anaheim, 331,804.
7
Ethnic Groups
Nearly one-third of all foreign-born persons in the United States live in California. In the 2000 census, about 26% of the population, or 8,864,255 people, were foreign born. About half of these residents were Latin Americans. Asians accounted for another third. As of 2002, nearly four-fifths of foreign-born Californians lived in the metropolitan areas of Los Angeles and San Francisco. In 2000, about 10,966,556 people were of Hispanic or Latino origin. Most of them were Mexican-Americans. There were 140,570 Puerto Ricans and 72,286 Cubans. In the census year, California had the largest Asian population of any state with about 3,697,513 people. There were also 116,961 Pacific Islanders, including more native Hawaiians than in any state except Hawaii. The Chinese were the largest group among California’s Asian population, numbering 980,642 people, or 2.9% of the population. The nation’s oldest and largest Chinatown is in San Francisco. Los Angeles also has a Chinese district. There were also about 288,854 Japanese, 918,678 Filipinos, 345,882 Koreans, 447,032 Vietnamese, 314,819 Asian Indians, 55,456 Laotians, 20,571 native Hawaiians, 37,498 Samoans, and 20,918 Guamanians. Native Americans and Alaskan natives num89
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bered around 333,346 in 2000. The city of Los Angeles has more Native Americans than any other US city. In 2000, California had the fifthlargest black population in the country, with 2,263,882 people. In 2006, estimates placed the Hispanic or Latino population ate about 35.5% of the population, Asians at 12.4%, Native Americans and Alaskan Natives at 0.7%, and black Americans at 6.1%.
8
Languages
As in much of the West, California English is a combination of the eastern dialects and subdialects brought by westward migration from the eastern states. The interior valley is Midland-oriented, but generally, in both northern and southern California, Northern speech is dominant. There are some regional differences terms. San Francisco, for instance has sody or soda water for a soft drink. A large sandwich in San Francisco is called a grinder, while in Sacramento it is either a poor Joe or a submarine. In the Bay region and from San Jose to Sacramento a sofa or davenport is often called a chesterfield, a term common in Canada but now found nowhere else in the United States. Boonville, a village about 100 miles (160 kilometers) north of San Francisco, is notorious for “Boontling,” a local dialect contrived in the mid-19th century by Scotch-Irish settlers who wanted privacy and freedom from obscenities in their conversation. Now declining in use, Boontling has about 1,000 vocabulary replacements of usual English words, together with some unusual pronunciations. In 2000, 19,014,873 Californians (60.5% of the population) who were five years old or 90
over reported speaking only English at home. Other languages spoken at home include Spanish (8,105,505 people or 25.8%), Chinese (815,386 people or 2.6%), Tagalog (626,399 people or 2.0%), Vietnamese (407,119), and Korean (298,076). California’s large foreign-language populations have posed major problems for the public schools. In 1974, a landmark San Francisco case, Lau v. Nichols, brought a decision from the US Supreme Court that children who do not know English should be able to receive instruction in their native tongue while learning English. In 1998, however, California voters enacted Proposition 227, which called for students to be taught English by being placed in English language classrooms.
9
Religions
The first Roman Catholics in California were Spanish friars, who established 21 Franciscan missions from San Diego to Sonoma between 1769 and 1823. Protestant ministers accompanied migrant miners during the gold rush, founding 32 churches in San Francisco by 1855. In the early 20th century, many dissident sects sprang up, including such organizations as Firebrands for Jesus, the Psychosomatic Institute, the Mystical Order of Melchizedek, the Infinite Science Church, and Nothing Impossible, and Foursquare Gospel. Since World War II, religions such as Zen Buddhism and Scientology have won enthusiastic followings, along with various cults devoted to self-discovery and self-improvement. Nevertheless, the majority of religious adherents in California continue to follow traditional faiths. In 2004, there were 10,496,697 Roman Catholics. The next largest religion was Judaism Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
California
with 994,000 adherents in 2000. In 2006, the Latter-day Saints had 761,763 adherents. The next largest Protestant churches (with 2000 data) included the Southern Baptist Convention, 471,119 adherents; Assemblies of God, 310,522 adherents; Presbyterian Church USA, 229,918; and the United Methodist Church, 228,844. In 2000, there were 489 Buddhist, 131 Hindu, and 163 Muslim congregations in the state. About 53.9% of the population were not counted as members of any religious organization. The Church of Scientology in Los Angeles, established in 1954 by the religions founder L. Ron Hubbard, is the religions largest facility and also serves as a training center for leaders. The Crystal Cathedral opened in 1980 in Garden Grove, California, is the home base for the international Crystal Cathedral Ministries and the internationally televised Hour of Power. Dr. Robert H. Schuller, a minister of the Reformed Church in America presides there for a congregation of over 10,000 members.
10
Transportation
California has more motor vehicles than any other state and ranked second only to Texas in interstate highway mileage in 2004. An intricate 8,300-mile (13,400-kilometer) network of urban interstate highways, expressways, and freeways is one of the engineering wonders of the modern world, but the traffic congestion in the state’s major cities during rush hours may well be the worst in the country. The Central Pacific–Union Pacific transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869. Railroad construction crews, mostly imported Chinese laborers, started from Sacramento and dug and blasted the route through the solid Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Cable car climbs Russian Hill in San Francisco, with Alcatraz in the background. © DAVE G. HOUSER/CORBIS.
granite of the Sierra Nevada and then across the Nevada desert, linking up with the Union Pacific at Promontory, Utah, on 10 May 1869. The Southern Pacific completed a line from Sacramento to Los Angeles in 1876 and another to Texas the following year. As of 2003, California had 7,283 rail miles (11,725 kilometers) of track. Class I railroads operating within the state included Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway and Union Pacific. Amtrak passenger trains connect the state’s major population centers with an average 91
California
Former film actor Ronald Reagan served two terms as state governor (1967–75) before becoming president in 1981. He is shown here giving a speech at the Berlin Wall, Brandenburg Gate, in the Federal Republic of Germany on June 12, 1987. Reagan is given credit for helping to end the Cold War. EPD PHOTOS/REAGAN PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY.
of 38 intercity trains and an additional 170 commuter trains every day. Urban transit began in San Francisco in 1861 with horse-drawn streetcars. Cable car service was introduced in 1873. A few cable cars are still in use, mainly for the tourist trade. The 71-mile (114-kilometer) Bay Area Rapid Transit System (BART) was completed in the 1970s. BART connects San Francisco with Oakland by high-speed, computerized subway trains via a 3.6-mile (5.892
kilometer) tunnel under San Francisco Bay and runs north-south along the San Francisco peninsula. By 1995, six Metrolink lines were serving the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura. California’s extensive highway system had its beginning in the mid-19th century, when stagecoaches began hauling freight to the mining camps from San Francisco, Sacramento, and San Jose. In the early 1850s, two stagecoach lines, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
California
Adams and Wells Fargo, expanded their routes and began to carry passengers. By 1860, some 250 stagecoach companies were operating in the state. The decline of stagecoach service corresponded with the rise of the railroads. The state’s first paved highway was constructed in 1912. The greatest inducement to automobile travel in and out of San Francisco was the completion in 1936 of the 8-mile (13kilometer) San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge. The following year saw the opening of the magnificent Golden Gate Bridge, which at 4,200 feet (1,280 meters) was the world’s longest suspension bridge until New York’s Verrazano– Narrows Bridge opened to traffic in 1964. The Pasadena Freeway, the first modern expressway in California, opened in 1941. In 2004, California had a total of 169,791 miles (273,363 kilometers) of public roads, streets, and highways. Also in 2004, the state registered 31.5 million motor vehicles, first in the nation—including 19 million automobiles, 11.7 million trucks, and 36,000 buses. California also leads the nation in private and commercial motorcycle registrations, at 611,000. There were 22,761,088 California drivers’ licenses in force in 2004. The large natural harbors of San Francisco and San Diego monopolized the state’s maritime trade until 1912 when Los Angeles began developing port facilities at San Pedro. Other main ports are Long Beach, Los Angeles, Richmond, and Oakland. In 2005, California had nearly 933 aircraft facilities, including 535 airports, 385 heliports, 11 seaplane bases, and 2 STOLports (Short Take-off and Landing). California’s most active air terminal is Los Angeles International Airport, which handled enplaned 28,925,341 passengers Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
in 2004. Also among the nation’s 20 busiest air traffic control towers were those at San Diego, Oakland, San Jose, Sacramento, Santa Ana, and San Francisco.
11
History
The region now known as California has been populated for at least 10,000 years, and possibly far longer. On the eve of European discovery, at least 300,000 Native Americans lived there. This large population was divided into no fewer than 105 separate tribes or nations speaking at least 100 different languages and dialects. In general, the California tribes depended for their survival on hunting, fishing, and gathering the abundant natural food resources. The basic unit of political organization was the village community, consisting of several small villages, or the family unit. European contact with California began in 1533 when Hernán Cortés, Spanish conqueror of the Aztecs, sent a naval expedition northward along the western coast of Mexico in search of new wealth. The expedition led to the discovery of Baja California (now part of Mexico). On 28 September, Juan Rodriquez Cabrillo landed at the bay now known as San Diego, thus becoming the first European discoverer of Alta (or Upper) California. European interest in the Californias declined in the succeeding decades, and California remained for generations on the fringe of European activity in the New World. Spanish interest in California revived during the late 18th century. Because rival colonial powers were becoming increasingly aggressive, Spain decided to establish permanent settlements in the north. Over the next half-century, the 21 missions established by Catholic Franciscans along the 93
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Pacific coast from San Diego to San Francisco formed the core of Hispanic California. The principal concern of the missionaries was to convert the Native Americans to Christianity. They were also taught to perform a wide variety of new tasks: making bricks, tiles, pottery, shoes, saddles, wine, candles, and soap; herding horses, cattle, sheep, and goats; and planting, irrigating, and harvesting. In addition to transforming the way of life of these native Californians, the missions also reduced their number by introducing new diseases. Spanish control of California ended with the successful conclusion of the Mexican Revolution in 1821. For the next quarter-century, California was a province of the independent nation of Mexico. During the Mexican period, California attracted a considerable minority of immigrants from within the United States. The first organized group to cross the continent for the purpose of settlement in California was the BidwellBartleson party of 1841. Subsequent groups of overland pioneers included the ill-fated Donner party of 1846, whose members, stranded by a snowstorm near the Sierra Nevada summit, resorted to cannibalism so that 47 of the 87 travelers could survive. Gold Rush Following the 1846–48 Mexican War, resulting from a dispute over the Texas border, Mexico ceded California and other territories to the United States. Mexico received $15 million and the settlement by the United States of some $3 million in claims by Mexican citizens. Just nine days before the treaty ending the war was signed, James Wilson Marshall discovered gold along the American River in California. The news of the gold discovery, on 24 January 1848, soon spread around the globe, and a massive 94
rush of people poured into the region. By the end of 1848, about 6,000 miners had obtained $10 million worth of gold. In 1852, the peak year of production, about $80 million in gold was mined in the state. California’s census population quadrupled during the 1850s, reaching nearly 380,000 by 1860, and continued to grow at a rate twice that of the nation as a whole in the 1860s and 1870s. One of the most serious problems facing California in the early years of the gold rush was the absence of government. The US Congress, deadlocked over the slavery controversy, failed to provide any form of legal government for California from the end of the Mexican War until its admission as a state in the fall of 1850. Taking matters into their own hands, 48 delegates gathered at a constitutional convention in Monterey in September 1849 to draft a fundamental law for California. To the surprise of many, the convention decided by unanimous vote to exclude slavery from the region. California soon petitioned Congress for admission as a state, having bypassed the preliminary territorial stage. On 9 September 1850, President Millard Fillmore signed the admission bill, and California became the 31st state to enter the union. Statehood The early years of statehood were
marked by racial discrimination and considerable ethnic conflict. The Native American population declined from an estimated 150,000 in 1845 to less than 30,000 by 1870. In 1850, the state legislature enacted a foreign miners’ license tax, aimed at eliminating competition from Mexican and other Latin American miners. The 25,000 Chinese who replaced the Mexicans as the state’s largest foreign minority—making Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
California
up about one-tenth of the state’s population by 1852—soon became the target of a new round of discrimination. The legislature enacted new taxes aimed at Chinese miners and passed an immigration tax on the Chinese as well. Controversy also centered on the status of the Mexican ranchos, those vast estates created by the Mexican government that totaled more than 13 million acres (5 million hectares) by 1850. In the early years of statehood, thousands of squatters took up residence on the rancho lands. By the time the legal title to the property was confirmed by federal commissions and courts—a process which often took as long as 17 years— the original occupants were often bankrupt and benefited little from the decision. Despite the population boom during the gold rush, California remained isolated from the rest of the country until completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869. In the late 19th century, California’s economy became more diversified. The early dependence on gold and silver mining was overcome through the development of large-scale irrigation projects and the expansion of commercial agriculture. The population of southern California boomed in the 1880s, fueled by the success of the new citrus industry, an influx of invalids seeking a warmer climate, and a railroad rate war between the Southern Pacific and the newly completed Santa Fe. Early 20th Century During the early 20th century, California’s population growth became increasingly urban. Between 1900 and 1920, the population of the San Francisco Bay area doubled, while residents of metropolitan Los Angeles increased fivefold. On 18 April 1906, San Francisco’s progress was interrupted by Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
the most devastating earthquake ever to strike California. The quake and the fires that raged for three days killed at least 452 people, razed the city’s business section, and destroyed some 28,000 buildings. The survivors immediately set to work to rebuild the city, and completed about 20,000 new buildings within three years. By 1920, the populations of the two urban areas of Los Angeles and San Francisco were roughly equal. During the first half of the 20th century, California’s population growth far outpaced that of the nation as a whole because of the new economic opportunities it offered. In the early 1920s, major discoveries of oil were made in the Los Angeles Basin, and for several years during the decade, California ranked first among the states in production of crude oil. During the 1930s hundreds of thousands of refugees streamed into the state from the dust bowl of the southern Great Plains. The film industry, which offered at least the illusion of prosperity to millions of Americans, continued to prosper during the nationwide economic depression. By 1940 there were more movie theaters in the United States than banks, and the films they showed were almost all California products. During World War II, the enormous expansion of military installations, shipyards, and aircraft plants attracted millions of new residents to California. The war years also saw an increase in the size and importance of ethnic minorities. By 1942, only Mexico City had a larger urban Mexican population than Los Angeles. During the war, more than 93,000 Japanese-Americans in California—most of whom were US citizens and American-born—were interned in “relocation centers” throughout the Far West. 95
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Post–World War II California continued to
grow rapidly during the postwar period, as agricultural, aerospace, and service industries provided new economic opportunities. Politics in the state were influenced by international tensions, and the California legislature expanded the activities of its Fact-Finding Committee on Un-American Activities. Blacklisting became common in the film industry. The early 1950s saw the rise to the US vice presidency of Richard Nixon, whose early campaigns capitalized on fears of Communism. At the beginning of 1963, California (according to census estimates) became the nation’s most populous state. By 1970, however, California’s growth rate had slowed considerably. Economic opportunity gave way to recessions and high unemployment. Pollution of air and water called into question the quality of the California environment. The traditional romantic image of California was overshadowed by reports of mass murders, bizarre religious cults, extremist social and political movements, and racial and campus unrest. In 1968, Richard Nixon became the first native Californian to be elected a US president. Both Ronald Reagan, governor of the state from 1967 to 1975, and Edmund G. Brown Jr., elected governor in 1974 and reelected in 1978, were active candidates for the US presidency in 1980. Reagan was the Republican presidential winner that year and in 1984. 1980s–90s Assisted by the Reagan adminis-
tration’s military build-up, which invested billions of dollars in California’s defense industry, the state’s economy rebounded in the early and mid-1980s. By the late 1980s and early 1990s, 96
however, a recession and cuts in military spending combined to produce a dramatic economic decline. In 1992, the state’s unemployment rate climbed to 10.1%. Jobs in the California aerospace and manufacturing sector dropped by 24%. California’s economic woes were matched by civil disorders. In 1991, an onlooker released a seven-minute videotape which showed a group of Los Angeles police officers beating a black motorist, Rodney King, with nightsticks, at the conclusion of a high-speed freeway chase. The four officers who had been charged with unnecessary brutality were then acquitted (in a jury trial that took place in a mostly white suburb). The verdict set off riots in South Central Los Angeles that killed 60 people and caused an estimated $1 billion in property damage. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, California was also hit by two severe earthquakes. The first, which struck the San Francisco area in 1989, caused the collapse of buildings, bridges, and roadways. As many as 270 people were killed and 100,000 houses were damaged. In 1994, an earthquake measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale occurred 20 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, leaving 680,000 people without electricity and causing $13–20 million in property damage. In 1994, anger over illegal immigration led to passage of Proposition 187, which would bar illegal aliens from welfare, education, and nonemergency health services. Passage of the measure prompted immediate challenges in the courts by the opposition. Most of Proposition 187 was ruled unconstitutional in a US district court in 1999. The only part that survived was a provision strengthening the penalties for the manufacJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
California
ture and use of false documents to conceal illegal immigration status. In 1996, the California Civil Rights Initiative (Proposition 209) was passed, banning the use of racial and sex-based preferences in state-run affirmative action programs. Water and energy were among the major issues faced by the state in 2000. That year, California and six other states were on the verge of an historic agreement that would give Southern California a 15-year deadline to cut its use of the Colorado River in efforts for water conservation. Municipalities began discussing ways to turn wastewater into drinking water. Beginning in 2000, California also experience an energy crisis that saw electricity prices spike to their highest level in 2001. In 2001, California signed $40 billion in long-term power contracts, which were seen as assuring the state’s power supply at reasonable rates. However, after the crisis, when electricity rates fell, these proved to be costly. Gray Davis was reelected for governor in 2002, but by 2003, his popularity ratings had dropped dramatically, due in part to the state’s budget deficit of $38 billion and the handling of the 2000–01 energy crisis. In a 2003 recall election, the first in California history and the second in US history, the Hollywood movie star and political novice Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected to replace Davis. Once in office, Schwarzenegger tackled budget woes by urging the passage of a constitutional amendment to limit government spending. He also repealed an unpopular increase in vehicle license fees and signed a worker’s compensation reform bill into law. In 2006, Schwarzenegger was elected for a second term. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
12
State Government
The first state constitution, adopted in 1849, outlawed slavery and granted property rights to married women in their own name. A new constitution was ratified in 1879, which made lobbying a felony, provided for a more fair system of taxation, for stricter regulation of the railroads, and for an eight-hour workday. This constitution is the one in force today; it had been amended 513 times through 2005. The California legislature consists of a 40member senate and an 80-member assembly. Senators are elected to four-year terms, half of them every two years, and assembly members are elected to two-year terms. Bills, which may be introduced by either house, are referred to committees, and must be read before each house three times. Legislation must be approved by an absolute majority vote of each house, except for appropriations bills, certain urgent measures, and proposed constitutional amendments, which require a two-thirds vote for passage. A governor’s veto may be overridden by two-thirds majority votes in both houses. Constitutional amendments and proposed legislation may also be placed on the ballot through the initiative procedure. For a constitutional amendment, petitions must be signed by at least 8% of the number of voters who took part in the last gubernatorial election; for statutory measures, 5%. In each case, a simple majority vote at the next general election is required for passage. Officials elected statewide include the governor and lieutenant governor (who run separately), secretary of state, attorney general, controller, treasurer, and superintendent of public instruction. Each serves a four-year term. As 97
California
Mexicans illegally crossing the United States border. © DAVID TURNLEY/CORBIS.
chief executive officer of the state, the governor is responsible for the state’s policies and programs, appoints department heads and members of state boards and commissions, serves as commander in chief of the California National Guard, may declare states of emergency, and may grant executive clemency to convicted criminals. The lieutenant governor acts as president of the senate and may assume the duties of the governor in case of the latter’s death, resignation, impeachment, inability to discharge the duties of the office, or absence from the state. As of 2004, the governor’s salary was $175,000 and legislative salaries were $99,000 per year. 98
13
Political Parties
As the state with the largest number of US representatives (53 in 2006) and electoral votes (55 in 2004) California plays a key role in national and presidential politics. As of 2004, California had 16,557,000 registered voters, including about 44% Democrat, 35% Republican, and 21% unaffiliated or members of other parties. Even with an advantage in voter registration, however, the Democrats managed to carry California in presidential elections only six times between 1948 and 2004. Also, during the same period only three Democratic governors—Edmund G. “Pat” Brown (in 1958 and 1962), his son, Edmund G. “Jerry” Brown Jr. (in 1974 and Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
California
California Governors: 1849–2007 1849–1851 1851–1852 1852–1856 1856–1858 1858–1860 1860 1860–1862 1862–1863 1863–1867 1867–1871 1871–1875 1875 1875–1880 1880–1883 1883–1887 1887 1887–1891 1891–1895 1895–1899 1899–1903 1903–1907 1907–1911
Peter Hardeman Burnett Indep-Dem John McDougal Indep-Dem John Bigler Democrat James Neeley Johnson American John B. Weller Democrat Milton Slocum Latham Lecompton-Dem John Gately Downey Lecompton-Dem Leland Stanford Republican Frederick Ferdinand Low Union-Rep Henry Huntly Haight Democrat Newton Booth Republican Romualdo Pacheco Republican William Irwin Democrat George Clement Perkins Republican George Stoneman Democrat Washington Bartlett Democrat Robert Whitney Waterman Republican Henry Harrison Markham Republican James Herbert Budd Democrat Henry Tifft Gage Republican George Cooper Pardee Republican James Norris Gillett Republican
1978), and Gray Davis (in 1998 and 2002)— were elected. Three times Californians gave their presidential electoral votes to a California Republican, Richard Nixon, though they turned down his bid for governor in 1962. They elected one former film actor, Republican George Murphy, as US senator in 1964, and two others— Republican Ronald Reagan as governor in 1966 and 1970 and as president in 1980 and 1984, and Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger as governor in 2003 and 2006. In the 2000 presidential election, Democrat Al Gore won 53% of the popular vote, while Republican challenger George W. Bush received 42%. Others received 4% of the votes. Political third parties have had remarkable success in California since the days of the secretive, anti-foreign, anti-Catholic, Native Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
1911–1917 1917–1923 1923–1927 1927–1931 1931–1934 1934–1939 1939–1943 1943–1953 1953–1959 1959–1967 1967–1975 1975–1983 1983–1991 1991–1999 1999–2003 2003–
Hiram Warren Johnson William Dennison Stephens Friend William Richardson Clement Calhoun Young James Rolph, Jr. Frank Finley Merriam Culbert Levy Olson Earl Warren Goodwin Jess Knight Edmund Gerald Brown, Sr. Ronald Wilson Reagan Edmund Gerald Brown, Jr. George Deukmejian Peter Barton Wilson Gray Davis Arnold Schwarzenegger
Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Republican Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Republican Democrat Republican
Independent Democrat – Indep-Dem Lecompton Democrat – Lecompton-Dem Union Republican – Union-Rep
American Party. The latter was called the KnowNothing party because members were instructed to say they “knew nothing” when asked what they stood for. They elected one of their leaders, J. Neely Johnson, as governor in 1855. The most impressive third-party triumph came in 1912, when the Progressive Party’s presidential candidate, Theodore Roosevelt, and his vice-presidential nominee, Governor Hiram Johnson, defeated both the Republican and Democratic candidates among state voters. During the depression year of 1934, the Socialist Party leader and novelist Upton Sinclair won the Democratic nomination for governor on his “End Poverty In California” program. Sinclair received nearly one million votes while losing to Republican Frank Merriam. Both US senators in 2006 were women: Democrat Barbara Boxer, who won reelection in 99
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2004; and Democrat Dianne Feinstein, elected in 1992 to replace Senator Pete Wilson when he was elected governor in 1990. Feinstein won re-election in 2006. In the 110th Congress, California’s delegation of US Representatives consisted of 34 Democrats and 19 Republicans. Democrat Nancy Pelosi was elected House Minority Leader in 2003. Following the 2006 midterm elections, Pelosi was elected the first woman Speaker of the House of Representatives. After a 16-year gap, Democrats regained the governorship in 1998 with the election of Lieutenant-Governor Gray Davis. He won reelection in 2002, but was recalled in October 2003, the second governor to be recalled in US history. The actor and Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected governor, and reelected in 2006. After the 2006 elections, the Democrats held 24 state senate seats to the Republicans’ 16. The Democrats controlled the house with 48 seats to the Republicans’ 32. Minority groups of all types are represented in California politics. Following the 2006 elections, there were 37 women in the state legislature, or 30.8%. Two of the most prominent black elected officials include Los Angeles Mayor Thomas Bradley, who served from 1973–90, and San Francisco Mayor Willie L. Brown Jr., who began his first term in 1996 and won reelection in 1999. In 2005, Antonio R. Villaraigosa was elected California’s first Latino mayor since 1872. Organized groups of homosexuals became involved in San Francisco politics during the 1970s. 100
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Local Government
As of 2005, California had 58 counties, 475 municipal governments, 985 public school districts, and 2,830 special districts. County government is administered by an elected board of supervisors. Government operations are administered by several elected officials, the number varying according to the population of the county. Most counties have a district attorney, assessor, treasurer-tax collector, superintendent of schools, sheriff, and coroner. Municipalities are governed under the mayor-council, council-manager, or commission system. Most large cities are run by councils of from 5 to 15 members responsible for taxes, public improvements, and the budget. An elected mayor supervises city departments and appoints most city officials.
15
Judicial System
California has a complex judicial system and a very large correctional system. The state’s highest court is the supreme court, which may review appeals court decisions and superior court cases involving the death penalty. The high court has a chief justice and six associate justices, all of whom serve 12-year terms. Courts of appeal, organized in six districts, review decisions of superior courts and, in certain cases, of municipal and justice courts. There were 93 district appeals court judgeships as of 1999. Superior courts in each of the 58 county seats have original jurisdiction in felony, juvenile, probate, and domestic relations cases, as well as in civil cases involving more than $15,000. They also handle some tax and misdemeanor cases and Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
California
California Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR
CALIFORNIA WINNER
DEMOCRAT
REPUBLICAN
PROGRESSIVE
SOCIALIST
PROHIBITION
1948
*Truman (D)
1,913,134
1,895,269
190,381
3,459
16,926
SOC. LABOR
1952 1956 1960 1964
*Eisenhower (R) *Eisenhower (R) Nixon (R) *Johnson (D)
2,197,548 2,420,135 3,224,099 4,171,877
2,897,310 3,027,668 3,259,722 2,879,108
24,692 — — —
273 300 1,051 489
16,117 11,119 21,706 —
1968
*Nixon (R)
3,244,318
3,467,664
—
27,707
—
AMERICAN
PEOPLE’S
LIBERTARIAN
1972
*Nixon (R)
3,475,847
4,602,096
232,554
55,167
980
1976
Ford (R)
3,742,284
3,882,244
41,731
56,388
PEACE/FREEDOM
COMMUNIST
12,766
CITIZENS PEACE/FREEDOM
1980
*Reagan (R)
3,039,532
4,444,044
9,687
60,059
17,797
1984 1988
*Reagan (R) *Bush (R)
3,922,519 4,702,233
5,467,009 5,054,917
NEW ALLIANCE
26,297 —
49,951 70,105
18,597
48,139
31,181 IND. (PEROT)
1992
*Clinton (D)
5,121,325
3,630,574
2,296,006
GREEN (NADER)
1996
*Clinton (D)
5,119,835
3,828,380
697,847
237,016
73,600 LIBERTARIAN
2000 Gore (D) 2004 Kerry (D) * Won US presidential election.
5,861,203 6,745,485
4,567,429 5,509,826
appeals from lower courts. Municipal courts, located in judicial districts with populations of more than 40,000, hear misdemeanors (except those involving juveniles) and civil cases involving $15,000 or less. In districts with less than 40,000 population, justice courts have jurisdiction similar to that of municipal courts. All trial court judges are elected to six-year terms. As of December 2004 there were 166,556 prisoners in state and federal prisons in California, an increase of 1.3% from the previous year. The State Department of Corrections maintains 32 state prisons and 38 minimum custody facilities in wilderness areas where inmates are trained to Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
418,707 —
28 —
45,520 —
fight wildfires. According to the FBI, California’s violent crime rate in 2004 was 551.8 reported incidents per 100,000 population. In that year, crimes against property were reported at a rate of 3,419 per 100,000 people.
16
Migration
A majority of Californians today are migrants from other states. The first great wave of migration, beginning in 1848, brought at least 85,000 gold prospectors by 1850. Perhaps 20,000 of them were foreign-born, mostly from Europe, Canada, Mexico, and South America, as well as a few from the Hawaiian Islands and China. 101
California
Many thousands of Chinese were brought in during the latter half of the 19th century to work on farms and railroads. When Chinese immigration was banned by the US Congress in 1882, Japanese migration provided farm labor. These ambitious workers soon opened shops in the cities and bought land for small farms. By 1940, about 94,000 Japanese lived in California. During the depression of the 1930s, approximately 350,000 migrants came to California, most of them looking for work. Many thousands of people came there during World War II to take jobs in the burgeoning war industries. After the war, some 300,000 discharged servicemen settled in the state. The bulk of post-war foreign immigration has come from neighboring Mexico. At first, Mexicans were brought in legally to supply seasonal labor for California growers. Later, hundreds of thousands of illegal Mexican immigrants crossed the border in search of jobs. In the period 2000–05, net international migration was 1,415,879 and net internal migration was -664,460, for a net gain of 751,419 people.
17
Economy
California leads the 50 states in economic output and total personal income. In the 1960s, when it became the nation’s most populous state, California surpassed Iowa in agricultural production and New York in manufacturing. The Gold Rush of the mid-19th century made mining the principal economic activity and gave impetus to agriculture and manufacturing. Many unsuccessful miners took up farming or went to work for the big cattle ranches and wheat growers. In the 1870s, California became 102
the most important cattle-raising state and the second-leading wheat producer. Manufacturing outstripped both mining and agriculture to produce goods valued at $258 million by 1900, and ten times that by 1925. Thanks to a rapidly growing work force, industrial output continued to expand during and after both world wars, while massive irrigation projects enabled farmers to make full use of the state’s rich soil and favorable climate. By the late 1970s, one of every four California workers was employed in high-technology industry. California has long ranked first among the states in defense-related manufacturing, and by the mid-1980s, contracts awarded to California firms surpassed the combined totals of New York and Texas. From its beginnings in the late 18th century, California’s wine industry has grown to encompass some 500 wineries. By the early 1980s, they accounted for about 90% of total US production. By the mid-1980s, California had surpassed Chicago to rank second in advertising among the states. Its highly diversified economy has made California less sensitive to national recessions than most other states. During the first half of the 1980s, the state generally outperformed the national economy. The boom was short-lived, however. Cuts in the military budget in the late 1980s, a decline in Japanese investment, and the national recession in the early 1990s had a devastating impact on the state, particularly on southern California. The aerospace and construction industries were especially hit hard with job losses. Stock market growth in high technology industries led economic activity in the late Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
California
1990s. By the time the national recession hit in 2001, the San Francisco Bay area experienced its worst economic recession in 50 years, due in part to the decline in high-technology manufacturing and software industries prevalent in the area. In 2003, California was facing a $38 billion budget deficit, which was a factor in Governor Gray Davis’s recall. In 2004, a total of 117,016 new businesses were formed and business termination totaled 143,115.
18
Income
In 2005, the gross state product (GSP) was estimated at $1.62 billion, ranking first in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. In 2004, the per capita personal income was estimated at $35,219. The three-year average median household income for 2002–04, was $49,894 compared to the national average of $44,473. For the same period, 13.2% of the population lived below the federal poverty level, compared to the national average of 12.4%.
19
Industry
California is the nation’s leading industrial state, ranking first in almost every general manufacturing category: number of establishments, number of employees, total payroll, value of shipments, and new capital spending. California ranks among the leaders in machinery, fabricated metals, agricultural products, food processing, computers, aerospace technology, and many other industries. Computers and aerospace manufacturers stand out among California’s largest publicly owned corporations. Hewlett-Packard, Sun Microsystems, Tandem Computers, Varian Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Associates, and Silicon Graphics are leading names of the Silicon Valley (Santa Clara County) area just south of San Francisco. Southern California’s manufacturing leaders are Rockwell International, Lockheed, Northrop, and Computers Sciences. California’s motion-picture producing industry is based primarily in Los Angeles. A 1999 research report shows the film and TV production industry generating an annual payroll of 13.4 billion, paying $14.6 billion to suppliers, and providing jobs to 475,000 Californians. As of 2004, computers and electronics manufacturing was the most important manufacturing sector, followed by food manufacturing, transportation equipment, petroleum and coal products, and chemical products.
20
Labor
California has the largest work force in the nation and the greatest number of employed workers. In April 2006, the civilian labor force in California numbered 17,735,300, with approximately 870,400 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 4.9%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. In 2006, 6.1% of the labor force was employed in construction; 10% in manufacturing; 18.9% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 6.2% in financial activities; 14.6% in professional and business services; 10.7% in education and health services; 10.1% in leisure and hospitality services, and 16.2% in government. The labor movement in California was discredited by acts of violence during its early years, including bombings initiated by labor organizers. Unionism revived during the depression of the 1930s. In Los Angeles, unions in such industries 103
California
as automobiles, aircraft, rubber, and oil refining obtained bargaining rights, higher wages, and fringe benefits during and after World War II. In 1958, the California Labor Federation was organized and labor unions have since increased both their membership and their benefits. In 2005, 2,424,000 of California’s 14,687,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions. This represented 17.8% of those so employed. The national average is 12%. In 2006, the state mandated minimum wage was $6.75 per hour. San Francisco has its own mandated minimum wage of $8.50 per hour. Of all working groups, migrant farm workers have been the most difficult to organize because their work is seasonal and because they are largely members of minority groups, mostly Mexicans, with few skills and limited job opportunities. During the 1960s, a Mexican-American “stoop” laborer named Cesar Chavez established the National Farm Workers Association (later the United Farm Workers Organizing Committee, now the United Farm Workers of America), which, after a long struggle, won bargaining rights from grape, lettuce, and berry growers in the San Joaquin Valley.
21
Agriculture
The Spanish missions and Mexican ranchos were farming centers until the mid-19th century, when large ranches and farms began to produce cattle, grain, and cotton for the national market. The citrus industry was established in the 1870s. European settlers planted vineyards on the slopes of the Sonoma and Napa valleys, beginning California’s wine industry, which today produces over 90% of US domestic wines. Around 1900, 104
intensive irrigation transformed the dry, sandy Imperial Valley in southeastern California into a garden of abundance for specialty crops. Since World War II, corporate farming, or agribusiness, has largely replaced small single-family farms. The state grows approximately 55% of all fruits and vegetables marketed in the United States. Famous for its specialty crops, California produces virtually all (99% or more) of the following crops grown commercially in the United States: almonds, artichokes, avocados, clovers, dates, figs, kiwifruit, olives, persimmons, pistachios, prunes, raisins, and English walnuts. California’s total cash farm receipts for 2005 amounted to $31.9 billion. In 2004, California devoted nearly one-third of its land area to agricultural production with 77,000 farms comprising 27.7 million acres (11.2 million hectares. Irrigation is essential for farming in California, with about 10% of all cropland using irrigation. The leading crops in 2004 included greenhouse and nursery products, grapes, and almonds. These three commodities accounted for 26% of the state’s crop receipts that year. Other important crops include cotton, lettuce, hay, tomatoes, flowers and foliage, strawberries, oranges, rice, broccoli, walnuts, carrots, celery, and cantaloupe.
22
Domesticated Animals
California is a leading producer of livestock and dairy products. In 2005 there were an estimated 5.4 million cattle and calves valued at $6.1 billion. There were 140,000 hogs and pigs on California farms and ranches in 2004, valued at $18.2 million. In 2003 California produced 49.7 million pounds (22.6 million kilograms) Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
California
Vineyards in the Carneros District, Napa Valley. ROBERT HOLMES.
of sheep and lambs for a gross income of $69.8 million. In 2003, California was the leading milk producer among the 50 states with 35.4 billion pounds (16.1 billion kilograms) of milk produced. Milk cows, raised mainly in the southern interior, totaled 1.69 million head in the same year. California ranked fourth among the 50 states in egg production in 2003, with an output of 5.38 billion eggs. In 2003, California produced 418.7 million pounds (190.3 million kilograms) of turkey, which was valued at $150.7 million.
23
Fishing
The Pacific whaling industry, with its chief port at San Francisco, was important to the California Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
economy in the 19th century and commercial fishing is still central to the food-processing industry. In 2004, California ranked fifth in the nation in commercial fishing volume, with a catch of 378.6 million pounds (172 million kilograms), valued at $139 million. Los Angeles ranked 17th in the nation among fishing ports (in terms of volume) with landings totaling 92.4 million pounds (42 million kilograms). In 2004, California catches accounted for 97% of US landings of chub mackerel. Salmon landings totaled 7 million pounds (3.2 million kilograms), the fourth largest volume in the nation. The state was also second in volume of Dungeness crab landings with 24.8 million pounds (11.3 million kilograms). California was the leading state in squid catches at 87.3 million pounds (40.6 million kilograms). In 2003, there 105
California
were 364 processing and wholesale plants in the state. In 2002, the California fishing fleet numbered 2,198 boats and vessels. Deep-sea fishing is a popular sport. World records for giant sea bass, California halibut, white catfish, and sturgeon have been set in California. There were 2,024,709 anglers licensed in the state in 2004.
24
Forestry
California has more forests than any other state except Alaska. Forested lands in 2003 covered 40,233,000 acres (16,282,000 hectares). Forests are concentrated in the northwestern part of the state and in the eastern Sierra Nevada. In 2003, commercial forestland in private hands was estimated at 17,781,000 acres (7,196,000 hectares). An additional 18,515,000 acres (7,493,000 hectares) were US Forest Service lands and 2,208,000 acres (893,600 hectares) were regulated by the Bureau of Land Management. In 2004, lumber production totaled 2.9 billion board feet (fifth in the United States), mostly such softwoods as fir, pine, cedar, and redwood. About half of the state’s forests are protected as national forests and state parks or recreational areas. Although stands of coast redwood trees have been preserved in national and state parks since the late 19th century, only about 46% of the original 2 million acres (800,000 hectares) of redwoods between Monterey Bay and southern Oregon remain. Reforestation of public lands is supervised by the National Forest Service and the California Department of Forestry. As of 2005, there were 21 national forests in California. The total area within their boundaries in California amounted 106
to 24,430,000 acres (9,886,821 hectares), of which 85% was National Forest System land.
25
Mining
In 2004, California ranked first in the nation in the value of nonfuel minerals produced with a total of $3.76 billion. Industrial minerals accounted for 99% of the nonfuel mineral production value, with the rest supplied by gold, silver, and iron ore. California was the only state to produce boron minerals and led the nation in production of construction sand and gravel. Construction sand and gravel was also California’s leading nonfuel mineral, accounting for more than 34% of the state nonfuel mineral production value. Cement (portland and masonry) was the second-leading nonfuel mineral followed by boron minerals, crushed stone, diatomite, and soda ash. Together these six commodities had the most influence on California’s nonfuel mineral industry. In 2004, the state produced 7,187 pounds (3,260 kilograms) of gold, valued at $43 million. Silver output that year was 1,765 pounds (801 kilograms). In 2004, California had about 1,156 mines actively producing nonfuel minerals, which employed about 11,000 people.
26
Energy and Power
In 2003, total electrical output was 192.7 billion kilowatt hours. About 47.4% of all electric power generated came from gas-fired plants, with hydroelectric plants in second place at 18.9% and nuclear plants at 18.5%. In 2003, retail sales of electric power in the state totaled 238.7 billion kilowatt hours. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
California
As of 2006, California had two operating nuclear power facilities: the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant near San Luis Obispo and the San Onofre facility near San Clemente. California’s proven oil reserves as of 2004 were estimated at more than 3.3 billion barrels, 16% of the US total, while output that same year averaged 656,000 barrels per day. Marketed gas production in 2004 totaled 319 billion cubic feet (9.08 billion cubic meters).
27
Commerce
The state’s retail sales exceeded $359.1 billion in 2002. Principal retail sectors were clothing and clothing accessories, food and beverage stores, miscellaneous store retailers, motor vehicle and automotive parts dealers, and health and personal care stores. Wholesale trade sales were $655.9 billion in 2002. Durable goods wholesalers were the most prominent, followed by nondurable goods, and electronic markets. Foreign trade is important to the California economy. Goods exported from California were valued at $116 billion in 2005. Leading exports include data-processing equipment, electrical tubes and transistors, scientific equipment, measuring instruments, optical equipment, aircraft parts, and spacecraft. California’s leading agricultural export is cotton. San Francisco and San Jose have been designated as federal foreign-trade zones, where imported goods may be stored duty-free for reshipment abroad, or customs duties avoided until the goods are actually marketed in the United States. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
28
Public Finance
The state budget is prepared by the Department of Finance and presented by the governor to the state legislature for approval. The constitution requires that the governor submit a balanced budget and it is a statutory requirement that the governor sign a balanced budget. The legislature is supposed to adopt a budget by June 15, but California law requires a two-thirds supermajority to pass the budget. The state’s fiscal year begins 1 July and ends 30 June. In 2004, California had the largest state budget in the nation with total revenues of over $229 billion and state expenditures of $203 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($59 billion), public welfare ($46 billion), and health ($9 billion). California’s total public debt exceeded $102 billion, or $2,868.50 per person.
29
Taxation
In 2005, California ranked ninth in the nation for per capita tax burden at $2,724, compared to the national average of $2,192 per person. The state’s six progressive income tax brackets range from 1% to 9.3%. The state corporate income tax on general corporations is 8.84%. The state sales tax is 6.25% on retail sales (with exceptions for food purchased for consumption offpremises). Local sales taxes can reach as much as 2.65%, for a potential total tax on retail sales of 8.9%. Selective sales taxes are added to cigarettes and gasoline. In 2005, state taxes collected totaled $98.4 billion, of which 43.7% was from income taxes, 30.4% from the general sales tax, 7.8% from selective sales taxes, 8.8% from corporate taxes, 107
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2.2% from state property taxes, and 7% from other taxes.
30
Health
California’s infant death rate for 2005 was 5 per 1,000 live births. The overall death rate in 2002 was 6.7 per 1,000 population. In 2002, death rates for major causes of death (per 100,000 resident population) included heart disease, 195.9; cancer, 154.2; cerebrovascular diseases, 50.2; chronic lower respiratory diseases, 36.1; and diabetes, 19.4. In 2004, 14.8% of the population were smokers. The death rate for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was reported at 4.1 per 100,000. In 2004, the reported acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) cases rate was at about 13 per 100,000. In 2003, California had 370 community hospitals with 74,300 beds. There were 261 physicians for every 100,000 people in 2004 and 626 nurses per 100,000 in 2005. In 2004, there were 26,692 dentists in the state. In 2003, the average expense per inpatient day for a hospital in the state amounted to $1,763. Medi-Cal is a statewide program that pays for the medical care of persons who otherwise could not afford it. California has also been a leader in developing new forms of health care, including the health maintenance organization (HMO), which provides preventive care, diagnosis, and treatment for which the patient pays a fixed annual premium. In 2004, 19% of the population in the state was uninsured.
31
Housing
The earliest homes in southern California were Spanish colonial structures renowned for their 108
simplicity and harmony with the landscape. Their thick adobe walls were covered with whitewashed mud plaster. Some adobe houses dating from the 1830s still stand in coastal cities and towns, particularly Monterey. During the 1850s, houses of wood, brick, and stone sprang up in the mining towns. About 1900, the California bungalow, with overhanging eaves and low windows, began to sweep the state and then the nation. The fusion of Spanish adobe structures and traditional American wooden construction appeared in the 1930s and “California style” houses gained great popularity throughout the West. In 2004, California ranked first in the country for the number of housing units, with 12,804,702 units. About 11,972,158 were occupied with about 58.6% being owner-occupied. About 57.5% of all units were single-family, detached homes and about 11% of dwellings were in buildings with 20 or more units. It was estimated that about 253,281 units were without telephone service, 54,412 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 91,851 lacked complete kitchen facilities. While most homes used gas or electricity as a heating fuel, about 261,527 households relied on wood and about 9,112 employed solar heating. California ranked first in the nation for highest home values in 2004 when the median value of a one-family home was $391,102. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was about $1,733 while the cost for renters was at a median of about $914.
32
Education
In 2004, 81.3% of Californians age 25 and older were high school graduates. Some 31.7% had obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
California
Total enrollment in public schools was estimated at 6,356,000 in fall 2002. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 623,105. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $60 billion, or $7,748 per student. As of fall 2002, there were 2,474,024 students enrolled in institutions of higher education. As of 2005, California had 401 degreegranting institutions. The University of California has its main campus at Berkeley and branches at Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles (UCLA), Merced, Riverside, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz. The Hastings College of Law is also part of the UC system. The California state college and university system is not be confused with the University of California. California’s state universities include those at Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Jose; locations of state colleges include Bakersfield, San Bernardino, and Stanislaus. Privately endowed institutions with the largest student enrollments are the University of Southern California (USC) and Stanford University. Other independent institutions are Occidental College in Los Angeles, Mills College at Oakland, Whittier College, the Claremont consortium of colleges (including Harvey Mudd College, Pomona College, and Claremont McKenna College), and the California Institute of Technology at Pasadena. California has several Roman Catholic colleges and universities, including Loyola Marymount University of Los Angeles.
33
Arts
The arts have always thrived in California. The San Francisco Institute of Arts was founded in Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
1874. The Monterey-Carmel artists’ colony sprang up in the early years of the 20th century. Other art colonies developed later in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Laguna Beach, San Diego, and La Jolla. The first theater building was opened in 1849 in Sacramento by the Eagle Theater Co. Today, California theater groups with national reputations include the American Conservatory Theater of San Francisco, Berkeley Repertory Theater, Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, and Old Globe Theater of San Diego. The first commercial films were made in New York City and New Jersey in the 1890s, but within a few decades Hollywood had become synonymous with the new art form. In 1915, D. W. Griffith produced the classic silent film The Birth of a Nation, which was both a popular and an artistic success. Motion picture theaters sprang up all over the country and an avalanche of motion pictures was produced in Hollywood by such increasingly powerful studios as Warner Brothers, Fox, and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. In the 1960s, Hollywood replaced New York City as the main center for the production of television programs. Among the many composers who came to Hollywood to write film music were Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, and John Williams. Symphonic music is well established. In addition to the renowned Los Angeles Philharmonic, whose permanent conductors have included Zubin Mehta and Carlo Maria Giulini, there are the San Francisco Symphony and other professional symphonic orchestras in Oakland and San Jose. Some 180 semiprofessional or amateur orchestras have been organized in other communities. Resident opera companies perform regularly in San Francisco and San Diego. Annual 109
California
musical events include the Sacramento and Monterey jazz festivals and summer concerts at the Hollywood Bowl. California has also played a major role in the evolution of popular music since the 1960s. The “surf sound” of the Beach Boys dominated California pop music in the mid-1960s. By 1967, the “acid rock” of bands like the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane (later Jefferson Starship), and the Doors had started to gain national recognition—and that year the heralded “summer of love” in San Francisco attracted young people from throughout the country. Los Angeles is a main center of the popular music industry, with numerous recording studios and branch offices of the leading record companies. California has nurtured generations of writers, many of whom moved there from other states. In 1864, Mark Twain, a Missourian, came to California as a newspaperman. The writer most strongly associated with California is Nobel Prize winner John Steinbeck, a Salinas native. In the 1950s, San Francisco was the gathering place for a group later known as the Beats (or “Beat Generation”) that included Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg. The California Arts Council using state and federal funds to promote state arts organizations. The California Council for the Humanities has offices in San Diego, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. California is also a member state of the regional Western States Arts Federation. In 2005, the National Endowment for the Arts issued 303 grants totaling $8,459,000 to California arts organizations. 110
34
Libraries and Museums
As of 2001, California had 179 public library systems with 1,063 libraries that held over 67.2 million volumes and had a circulation of over 172 million. California has three of the largest public library systems in the nation, along with some of the country’s finest private collections. The Los Angeles Public Library System had 5,811,492 volumes in 1998; the San Francisco Public Library, 2,137,618; and the San Diego Public Library, 2,670,375. Stanford’s Hoover Institution has a notable collection of research materials on the Russian Revolution, World War I, and worldwide relief efforts thereafter. The University of California library at Berkeley is an outstanding academic library. California has nearly 576 museums and over 50 public gardens. Outstanding museums include the California Museum of Science and Industry, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, and Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, the San Diego Museum of Man, the California State Indian Museum in Sacramento, the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, and the J. Paul Getty Museum at Malibu. Among historic sites are Sutter’s Mill, northeast of Sacramento, where gold was discovered in 1848, and a restoration of the Mission of San Diego de Alcala, where in 1769 the first of California’s Franciscan missions was established. San Diego has an excellent zoo and San Francisco’s Strybing Arboretum and Botanical Gardens has beautiful displays of Asian, Mediterranean, and California flora. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
California
35
Communications
Mail service in California, begun in 1851 by means of mule-drawn wagons, was soon taken over by stagecoach companies. The need for speedier delivery led to the founding of the Pony Express in April 1860, operating between San Francisco and Missouri. The Pony Express functioned for only 16 months, however, before competition from the first transcontinental telegraph line (between San Francisco and New York) put it out of business. California has more telephones than any other state. In 2004, 96% of all the households in the state had telephones. The same year, there were over 21.5 million wireless phone subscribers. When motion picture stars began doubling as radio performers in the 1930s, Hollywood emerged as a center of radio network broadcasting. California ranks second in the United States in the number of commercial television stations and radio stations (after Texas). In 2005 there were 241 FM and 81 AM major radio stations and 67 major television stations. In 1999, Los Angeles alone had 3,392,820 cable television households (65% of television-owning households). In 2003, 66.3% of all households had a computer and 59.6% had access to the Internet. A total of 1,511,571 Internet domain names had been registered in California by the year 2000, the most of any state.
36
Press
In 2005, California had 68 morning dailies and 23 evening dailies; 61 newspapers had Sunday editions. Los Angeles publishes one of the nation’s most influential dailies, the Los Angeles Times, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
which was the fourth-largest daily paper in the nation in 2004. San Francisco has long been the heart of the influential Hearst newspaper chain. Leading newspapers, with 2005 daily circulation figures, are the Los Angeles Times (902,164); the San Francisco Chronicle (506,022); the San Diego Union Tribune (366,740); and the Orange County Register (303,418). In 2005, there were about 305 weekly publications. California has more book publishers (about 225) than any state except New York. Among the many magazines published in the state are Architectural Digest, Bon Appetit, Motor Trend, PC World, Runner’s World, and Sierra.
37
Tourism, Travel & Recreation
California’s scenic wonders attract millions of state residents, out-of-state visitors, and foreign tourists each year. In 2004, tourism was the state’s third-largest employer, with direct ravel spending in the state reaching $82.5 billion. In 2003, the state hosted about 4 million international visitors. There are 11 Official California Welcome Centers. There are also five international travel trade offices (in Brazil, Australia, Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom). The San Francisco and Los Angeles metropolitan areas offer the most popular tourist attractions. San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf, Chinatown, and Ghirardelli Square are popular for shopping and dining. Tourists also frequent the city’s unique cable cars, splendid museums, Opera House, and Golden Gate Bridge. The Golden Gate National Recreation Area comprises 68 square miles (176 square kilometers) on both sides of the entrance to San Francisco Bay and includes the National Maritime Museum with seven historic ships, and the Muir Woods, 111
California
Gateway to Chinatown Plaza, Los Angeles. JEFF HYMAN.
located 17 miles (27 kilometers) north of the city. The Los Angeles area has the state’s principal tourist attractions. These include the Disneyland amusement center at Anaheim, and Hollywood, which features visits to motion-picture and television studios and sight-seeing tours of film stars’ homes in Beverly Hills. One of Hollywood’s most popular spots is Mann’s (formerly Grauman’s) Chinese Theater, where the impressions of famous movie stars’ hands and feet (and sometimes paws or hooves) are embedded in concrete. Southwest of Hollywood, the Santa Monica Mountain National Recreation Area was created by Congress in 1978 as the country’s largest urban park, covering 150,000 acres (61,000 hectares). 112
The rest of the state offers numerous tourist attractions, including 21 national parks. These include Redwood, Yosemite, and Sequoia national parks—some of the largest and most beautiful parks in the United States—and Lake Tahoe, on the Nevada border.
38
Sports
There are more professional sports teams in California than in any other state. The state’s five baseball teams are the Los Angeles Dodgers, the San Francisco Giants, the San Diego Padres, the Oakland Athletics, and the Anaheim Angels. Football teams are the Oakland Raiders, the San Francisco 49ers, and the San Diego Chargers. The Los Angeles Lakers, the Los Angeles Clippers, the Golden State Warriors, and the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
California
‘Olympiad 1984’ sculpture in front of Stuart Ketchum Hall in Los Angeles. JEFF HYMAN.
Sacramento Kings play in the National Basketball Association, while the Los Angeles Sparks and Sacramento Monarchs play in the Women’s National Basketball Association. Hockey teams include the Los Angeles Kings, the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, and the San Jose Sharks. The Los Angeles Galaxy and San Jose Earthquakes play in Major League Soccer. Another popular professional sport is horse racing at such well-known tracks as Santa Anita and Hollywood Park. Because of the moderate climate, there is racing practically year round. An auto racing track was built in Fontana and now hosts a NASCAR Winston Cup event in April. The track at Sears Point Raceway hosts a NASCAR Winston Cup event in June. California’s collegiate teams have been very successful. The University of Southern Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
California’s baseball team won five consecutive national championships between 1970 and 1974. Its football team has won the Rose Bowl over 20 times, most recently in 2004. The UCLA basketball team has won 10 titles in the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
39
Famous Californians
Richard Milhous Nixon (1913–1994) is the only native-born Californian ever elected to the presidency. Elected to his first term in 1968, he scored a resounding reelection victory four years later, but within a year his administration was beset by the Watergate scandal. On 9 August 1974, after the House Judiciary Committee had voted articles of impeachment, Nixon became the first president ever to resign the office. 113
California
The nation’s 31st president, Herbert Hoover (b.Iowa, 1874–1964), moved to California as a young man. Former film actor Ronald Reagan (b.Illinois, 1911–2004) served two terms as state governor (1967–1975) before becoming president in 1981. He was elected to a second presidential term in 1984. In 1953, Earl Warren (1891–1974) became the first Californian to serve as chief justice of the US Supreme Court (1953–69). Warren, a native of Los Angeles, was elected three times to the California governorship and served in that office (1943–53) longer than any other person. Californians have won Nobel Prizes in several categories. Linus Pauling (b.Oregon, 1901– 1994) won the Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1954 and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1962. The leading figure among the state’s newspaper editors and publishers was William Randolph Hearst (1863–1951), whose publishing empire began with the San Francisco Examiner. Pioneers of the state’s electronics industry include David Packard (b.Colorado, 1912–1996) and William R. Hewlett (b.Michigan, 1913–2001). Stephen Wozniak (b.1950) and Steven Jobs (b.1955) were cofounders of Apple Computer. Other prominent business leaders include clothier Levi Strauss (b.Germany, 1830–1902) and cosmetics manufacturer Max Factor (b.Poland, 1877–1938). California has been home to a great many creative artists. John Steinbeck (1902–1968), the only native-born Californian to win the Nobel Prize for literature in 1962. Other native California writers include adventure writer Jack London (1876–1916), novelist and dramatist William Saroyan (1908–1981), and novelistessayist Joan Didion (b.1934). One California114
California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. AP IMAGES.
born writer whose life and works were divorced from his place of birth was Robert Frost (1874– 1963), a native of San Francisco. Important composers who have lived and worked in California include native John Cage (1912–1992), and immigrants Arnold Schoenberg (b.Austria, 1874–1951) and Igor Stravinsky (b.Russia, 1882–1971). Among the many popular musicians who live and record in the state are California natives David Crosby (b.1941), Randy Newman (b.1943), and Beach Boys Brian (b.1942) and Carl (1946–1998) Wilson. Immigrant painters include landscape artist Albert Bierstadt (b.Germany, 1830–1902), Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
California
as well as abstract painter Hans Hofmann (b.Germany, 1880–1966). Native Californians on the screen include child actress Shirley Temple (later married to Charles Black, b.1928) and such greats as Marilyn Monroe (Norma Jean Baker, 1926–1962). Other longtime residents of the state include John Wayne (Marion Michael Morrison, b.Iowa, 1907–1979), Bette Davis (b.Massachusetts, 1908–1989), and Clark Gable (b.Ohio, 1901–1960). California-born athletes have excelled in every professional sport. A representative sampling includes Baseball Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio (1914–1999), along with Richard A. “Pancho” Gonzales (1928–1995) and Billie Jean (Moffitt) King (b.1943) in tennis, Frank Gifford (b.1930) in football, and Mark Spitz (b.1950) in swimming. Robert B. “Bob” Mathias (b.1930) won the gold medal in the decathlon at the 1948 and 1952 Olympic Games.
40
Bibliography
BOOKS Altman, Linda Jacobs. California. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2006.
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Green, Carl R. The California Trail to Gold in American History. Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow, 2000. Harder, Dan. A Child’s California. Portland, OR: WestWinds, 2000. Lommel, Cookie. James Oglethorpe. Philadelphia, PA: Chelsea House, 2000. McAuliffe, Emily. California Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003. Murray, Julie. California. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Parker, Janice. California. Mankato, MN: Weigl, 2000. Stanley, Jerry. Hurry Freedom: African Americans in Gold Rush California. New York: Crown, 2000. WEB SITES California Travel and Tourism Commission. California: Find Yourself Here. www. visitcalifornia.com (accessed March 1.2007. State of California. CA.gov: Welcome to the State of California. www.ca.gov (accessed March 1, 2007).
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Colorado State of Colorado
O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : From the Spanish word
colorado, meaning red or reddish brown. The Colorado River often runs red during flood stages. N I CKNAME : The Centennial State. C AP ITAL: Denver. ENT ERED UNION: 1 August 1876 (38th). O FFICIAL SEAL: The coat of arms surrounded by the words “State of Colorado 1876.” FLAG: Superimposed on three equal horizontal bands of blue, white, and blue is a large red “C” encircling a golden disk. C OAT OF ARMS: The upper portion of a heraldic shield shows three snow-capped mountains surrounded by clouds; the lower portion has a miner’s pick and shovel crossed. Above the shield are an eye of God and a Roman fasces, symbolizing the republican form of government; the state motto is below. M OT TO: Nil sine numine (Nothing without providence). SONG: “Where the Columbines Grow.” FLOWER: Columbine. TREE: Blue spruce. A NIMAL: Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep. B IRD: Lark bunting. FISH: Greenback cutthroat trout. G E M: Aquamarine. FOSSIL: Stegasaurus. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Lincoln’s Birthday, 12 February; Washington’s Birthday, 3rd Monday in February; Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Cesar Chavez Day, 31 March; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Colorado Day, 1st Monday in August; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October; Election Day, 1st Tuesday after 1st Monday in November in even-numbered years; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 5 AM MST = noon GMT.
1
Location and Size
Located in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States, Colorado ranks eighth in size among the 50 states. The state’s total area is 104,091 square miles (269,596 square kilometers), of which 103,595 square miles (268,311 square kilometers) consist of land and 496 square miles (1,285 square kilometers) are inland waters. Shaped in an almost perfect rectangle, 117
Colorado
Colorado extends 387 miles (623 kilometers) east-west and 276 miles (444 kilometers) northsouth. The total length of Colorado’s boundaries is 1,307 miles (2,103 kilometers).
2
Topography
With a mean average elevation of 6,800 feet (2,074 meters), Colorado is the nation’s highest state. Dominating the state are the Rocky Mountains. Colorado has 54 peaks 14,000 feet (4,300 meters) or higher, including Elbert, the highest in the Rockies at 14,433 feet (4,402 meters), and Pikes Peak, at 14,110 feet (4,301 meters). The entire eastern third of the state is part of the western Great Plains, a high plateau that includes Colorado’s lowest point, 3,350 feet (1,022 meters), on the Arkansas River. Slightly west of the state’s geographic center, is the Continental Divide, which separates the Rockies into the Eastern and Western slopes. Several glaciers, including Arapahoe, St. Mary’s, Andrews, and Taylor, are located on peaks at or near the Continental Divide. Colorado’s western region is mostly mesa country—broad, flat plateaus accented by deep ravines and gorges, with many subterranean caves. The Yampa and Green gorges are located in the northwestern corner of the state. Blue Mesa Reservoir in Gunnison County is Colorado’s largest lake. Six major river systems originate in Colorado: the Colorado River, which runs southwest from the Rockies to Utah; the South Platte, northeast to Nebraska; the North Platte, north to Wyoming; the Rio Grande, south to New Mexico; and the Arkansas and Republican, east to Kansas. Dams on these rivers provide irrigation for the state’s farmland 118
Colorado Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:
4,753,377 10.5% 19.5% 97.4% 83.5% 3.6% 0.9% 2.6% 0.1% 6.7% 2.6%
Population by Age Group 65 and over (10%) Under 18 (26%)
45 to 64 (24%) 18 to 24 (9%)
25 to 44 (31%)
Major Cities by Population City Denver Colorado Springs Aurora Lakewood Fort Collins Thornton Westminster Arvada Pueblo Centennial
Population
% change 2000–05
557,917 369,815 297,235 140,671 128,026 105,182 105,084 103,966 103,495 98,243
0.6 2.5 7.5 -2.4 7.9 27.7 4.1 1.8 1.3 NA
Notes: †A person of Hispanic or Latino origin may be of any race. NA indicates that data are not available. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey and Population Estimates. www.census.gov/ (accessed March 2007).
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
UTAH
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition pa R.
Ute Indian Museum
LA PLATA
SAN JUAN
OURAY
Uncompahgre National Forest
DELTA
PITKIN
ARCHULETA
San Juan National Forest
o
ALAMOSA
CONEJOS
as
San Isabel National Forest
COSTILLA
HUERFANO
CUSTER
San Isabel National Forest
Fort Carson R. Military Res.
Pikes Peak
TELLER
DOUGLAS
JEFFERSON
Englewood
ans
Ark
Great Sand Dunes Nat’l Monument
Rio Grande National Forest
Ri
Westminster Arvada Wheat Ridge
Lakewood CLEAR CREEK
FREMONT
25
Longmont Boulder
BOULDER
GILPIN
PARK
Pike Nat’l Forest
Rio Grande Nat’l For.
Fort Collins
Roosevelt Nat’l For.
LARIMAR
Loveland Rocky Mtn. National Park
.
NEW MEXICO
RIO GRANDE
CHAFFEE
LAKE
SUMMIT
Arapaho Nat’l For.
GRAND
JACKSON
Aspen Ski Area
White River Nat’l Forest
SAGUACHE
MINERAL
HINSDALE
Blue Mesa Reservoir
Gunnison National Forest
EAGLE
Routt Nat’l For.
GUNNISON
o R. Colorad
White River Nat’l For.
Routt National Forest
Ya m
ROUTT
eR nd ra G
Mesa Verde Nat’l Park
Ute Mountain Indian Reservation
MONTEZUMA
DELORES
San Juan National Forest
SAN MIGUEL
MONTROSE
.
Grand Mesa Nat’l Forest Gunnison R.
Grand Junction
hi
Colorado Nat’l Mon.
R
70
te
MESA
W
GARFIELD
RIO BLANCO
Dinosaur National Monument
MOFFAT
WYOMING
Greeley
DENVER
25
LAS ANIMAS
Pueblo
PUEBLO
Comanche National Grassland
Bent’s Old Fort Nat’l Hist. Site
OTERO
LOGAN
te
R.
BENT
BACA
KIOWA
CHEYENNE
KIT CARSON
WASHINGTON
lat
P S.
Comanche National Grassland
70
LINCOLN
CROWLEY
ARAPAHOE
ADAMS
MORGAN
EL PASO
Colorado Springs
U.S.A.F. Acadamy
ELBERT
Littleton
Aurora
Denver
76
Pawnee National Grassland
Northglenn
WELD
Arkansas R.
PROWERS
Bonny Dam Reservoir St. Rec. Area
YUMA
PHILLIPS
SEDGWICK
NEBRASKA 70
0
0
50 miles 50 kilometers
KANSAS
25
OKLAHOMA
25
N
Area of Interest
U.S. Interstate Route
State Capital
City (more than 100,000 people)
City (25,000-100,000 people)
Point of Interest
Explanation
COLORADO
Colorado
119
Colorado
Slightly West of the state’s geographic center is the Continental Divide, which separates the Rockies into the Eastern and Western slopes. © JAMES CORRIGAN/EPD PHOTOS.
and water supplies for cities and towns. Eighteen hot springs are still active in Colorado; the largest is at Pagosa Springs.
3
Climate
Colorado has a highland continental climate with abundant sunshine and low humidity. Winters are generally cold and snowy. Summers are characterized by warm, dry days and cool nights. The average annual temperature statewide ranges from 54°f (12°c) at Lamar and at John Martin Dam to about 32°f (0°c) at the top of the Continental Divide. In Denver, normal temperatures range from 16° to 43°f (-9° to 6°c) in January and from 59° to 88°f (15° to 31°c) in July. The city of Bennett recorded the highest temperature in Colorado, 118°f (48°c), on 120
11 July 1888. The record low in the state was -61°f (-52 °c), in Moffat County on 1 February 1985. Annual precipitation ranges from a low of 7 inches (18 centimeters) in Alamosa to a high of 25 inches (64 centimeters) in Crested Butte. Denver receives about 15.8 inches (40 centimeters) of rain per year. Denver’s snowfall averages 60.3 inches (153.2 centimeters) yearly. The average snowfall at Cubres in the southern mountains is nearly 300 inches (762 centimeters). Less than 30 miles (48 kilometers) away at Manassa, snowfall is less than 25 inches (64 centimeters) per year. On 14–15 April 1921, Silver Lake had 76 inches (193 centimeters) of snowfall, the highest amount ever recorded in North America during a 24-hour period. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Colorado
Colorado Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number
Percent
Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,301,261 . . . . . 100.0 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,179,074 . . . . . . 97.2 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114,612 . . . . . . . 2.7 White and Black or African American. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13,426 . . . . . . . 0.3 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24,795 . . . . . . . 0.6 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16,234 . . . . . . . 0.4 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,735 . . . . . . . . — White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42,383 . . . . . . . 1.0 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,486 . . . . . . . 0.1 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,518 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . 291 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,876 . . . . . . . 0.1 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 637 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. . . . . . . . . 107 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,946 . . . . . . . 0.1 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,234 . . . . . . . . — Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,534 . . . . . . . 0.1 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 410 . . . . . . . . — Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,575 . . . . . . . 0.2 Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.
4
Plants and Animals
Colorado has a variety of vegetation distributed among five zones: plains, foothills, montane, subalpine, and alpine. The plains teem with grasses and as many as 500 types of wildflowers. Arid regions contain two dozen varieties of cacti. Foothills are matted with berry shrubs, lichens, lilies, and orchids. Fragile wild flowers, shrubs, and conifers thrive in the montane zone. Aspen and Engelmann spruce are found up to the timberline. As of 2003, 13 plant species were listed as threatened or endangered, including three species of cacti, two species of milk-vetch, Penland beardtongue, and Colorado butterfly plant. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Colorado has 747 nongame wildlife species and 113 sport-game species. Principal biggame species include the elk, mountain lion, and Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep (the state animal). The lark bunting is the state bird. Blue grouse and mourning doves are numerous and 28 duck species have been sighted. Colorado has about 100 sport-fish species. In 2006, a total of 30 species were on the endangered or threatened species list of the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The Mexican spotted owl and bald eagle are among threatened species. The razorback sucker, gray wolf, whooping crane, black-footed ferret, southwestern willow flycatcher, and bonytail chub are among endangered species. 121
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5
Environmental Protection
The Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Health share responsibility of state environmental programs. In 1978, Colorado became the first state in the United States to encourage taxpayers to allocate part of their state income tax refunds to wildlife conservation. In addition, a state lottery was approved in the late 1980s, with proceeds approved for Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) to be used for parks improvement and wildlife and resource management. Air pollution, water supply problems, and hazardous wastes head the list of Colorado’s current environmental concerns. The Air Quality Control Commission, within the Department of Health, has primary responsibility for air pollution control. Because of high levels of carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and particulates in metropolitan Denver, Colorado Springs, Pueblo, and other cities, a motor vehicle emissions inspection system is in effect. Cars must use oxygenated fuels, and pass tough vehicle emissions controls. About 98% of Colorado’s drinking water complies with federal and state standards. The Colorado Department of Health works with local officials to ensure federal standards for drinking water are met. The Department of Natural Resources’ Water Conservation Board and Division of Water Resources are responsible for addressing water-related problems. The Department of Health has primary responsibility for hazardous waste management. In 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) database listed 202 hazardous waste sites in Colorado, 17 of which were on the National Priorities List as of 2006. As of 2005, the EPA 122
spent over $22.9 million through the Superfund program for the cleanup of hazardous waste sites in the state.
6
Population
In 2006, Colorado was the 22nd most populous state in the country. That year, the population was estimated at 4,753,377 people. The population density in 2004 was 44.4 persons per square mile (17.14 per square kilometer). The US Census Bureau projects that the population will reach 5.5 million by 2025. The estimated median age as of 2004 was 34.53 years. In 2005, about 10% of all residents were 65 years old or older and about 26% were 18 years old or younger. Denver is the state’s largest city. In 2005, it was the 25th largest city in the nation with a population of 557,917. Populations of other cities in 2005 were Colorado Springs, 369,815; Aurora, 297,235; Lakewood, 140,671; Fort Collins, 128,026; Thornton, 105,182; Westminster, 105,084; Arvada, 103,966; and Pueblo, 103,495.
7
Ethnic Groups
According to the 2000 census, the number of Native Americans in Colorado numbered 44,241. The black population numbered about 165,063. There were 735,601 Hispanic and Latino residents and over 95,213 Asians. About 11,571 of the Asians were Japanese, 16,395 were Korean, 15,457 were Vietnamese, 15,658 were Chinese, and 8,941 were Filipino. The population of Pacific Islanders was estimated at 4,621 in 2000. In all, 369,903 residents, or 8.6% of the state population, were foreign born in 2000. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Colorado
8
Languages
Colorado English is a mixture of the Northern and Midland dialects. In the northeast spread, a resident might use the terms sick to the stomach, pail, and comforter (tied and filled bedcover) for things that those in the northwest and the southern half would call sick at the stomach, bucket, and comfort. In the southern half of the state, the large Hispanic population has introduced many Spanish words, such as arroyo (gulley), into the language. In 2000, 3,402,266 Coloradans, or 84.9% of the residents five years old and older, spoke only English at home. Other primary languages spoken, and the number of residents who speak them, are Spanish, 421,670 people; German, 30,824, and French 18,045.
9
Religions
The Spanish explorers who laid claim to (but did not settle in) Colorado were Roman Catholic, but the first American settlers were mostly Methodists, Lutherans, and Episcopalians. As of 2004, Roman Catholics comprise the single largest religious group in the state, with 627,753 adherents. The second-largest group is the Latter-day Saints with 126,118 adherents in 275 congregations as of 2006. The Southern Baptist Convention with 85,083 adherents and the United Methodist Church with 77,286 adherents in 2000 were the next largest groups There were about 72,000 adherents in the Jewish community in 2000. The same year, there were about 72 Buddhist, 7 Hindu, and 12 Muslim congregations in the state. About 60.5% of the population were not counted as members of any religious organization. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
10
Transportation
As the hub of the Rocky Mountain states, Colorado maintains extensive road and rail systems. As of 2003, there were 3,645 rail miles (5,868 kilometers) of track in the state, utilized by 14 railroads. As of 2006, two Amtrak trains, the California Zephyr and the Southwest Chief, provided service to nine cities in Colorado. Colorado has an extensive network of roads, including 29 mountain passes. As of 2004, there were 87,096 miles (140,225 kilometers) of roadway in Colorado. The major state roads are Interstate 70, US 40, and US 50, all crossing the state from east to west, and Interstate 25 running north–south along the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains between Raton Pass and Cheyenne, Wyoming. Interstate 76 connects Denver with Nebraska’s I-80 to Omaha. Of the 1.99 million motor vehicles registered in 2004, 880,000 were automobiles, 1.096 million were trucks, and 2,000 were buses. There were 3,205,054 licensed drivers that year. In 2005, Colorado had a total of 437 public and private-use aviation-related facilities, including 259 airports, 172 heliports, and 6 STOLports (Short Take-Off and Landing). Denver International Airport (DIA) replaced the former Stapleton International Airport in 1994 as the state’s largest and busiest. In 2003, Centennial Airport ranked as the second-busiest general aviation airport in the nation.
11
History
By ad 800 there were tribes of Pueblos in present-day Colorado, who practiced advanced forms of agriculture and pottery making. From the 11th through the 13th centuries, the Pueblos 123
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constructed elaborate apartment-like dwellings in the cliffs of the Colorado canyons and planted their crops both on the mesa tops and in the surrounding valleys. The explorer Juan de Onate is believed to have traveled into the southeastern area in 1601. In 1706, Juan de Uribarri claimed southeastern Colorado for Spain, joining it with New Mexico. Meanwhile, the French had claimed most of the area east of the Rocky Mountains. In 1763, France formally ceded the Louisiana Territory to Spain, which returned it to the French in 1801. Two years later, as part of the Louisiana Purchase, Colorado east of the Rockies became US land; the rest of Colorado still belonged to Spain. Eastern Colorado remained a wilderness for the next few decades, although traders and scouts like Kit Carson did venture into the largely uncharted land, establishing friendly relations with the Indians. Between 1842 and 1853, John C. Frémont led five expeditions into the region, the first three for the US government. Western and southern Colorado came into US possession after the Mexican War (1846–48). The magnet that drew many Americans to Colorado was the greatly exaggerated report of a gold strike in Cherry Creek (present-day Denver) in July 1858. The subsequent boom led to the founding of such mining towns as Boulder, Colorado City, Central City, and Gold Hill. By 1860, the population exceeded 30,000. A bill to organize the Territory of Colorado was passed by the US Congress on 28 February 1861. Colorado sided with the Union during the Civil War, though some settlers fought for the Confederacy. The 1860s also saw the most serious conflict between Indians and white settlers in Colorado 124
history. After ceding most of their tribal holdings to the US government, the Cheyenne and Arapaho, unsuccessful at farming, resumed a nomadic lifestyle. They hunted buffalo, raided towns, and attacked travelers along the Overland and Sante Fe trails. On 29 November, US military forces under the command of Colonel John Chivington brutally massacred as many as 200 Native Americans near their reservation in the Arkansas Valley. Statehood Colorado entered the Union as the
38th state on 1 August 1876, during the presidency of Ulysses S. Grant. In the early years of statehood, silver strikes at Leadville and Aspen brought settlers and money into Colorado. Rail lines, smelters, and refineries were built, and large coalfields were opened up. The High Plains attracted new farmers, and another new industry—tourism—emerged. As early as the 1860s, resorts had opened near some of the state’s mineral springs. Colorado’s boom years ended with a depression during the early 1890s, when the silver market declined. By the dawn of the 20th century, farmers were returning to the land. The development of the automobile and the advent of good roads opened up more of the mountain areas, bringing a big boom in tourism by the 1920s. From 1920 to 1940, statewide employment declined, and population growth lagged behind that of the United States as a whole. World War II brought military training camps, airfields, and jobs to the state. After the war, the placement of both the North American Air Defense Command and the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs helped stimulate the growth of Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Colorado
Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde. ILSA DAWSON.
defense, federal research, and aerospace-related industries in the state. As these and other industries grew, so too did Colorado’s population and income. Between 1960 and 1983, the state’s population growth rate was more than twice that of the nation as a whole; and between 1970 and 1983, Colorado moved from 18th to 9th rank among the states in income per capita (per person). In the 1970s and early 1980s, Colorado experienced a boom in its oil, mining, and electronics industries. The economy began to shrink, however, in the mid1980s with the drop in oil prices and the closing of mines. Business starts declined by 23% between 1987 and 1988. The economy rebounded by the early 1990s, aided by the presence of an educated workforce and the low cost of doing business in the state. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Industry became more diverse, now including oil and gas, telecommunications, retail, and, very importantly, high technology. On 20 April 1999, the affluent Denver suburb of Littleton made headlines around the world after two teenaged gunmen entered Columbine High School and went on a shooting rampage, killing 12 students and one teacher before turning their guns on themselves. Several others were injured. The tragic event heightened the national debate on gun control and reopened the discussion about what effect media violence has had on the nation’s youth. Major challenges facing Colorado in the 21st century included industrial pollution of its air and water, overcrowding on the Rockies eastern slope (home to four-fifths of the state’s population), and water shortages. Also, the practice 125
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Colorado Governors: 1886–2007 1886–1879 1879–1883 1883–1885 1885–1887 1887–1889 1889–1891 1891–1893 1893–1895 1895–1897 1897–1899 1899–1901 1901–1903 1903–1905 1905 1905 1905–1907 1907–1909 1909–1913 1913–1915 1915–1917 1917–1919
John Long Routt Frederick Walker Pitkin James Benton Grant Bejamin Harrison Eaton Alva Adams Job Adams Cooper John Long Routt Davis Hanson Waite Albert Wills McIntire Alva Adams Charles Spalding Thomas James B. Orman James Hamilton Peabody Alva Adams James Hamilton Peabody Jesse Fuller McDonald Henry Augustus Buchtel John Franklin Shafroth Elias Milton Ammons George Alfred Carlson Julius Caldeen Gunter
Republican Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Republican Populist Republican Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat
of open-pit gold mining had become an environmental problem, as the cyanide used to dissolve gold in the mines leaches into streams and rivers. Colorado was among the western states ravaged by wildfires during the summer of 2000, the worst fire season since 1988. In the summer of 2002, wildfires burned over 7.1 million acres of public and private land. The Hayman fire of 2002 was called the largest wildfire in Colorado history. The Hayman fire burned 138,577 acres of Colorado land thirty miles southwest of Denver. Another major 2002 wildfire was the Missionary Ridge fire: it burned 72,964 acres of land north and northeast of Durango.
12
State Government
Colorado’s constitution, which was ratified in 1876, had been amended 145 times by January 126
1919–1923 1923–1925 1925–1927 1927–1933 1933–1937 1937 1937–1939 1939–1943 1943–1947 1947–1950 1950–1951 1951–1955 1955–1957 1957–1963 1963–1973 1973–1975 1975–1987 1987–1999 1999–2006 2006–
Oliver Henry Nelson Shoup William Ellery Sweet Clarence J. Morley William Herbert Adams Edwin Carl Johnson Ray H. Talbot Teller Ammons Ralph L. Carr John Charles Vivian William Lee Knous Walter Walfred Johnson Daniel Isaac J. Thornton Edwin Carl Johnson Stephen L. R. McNichols John A. Love John David Vanderhoof Richard David Lamm Roy Romer Bill Owens William Ritter, Jr.
Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat
2005. In 2002 voters approved several constitutional reforms, including a campaign finance reform measure. Colorado’s general assembly, which meets annually, consists of a 35-member senate and 65-member house of representatives. There is no constitutional limit to the length of a session, and the legislature may call special sessions by request of two-thirds of the members of each house. The executive branch is headed by the governor, who submits the budget and legislative programs to the general assembly, and appoints judges, department heads, boards, and commissions. Elected with the governor is the lieutenant governor, who assumes the governor’s duties in the governor’s absence. Bills may originate in either house of the general assembly and become law when passed by majority vote of each house and signed by the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Colorado
Colorado Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR
WINNER
DEMOCRAT
REPUBLICAN
PROGRESSIVE
SOCIALIST
SOC. LABOR
1948
*Truman (D)
267,288
239,714
6,115
1,678
—
CONSTITUTION
1952 1956
*Eisenhower (R) *Eisenhower (R)
245,504 263,997
379,782 394,479
1,919 —
1960 1964
Nixon (R) *Johnson (D)
330,629 476,024
402,242 296,767
— —
1968
*Nixon (R)
335,174
409,345
2,181 759
— 3,308
SOC. WORKERS
563 2,537
2,803 —
235
3,016
AMERICAN IND.
60,813 AMERICAN
1972
*Nixon (R)
329,980
597,189
17,269
666
4,361 LIBERTARIAN
1976 1980 1984 1988
Ford (R) *Reagan (R) *Reagan (R) *Bush (R)
460,801
584,278
368,009 454,975 621,453
652,264 821,817 728,177
397
1,122
STATESMAN
CITIZENS
1,180
5,614 — —
25,744 11,257 15,482
1,608
8,669
NEW ALLIANCE
2,491
5,338
IND. (PEROT)
1992
*Clinton (D)
629,681
562,850
366,010
GREEN (NADER)
1996 Dole (R) 2000 *Bush, G. W. (R) 2004 *Bush, G. W. (R) * Won US presidential election.
671,152 738,227 1,001,732
691,848 883,748 1,101,255
governor. A bill may also become law if the governor fails to act on it within 10 days after receiving it. A two-thirds vote in each house is needed to override a gubernatorial veto. The governor’s salary as of December 2004 was $90,000, unchanged from 1999.
13
Political Parties
The Republicans controlled most statewide offices prior to 1900. Since then, the parties have been more evenly balanced. Of the 2,990,000 registered voters in 2004, 30% were estimated to be Democrats; 36% were Republicans; and 33% were unaffiliated or members of other parties. Following the November 2006 election, the state had one Democratic and one Republican Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
99,629 91,434 —
25,070 712 —
12,392 216 —
US Senator, and four Democratic and three Republican US Representatives. Following the 2006 elections, the Democrats held control of the state senate (20 Democrats to 15 Republicans) and the state house (39 Democrats to 26 Republicans).There were 32 women serving in the state legislature, or 32%. For the first time in 28 years, a Republican, Bill Owens, was elected governor in 1998 and reelected in 2002. In 2006, Democrat William Ritter Jr. was elected governor. In the 2004 presidential election, incumbent President George W. Bush carried Colorado with 54% of the vote, while Democrat John Kerry won 48.8% of the vote. Ben Nighthorse Campbell, then the only Native American in Congress, was reelected to a 127
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second term as senator in 1998. He did not run for reelection in 2004.
14
Local Government
As of 2005 there were 63 counties, 270 municipal governments, cities, towns, and designated places, and 176 school districts. There were 1,414 special districts. The administrative and policymaking body in each county is the board of county commissioners. Other county officials include the county clerk, treasurer, assessor, sheriff, coroner, superintendent of schools, surveyor, and attorney. Statutory cities are those whose structure is defined by the state constitution. Power is delegated by the general assembly to either a councilmanager or mayor-council form of government. Towns, which generally have fewer than 2,000 residents, are governed by a mayor and a board of trustees. Denver, Colorado’s capital and largest city, is run by a mayor and city council. A city auditor, independently elected, serves as a check on the mayor.
15
Judicial System
The supreme court, the highest court in Colorado, consists of seven justices elected on a nonpartisan ballot. The next highest court, the court of appeals, consists of 16 judges and is confined to civil matters. County courts hear minor civil disputes and misdemeanors. Appeals from the Denver county courts are heard in Denver’s superior court. Municipal courts throughout the state handle violations of municipal ordinances. Colorado’s FBI Crime Index reported that the violent crime 128
rate in 2004 was 373.5 per 100,000 people. Crimes against property that same year totaled 3,919.3 incidents per 100,000 people. There were 20,293 inmates in state and federal prisons as of 31 December 2004. Colorado has a death penalty and had executed one person between 1976 and 5 May 2006.
16
Migration
The discovery of gold in 1858 brought an avalanche of prospectors. Some of these migrants later moved westward into the Rockies and Colorado River canyons. In 1873, another gold strike brought settlers into the Ute territory, eventually driving the Indians into a small reservation in the southwestern corner of the state. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the sparsely populated eastern plains were settled by farmers from Kansas and Nebraska and by immigrants from Scandinavia, Germany, and Russia. Since the end of World War II, net migration into the state has been substantial, amounting to over 880,000 between 1950 and 1990. A number of migrant workers, mostly Mexican Americans, work seasonally in the western orchards and fields. In the period 2000–05, net international migration was 112,217 and net internal migration was 47,740, for a net gain of 159,957 people.
17
Economy
With its abundant reserves of coal, natural gas, and other minerals—and the economic potential of its vast oil-shale deposits—Colorado is a major mining state, although the mineral industry’s share of the state economy declined Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Colorado
throughout the 20th century. Agriculture, primarily livestock, remains important. Trade is the leading source of employment, while real estate is the principal contributor to the gross state product. The US government employs tens of thousands of people, making it a driving force in Colorado’s economy. Tourism has also expanded in all areas of the state. The 2001 national recession affected the state, as growth slowed, particularly in manufacturing. In 2002, the state posted its first decline in employment since 1986. In 2004, the real estate sector accounted for 13.9% of gross state product (GSP), followed by professional and technical services (8.5%), and construction (6%). Mining, long a staple of the state’s economy, accounted for only 1.9% of GSP. In 2004, Colorado had an estimated 493,886 small businesses. An estimated 23,694 new companies were formed in 2004, up 5.8% from 2003. Business terminations in 2004 totaled 9,734, a drop of 26.5% from 2003. However, business bankruptcies rose to 786 in 2004, an increase of 42.4% from 2003.
18
Income
In 2005, Colorado had a gross state product (GSP) of $216 billion, placing the state at number 21 in the highest GSP among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. In 2004, Colorado ranked 10th among the 50 states in per capita (per person) income, with $36,113. Averaged over the 2002–04 period, the median household income was $51,022, compared to the national average of $44,473. During the same period, 9.8% of the state’s residents lived below the federal poverty level, as compared to 12.4% nationwide. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
19
Industry
Colorado is the main manufacturing center of the Rocky Mountain states; the value of shipments by manufacturers was $33.6 billion in 2004. During the 1980s and 1990s, high-technology research and manufacturing grew substantially in the state. The major industries are food and food products, computer and electronic products, beverage and tobacco products, miscellaneous manufacturing, and transportation equipment. In 2004, a total of 132,925 people in Colorado were employed in the manufacturing sector. The computer and electronic product manufacturing industry accounted for the largest portion of all manufacturing employees at 17,690. Colorado’s manufacturing sector paid $5.9 billion in wages in 2004.
20
Labor
In April 2006, the civilian labor force in Colorado numbered 2,636,700, with approximately 113,100 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 4.3%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. As of April 2006, 7.3% of the nonfarm labor force was employed in construction; 6.6% in manufacturing; 18.5% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 7.1% in financial activities; 14.4% in professional and business services; 10% in education and health services; 11.5% in leisure and hospitality services; and 16.1% in government. Colorado’s labor history has been marked by major disturbances in the mining industry. From 1881 to 1886, the Knights of Labor led at least 35 strikes in the mines. During the 1890s, the Western Federation of Miners went on strike 129
Colorado
from hard-rock mines in Telluride and Cripple Creek. The United Mine Workers, who came into the state in 1899, shut down operations at numerous mines in 1900 and 1903. Violence was common in these disputes. In 1917, the state legislature created the Colorado Industrial Commission, whose purpose is to investigate all labor disputes. In 2005, 170,000 of Colorado’s 2,052,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions. This represented 8.3% of those so employed. The national average was 12%.
21
Agriculture
Colorado ranked 14th among the 50 states in agricultural income in 2005, at $5.65 billion. As of 2004 there were 30,900 farms and ranches covering about 30.9 million acres (12.5 million hectares). The major crop-growing areas are the east and east-central plains for sugar beets, beans, potatoes, and grains; the Arkansas Valley for grains and peaches; and the Western Slope for grains and fruits. In 2004, Colorado ranked seventh in the United States in production of dry edible beans and fifth in barley production. Colorado is also a leading producer of wheat. Other field crops include sugar beets, corn, hay, and sorghum. In 2004, Colorado produced 533,800 tons of fresh market vegetables, 27 million pounds (12.3 million kilograms) of commercial apples, and 12 million pounds (5.4 million kilograms) of peaches. About 100 tons of tart cherries were harvested in 2004. Colorado is also a major grower of roses. 130
22
Domesticated Animals
A leading sheep-producing state, Colorado is also a major area for cattle and other livestock. Huge tracts of pasture land are leased from the federal government by both cattle and sheep ranchers, with cattle mostly confined to the eastern plains and sheep to the western part of the state. The estimate of the number of cattle and calves for 2005 was 2,500,000 with an estimated total value at $2.5 billion. Colorado had an estimated 800,000 hogs and pigs in 2004 with an estimated total value at $76 million. In 2003 Colorado produced 62.6 million pounds (28.5 million kilograms) of sheep and lambs at a gross income of $96.6 million. Colorado was estimated to have produced an estimated 2.57 million pounds (1.1 million kilograms) of shorn wool in 2004. Other livestock products in 2003 included chickens, at an estimated 8.7 million pounds (4 million kilograms), and milk, estimated at 2.17 billion pounds (1.0 billion kilograms). In the same year, the state produced an estimated 1.1 billion eggs.
23
Fishing
There is virtually no commercial fishing in Colorado. The many warm-water lakes lure the state’s 752,060 licensed sport anglers with perch, black bass, and trout, while walleyes are abundant in mountain streams. The Hotchkiss National Fish Hatchery produces and distributes trout to stock over 80 different water areas in Colorado and New Mexico. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Colorado
24
Forestry
As of 2004, approximately 21,637,000 acres (8,756,494 hectares) of forested lands were located in Colorado. In spite of this wood resource, however, commercial forestry is not a major element of the state’s economy. Lumber production in 2004 was 135 million board feet. In Colorado, forestry emphasis occurs in diverse areas: traditional forest management and stewardship, urban and community forestry, resource protection (from wildfire, insects, and disease), and tree planting and care. As of 2005, Colorado had 12 national forests; gross national forest acreage as of 2003 was 16,015,000 acres (6,481,271 hectares).
25
Mining
According to the US Geological Survey estimates, the value of nonfuel mineral production for 2004 was about $1.01 billion. Industrial minerals, especially construction gravel, portland cement, and crushed stone, account for much of the state’s nonfuel mineral production. However, in 2004 metals accounted for almost 52% of all nonfuel mineral production, of which (in descending order), molybdenum concentrates, gold, and silver were the top three. In 2004, Colorado ranked second in the nation in production of molybdenum and third in soda ash. The state ranked 4th in the production of gold and 10th in silver. Overall, the state ranked 17th among the 50 states in total nonfuel mineral production, by value. In 2004, Colorado mined 40.9 million metric tons of sand and gravel, 11 million metric tons of crushed stone, 26,000 tons of lime, and 249,000,000 metric tons of clay. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
26
Energy and Power
An abundant supply of coal, oil, and natural gas makes Colorado a major energy-producing state. During 2003, 46.6 billion kilowatt hours of electricity were generated in Colorado, about 77.5% of that in coal-fired plants. Petroleum production in 2004 was 60,000 barrels per day (the 11th highest in the nation). Proven reserves contained 225 million barrels (the 11th highest in the nation). The marketed natural gas production in 2004 was nearly 1.08 trillion cubic feet (30.65 billion cubic meters). As of 31 December 2004, reserves were at nearly 14.7 trillion cubic feet (418.7 billion cubic meters). In 2004, Colorado’s coal output was 39.87 million tons. In 2004, Colorado had 13 producing coal mines, 5 of which were surface mines and 8 of which were underground. Recoverable coal reserves in 2004 totaled 415 million tons. In 2000, Colorado’s total per capita energy consumption was 279 million Btu (70.3 million kilocalories), ranking it 41st among the states. Colorado holds the major portion of the nation’s proved oil shale reserves. Because of its ample sunshine and wind, Colorado is also well suited to renewable energy development. Among the many energy-related facilities in the state is the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden.
27
Commerce
Colorado is the leading wholesale and retail distribution center for the Rocky Mountain states. Sales from wholesale trade totaled $92.09 billion in 2002, and retail sales totaled $52.2 billion. Exports in 2005 included $6.7 billion in goods. 131
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Denver skyline and the city park. DENVER METRO CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU.
28
Public Finance
The governor’s Office of State Planning and Budgeting has lead responsibility for preparing the annual budget, which is presented to the general assembly on 1 November. The legislature is expected to adopt the budget in May for the fiscal year, which runs from 1 July to 30 June. The constitution requires that the budget be balanced as submitted, as passed, and as signed into law. These requirements are part of the Colorado Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR), the name for a set of amendments adopted in 1992. The amendment also requires a vote of the people for any new or increased taxes. Revenues for 2004 were $23 billion and expenditures were $18 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($6.3 bil132
lion), public welfare ($3.5 billion), and highways ($1.4 billion). Colorado’s outstanding debt totaled $9.8 billion or $2,145.75 per person.
29
Taxation
As of 1 January 2006, the state of Colorado had an individual income tax bracket of 4.63% of federal taxable income. The corporate tax rate is the same flat rate. The state also had a 2.9% general sales tax, however, food and prescription drugs are exempt from the general sales tax. There are also selective sales taxes (excises) on tobacco products, alcoholic beverages, pari-mutuel racing, motor fuels, insurance premiums, public utilities, and other selected goods, as well as various license fees. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Colorado
Colorado municipalities are allowed to levy sales and use taxes. Property taxes are the major source of revenue for local governments. State tax collections in Colorado in 2005 totaled $7.648 billion in 2005. Of the total, 49.3% came from individual income taxes, 26.2% from the general sales tax, 13.8% from selective sales taxes, 4.1% from the corporate income tax; and 6.6% from other taxes.
30
Health
Colorado’s infant mortality rate was 6.6 per 1,000 live births in October 2005. The death rate from all causes was 6.5 per 1,000 population. As of 2002, the death rates for major causes of death (per 100,000 resident population) were: heart disease, 142.6; cancer, 141.7; cerebrovascular diseases, 42.5; chronic lower respiratory diseases, 41; and diabetes, 14.6. The death rate due to HIV infection in 2000 was 2.3 per 100,000 population. In 2002, about 51.5% of the population was considered overweight or obese. As of 2004, about 20% of state residents were smokers. In 2003, Colorado’s 68 community hospitals had 9,500 beds and reported 444,000 admissions. Hospital personnel included 12,230 fulltime registered nurses and 964 full-time licensed practical nurses. The state had 268 physicians per 100,000 population in 2004 and 708 nurses per 100,000 in 2005. In 2003, the average cost per day for inpatient care was $1,551. In 2004, 17% of the adult population was uninsured. The state’s only medical school is the University of Colorado Medical Center in Denver. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
31
Housing
In 2004, there were an estimated 2,010,806 housing units in the state, of which 1,850,238 units were occupied. About 68.6% were owneroccupied. About 63.4% of all units were singlefamily, detached homes. It was estimated that about 65,261 units were without telephone service, 6,527 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 7,242 lacked complete kitchen facilities. Though most homes employed gas and electricity as heating fuel, about 3,362 units were equipped for solar power heating. The average household size was 2.43 people. In 2004, 46,500 new privately-owned housing units were authorized. The median home value was $211,740. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,355 while the cost for renters was at a median of $724 per month.
32
Education
As of 2004, 35.5% of all residents ages 25 and older had completed four or more years of college. About 86.9% of all adult Coloradans were high school graduates. Total enrollment in public schools was estimated at 752,000 in fall 2002 and expected to be 833,000 by fall 2014. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 50,123. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $6.8 billion. As of fall 2002, there were 282,343 students enrolled in institutions of higher education. As of 2005, Colorado had 75 degree-granting institutions. The oldest state school is the Colorado School of Mines, founded in Golden in 1869. Although chartered in 1861, the University of Colorado did not open until 1876. Its Boulder 133
Colorado
campus is now the largest in the state. Colorado State University was founded at Ft. Collins in 1870. The University of Denver was chartered in 1864 as the Colorado Seminary of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Colorado is also the home of the United States Air Force Academy.
33
Arts
The Colorado Council on the Arts (est. 1967) and the Colorado Endowment for the Humanities (est. 1974) sponsors many arts programs throughout the state. The Council on the Arts is affiliated with the regional Western States Art Federation. Colorado’s arts programs include the contributions of well over 100,000 artists. Arts education programs are presented to over 11,000 schoolchildren. In 2003, there were over 80 local arts organizations in the state. From its earliest days of statehood, Colorado has been receptive to the arts. Such showplaces as the Tabor Opera House in Leadville and the Tabor Grand Opera House in Denver were among the most elaborate buildings in the Old West. Newer centers are Denver’s Boettcher Concert Hall, which opened in 1978 as the home of the Denver Symphony, and the adjacent Helen G. Bonfils Theater Complex, which opened in 1980 and houses a repertory theater company. Other artistic organizations include the Colorado Springs Symphony, Colorado Opera Festival of Colorado Springs, the Central City Opera House Association, and the Four Corners Opera Association in Durango. The amphitheater in Red Rocks Park near Denver, formed by red sandstone rocks, provides a natural and acoustically excellent concert area. 134
Aspen FilmFest, founded in 1979, offers several festivals throughout the year promoting interest in independent filmmaking. The annual Moondance International Film Festival for independent filmmakers has been considered to be one of the most important film festivals in the country. The Aspen Music Festival and School, founded in 1949, is an annual internationally renowned classical music festival that offers over 200 events and educational opportunities throughout the summer.
34
Libraries and Museums
In 2001, Colorado had 116 public library systems, with a total of 243 libraries, of which 138 were branches. That year, the state’s public libraries held more than 11 million volumes with a circulation of more than 43.4 million. The largest system was the Denver Public Library with 1,882,487 volumes in 27 branches. The leading academic library is at the University of Colorado at Boulder, with over 2.8 million volumes. Colorado has 174 museums and historic sites. One of the most prominent museums in the West is the Denver Art Museum, with its large collection of Native American, South Seas, and Oriental art. Its new Frederick C. Hamilton Building, designed by Daniel Libeskind, opened in October 2006. Another major art museum is the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, specializing in southwestern and western American art. The Colorado Ski Museum–Ski Hall of Fame are in Vail.
35
Communications
Over 95.8% of all households in the state had telephones as of 2004. In addition, by June of Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Colorado
New wing of the Denver Art Museum. AP IMAGES.
that year there were 2,727,910 mobile phone subscribers. In 2003, 70% of Colorado households had a computer and 63% had Internet access. Of the 80 major radio stations in operation in 2005, 22 were AM and 58 were FM. The Denver area had cable in 61% of its 1,268,230 television-owning households in 1999. A total of 109,775 Internet domain names were registered in Colorado in 2000.
36
Press
As of 2005, there were 21 morning dailies, 9 afternoon dailies, and 15 Sunday papers. The leading newspapers were the Rocky Mountain News, with a circulation of 595,512 in the mornings and 705,593 on Sundays; and the Denver Post, 595,512 mornings and 705,593 Sundays. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
37
Tourism, Travel & Recreation
In 2000, tourism was the second-largest industry in the state, with travel spending reaching $8 billion. In 2004, the state had over 24 million visitors. Tourism accounts for over 200,000 jobs within the state. Scenery, history, and skiing combine to make Colorado a prime tourist mecca. Vail and Aspen are popular ski resort centers. Colorado has over 25 ski areas. Skiing is in season from mid-November through late March. The US Air Force Academy near Colorado Springs is a popular tourist attraction, as is nearby Pikes Peak, the Garden of the Gods (featuring unusual red sandstone formations), and Manitou Springs, a resort center. Besides 135
Colorado
its many museums, parks, and rebuilt Larimer Square district, Denver’s main attraction is the US Mint. All nine national forests in Colorado are open for camping, as are the state’s two national parks: Rocky Mountain and Mesa Verde. Other attractions include the fossil beds at Dinosaur National Monument, Indian cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde, the Durango-Silverton steam train, and white-water rafting on the Colorado, Green, and Yampa rivers.
38
Sports
There are four major league professional sports teams in Colorado, all in Denver: the Broncos of the National Football League, the Nuggets of the National Basketball Association, the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball, the Avalanche of the National Hockey League. The Colorado Springs Sky Sox compete in the Pacific Coast division of minor league baseball and the Colorado Gold Kings compete in the West Coast Hockey League. Colorado is home to some of the world’s finest alpine skiing resorts, such as Vail, Aspen, and Steamboat Springs. The Buffaloes of the University of Colorado produced some excellent football teams in the late 1980s and early 1990s and were named national Champions in 1990 (with Georgia Tech). They won the Big Twelve conference title in 2001. Jack Dempsey, the famous heavyweight boxer of the 1920s, was born in Manassa, Colorado, and was appropriately named the “Manassa Mauler.” 136
Zebulon Pike was an early explorer of the Colorado region. Colorado’s highest point, Pike’s Peak, is named in his honor. EPD PHOTOS.
39
Famous Coloradans
Fort Collins was the birthplace of Byron R. White (b.1917–2002), an associate justice of the US Supreme Court from 1962. Gary Hart (b.Kansas, 1936) was a senator and a presidential candidate in 1984 and 1988. Early explorers of the Colorado region include Zebulon Pike (b.New Jersey, 1779–1813). Ouray (1820–1883) was a Ute chief who ruled at the time when mining districts were being opened. Willard F. Libby (1909–1980), won the Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1960. Among the performers born in the state were actors Lon Chaney (1883–1930) and Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Colorado
Douglas Fairbanks (1883–1939). Singer John Denver (Henry John Deutschendorf Jr., b.New Mexico, 1943–1997) was closely associated with Colorado and lived in Aspen until his death in a plane crash. Colorado’s most famous sports personality is Jack Dempsey (1895–1983), who held the world heavyweight boxing crown from 1919 to 1926.
40
Bibliography
BOOKS Ayer, Eleanor H. Colorado. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2006. Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000.
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Deady, Kathleen W. Colorado. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2006. Harling, Michael. Peter Forsberg. New York: Greystone, 2000. McAuliffe, Emily. Colorado Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003. Murray, Julie. Colorado. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Shuter, Jane. Mesa Verde. Chicago: Heinemann, 2000. WEB SITES Colorado Tourism Office. Colorado: Fresh Air and Fond Memories Served Daily. www.colorado. com (accessed March 1, 2007). State of Colorado. Welcome to Colorado.gov: The Official Site of the State of Colorado. www. colorado.gov (accessed March 1, 2007).
137
Connecticut State of Connecticut
O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : From the Mahican word
quinnehtukqut, meaning “beside the long tidal river.” N I CKNAME : The Constitution State (official in 1959); the Nutmeg State. C AP ITAL: Hartford. ENT ERED UNION: 9 January 1788 (5th). O FFICIAL SEAL: The three grape vines and motto of the arms surrounded by the words Sigillum reipublicæ Connecticutensis (Seal of the State of Connecticut). FLAG: The coat of arms appears on a blue field. C OAT OF ARMS: On a rococo shield, three grape vines, supported and bearing fruit, stand against a white field. Beneath the shield is a streamer bearing the state motto. M OT TO: Qui transtulit sustinet (He who transplanted still sustains). SONG: “Yankee Doodle.” FLOWER: Mountain laurel. TREE: White oak. A NIMAL: Sperm whale. B IRD: American robin. IN S ECT: European praying mantis. M INERAL: Garnet. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Martin Luther King Jr. Day, 3rd Monday in January; Lincoln Day, 12 February; Washington’s Birthday, 3rd Monday in February; Good Friday, March or April; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Monday in October; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 7 AM EST = noon GMT.
1
Location and Size
Located in New England in the northeastern United States, Connecticut ranks 48th in size among the 50 states. The state’s area is 5,018 square miles (12,997 square kilometers), of which 4,872 square miles (12,619 square kilometers) are of land and 146 square miles (378 square kilometers) are inland waters. Connecticut has an average length of 90 miles (145 kilometers) east-west and an average width of 55 miles (89 kilometers) north-south. It has a boundary length of 328 miles (528 kilometers) and a shoreline of 253 miles (407 kilometers). 139
Connecticut
2
Topography
Connecticut is divided into four main geographic regions: the central lowlands (formed by the Connecticut and Quinnipiac river valleys), the eastern highlands, the western highlands, and the coastal lowlands. Mt. Frissell, the highest point in the state at 2,380 feet (726 meters), is located in the western highlands, which are an extension of the Green Mountains. The coastal lowlands consist of rocky peninsulas, shallow bays, sand and gravel beaches, salt meadows, and good harbors at Bridgeport, New Haven, New London, Mystic, and Stonington. Connecticut has more than 6,000 lakes and ponds. The two largest bodies of water, both of which were manmade, are Lake Candlewood, covering about 5,000 acres (2,000 hectares), and Barkhamsted Reservoir, a major source of water for the Hartford area. The main river is the Connecticut, New England’s longest river, at 407 miles (655 kilometers). This waterway, which is navigable as far north as Hartford, divides the state roughly in half before emptying into Long Island Sound. Other principal rivers include the Thames, Housatonic, and Naugatuck.
3
Climate
Connecticut has a generally temperate climate, with mild winters and warm summers. The January mean temperature is 27°f (-3°c) and the July mean is 70°f (21°c). Coastal areas have warmer winters and cooler summers than the interior. The highest recorded temperature in Connecticut was 106°f (41°c) in Danbury on 15 July 1995. The lowest recorded temperature was -32°f (-36°c) in Falls Village on 16 February 1943. The annual rainfall is about 140
Connecticut Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:
3,504,809 2.9% 10.9% 98.3% 81.2% 9.1% 0.2% 3.2% 0.0% 4.5% 1.8%
Population by Age Group
65 and over (13%)
Under 18 (24%)
45 to 64 (27%)
18 to 24 (8%)
25 to 44 (28%)
Major Cities by Population City Bridgeport New Haven Hartford Stamford Waterbury Norwalk Danbury New Britain Bristol Meriden
Population
% change 2000–05
139,008 124,791 124,397 120,045 107,902 84,437 78,736 71,254 61,353 59,653
-0.4 0.9 2.3 2.5 0.6 1.8 5.2 -0.4 2.1 2.4
Notes: †A person of Hispanic or Latino origin may be of any race. NA indicates that data are not available. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey and Population Estimates. www.census.gov/ (accessed March 2007).
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
10
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
20 kilometers
NEW YORK
10
N
Area of Interest
U.S. Interstate Route
20 miles
95
Norwalk
Sherwood Island State Park
Naugatuck
Shelton
Silver Sands State Park
Milford
West Haven
New Haven
West Rock Ridge State Park
Naugatuck State Forest
.
Bridgeport
Collis P. Huntington State Park
84
cR ni to sa
Stamford
Danbury
Paugussett State Forest
NEWHAVEN
ou H
Wooster Mtn. State Park
FAIRFIELD
Lake Candlewood
Sound Island Long
91
Sleeping Giant State Park
Meriden
691
New Britain
Hartford
Penwood State Forest
Bristol
Waterbury
Mattatuck State Forest
Torrington
Paugnut State Forest
Meshomasic State Forest
95
Cockaponset State Forest
Middletown
MIDDLESEX
91
TOLLAND
Devil’s Hopyard State Park
Salmon River State Forest
Rocky Neck State Park
Pachaug St. Forest
Fishers I.
Bluff Point State Park
95
Mashantucket Pequot Indian Res.
Norwich
395
Mohegan State Forest
Mashamoquet Brook State Park
WINDHAM
New London
Nehantic State Forest
NEW LONDON
Nathan Hale State Forest
Natchaug St. Forest
Nipmuck State Forest
84
Shenipsit State Forest
Hammonasset Beach State Park
R.
Mianus River State Park
Pootatuck State Forest
Mohawk Mtn. State Forest
Mohawk Mtn. State Park
Peoples State Forest
Tunxis State Forest
HARTFORD
Barkhamsted Reservoir
Algonquin State Forest
Haystack Mtn. State Park
LITCHFIELD
Wyantenock State Forest
Macedonia Brook State Park
Housatonic Meadows State Park
Housatonic State Forest
Mt. Riga State Park
MASSACHUSETTS
ut ic ct ne on C
NEW JERSEY
0
0
95
State Capital
City (more than 100,000 people)
City (25,000-100,000 people)
Point of Interest
Explanation
CONNECTICUT
Connecticut
141
RHODE ISLAND
Connecticut
A seal relaxing under the sun’s rays at the Mystic Marine Life Aquarium in Connecticut. CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
46.2 inches (117 centimeters) and is evenly distributed throughout the year. The state receives some 25 to 60 inches (64 to 150 centimeters) of snow each year, with the heaviest snowfall in the northwest. Severe flooding and hurricanes have occurred.
4
Plants and Animals
Connecticut has an impressive variety of vegetation zones. Along the shore of Long Island Sound are tidal marshes with salt grasses. On slopes fringing the marshes are black grass, switch grass, and march elder. Vegetation in the swamp areas includes various ferns, abundant cattails, and skunk cabbage. The state’s hillsides and uplands 142
support a variety of flowers and plants, including mountain laurel (the state flower), pink azalea, and Queen Anne’s lace. Endangered plant species in the state include showy lady’s slipper, ginseng, showy aster, nodding pogonia, goldenseal, climbing fern, and chaffseed. Only the smaller mammals, such as the woodchuck, gray squirrel, cottontail, eastern chipmunk, porcupine, raccoon, and striped skunk, remain common. Snakes remain plentiful but are mostly harmless, except for the northern copperhead and timber rattlesnake. Fresh-water fish are abundant, and aquatic life in Long Island Sound even more so. Common birds include the robin (the state bird), blue jay, song sparrow, wood thrush, and many species of waterfowl. In April 2006, a total of 16 animal species were listed as threatened or endangered by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Among these were five kinds of sea turtles, the bald eagle, the roseate tern, two species of whale, and the gray wolf.
5
Environmental Protection
The Department of Environmental Protection, established in 1971, is responsible for protecting natural resources and controlling water, air, and land pollution. In 1980, Connecticut became the first state in the country to adopt a comprehensive statewide groundwater quality management system. In 1994, the governors of Connecticut and New York formally adopted a comprehensive plan to manage Long Island Sound, an “estuary of national significance.” Vehicle-related emissions of ozone precursors have been reduced by almost 50% and the state is working closely with other northeastern and mid-Atlantic states on regional ozone reducJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Connecticut
Connecticut Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number
Percent
Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,405,565 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,330,717 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70,473 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11,725 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,652 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,343 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 538 White and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24,391 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,439 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 945 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . 665 Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,008 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . 41 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 668 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 465 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,738 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 490 Three or more races. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,375
. . . . . 100.0 . . . . . . 97.8 . . . . . . . 2.1 . . . . . . . 0.3 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.7 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.3 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1
Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.
tion. Permitting and enforcement processes and voluntary reductions have resulted in at least a 68% reduction in toxins emitted to the air. In 1987 Connecticut adopted statewide mandatory recycling. The combination of resource recovery, recycling, and reduction of waste by consumers has resulted in significant reductions in landfilled garbage over the past few decades. In 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency’s database listed 424 hazardous waste sites within the state, 14 of which were on the National Priorities List as of 2006.
6
of 3,504,809. The US Census Bureau projects that the population will reach 3.69 million by 2025. Connecticut’s population density in 2004 was 722.9 persons per square mile (279.1 persons per square kilometer), which was considerably higher than the national average. The median age of all residents in 2004 was 38.9 years. In 2005, 13% of residents were 65 years old or older, while 24% were 18 years old or younger. Major cities with their 2005 population
Population
In 2006, Connecticut ranked 29th in the nation in population with a total estimated population Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
estimates were Bridgeport, 139,008; Hartford, 124,791; New Haven, 124,397; Stamford, 120,045; and Waterbury, 107,902. 143
Connecticut
7
Ethnic Groups
Many residents in Connecticut are of secondgeneration European descent. The biggest groups are those with ancestors from Italy, Ireland, Poland, and Quebec, Canada. According to the 2000 census, the black population numbered 309,843 people, about 9% of the total population. In 2006, the black population accounted for 9.1% of the state’s population. There were also about 320,323 residents of Hispanic or Latino origin, or about 10% of the state’s total population, according to the 2000 census. Of these, about 194,443 were Puerto Rican. In 2006, those of Hispanic or Latino ancestry accounted for 10.9% of the population. The 2000 census also reported that Connecticut had 9,639 Native Americans, 82,313 Asians, and 1,366 Pacific Islanders. In 2006, those of American Indian ancestry accounted for 0.2% of the state’s population, while 3.2% were Asian. As of 2000, about 369,967 Connecticut residents, or 10.9% of the population, were foreign born.
8
Languages
Connecticut English is basically that of the Northern dialect, but features of the eastern New England subdialect occur east of the Connecticut River. In the east, the word box is pronounced /bawks/ and cart is /kaht/. In the western half, creek is /krik/ and cherry may be /chirry/. Along the Connecticut river, the word butcher might sound like /boocher/ and tomorrow is pronounced /tomawro/. In some regions, a sycamore is called a buttonball and gutters are eavestroughs. In the northwest, an earthworm is called an angledog. 144
As of 2000, a total of 2,600,601 Connecticuters (81.7% of the population five years old and older) speak only English at home. Other languages spoken at home, and the number of people who speak them, include Spanish, 268,044; Italian, 50,891; French, 42,947; Polish, 38,492; and Portuguese, 30,667.
9
Religions
In 1630, the Congregational Church, was established by the Puritans as the official religion for the colony. Roman Catholic immigrants arrived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Since World War I, Roman Catholics have been the most numerous religious group in the state. As of 2004, there were 1,333,044 Roman Catholics in the state. Mainline Protestants represent the second largest category of churches and include the United Church of Christ with 92,573 adherents (in 2005), the Episcopal Church with 73,550 members (in 2000), and the United Methodist Church with 51,183 adherents (in 2000). The estimated number of Jewish adherents was 108,280 (in 2000), while Muslims numbered about 29,647. About 42.1% of the population were not counted as members of any religious organization.
10
Transportation
As of 2003, there were 708 miles (1,140 kilometers) of railroad in Connecticut. The New Haven Line Commuter Rail Service offers a line between New Haven and New York City. On an average weekday, nearly 900 trains serve over 250,000 Metro-North customers from Connecticut and New York. In 1990, the Connecticut Department of Transportation Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Connecticut
(CDOT) contracted with Amtrak to operate the Shore Line East Commuter Rail Service between Old Saybrook and New Haven. In February of 1996, Shore Line East service was extended to New London. On an average weekday, 18 revenue trains serve about 600 customers. Since 1971, Amtrak has provided intercity passenger service to Connecticut on the Northeast Corridor main line (Boston– New Haven–New York City–Philadelphia– Washington, DC) and on the Springfield Line (New Haven–Hartford–Springfield). Local bus systems provide intracity transportation. These services are generally subsidized by the state, and in some instances, by the Federal Transit Administration. Intercity bus service (not subsidized by the state or the federal government) is provided in over 30 municipalities by some 30 companies. Connecticut has an extensive system of expressways, state highways, and local roads, totaling 21,144 miles (34,041 kilometers) in 2004. Major highways include I-95, also called the John Davis Lodge Turnpike, which crosses the entire length of the state near the shore; I-91, linking New Haven and Springfield, Massachusetts, and I-84 from the Massachusetts Turnpike southwestward through Hartford, Waterbury, and Danbury to New York State. As of 2004, there were about 2.035 million automobiles, 938,000 trucks, and around 10,000 buses registered in the state. Connecticut had 2,694,574 licensed drivers during that same year. Most of Connecticut’s waterborne traffic is handled through the two major ports of New Haven and Bridgeport. In 2005, there were 152 public and private air facilities in Connecticut including 54 Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
airports, 92 heliports, and 6 seaplane bases. Connecticut’s principal air terminal is Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, which is north of Hartford.
11
History
By the early 17th century, Connecticut had between 6,000 and 7,000 Native Americans organized into 16 tribes. Because of their fear of the warlike Pequot along the shore and of the Mohawk to the west, most of Connecticut’s other Native Americans sought the friendship of English newcomers in the 1630s. The impact of English settlers on Connecticut’s friendly tribesmen was devastating, however. The Native Americans lost their land, were made dependents in their own territory, and were ravaged by such European diseases as smallpox and measles. By the 1770s, Connecticut’s Native American population was less than 1,500. The early English settlers were part of a great migration of some 20,000 English Puritans between 1630 and 1642. In 1639, the Puritan settlements at Windsor, Wethersfield, and Hartford joined together to form the Connecticut Colony. A separate Puritan colony established at New Haven in 1638 joined them in 1665. Connecticut functioned throughout the colonial period much like an independent republic. It was the only American colony that generally did not follow English legal and legislative practices. With its Puritan roots and historic autonomy, Connecticut was a patriot stronghold during the American Revolution. The state’s most famous Revolutionary War figure was Nathan Hale, executed as a spy by the British in New York City in 1776. On 9 January 1788, Connecticut 145
Connecticut
became the fifth state to ratify the Constitution. Connecticut strongly disagreed with the foreign policy of Presidents Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, and opposed the War of 1812, even refusing to allow its militia to leave the state. Long before the Civil War, Connecticut was stoutly antislavery. Connecticut had a number of antislavery societies whose members routed escaped slaves to Canada via the Underground Railroad. Some 55,000 Connecticut men served in the Civil War, suffering more than 20,000 casualties. The contributions by Connecticut industries to the war effort signaled the state’s emergence as a manufacturing giant. Its industrial development was helped by abundant waterpower, an elaborate transportation network, and, most important, the technological and marketing expertise of the people.
The stock market crash of 1929 and the subsequent depression of the 1930s hit highly industrialized Connecticut hard. By the spring of 1932, the state’s unemployed totaled 150,000, and cities such as Bridgeport fell deeply in debt. Connecticut was pulled out of the unemployment doldrums in 1939, when the state’s factories were once again stimulated by defense contracts. During World War II, Connecticut’s factories turned out submarines, Navy Corsair fighter aircraft, helicopters, 80% of all ball bearings manufactured in the United States, and many thousands of small arms. Approximately 220,000 Connecticut men and women served in the US armed forces. Post-World War II Since 1945, Connecticut has
sixth in the nation in 1900, with an annual output of $50 million. By 1904, Connecticut’s firearms industry was producing more than onefourth of the total value of all firearms manufactured by nongovernment factories in the United States. These great strides in manufacturing transformed Connecticut from a rural, agrarian society in the early 1800s to an increasingly urban state.
seen substantial population growth, economic diversification with a greater proportion of service industries, the expansion of middle-class suburbs, and an influx of black and Hispanic migrants to the major cities. Urban renewal projects in Hartford and New Haven have resulted in expanded office and recreational facilities, but not much desperately needed new housing. A major challenge facing Connecticut in the 1980s was once again how to handle the social and economic integration of this incoming wave of people and industries.
The state’s contribution to the Allied forces in World War I more than equaled its Civil War effort. About 66,000 Connecticuters served in the armed forces, and by 1917–18, four-fifths of Connecticut’s industry was involved in defense production. During the 1920s, the state became a national leader in the production of specialty parts for the aviation, automotive, and electric power industries.
Connecticut became the nation’s wealthiest state during the 1980s, achieving the highest per capita (per person) income in 1986. The state’s prosperity came in part from the expansion of the military budget, as 70% of Connecticut’s manufacturing sector was defense-related. The end of the Cold War, however, brought cuts in military spending which reduced the value of defenserelated contracts in Connecticut from $6 billion
1900–1945 The state’s textile industry ranked
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Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Connecticut
Connecticut Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR
CONNECTICUT WINNER
DEMOCRAT
REPUBLICAN
PROGRESSIVE
SOCIALIST
1948 1952 1956 1960 1964
Dewey (R) *Eisenhower (R) *Eisenhower (R) *Kennedy (D) *Johnson (D)
423,297 481,649 405,079 657,055 826,269
437,754 611,012 711,837 565,813 390,996
13,713 1,466 — — —
6,964 2,244 — — —
1968
Humphrey (D)
621,561
556,721
AMERICAN IND.
76,660
— AMERICAN
1972
*Nixon (R)
555,498
810,763
1976
Ford (R)
647,895
719,261
1980 1984 1988
*Reagan (R) *Reagan (R) *Bush (R)
541,732 569,597 676,584
677,210 890,877 750,241
— 7,101
17,239 US Labor 1,789
LIBERTARIAN
CITIZENS
8,570
6,130
CONN-ALLIANCE
COMMUNIST
1,274
4,826
LIBERTARIAN
NEW ALLIANCE
14,071
2,491 IND. (PEROT)
1992 1996
*Clinton (D) *Clinton (D)
682,318 735,740
578,313 483,109
5,391 5,788
2000 Gore (D) 2004 Kerry (D) * Won US presidential election.
816,015 857,488
561,094 693,826
64,452 —
348,771 139,523 REFORM
in 1989 to $4.2 billion in 1990. Department of Defense spending per capita fell from $1,800 in the 1980s to $1,289 in 1992. By 1992, manufacturing jobs had declined by 25% while jobs in such service industries as retail, finance, insurance, and real estate increased by 23%. The total number of jobs, however, dropped by 10%. In the 1980s and early 1990s, Connecticut witnessed an increasing contrast between the standard of living enjoyed by urban and suburban residents, blacks and whites, and the wealthy and the poor. In 1992, the median family income in many of the state’s suburbs was nearly twice that of families living in urban areas. Although a personal income tax and programs were implemented to give a greater share of Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
4,713 4,713
state money to urban areas, along with improvements to the state educational system, poverty in the state continued to increase during the 1990s. In 1990, a total of 6% of the state’s population lived in poverty. By 1998, that number had increased to 9.2%, although by 2004, the level had fallen to 7.6%, which was well below the national average of 13.1%. As of 2005, Connecticut was seeking additional business investment.
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State Government
The state legislature is called the general assembly, consisting of a 36-member senate and 151member house of representatives. Legislators are elected to both houses for two-year terms. 147
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Connecticut Governors: 1769–2007 1769–1784 1784–1786 1786–1796 1796–1797 1797–1809 1809–1811 1811–1812 1812–1817 1817–1827 1827–1831 1831–1833 1833–1834 1834–1835 1835–1838 1838–1842 1842–1844 1844–1846 1846–1847 1847–1849 1849–1850 1850–1853 1853–1854 1854–1855 1855–1857 1857–1858 1858–1866 1866–1867 1867–1869 1869–1970 1870–1871 1871–1873 1873–1877 1877–1879 1879–1881 1881–1883 1883–1885 1885–1887 1887–1889
Jonathan Trumbull Matthew Griswold Samuel Huntington Oliver Wolcott, Sr. Jonathan Trumbull John Treadwell Roger Griswold John Cotton Smith Oliver Wolcott, Jr. Gideon Thomlinson John Samuel Peters Henry Waggaman Edwards Samuel Augustus Foot Henry Waggaman Edwards William Wolcott Ellsworth Chauncey Fitch Cleveland Roger Sherman Baldwin Isaac Toucey Clark Bissell Joseph Trumbull Thomas Hart Seymour Charles Hobby Pond Henry Dutton William Thomas Minor Alexander Hamilton Holley William Alfred Buckingham Joseph Roswell Hawley James Edward English Marshall Jewell James Edward English Marshall Jewell Charles Roberts Ingersoll Richard Dudley Hubbard Charles Bartlett Andrews Hobart B. Bigelow Thomas MacDonald Waller Henry Baldwin Harrison Phineas Chapman Lounsbury
Federalist Federalist Federalist Federalist Federalist Federalist Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Nat-Rep Democrat Whig Democrat Whig Democrat Whig Democrat Whig Whig Democrat Democrat Whig American Republican Republican Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Republican Democrat Republican Republican
Elected members of the executive branch are the governor and lieutenant governor (who run jointly and must each be at least 30 years of age), secretary of state, treasurer, comptroller, and attorney general. All are elected for four-year terms and may be reelected. A bill becomes law when approved by both houses of the general assembly and signed by the governor. If the governor fails to sign it within 5 148
1889–1893 1893–1895 1895–1897 1897–1899 1899–1901 1901–1903 1903–1905 1905–1907 1907–1909 1909 1909–1911 1911–1915 1915–1921 1921–1923 1923–1925 1925 1925–1931 1931–1939 1939–1941 1941–1943 1943–1946 1946–1947 1947–1948 1948–1949 1949–1951 1951–1955 1955–1961 1961–1971 1971–1975 1975–1980 1980–1991 1991–1995 1995–2004 2004–
Morgan Gardner Bulkeley Luzon Burritt Morris Owen Vincent Coffin Lorrin Alamson Cooke George Edward Lounsbury George Payne McLean Abiram Chamberlain Henry Roberts Rollin Simmons Woodruff George Leavens Lilley Frank Bentley Weeks Simeon Eben Baldwin Marcus Hensey Holcomb Everett John Lake Charles Augustus Templeton Hiram Bingham John Harper Trumbull Wilbur Lucius Cross Raymond Earl Baldwin Robert Augustine Hurley Raymond Earl Baldwin Charles Wilbert Snow James Lukens McConaughy James Coughlin Shannon Chester Bliss Bowles John Davis Lodge Abraham Alexander Ribicoff John Noel Dempsey Thomas Joseph Meskill Ella Tambussi Grasso William Atchinson O’Neill Lowell Palmer Weicker, Jr. John G. Rowland M. Jodi Rell
Republican Democrat Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Republican Republican
Democratic Republican – Dem-Rep National Republican – Nat-Rep
days when the legislature is in session, or within 15 days when it has adjourned, the measure also becomes law. A bill vetoed by the governor may be overridden by a two-thirds vote of the members of each house. As of December 2004, the governor’s salary was $150,000 and the legislative salary was $28,000. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
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Political Parties
Connecticut’s Democrats have held power in most years since the mid-1950s. As of 2004, there were 1,823,000 registered voters, of which an estimated 36% were Democrats, 24% were Republicans, and 40% were unaffiliated or members of other political parties. In the November 2000 elections, Democrat Al Gore carried the state with 56% of the popular vote; Republican George W. Bush won 39%. In 2004, Democrat John Kerry defeated George W. Bush for president in Connecticut, with 54.3% of the vote to 43.9%. Following the November 2006 election, Connecticut’s delegation to the US House of Representatives consisted of four Democrats and one Republican. Both US senators from Connecticut will caucus as Democrats, although Joseph Lieberman was reelected by running under his own banner as an independent in 2006. In the state legislature, following the 2006 elections, Democrats held majorities in both houses. In the state house of representatives, Democrats held 106 seats, while the Republicans held 45. In the state senate, Democrats held 24 seats to the 12 held by the Republicans. Women held 28.9% of all seats in the state legislature, or 54 seats. In 2002, Republican John G. Rowland was reelected governor. However, in 2004, Rowland was forced to resign over a scandal involving corruption. On 1 July 2005, Rowland was succeeded by the state’s lieutenant governor, Republican M. Jodi Rell, who became only the second woman to hold the state’s governorship. Rell was elected in her own right in 2006. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
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Local Government
As of 2005, Connecticut had 8 counties, 30 municipal governments, and 384 special districts. Counties in Connecticut have been geographical subdivisions without governmental functions since county government was abolished in 1960. Connecticut’s cities generally use the council-manager or mayor-council forms of government. The council-manager system provides for an elected council that determines policy, enacts local legislation, and appoints the city manager. The mayor-council system employs an elected chief executive with extensive appointment power and control over administrative agencies. In most towns, an elected, three-member board of selectmen heads the administrative branch. The town meeting, in which all registered voters may participate, is the legislative body. Boroughs are generally governed by an elected warden, and borough meetings exercise major legislative functions.
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Judicial System
Connecticut’s judicial system has undergone significant streamlining in recent years, with the abolition of municipal, circuit, and juvenile courts. Currently, the Connecticut judicial system consists of the supreme court, appeals court, superior court, and probate courts. The supreme court comprises the chief justice, five associate justices, and two senior associate justices. The high court hears cases on appeal, primarily from the appeals court, but also from the superior court in certain special instances, such as the review of a death sentence, reappor149
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tionment, election disputes, invalidation of a state statute, or censure of a probate judge. The superior court, the sole general trial court, has the authority to hear all legal controversies except those over which the probate courts have exclusive jurisdiction. The superior court sits in 12 state judicial districts and is divided into trial divisions for civil, criminal, and family cases. Connecticut’s state and federal prisons had an inmate population of 19,498, as of 31 December 2004. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) the state’s violent crime rate (murder/nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault) was 286.3 incidents per 100,000 people in 2004. State law provides for the death penalty, of which lethal injection is the sole method of execution.
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Migration
Although the first English settlers found an abundance of fertile farmland in the Connecticut Valley, later newcomers were not so fortunate. It is estimated that in 1800, when Connecticut’s population was 250,000, nearly three times that many people had moved away from the state, principally to Vermont, western New York, Ohio, and other Midwestern states. The influx of European immigrants increased the number of foreign-born in the state from 38,518 in 1850 to about 800,000 by World War I. After World War II, the rush of middleclass whites (many from neighboring states) to Connecticut suburbs, propelled in part by the “baby boom” that followed the war, was accompanied by the flow of minority groups to the cities. 150
In the period 2000–05, net international migration totaled 75,991, with net domestic migration at -34,273, for a net gain of 41,718 people.
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Economy
Connecticut turned to a variety of non-farming activities in the early 19th century, among them shipbuilding and whaling. Since the 1790s, Connecticut has been a leader in the insurance industry. Connecticut’s most important economic pursuit in the 20th century was manufacturing. In the 1980s, Connecticut became a leader in the manufacture of aircraft engines and parts, bearings, hardware, submarines, helicopters, typewriters, electronic instrumentation, electrical equipment, guns and ammunition, and optical instruments. Because defense production has traditionally been important to the state, the economy has fluctuated with the rise and fall of international tensions. Connecticut has lessened its dependence on the defense sector somewhat by attracting nonmilitary domestic and international firms to the state. The state was hit hard by cuts in military spending in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In 1992, about 70% of manufacturing was related to defense. During the prosperous 1990s, unemployment fell steadily, although manufacturing jobs declined. The gross state product (GSP) grew at a rate of 8.7% in 2000. The national recession of 2001 caused economic growth to slow to 2.6%, and unemployment to rise. In 2004, the state’s GSP totaled $185.802 billion, of which the real estate sector accounted for the largest portion at 13%, followed by manufacturing at 12.2%, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
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and professional and technical services at 7.4% of GSP. In 2004, Connecticut was home to 322,805 small businesses. Of the 97,311 companies that had employees, 97.3% were small firms.
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Income
In 2005, Connecticut had a gross state product (GSP) of $194 billion. In 2004, the state ranked second among the 50 states and the District of Columbia in terms of per capita (per person) income with $45,318, which was well above the national average of $33,050. For the three year period 2002 through 2004, the median household income for Connecticut was $55,970, compared to the national average of $44,473. In the same period, 8.8% of the state’s residents lived below the federal poverty level, compared to the national average of 12.4%.
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Industry
Six main groups of industries drive the state’s economy: aerospace and advanced manufacturing; communications, information and education; financial services; health and biomedical; business services; and tourism and entertainment. The state’s value of shipments of manufactured goods totaled $45.105 billion in 2004. Of that total, transportation equipment manufacturing accounted for the largest share at $10.445 billion, followed by chemicals at $7.956 billion, and fabricated metal products at $5.128 billion. In 2004, a total of 191,909 people were employed in the state’s manufacturing industries. The largest number, 44,885 employees, were employed in the transportation equipment Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
sector, followed by 33,460 employed in the fabricated metal products sector.
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Labor
In April 2006, the civilian labor force in Connecticut numbered 1,830,800 workers, with approximately 71,900 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 3.9%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. Data for that same date showed that of nonfarm employment, about 3.8% of the labor force was employed in construction; 11.5% in manufacturing; 18.6% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 8.6% in finance activities; 12.1% in professional and business services; 7.9% in leisure and hospitality services; and 14.6% in government. During the early 20th century, Connecticut was consistently anti-union and was one of the leading open-shop states in the northeastern United States. But great strides were made by organized labor in the 1930s with the support of New Deal legislation recognizing union bargaining rights. All workforce services, including recruiting, training, workplace regulation, labor market information, and unemployment insurance, are offered through a statewide partnership of Connecticut’s Department of Labor, Regional Workforce Development Boards, and state and community organizations. In 2005, a total of 247,000 of Connecticut’s 1,550,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of a union. This represented 15.9% of those so employed, and was above the national average of 12%. 151
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21
Agriculture
Agriculture is no longer of much economic importance in Connecticut. The number of farms declined from 22,241 in 1945 to 4,200 in 2004, covering a total of 360,000 acres (145,700 hectares). Cash receipts from crop sales in 2005 were $358 million. Tobacco production was 3,889,000 pounds (1,768,000 kilograms) in 2004. Other principal crops are hay, silage, potatoes, sweet corn, tomatoes, apples, and peaches.
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Domesticated Animals
In 2005, there were an estimated 56,000 cattle and calves on Connecticut farms. Their estimated value was $59.9 million. In 2004 there were an estimated 4,200 hogs and pigs, valued at $546,000. During 2003, Connecticut dairy farmers produced an estimated 413 million pounds (187.7 million kilograms) of milk. Also during 2003 poultry farmers produced an estimated 3 million pounds (1.4 million kilograms) of chicken and received $165,000 for 135,000 pounds (46,000 kilograms) of turkey. Connecticut produced an estimated 795,000 eggs in 2003 at an estimated value of $44.1 million.
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Fishing
Commercial fishing does not play a major role in the economy. In 2004, the value of commercial landings was $37.8 million for a catch of 21.1 million pounds (9.6 million kilograms). In 2003, the state had only 23 processing and wholesale plants with a total of about 237 employees. In 152
2001, the commercial fishing fleet had about 425 boats and vessels. Several programs have been instituted throughout the years to restore the Atlantic salmon and trout populations on the Connecticut River. Connecticut had nearly 148,125 sport fishing license holders in 2004.
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Forestry
By the early 20th century, the forests that covered 95% of Connecticut in the 1630s were generally destroyed. Woodland recovery has been stimulated since the 1930s by an energetic reforestation program. Of the state’s 1,859,000 acres (752,337 hectares) of forestland in 2004, more than half was wooded with new growth. Lumber production in 2004 totaled 48 million board feet. State forests covered some 298,000 acres (121,990 hectares) in that same year.
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Mining
The value of nonfuel mineral production in Connecticut in 2004 was estimated by the US Geological Survey at around $131 million. Crushed stone, and construction sand and gravel were the state’s two leading mineral commodities. And accounted for nearly all output by volume and value. Other commodities produced included common clays, and dimension stone. Demand for virtually all of the state’s mineral output is dependent on a healthy construction industry, the main consumer of aggregates.
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Energy and Power
Connecticut has no proven reserves of crude oil, natural gas, nor any refining capacity. As a result, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Connecticut
the state is entirely reliant upon imported oil from countries such as Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Nigeria, and others. Most of the natural gas used in Connecticut is piped in from Texas and Louisiana. However, two of the four Northeast Heating Oil Reserves established by Congress in 2000 are located in Connecticut. They have a combined capacity of 850 thousand barrels. In 2003, electricity production totaled 29.545 billion kilowatt hours. Of that amount, only 2.8% came from electric utilities, with the remainder coming from combined heat and power service providers. The largest portion of electric power generated (54.4%) came from nuclear power, while natural gas-fueled plants accounted for 17.1% of all electricity produced, and coal-fired plants accounted for 14.2%. Petroleum-fired plants accounted for 7% of all power generated. The remaining power produced came from other renewable sources and hydropower. As of 2006, Connecticut had only one nuclear generating facility, the Millstone plant at Waterford.
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Commerce
Considering its small size, Connecticut is a busy commercial state. In 2002, the state’s wholesale trade sector had sales of $86.9 billion, while the retail trade sector had sales of $41.9 billion. The estimated value of Connecticut’s goods exported abroad was $9.6 billion in 2005. Transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery, electric and electronic equipment, and instruments account for most of the state’s foreign sales. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
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Public Finance
The state budget is prepared biennially by the Budget and Financial Management Division of the Office of Policy and Management and submitted by the governor to the general assembly for consideration. In 2004, total revenues were $19.51 billion, while total expenditures that same year amounted to were $19.52 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($4.47 billion), public welfare ($4.41 billion), and hospitals ($1.4 billion). Connecticut’s outstanding debt totaled $22.57 billion, or $6,451.72 per person.
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Taxation
Connecticut’s principal taxes are a general state sales and use tax of 6%, a two-bracket personal income tax of 3% and 5% (as of 1 January 2006), and a flat-rate corporate income tax of 7.5%. There are state excise taxes on such products as gasoline, motor fuels, cigarettes, and other selected products and services. There are also various state license fees and stamp taxes. All property taxes are local, but there are no local sales taxes in Connecticut. Food is not taxed if it is purchased for consumption off-premises (such as at home). In 2005, the state collected $11.585 billion in taxes, or $3,300 per person, which placed the state as the fourth highest among the 50 states in per capita tax burden. Of that amount, the largest portion (43.4%) came from individual income taxes, 28.2% came from general sales taxes, while selective sales taxes accounted for 16.1%. Corporate taxes accounted for 5%. 153
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In 2004, local property taxes amounted to $1,944 per person, the second-highest in the country, behind only New Jersey.
30
Health
As of October 2005, the infant mortality rate was estimated at 5.4 per 1,000 live births. In 2002, the death rate (per 100,000 people) for heart disease was 254.7; cancer, 207; cerebrovascular diseases 53.8; chronic lower respiratory diseases, 42; and diabetes, 19.5. As of 2004, about 18% of the state’s residents were smokers. In that same year, the reported AIDS case rate was about 18.4 per 100,000 population. In 2003, Connecticut’s 34 community hospitals had around 7,200 beds. In the same year, there were about 372,000 patient admissions and 6.8 million outpatient visits. In 2005, there were 972 nurses per 100,000 people. Connecticut had 369 physicians per 100,000 population in 2004. Outstanding medical schools are those of Yale University and the University of Connecticut. Hospital expenses in 2003 averaged $1,684 per day. In 2004, about 11% of the population was uninsured.
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Housing
In 2004, there were an estimated 1,414,433 housing units in Connecticut, 1,329,950 of which were occupied. Of those, 69.7% were owner-occupied. About 59.5% of all units were single-family, detached homes. It was estimated that about 22,730 units were without telephone service, 8,239 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 6,030 lacked complete kitchen facilities. Most households (47%) relied on fuel oil (such 154
as kerosene) for heating. The average household size was 2.55 people. New privately owned housing units authorized in 2004 numbered 11,800. The median value of a single-family detached home was $236,559. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,603, while the median monthly cost for renters was $811.
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Education
Believing that the Bible was the only true source of God’s truths, Connecticut’s Puritan founders viewed literacy as a theological necessity. A law code in 1650 required a town of 50 families to hire a schoolmaster to teach reading and writing, and a town of 100 families to operate a school to prepare students for college. In 2004, a total of 88.8% of Connecticut residents age 25 and older were high school graduates. Some 34.5% had obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Total enrollment in public schools was estimated at 570,000 in fall 2003. However, enrollment by fall 2014 was expected to drop 0.6% to 567,000. Expenditures for public education in 2003/2004 were estimated at $10,788 per student, the fifth highest among the 50 states. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 74,430. The state’s private preparatory schools include Choate Rosemary Hall (Wallingford), Taft (Waltertown), Westminster (Simsbury), Loomis Chaffee (Windsor), and Miss Porter’s (Farmington). In fall 2002, enrollment in college or graduate school was 170,606. In the same year Connecticut had 46 degree-granting institutions. Public institutions of higher education include the University of Connecticut at Storrs; four divisions of the Connecticut State University, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Connecticut
at New Britain, New Haven, Danbury, and Willimantic; 12 regional community colleges; and 5 state technical colleges. Connecticut also has 23 private 4-year colleges and universities. Among the oldest institutions are Yale, founded in 1701 and settled in New Haven between 1717 and 1719; Trinity College (1823) in Hartford; and Wesleyan University (1831) in Middletown. Other private institutions include the University of Hartford, University of Bridgeport, Fairfield University, and Connecticut College in New London.
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Arts
The Connecticut Commission on the Arts, established in 1965, administers a state art collection and establishes policies for an art bank program. The Commission also partners with the New England Foundation for the Arts. The Connecticut Humanities Council was established in 1974, and as of 2006, has supported a number of reading and literacy programs for young people and adults. In 2005, Connecticut’s arts organizations received 30 grants from the from the National Endowment for the Arts, and 23 grants through the National Endowment for the Humanities. There were approximately 900 arts associations in the state and 65 local arts groups. The visual arts are easily accessible through numerous art museums, galleries, and more than 150 annual arts shows and festivals. The theater is vibrant in Connecticut, which has numerous dinner theaters, community theater groups, and many college and university theater groups. Professional theaters include the American Shakespeare Festival Theater, the Long Wharf Theater, Yale Repertory Theater, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
the Hartford Stage Company, and the Eugene O’Neill Memorial Theater Center. The state’s foremost metropolitan orchestras are the Hartford and New Haven symphonies. Professional opera is presented by the Stanford State Opera and by the Connecticut Opera in Hartford. Prominent dance groups include the Connecticut Dance Company in New Haven, the Hartford Ballet Company, and the Pilobolus Dance Theater in the town of Washington. The annual International Festival of Arts and Ideas in New Haven has grown steadily since its inception in 1996 and now presents over 300 events throughout the month of June. The Sunken Garden Poetry Festival, presented every summer at the Hill Stead Museum in Farmington, reportedly draws about 1,500 to 3,000 people per reading event.
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Libraries and Museums
As of 2001, Connecticut’s 194 public library systems had 242 libraries, of which 48 were branches. In that same year, the public library systems held over 14 million volumes and had a combined circulation of 28,455,000. The leading public library is the Connecticut State Library (Hartford), which houses over 1 million bound volumes and over 2,451 periodicals, and also serves as the official state historical museum. Connecticut’s most distinguished academic collection is the Yale University library system (with over 9 million volumes) in New Haven, headed by the Sterling Memorial Library and the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library. The Hartford Seminary Foundation has an impressive collection of material on Christian-Muslim relations. The Submarine Library at the US Navy 155
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An octagonal lighthouse forms the centerpiece of a city park, Lighthouse Point. Located at the eastern end of New Haven harbor, this park has the only public beach in New Haven, Connecticut’s second-largest city. CONNECTICUT TOURISM.
submarine base in Groton is also an important location for maritime history research. Connecticut has more than 162 museums, in addition to its historic sites. The Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale in New Haven includes an impressive dinosaur hall. Connecticut’s historical sites include the Henry Whitfield House in Guilford (1639), said to be the oldest stone house in the United States, and Noah Webster’s birthplace in West Hartford.
major network television stations. There were educational television stations in Bridgeport, Hartford, and Norwich. In addition, the Hartford and New Haven metropolitan area had the highest cable use rate of any urban area, at 88%. A total of 109,775 domain names were registered in Connecticut by 2000. As of 2003 a total of 69.2% of all households in the state had a computer, while 62.9% had Internet access.
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Communications
As of 2004, a total of 95.5% of all households in the state had telephones. As of June 2004, the state had over 2 million mobile wireless phone service subscribers. In 2005, Connecticut had 18 AM and 33 FM major radio stations, and 5 156
Press
The Hartford Courant, founded in 1764, is generally considered to be the oldest US newspaper in continuous publication. The leading Connecticut dailies in 2005 were the Courant, with an average morning cirJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
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Mystic Seaport, whaling museum. CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
culation of 204,664 (Sundays, 281,714), and the New Haven Register, with an average evening circulation of 92,089 (Sundays, 100,177). Statewide, in 2005 there were 14 morning newspapers, 3 evening newspapers, and 13 Sunday editions. Leading periodicals are American Scientist, Connecticut Magazine, Fine Woodworking, Golf Digest, and Tennis.
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Tourism, Travel & Recreation
Tourism has become an increasingly important part of the state economy in recent decades. Tourist spending reached about $366 million in 2003. Popular tourist attractions include the Mystic Seaport restoration and its aquarium, the Mark Twain House and state capitol in Hartford, the American Clock and Watch Museum in Bristol, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
and the Yale campus in New Haven. Outstanding events include the Harvard-Yale regatta held each June on the Thames River in New London.
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Sports
The Connecticut Sun became the state’s first major league team when it joined the WNBA in 2003. The team was formerly the Orlando Miracle. Connecticut’s only other major league professional team, the Hartford Whalers of the National Hockey League, moved to North Carolina following the 1996–1997 season and became the Carolina Hurricanes. The New England Seawolves are members of the Arena Football League. New Haven has a minor league baseball franchise, the Ravens, as do Norwich and New Britain. There are also minor league hockey and basketball teams in the 157
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Mark Twain’s house, Nook Farm Museum. CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
state. Auto racing takes place at Lime Rock Race Track, which is located in Salisbury. Connecticut schools, colleges, and universities provide amateur athletic competitions, highlighted by Ivy League football games on autumn Saturdays at the Yale Bowl in New Haven. While Yale has won 13 Ivy League football titles, the University of Connecticut has become a force in men’s and women’s basketball. The Huskies’ women’s team won the NCAA championship in 1995 and 2000, and back-to-back titles in 2002 and 2003. They have also advanced to two other Final Four tournaments. The men’s team won the National Invitational Tournament in 1988 and has made more than 30 NCAA Tournament appearances, winning national championships in 1999 and 2004. Other annual sporting events include the US Eastern Ski Jumping Championships in 158
Salisbury in February, and the Greater Hartford Open Golf Tournament in Cromwell in June and July.
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Famous Connecticuters
Connecticut claims President George W. Bush (b.1946) as a native son. Two Connecticut natives have served as chief justice of the US Supreme Court: Oliver Ellsworth (1745–1807) and Morrison R. Waite (1816–1888). Other prominent federal officeholders were Dean Acheson (1893–1971), secretary of state; and Abraham A. Ribicoff (1910–1998), secretary of health, education, and welfare. Connecticut senator Lowell P. Weicker Jr. (b.France, 1931) was brought to national attention by his work during the Watergate hearings in 1973. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
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Ella Tambussi Grasso (1919–1981), elected in 1974 and reelected in 1978, was the first woman governor in the United States who did not succeed her husband in the post. Shapers of US history include Jonathan Edwards (1703–1758), a Congregationalist minister who sparked the 18th-century religious revival known as the Great Awakening; Connecticut’s most revered Revolutionary War figure, Nathan Hale (1755–1776), who was executed for spying behind British lines; radical abolitionist John Brown (1800–1859); and Henry Ward Beecher (1813–1887), a religious leader and abolitionist. Connecticuters prominent in US cultural development include painter John Trumbull (1756–1843); Noah Webster (1758–1843), who compiled the American Dictionary of the English Language (1828); and Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811–1896), who wrote one of the most widely read books in history, Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852). Mark Twain (Samuel L. Clemens, b.Missouri, 1835–1910) was living in Hartford when he wrote The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885). Charles Ives (1874–1954) was one of the nation’s most distinguished composers. A renowned voice in modern poetry, Wallace Stevens (b.Pennsylvania, 1879–1955), wrote most of his work while employed as a Hartford insurance executive. James Merrill (b.New York, 1926–1995) was a poet whose works won the National Book Award (1967) and many other honors. Among the premier inventors born in Connecticut were Eli Whitney (1765–1825), inventor of the cotton gin; Samuel Colt (1814– 1862), inventor of the six-shooter; and Edwin Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
H. Land (1909–1991), inventor of the Polaroid Land Camera. Other prominent Americans born in Connecticut include circus promoter Phineas Taylor “P. T.” Barnum (1810–1891), pediatrician Benjamin Spock (1903–1998), actress Katharine Hepburn (1909–2003), and consumer-advocate Ralph Nader (b.1934), who was the Green Party candidate for president in 2000. Connecticut Senator Joseph I. Lieberman (b.1942), unsuccessful vice presidential running mate of Democrat Al Gore in 2000, was the first Jewish American ever to run for a national office.
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Bibliography
BOOKS Boyle, Doe. Fun with the Family in Connecticut: Hundreds of Ideas for Day Trips with the Kids. Guilford, CT: Globe Pequot Press, 2000. Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Lieberman, Joseph I. In Praise of Public Life. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2000. McAuliffe, Emily. Connecticut Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003. Murray, Julie. Connecticut. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Mezzanotte, Jim. Connecticut. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2006. Sherrow, Victoria. Connecticut. 2nd ed. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2006. Whitehurst, Susan. The Colony of Connecticut. New York: PowerKids, 2000. WEB SITES State of Connecticut. State of Connecticut Online Access to Government. www.ct.gov (accessed March 1, 2007). Visit New England. Connecticut. www. visitconnecticut.com (accessed March 1, 2007). 159
Delaware State of Delaware
O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Named for Thomas West,
Baron De La Warr, colonial governor of Virginia; the name was first applied to the bay. N I CKNAME : The First State; the Diamond State. C AP ITAL: Dover. ENT ERED UNION: 7 December 1787 (1st). O FFICIAL SEAL: The coat of arms surrounded by the words “Great Seal of the State of Delaware 1793, 1847, 1907.” The three dates represent the years in which the seal was revised. FLAG: Colonial blue with the coat of arms on a buffcolored diamond; below the diamond is the date of statehood. C OAT OF ARMS: A farmer and a rifleman flank a shield that bears symbols of the state’s agricultural resources—a sheaf of wheat, an ear of corn, and a cow. Above is a ship in full sail; below, a banner with the state motto. M OT TO: Liberty and Independence. SONG: “Our Delaware.” C OLORS: Colonial blue and buff. FLOWER: Peach blossom. TREE: American holly. B IRD: Blue hen chicken. FISH: Sea trout. IN S ECT: Ladybug. R OCK OR STONE: Sillimanite. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Martin Luther King Jr. Day, 3rd Monday in January; Presidents’ Day, 3rd Monday in February; Good Friday, March or April; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Day After Thanksgiving; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 7 AM EST = noon GMT.
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Location and Size
Located on the eastern seaboard of the United States, Delaware ranks 49th in size among the 50 states. The state’s total area is 2,044 square miles (5,295 square kilometers), of which land takes up 1,932 square miles (5,005 square kilometers) and inland water 112 square miles (290 square kilometers). Delaware extends 35 miles (56 kilometers) east-west. Its maximum northsouth extension is 96 miles (154 kilometers). Delaware’s boundary length is 200 miles (322 kilometers), including a general coastline of 28 miles (45 kilometers). 161
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Topography
Delaware lies entirely within the Atlantic Coastal Plain except for its northern tip, which is part of the Piedmont Plateau. The state’s highest elevation is 448 feet (137 meters) on Ebright Road near Centerville. The rolling hills and pastures of the north give way to marshy regions in the south (notably Cypress Swamp), with sandy beaches along the coast. Delaware’s mean elevation, 60 feet (18 meters), is the lowest in the United States. The Nanticoke, Choptank, and Pocomoke rivers flow westward into Chesapeake Bay. All others rivers flow into Delaware Bay. There are dozens of inland freshwater lakes and ponds.
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Climate
Delaware’s climate is temperate and humid. The average annual temperature in Wilmington ranges from 24°f (-4°c) in January to 86°f (30°c) in July. Both the record low and high temperatures for the state were established at Millsboro: -17°f (-27°c) on 17 January 1893 and 110°f (43°c) on 21 July 1930. The average annual precipitation is 42.8 inches (108.7 centimeters). The average annual snowfall is about 21 inches (53 centimeters).
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Plants and Animals
Common trees include black walnut, hickory, sweetgum, and tulip poplar. Shadbush and sassafras are found chiefly in southern Delaware. In 2006, four plant species were listed as threatened or endangered. Mammals native to the state include the white-tailed deer, muskrat, and common cottontail. The quail, robin, and car162
Delaware Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:
853,476 8.9% 6.1% 98.5% 73.6% 19.9% 0.3% 2.7% 0.0% 2.0% 1.5%
Population by Age Group
Under 18 (24%)
65 and over (13%)
45 to 64 (26%)
18 to 24 (9%)
25 to 44 (28%)
Major Cities by Population City Wilmington Dover Newark Middletown Smyrna Milford Seaford Elsmere Georgetown New Castle
Population
% change 2000–05
72,786 34,288 30,060 9,121 7,413 7,201 6,997 5,722 4,911 4,836
0.2 6.7 5.3 48.0 30.5 7.0 4.4 -1.3 5.8 -0.5
Notes: †A person of Hispanic or Latino origin may be of any race. NA indicates that data are not available. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey and Population Estimates. www.census.gov/ (accessed March 2007).
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Delaware
DELAWARE
PENNSYLVANIA
Explanation Brandywine Cr. St. Park Claymont
Point of Interest
Hoopes Res.
City (less than 25,000 people)
W. S. Carpenter St. Park
State Capital
Wilmington
U.S. Interstate Route
95
e ar
. R
495
Newark
Area of Interest
Del aw
295
City (more than 25,000 people)
95
N
Fort Delaware St. Park
NEW CASTLE
Lums Pond State Park
0 0
5 5
10 miles and Chesapeake al Delaware Can
10 kilometers
Middletown
NEW JERSEY
KENT
Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge
Dover Dover Air Force Base
D elaware Bay
MARYLAND Killen’s Pond State Forest
Milford
Prime Hook Nat’l Wildlife Refuge
SUSSEX
Cape Henlopen State Park
Ellendale State Forest Redden State Forest
AT L A N T I C
Georgetown
OCEAN
Seaford
ke ico nt Na
Rehoboth Bay
R.
Broa
Indian River Bay
d R.
Delaware Seashore State Park
Holts Landing St. Park
Trap Pond State Park
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dinal are native birds. Canadian geese are common waterfowl. As of 2006, there were 13 animal species considered threatened or endangered by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Among these are the bald eagle, puma, five species of sea turtle, three species of whale, and the Delmarva Peninsula fox squirrel.
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Environmental Protection
The traffic of oil tankers into the Delaware Bay represents an environmental hazard. The Coastal Zone Act of 1971 restricts industrial development, oil drilling, and tanker movement along Delaware’s coastline, but in 1979 the act was amended to allow offshore oil drilling and development. In 1982, Delaware enacted a bottle law requiring deposits on most soda and beer bottles. Deposits for aluminum cans were made mandatory in 1984. In that year, Delaware became the first state to administer the national hazardous waste program at the state level. The state’s municipal governments have constructed three municipal land fills to handle the solid waste produced by the state’s 670,000 residents. In 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency’s database listed 64 hazardous waste sites in the states, 14 of which were on the National Priorities List in 2006. State environmental protection agencies include the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Coastal Zone Industrial Control Board, and Council on Soil and Water Conservation. 164
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Population
In 2006, Delaware ranked 45th in population in the nation with an estimated total of 853,476 residents. In 2004, the population density was 425.4 persons per square mile (164.2 persons per square kilometer). The population projection for 2025 is 990,694. The median age in 2004 was 37.5. As of 2005, about 13% of all residents were 65 years old or older, while about 24% were 18 years old or younger. The largest cities in 2005 were Wilmington, with an estimated population of 72,786; and Dover, the capital, with a population of 34,288.
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Ethnic Groups
In the 2000 census, black Americans constituted Delaware’s largest racial minority, with 150,666 people, or 19% of the population. Approximately 37,277 residents, or 5% of the total population, were of Hispanic origin. In 2006, estimates indicated that 19.9% of the population was black and 6.1% of the population was of Hispanic origin. In 2000, a total of 44,898 residents, or 5.7% of the population, were foreign born. The United Kingdom, Germany, India, Italy, and Canada were the leading places of origin.
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Languages
English in Delaware is basically North Midland, with Philadelphia features in Wilmington and the northern portion. In the north, one wants off a bus, lowers curtains rather than blinds, and says /krik/ for creek. As of 2000, about 662,845 Delawareans (90.5% of the population five years old and older) speak only English at home. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
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Delaware Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number
Percent
Total population. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 783,600 . . . . . 100.0 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770,567 . . . . . . 98.3 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,131 . . . . . . . 1.5 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,145 . . . . . . . 0.4 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,605 . . . . . . . 0.2 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,645 . . . . . . . 0.2 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78 . . . . . . . . — White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,372 . . . . . . . 0.3 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . .890 . . . . . . . 0.1 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .338 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. . . . . . . . . . . . . .82 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,282 . . . . . . . 0.2 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . .5 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .176 . . . . . . . . — Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75 . . . . . . . . — Asian and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .325 . . . . . . . . — Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 . . . . . . . . — Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .902 . . . . . . . 0.1 Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.
Other languages spoken at home (and number of speakers) include Spanish (34,690), and French (4,041).
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Religions
The Great Awakening, America’s first religious revival, began on 30 October 1739 at Lewes with the arrival of George Whitefield, an Anglican preacher involved in the movement that would later become the Methodist Church. The African Methodist Episcopal Church was also founded by slaves and ex-slaves from Delaware. Subsequent immigration brought Lutherans from Germany; Roman Catholics from Ireland, Germany, Italy, and Poland; and Jews from Germany, Poland, and Russia. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
As of 2000, there were 151,740 Catholics in the state. The United Methodist Church had 59,471 adherents. Episcopalians numbered 12,993 and the Presbyterian Church USA claimed 14,880 adherents. There were about 13,500 adherents to Judaism. About 59.4% of the population was not counted as members of any religious organization.
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Transportation
The New Castle and Frenchtown Railroad was built in 1832. The state’s first passenger line, the Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Baltimore Railroad, opened six years later. As of 2003, there were 247 rail miles (397 kilometers) of track. As of 2006, Amtrak served Wilmington via the 165
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Delaware’s first modern highway, running about 100 miles (160 kilometers) from Wilmington to the southern border, was financed by industrialist T. Coleman du Pont between 1911 and 1924. The twin spans of the Delaware Memorial Bridge connect Delaware highways to those in New Jersey. The Delaware Turnpike section of the John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway links the bridge system with Maryland. The Lewes– Cape May Ferry provides auto and passenger service between southern Delaware and New Jersey. In 2004, New Castle and Wilmington were chief ports. The Delaware River is traveled by oil tankers delivering to the east coast. Delaware had 99 miles (159 kilometers) of navigable inland waterways in 2004. In 2005, Delaware had 49 airfields (33 airport, 15 heliports, 1 seaplane base), of which Greater Wilmington Airport was the largest and busiest.
11 Liberty bell in front of Legislative Hall in Dover, Delaware’s state capital. DELAWARE TOURISM OFFICE.
Northeast Corridor main line that connected Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, DC. The Delaware Authority for Regional Transit (DART) provides state-subsidized bus service. In 2004, the state had 6,044 miles (9,731 kilometers) of public highways, roads, and streets. In the same year, there were 716,000 registered vehicles and 533,943 licensed drivers. 166
History
At the time of the first European contact, the Leni-Lenape people occupied northern Delaware, while several tribes, including the Nanticoke and Assateague, inhabited southern Delaware. Permanent settlements were made by the Swedes in 1638 at Wilmington and by the Dutch in 1651 at New Castle. The Dutch conquered the Swedes in 1655, and were in turn conquered in 1664 by the English, who placed Delaware under the control of William Penn. In the War for Independence, Delaware troops fought so well that they gained the nickname “Blue Hen’s Chicken,” after a famous breed of now-extinct fighting gamecocks. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
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On 7 December 1787, Delaware became the first state to ratify the federal Constitution. Although Delaware had not abolished slavery, it remained loyal to the Union during the Civil War. However, white Delawareans manipulated registration laws to deny blacks voting rights until 1890. Delaware refused ratification of the three “Civil War” constitutional amendments (abolition of slavery, equal protection, voting rights for black men) until 1901. The key event in the state’s early economic history was the completion of a railroad between Philadelphia and Baltimore through Wilmington in 1838. Foreign immigration contributed to the state’s growth, largely from the British Isles and Germany in the mid-19th century and from Italy, Poland, and Russia in the early 20th century. In the early 1900’s, E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Co., founded near Wilmington in 1802 as a gunpowder manufacturer, made the city famous as a center for the chemical industry. During the 1950s, Delaware’s population grew by an unprecedented 40%. Although many neighborhood schools became racially integrated during the 1950s, massive busing was instituted by court order in 1978 to achieve a racial balance in schools throughout northern Delaware. This court order was lifted in 1995. The 1980s ushered in a period of dramatic economic improvement. Some of Delaware’s prosperity came from a 1981 state law that raised interest rate limits and lowered taxes for large financial institutions. More than 30 banks established themselves in Delaware, and the state also succeeded in attracting foreign companies. Two industrial parks were built in Sussex, Delaware’s southernmost county, and a third complex in the center of the state. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
The state also succeeded in using its simplified incorporation procedures to attract US and foreign companies. By the mid-1990s, the state was the registered home of roughly half the Fortune 500 companies; however, for many their presence in the state was strictly on paper. Although business has grown in Delaware, urban and rural poverty are still present. Delaware’s teenage pregnancy rate is one of the highest in the country, while its welfare benefits are lower than any other mid-Atlantic state with the exception of West Virginia. Ruth Ann Minner was elected as Delaware’s first woman governor in 2000, assuming the office in 2001. Minner was reelected in 2004. In her 2007 State of the State address, she targeted issues such as pollution, industrial cleanup, the economy, and education. In 2002, Delaware passed a law banning smoking in most indoor public places; it was among the first states in the nation to enact a smoking ban.
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State Government
Delaware has had four constitutions, the last of which, in force since 1897, had been amended 138 times by January 2005. Delaware’s legislative branch is the general assembly, consisting of a 21-member senate and a 41-member house of representatives. Senators are elected for four years, and representatives for two. Delaware’s major elected executives include the governor and lieutenant governor (elected separately), treasurer, comptroller, and attorney general. All serve four-year terms. The governor may be elected only once and must be 30 years old, have been a US resident for 12 years and a state resident for six before taking office. 167
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Delaware Governors: 1775—2007 1775–1777 1777 1777–1778 1778–1782 1782–1783 1783 1783–1786 1786–1789 1789 1789–1796 1796–1797 1797–1801 1801 1801–1802 1802–1805 1805–1808 1808–1811 1811–1814 1814–1817 1817–1820 1820–1821 1821–1822 1822–1823 1823 1823–1824 1824–1827 1827–1830 1830–1833 1833–1836 1836–1837 1837–1840 1841–1845 1845–1846 1846 1846–1847 1847–1851 1851–1855
John McKinly Thomas McKean George Read Caesar Rodney John Dickinson John Cook Nickolas Van Dyke Thomas Collins Jehu Davis Joshua Clayton Federalist Gunning Bedford, Sr. Federalist Daniel Rogers Federalist Richard Bassett Federalist James Sykes Federalist David Hall Dem-Rep Nathaniel Mitchell Federalist George Truitt Federalist Joseph Haslet Dem-Rep Daniel Rodney Federalist John Clark Federalist Jacob Stout Federalist John Collins Dem-Rep Caleb Rodney Dem-Rep Joseph Haslet Dem-Rep Charles Thomas Dem-Rep Samuel Paynter Federalist Charles Polk Federalist David Hazzard Anti–Republican Caleb Prew Bennett Jackson Democrat Charles Polk Federalist Cornelius Parsons Comegys Whig William B. Cooper Whig Thomas Stockton Whig Joseph Maull Whig William Temple Whig William Tharp Democrat William Henry Harrison Ross Democrat
In 2005, the governor’s salary was $132,000 and legislators earned $36,500 per year.
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Political Parties
Since the 1930s, the two major parties have been relatively evenly matched. As of 2004, there were 554,000 registered voters; 42% were Democratic, 36% Republican, and 23% unaffiliated or members of other parties. 168
1855–1859 1859–1863 1863–1865 1865–1871 1871–1875 1875–1879 1879–1883 1883–1887 1887–1891 1891–1895 1895 1895–1897 1897–1901 1901–1905 1905–1909 1909–1913 1913–1917 1917–1921 1921–1925 1925–1929 1929–1937 1937–1941 1941–1949 1949–1953 1953–1960 1960–1961 1961–1965 1965–1969 1969–1973 1973–1977 1977–1985 1985–1992 1993 1993–2001 2001–
Peter Foster Causey William Burton William Cannon Gove Saulsbury James Ponder John P. Cochran John Wood Hall Charles Clark Stockley Benjamin Thomas Briggs Robert John Reynolds Joshua Hopkins Marvel William T. Watson Ebe Walter Tunnell John Hunn Preston Lea Simeon Selby Pennewill Charles R. Miller John Gillis Townsend, Jr. William Du Hamel Denney Robert P. Robinson Clayton Douglass Buck Richard Cann McMullen Walter W. Bacon Elbert Nostrand Carvel James Caleb Boggs David Penrose Buckson Elbert Nostrand Carvel Charles Laymen Terry, Jr. Russell Wilbur Peterson Sherman Willard Tribbitt Pierre Samuel du Pont IV Michael Newbald Castle Dale Edward Wolf Thomas Richard Carper Ruth Ann Minner
Whig Democrat Unionist Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Republican Republican Democrat Democrat
Democratic Republican – Dem-Rep
In the November 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry won 53.3% of the vote while the incumbent president Republican George W. Bush won 45.8%. The state has three electoral votes in the presidential election. Democrat Ruth Ann Minner won election to the governor’s office in 2000, becoming the first female governor in the state’s history. She was reelected in 2004. Democrat Thomas Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Delaware
Carper was reelected US senator in 2006, and Democratic Senator Joseph Biden was reelected in 2002. Republican Michael Castle won reelection in 2006 to remain Delaware’s sole US representative. Following the 2006 elections, Republicans controlled the state house (23–18), and Democrats controlled the state senate (13–8). There were 21 women serving in the state legislature following the 2006 elections, or 33.9%.
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Local Government
Delaware Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR
DELAWARE WINNER
DEMOCRAT
REPUBLICAN
1948 Dewey (R) 67,813 1952 *Eisenhower (R) 83,315 1956 *Eisenhower (R) 79,421 1960 *Kennedy (D) 99,590 1964 *Johnson (D) 122,704 1968 *Nixon (R) 89,194 1972 *Nixon (R) 92,283 1976 *Carter (D) 122,596 1980 *Reagan (R) 105,700 1984 *Reagan (R) 101,656 1988 *Bush (R) 108,647 1992** *Clinton (D) 126,054 1996** *Clinton (D) 140,355 2000 Gore (D) 180,068 2004 Kerry (D) 200,152 * Won US presidential election. **Independent Ross Perot received 59,213 1992 and 28,719 votes in 1996.
69,588 90,059 98,057 96,373 78,078 96,714 140,357 109,831 111,185 152,190 139,639 102,313 99,062 137,288 171,660
Delaware is divided into three counties. In New Castle, voters elect a county executive and a county council; in Sussex, the members of the elective county council choose a county administrator. Kent operates under an elected levy court. Most of Delaware’s 57 municipalities elect a mayor and council. In 2005, Delaware had 19 public school districts and 260 special districts. Because of the state’s small size, local government in Delaware tends to be weaker than that in other states. Here the state operates many programs that elsewhere are found at the local level.
held in state and federal prisons. Delaware has a death penalty, with lethal injection being the method of execution. As of 2006, Delaware had executed 14 persons since 1976. Delaware was the last state to abolish the whipping post. The whipping post was used for the last time in 1952 but not formally abolished until 1972.
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Judicial System
Delaware’s highest court is the supreme court, composed of a chief justice and four associate justices. Other state courts include the court of chancery and the superior court. The court of chancery handles all corporate cases and is one of the busiest of such courts in the United States due to Delaware’s high concentration of incorporated businesses. In 2004, Delaware had a total violent crime rate of 568.4 per 100,000. As of December 2004, there were 6,297 inmates Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
votes in
Migration
Delaware has attracted immigrants from a variety of foreign countries, including Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, England, Scotland, Ireland, Italy, Poland, and Russia. The 1960s and 1970s saw the migration of Puerto Ricans to Wilmington. In the period 2000–05, net international migration was 11,226 and net internal migration was 27,912 for a net gain of 39,138 people. 169
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Economy
Since the 1930s, and particularly since the mid1970s, Delaware has been one of the nation’s most prosperous states. Although manufacturing—primarily the chemical and automotive industries—has historically been the major contributor to the state’s economy, its contribution to gross state product shrunk to 12.9% in 2001. Tourism plays a major role in the state’s economy, as do finance, insurance, and real estate. Financial services grew 43% from 1997 to 2001. Many businesses have moved to Delaware due to its relatively low-cost business environment. In 2004, a total of 3,270 new companies were formed while 3,362 businesses ceased operation.
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Income
In 2005, the gross state product (GSP) was estimated at $54 billion. In 2004, Delaware ranked 11th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a per capita (per person) income of $35,728, above the national average of $33,050. In 2000, the median household income was $50,154, compared to the national average of $42,148. In 2001, the median income for a family of four was $73,301, compared to the national average of $63,278. The three-year average median household income for 2002–04, was $50,152 compared to the national average of $44,473. For the same period, 8.5% of the population lived below the federal poverty level, compared to the national average of 12.4%. 170
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Industry
Wilmington is called the “Chemical Capital of the World,” largely because of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Co., the chemical industry giant. Important manufactured products, in addition to chemicals and transportation equipment, include food processing, plastics and rubber products, and paper manufacturing.
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Labor
In April 2006, the civilian labor force in Delaware numbered 444,700, with approximately 16,400 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 3.7%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. In 2006, 6.6% of the labor force was employed in construction; 18% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 10.3% in financial activities; 14.3% in professional and business services; 12.5% in education and health services; 9.5% in leisure and hospitality services, and 13.8% in government. Data for manufacturing was unavailable. In 2005, some 46,000 of Delaware’s 386,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions. This represented 11.8% of those so employed. The national average is 12%.
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Agriculture
Though small by national standards, Delaware’s agriculture is efficient and productive. In 2005, Delaware’s farm marketings were at $895 million. Tobacco was a leading crop in the early colonial era but was soon succeeded by corn and wheat. Peaches were a mainstay during the mid-19th century, until the orchards were devastated by “the yellows,” a tree disease. The major Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
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field crops are corn, soybeans, barley, wheat, melons, potatoes, mushrooms, lima beans, and green peas. Production in 2004 included corn for grain, 23.2 million bushels; soybeans, 8.7 million bushels; wheat, 2.7 million bushels; and barley, 29 million bushels.
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Domesticated Animals
In 2003, an estimated 8,300 milk cows produced 136 million pounds of milk (61.8 million kilograms). Also during 2003 an estimated 1.5 billion pounds (680 million kilograms) of broilers (young chickens) were produced and valued at an estimated $542.6 million. Broilers account for the majority of Delaware’s farm receipts. In 2005, Delaware had 23,000 cattle and calves.
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Fishing
Fishing, once an important industry in Delaware, has declined in recent decades. The total commercial landings in 2004 brought 4.3 million pounds (1.9 million kilograms), worth $5.4 million. Clams, plentiful until the mid-1970s, are in short supply because of overharvesting. In 2001, the commercial fishing fleet had 184 vessels. Delaware issued 20,544 sport fishing licenses in 2004.
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Forestry
In 2004, Delaware had approximately 383,000 acres (155,000 hectares) of forestland, of which approximately 92% was classified as private forestland. Nonindustrial private landowners owned 85% of Delaware’s forests while approximately 8% was publicly owned, and 7% was owned by the forest industry. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Southern Delaware contains many loblolly pine forests as well as the northernmost stand of bald cypress. Northern Delaware contains more hardwoods, such as oak and yellow poplar. Other common species are gum, maple, and American holly, which is Delaware’s state tree. Delaware has approximately 32,000 acres (12,950 hectares) of state forests, which are managed on a multiple use basis and are open to the public.
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Mining
The value of nonfuel mineral production in Delaware in 2004 was about $21.9 million, according to estimated data compiled by the US Geological Survey. Construction sand and gravel are the leading nonfuel minerals produced. Other significant nonfuel minerals included magnesium compounds produced for use in chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing. In 2004, Delaware ranked fourth nationally in production of magnesium compounds and was one of only five states that produced them in the United States. They are extracted from seawater close to the mouth of the Delaware Bay near Lewes and, with aluminum hydroxides, are used in the manufacture of antacid products.
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Energy and Power
In 2003, production of electric power reached 7.3 billion kilowatt hours. Most of the power is supplied by coal- and oil-fired plants. Delaware has no nuclear reactors, nor does it have any fossil fuel resources. In 2000, Delaware’s total per capita energy consumption was 386 million Btu (97.3 million kilocalories), ranking it 17th among the states. 171
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billion and expenditures were $5.3 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($1.7 billion), public welfare ($1 billion), and government administration ($394 million). At the close of fiscal 2004, the outstanding debt of Delaware state and local governments was more than $4.1 billion, or $5,009.78 per capita.
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The skyline of Wilmington, the largest city in Delaware. DELAWARE TOURISM OFFICE.
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Commerce
In 2002, annual sales from the wholesale trade in Delaware totaled over $117.2 billion, while retail establishments had sales of almost $10.9 billion. The leading retailers included food and beverage stores and clothing and clothing accessory stores. In 2005, over $2.5 billion worth of products made in the state were exported.
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Public Finance
Delaware’s annual state budget is prepared by the state budget director and submitted by the governor to the general assembly for amendment and approval. State revenues for 2004 were $5.6 172
Taxation
Delaware is the country’s corporate tax haven. If a corporation has its headquarters in Delaware, the state does not impose taxes on the company’s subsidiaries that are located in other states. Financial institutions are attracted to Delaware by its absence of usury limits. The fees paid by hundreds of thousands such companies allow Delaware to be one of five states with no general sales tax. There is also no state property tax. Delaware’s individual income tax is a sixbracket progressive schedule ranging from 2.2% to 5.95%. The corporate income tax is a flat tax of 8.7%. Though there is no general sales tax, selective sales taxes (excises) are imposed on gasoline, and other motor fuels, cigarettes and other tobacco products, alcoholic beverages, amusements, insurance premiums, pari-mutuels, public utilities, and other selected items. In 2005, state tax collections totaled $2.7 billion, or $3,229 per capita, compared to the national average of $2,192 per person. Collections included 32.4% from individual income taxes, 14.6% from selective sales taxes, 9.1% from corporate income taxes, and 43.9% from other taxes. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Delaware
30
Health
In 2005, the infant mortality rate was 7.4 per 1,000 live births. The overall death rate in 2003 was 8.6 per 1,000 residents. As of 2002, death rates for major causes of death (per 100,000 resident population) included heart disease, 237.6; cancer, 200.8; cerebrovascular diseases, 50.2; chronic lower respiratory diseases, 43.3; and diabetes, 26.6. In 2004, about 24.3% of residents were smokers. The death rate for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was reported at 8.7 per 100,000. In 2004, the reported acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) cases rate was at about 18.9 per 100,000. In 2003, Delaware had six community hospitals had 2,000 beds. The average expense of for hospital care was $1,508 per inpatient day. There were 272 physicians per 100,000 residents in 2004 and 914 nurses per 100,000 in 2005. In 2004, there were a total of 377 dentists in the state. In 2004, at least 13% of the population was uninsured.
31
Housing
In 2004, there were approximately 367,448 housing units in Delaware, of which 310,676 were occupied; 72.9% were owner-occupied. About 55.4% of all units were single-family, detached homes. It was estimated that about 6,646 units lacked telephone service, 1,674 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 2,334 lacked complete kitchen facilities. Most homes were heated by gas or electricity. The average household size was 2.59 people. In 2004, there were 7,900 new privately owned housing units authorized for construction. The median home value was $171,589. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,191 while renters paid a median of $743 per month.
32
Education
Approximately 86.5% of adult Delawareans were high school graduates in 2004. About 26.9% had obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Total enrollment in public elementary and secondary schools was estimated at 116,000 in fall 2003. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 25,576. As of fall 2002, there were 49,228 students enrolled in institutions of higher education. In 2005, Delaware had 10 degree-granting institutions. Delaware has two public four-year institutions: the University of Delaware (Newark) and Delaware State College (Dover). Alternatives to these institutions include Widener University and the Delaware Technical and Community College, which has four campuses. There are three independent colleges: Goldey-Beacom College (Wilmington), Wesley College (Dover), and Wilmington College.
33
Arts
The Delaware Division of the Arts (DDOA) is a branch of the Delaware Department of State, which administers arts-related grants and programs. The Delaware State Arts Council serves as the advisory board for the DDOA. The Delaware Humanities Forum, an independent, non-profit organization was established in 1973 to sponsor programs and distribute grants to organizations promoting the understanding and appreciation of the humanities. 173
Delaware
Boardwalk at Rehobeth Beach. DELAWARE TOURISM OFFICE.
In 2005, Delaware arts organizations received six grants totaling $671,400 from the National Endowment for the Arts. The same year, the National endowment for the Humanities awarded three grants totaling 4500,470 for state programs. Wilmington has a local symphony orchestra, opera society, and drama league. The Playhouse, located in the Du Pont Building in Wilmington, shows first-run Broadway plays. The restored Grand Opera House in Wilmington, Delaware’s Center for the Performing Arts, is the home of the Delaware Symphony and the Delaware Opera Guild as well as host to performances of popular music and ballet. 174
34
Libraries and Museums
Delaware had 37 public library systems in 2001, with 1,468,000 books and other materials and a circulation of 4,543,000. The University of Delaware’s Hugh M. Morris Library (Newark) is the largest academic library in the state. The Delaware Library Information connects all types of libraries through a statewide computer/telecommunication system. Notable among the state’s 27 museums are the Hagley Museum, the Delaware History Museum, the Winterthur Museum, and the Delaware Art Museum, all in Wilmington. The Historical Society of Delaware maintains a museum in the Old Town Hall in Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Delaware
Wilmington. The Delaware State Museum is in Dover.
35
Communications
In 2004, about 96% of Delaware’s housing units had telephones. The same year, there were 593,452 wireless phone subscribers. The state had 5 AM and 9 FM major radio stations and one public television station based in Seaford in 2005. Philadelphia and Baltimore commercial television stations are within range. In 2003, 59.5% of all households had a computer and 53.2% had Internet access. A total of 19,351 Internet domain names were registered in Delaware by 2000.
36
Press
The Wilmington Morning News and the Wilmington Evening Journal merged to form the News Journal in 1989. As of 2005, the News Journal had a daily (afternoon) circulation of 115,641 (139,647 on Sunday). In the state’s capital is the Delaware State News with a daily circulation of 16,297 and Sunday circulation of 23,964 as of 2005. Statewide, there were two morning, one evening, and two Sunday papers in 2005. Smaller publications include the Dover Post and the Delaware Coast Press. Magazines include Delaware Today.
37
Tourism, Travel & Recreation
In 2001, there were about 12 million visitors to the state. About 36% were day-trip travelers from surrounding states. Shopping (with no sales tax) and the state’s beaches are the most popular attractions. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
John Dickinson (b. Maryland, 1732–1808) was known as the “Penman of the Revolution.” He was elected a representative to Congress from Delaware in 1779 and assisted in framing the constitution of Delaware in 1792. He died in Wilmington. EPD PHOTOS.
Rehoboth Beach on the Atlantic Coast bills itself as the “Nation’s Summer Capital” because of the many federal officials and foreign diplomats who summer there. The Delaware Kite Festival at Cape Henlopen State Park (east of Lewes) is held every year on Good Friday. Fishing, clamming, crabbing, boating, and swimming are the main recreational attractions.
38
Sports
Delaware has two major horse-racing tracks: Harrington, which has harness racing, and 175
Delaware
Dover Downs, which also has a track for auto racing. The MBNA Platinum 500 stock car race is held in June and the MBNA.com 400 is run in September. Thoroughbred races are held at Delaware Park in Wilmington. Wilmington has a minor league baseball team, the Blue Rocks, in the Carolina League. Additionally, the Fightin’ Blue Hens of the University of Delaware have teams in a large number of men’s and women’s sports.
39
Famous Delawareans
Three Delawareans have served as US secretary of state: Louis McLane (1786–1857), John M. Clayton (1796–1856), and Thomas F. Bayard (1828–1898). Two Delawareans have been judges on the Permanent Court of International Justice at The Hague: George Gray (1840–1925) and John Bassett Moore (1860–1947). John Dickinson (b.Maryland, 1732–1808), the “Penman of the Revolution,” and Caesar Rodney (1728– 1784), wartime chief executive of Delaware, were notable figures of the Revolutionary era. George Read (b.Maryland, 1733–1798) and Thomas McKean (b.Pennsylvania, 1734–1817) were, with Rodney, signers for Delaware of the Declaration of Independence. Eleuthère I. du Pont (b.France, 1771– 1834) founded the company that bears his
176
name. Delaware authors include Henry Seidel Canby (1878–1961), critic; and novelist Anne Parrish (b.Colorado, 1888–1957). Dr. Henry J. Heimlich (b.1920), developer of the anti-choking “Heimlich maneuver,” is also from Delaware. Actors from Delaware include Judge Reinhold (b.1958) and Valerie Bertinelli (b. 1960).
40
Bibliography
BOOKS Blashfield, Jean F. Delaware. New York: Children’s Press, 2000. Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Brown, Jonatha A. Delaware. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2007. Kule, Elaine A. Delaware Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003. Murray, Julie. Delaware. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Schuman, Michael. Delaware. New York: Benchmark Books, 2000. Whitehurst, Susan. The Colony of Delaware. New York: PowerKids Press, 2000. WEB SITES Delaware Tourism Office. Visit Delaware. www. visitdelaware.com/index.htm (accessed March 1, 2007). State of Delaware. The Official Website for the First State. www.delaware.gov (accessed March 1, 2007).
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Florida State of Florida
O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Named in 1513 by Juan
Ponce de León, who landed during Pascua Florida, the Easter festival of flowers. N I CKNAME : The Sunshine State. C AP ITAL: Tallahassee. ENT ERED UNION: 3 March 1845 (27th). O FFICIAL SEAL: In the background, the sun’s rays shine over a distant highland; in the foreground are a sabal palmetto palm, a steamboat, and an Indian woman scattering flowers on the ground. The words “Great Seal of the State of Florida” and the state motto surround the whole. FLAG: The state seal appears in the center of a white field, with four red bars extending from the seal to each corner; the flag is fringed on three sides. M OT TO: In God We Trust. SONG: “Old Folks at Home” (also known as “The Swanee River”). FLOWER: Orange blossom. TREE: Sabal palmetto palm. A NIMAL: Florida panther; manatee, dolphin (marine mammals). B IRD: Mockingbird. FISH: Largemouth bass (freshwater), Atlantic sailfish (saltwater). G E M: Moonstone. R OCK OR STONE: Agatized coral. B EVERAGE: Orange juice. SHELL: Horse conch. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Martin Luther King Jr. Day, 3rd Monday in January; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Days, 4th Thursday and Friday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 7 AM EST = noon GMT; 6 AM CST = noon GMT.
1
Location and Size
Located in the extreme southeastern United States, Florida is the second-largest state east of the Mississippi River and ranks 22nd in size among the 50 states. The total area of Florida is approximately 58,664 square miles (151,939 square kilometers), of which land takes up 54,153 square miles (140,256 square kilometers) and inland water 4,511 square miles (11,683 square kilometers). Florida extends 361 miles (581 kilometers) east-west. Its maximum northsouth extension is 447 miles (719 kilometers). 177
Florida
The state is mostly a peninsula, surrounded by ocean on three sides, with a panhandle of land in the northwest. Offshore islands include the Florida Keys, extending form the state’s southern tip into the Gulf of Mexico. The total boundary length of Florida is 1,799 miles (2,895 kilometers).
2
Topography
Florida is a huge plateau, much of it barely above sea level. The highest point in the state is believed to be a hilltop in the panhandle, 345 feet (105 meters) above sea level, near the city of Lakewood, in Walton County. No point in the state is more than 70 miles (113 kilometers) from saltwater. Most of the panhandle region is gently rolling country, except that large swampy areas cut in from the Gulf coast. Peninsular Florida contains extensive swampland but has a relatively elevated central spine of rolling country dotted with lakes and springs. The east coast is shielded from the Atlantic by a string of sandbars. The west coast is cut by numerous bays and inlets. Near the southern tip are the Ten Thousand Islands, a mass of mostly tiny mangrove-covered islets. Southwest of the peninsula lies Key West, the southernmost point of the US mainland. Almost all the southeastern peninsula and the entire southern end are covered by the Everglades, the world’s largest sawgrass swamp, with an area of approximately 5,000 square miles (13,000 square kilometers). Its surface is largely submerged during the rainy season (April to November) and becomes a muddy expanse in the dry months. Slight elevations, known as hammocks, support clumps of cypress and the only remaining stand of mahogany in the con178
Florida Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:
18,089,888 13.2% 19.6% 98.4% 76.8% 15.0% 0.3% 2.1% 0.0% 4.1% 1.7%
Population by Age Group 65 and over (17%)
Under 18 (23%)
18 to 24 (9%)
45 to 64 (25%)
25 to 44 (26%)
Major Cities by Population City Jacksonville Miami Tampa St. Petersburg Hialeah Orlando Fort Lauderdale Tallahassee Pembroke Pines Hollywood
Population
% change 2000–05
782,623 386,417 325,989 249,079 220,485 213,223 167,380 158,500 150,380 145,629
6.4 6.6 7.4 0.3 -2.6 14.7 9.8 5.2 9.4 4.5
Notes: †A person of Hispanic or Latino origin may be of any race. NA indicates that data are not available. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey and Population Estimates. www.census.gov/ (accessed March 2007).
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Florida
ALABAMA
ESCAMBIA
SANTA ROSA
OKALOOSA WALTON
GEORGIA
HOLMES
JACKSON
Florida Caverns State Park
Blackwater River State For.
GADSDEN
WASHINGTON
Eglin A.F.Base
LEON
JEFFERSON MADISON
HAMILTON
Osceola Nat’l For.
CALHOUN LIBERTY BAY
Pensacola Gulf Islands National Seashore
Fort Clinch State Park
NASSAU
10
Apalachicola Nat’l For.
Tallahassee TAYLOR
St. Andrews State Recreational Area
FRANKLIN
Jacksonville
10
SUWANNEE
WAKULLA
COLUMBIA
GULF
St. Marks National Wildlife Ref.
DUVAL CLAY UNION
LAFAYETTE
95
BRADFORD
ALACHUA
DIXIE
GILCHRIST
AT L A N T I C OCEAN
BAKER
PUTNAM
75
ST. JOHNS
Gainesville
FLAGLER
LEVY
Lower Suwannee Nat’l Wildlife Ref.
Ocala Nat’l For.
Manatee Springs State Park
Daytona Beach
VOLUSIA
MARION
CITRUS
SUMTER
HERNANDO
LAKE
Orlando
PASCO
OSCEOLA POLK
PINELLAS
4
Melbourne Palm Bay
HILLSBOROUGH
Clearwater Largo
Gulf of Mexico
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
Seminole ORANGE
Lake Louisa State Park
Lakeland BREVARD INDIAN RIVER
Tampa Avon Park A.F. Range
St. Petersburg MANATEE
HARDEE
HIGHLANDS
Highlands Hammock State Park
OKEECHOBEE
Port St. Lucie
DE SOTO
Sarasota
MARTIN
SARASOTA
Brighton Lake Seminole Indian Res. Okeechobee
CHARLOTTE
75
ST. LUCIE
95 PALM BEACH
GLADES HENDRY
LEE
Cape Coral
West Palm Beach
Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge Coral Springs
Big Cypress National Preserve
BROWARD Sunrise
Plantation
Pembroke Pines
COLLIER
FLORIDA
Hialeah
Boca Raton Pompano Beach
Fort Lauderdale Hollywood Miami Beach
Miami
MONROE
Explanation Point of Interest City (50,000-100,000 people)
Everglades National Park
DADE
City (more than 100,000 people) Florida Bay
State Capital U.S. Interstate Route
95
Area of Interest
Florida Keys
N 0 0
25 25
50 miles
50 kilometers
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
179
Florida
Damage done by Hurricane Dennis in Santa Rosa Island at Navarre Beach, Florida, July 11, 2005. AP IMAGES.
tinental United States. To the west and north of the Everglades is Big Cypress Swamp, covering about 2,400 square miles (6,200 square kilometers). Lake Okeechobee, in south-central Florida, is the largest of the state’s approximately 30,000 lakes, ponds, and sinks. With a surface area of about 700 square miles (1,800 square kilometers), it is the fourth-largest natural lake located entirely within the United States. The state has numerous underground streams and caverns. Because of the high water table, most of the caverns are filled, but some spectacular examples thick with stalactites can be seen in Florida Caverns State Park, near Marianna. Florida has more than 1,700 rivers, streams, and creeks. The longest river is the St. Johns, with a length of about 273 to 318 miles (439 180
to 512 kilometers), an exact figure being elusive because of the swampy nature of the headwaters. Other major rivers are the Suwannee and the Apalachicola. Jim Woodruff Lock and Dam is located on the Apalachicola. Completed in 1957, the dam created Lake Seminole, most of which is in Georgia. More than 4,500 islands ring the mainland. Best known are the Florida Keys, of which Key Largo is the largest. Key West is the westernmost.
3
Climate
A mild, sunny climate is one of Florida’s most important natural resources, making it a major tourist center and a retirement home for millions of transplanted northerners. Average annual Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Florida
Florida Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number
Percent
Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15,982,378 . . . . . 100.0 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15,606,063 . . . . . . 97.6 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359,000 . . . . . . . 2.2 White and Black or African American. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38,429 . . . . . . . 0.2 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43,940 . . . . . . . 0.3 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37,068 . . . . . . . 0.2 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,389 . . . . . . . . — White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131,473 . . . . . . . 0.8 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,182 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,427 . . . . . . . 0.1 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . 4,852 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65,492 . . . . . . . 0.4 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,577 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. . . . . . . . . 222 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,733 . . . . . . . . — Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,234 . . . . . . . . — Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,531 . . . . . . . 0.1 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,451 . . . . . . . . — Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17,315 . . . . . . . 0.1 Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.
temperatures range from 65°f to 70°f (18°c to 21°c) in the north and from 74°f to 77°f (23°c to 25°c) in the southern peninsula and on the Keys. The record high temperature 109°f (43°c) was registered at Monticello on 29 June 1931. The record low, -2°f (-19°c), was registered at Tallahassee on 13 February 1899. Key West has the highest annual average temperature in the United States, at 78°f (25°c). The Atlantic coast, the Gulf of Mexico, and the state’s many inland lakes and ponds together account for the high humidity and abundant rainfall. More than half the annual rainfall occurs between June and September. At Jacksonville, the average annual precipitation is 52.3 inches (132.8 centimeters), with an average Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
of 116 days of precipitation a year. The highest 24-hour total of rain ever recorded in the United States, 38.7 inches (98.3 centimeters), fell at Yankeetown, west of Ocala on the Gulf coast, on 5–6 September 1950. Snow is virtually unheard of in southern Florida but does fall on rare occasions in the panhandle and the northern peninsula. Florida’s long coastline makes it highly vulnerable to hurricanes and tropical storms, which may approach from either the Atlantic or the Gulf coasts, bringing winds of up to 150 miles per hour (240 kilometers per hour).Tornados and waterspouts are not uncommon. On 25 August 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall near Miami as a Category 1 storm, causing extensive damage from wind and flooding and power out181
Florida
ages for about 1.3 million. At least 11 related fatalities were reported in Florida as a result of this storm. Two months later, Hurricane Wilma made landfall near Naples on 25 October 2005 as a Category 3 storm; Wilma caused power outages for 6 million people, and six fatalities were recorded.
4
Plants and Animals
Florida has seven floral zones: flatwoods, scrublands, grassy swamps, savannas, salt marshes, hardwood forests (hammocks), and pinelands. North Florida’s native plants include longleaf and other pines, oaks, and cypresses. One giant cypress, called “the Senator,” is thought to be 3,500 years old. The state is known for its wide variety of palms, but only 15 are native. About 100 varieties of palms have been introduced. Dense mangrove thickets grow along the lower coastal regions, and northern hardwood forests include varieties of rattan, magnolia, and oak. All species of cacti and orchids are regarded as threatened, as are most types of ferns and palms. Florida once claimed more than 80 land mammals. Today the white-tailed deer, wild hog, and gray fox can still be found in the wild. Such small mammals as the raccoon, squirrel, and cottontail and marsh rabbits remain common. The mockingbird was named the state bird in 1927. Among game birds are the bobwhite quail, wild turkey, and at least 30 duck species. The Arctic tern stops in Florida during its remarkable annual migration between the North and South poles. Common Florida reptiles are the diamondback rattler and various water snakes. Turtle species include mud, green, and loggerhead, and various lizards abound. More than 300 native 182
butterflies have been identified. The peninsula is famous for its marine life: scores of freshwater and saltwater fish, rays, shrimps, live coral reefs, and marine worms. All of Florida’s lands have been declared sanctuaries for the bald eagle, of which Florida has about 350 pair (second only to Alaska among the 50 states). The state’s unusually long list of threatened and endangered wildlife (54 species) as of April 2006 included the American crocodile, shortnose sturgeon, six species of sea turtle, Florida panther, West Indian (Florida) manatee, six species of mouse, two species of sparrow, Atlantic salt marsh snake, eastern indigo snake, Okaloosa darter, Stock Island tree snail, and Schaus swallowtail butterfly.
5
Environmental Protection
The state agency principally responsible for safeguarding the environment is the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), created in 1993. The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Division of Forestry manages four state forests plus the Talquin State Lands. The Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission manages nature preserves and regulates hunting and fishing. Groundwater, surface water, and soil contamination have been found across the state. Among the major contaminants were the pesticides ethylene dibromide (EDB) and other chemicals. The state’s program to clean groundwater contaminated by leaking underground storage tanks is one of the nation’s largest and pioneered the pattern followed by many other states. Florida’s groundwater quality standards are among the most stringent in the nation. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Florida
A second water problem involves the seepage of saltwater from the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico into the layers of porous limestone that hold Florida’s reserves of fresh water. This problem has been aggravated in some areas by the cutting of numerous inlets by developers of coastal property. The DEP and South Florida Water Management District are undertaking, with various federal agencies, a massive restoration program for the Kissimmee River, Lake Okeechobee, the Everglades, and Florida Bay. In 1960, the only undersea park in the United States, the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, was established in a 75 square mile (194 square kilometer) sector off the Atlantic coast of Key Largo, in an effort to protect a portion of the beautiful reefs, rich in tropical fish and other marine life. Untreated sewage from the Miami area, runoff water polluted by pesticides, and the removal of countless pieces of live coral by growing numbers of tourists and souvenir dealers have severely damaged large areas of the reefs. However, most of the Keys is now a National Marine Sanctuary and efforts are being made to improve water quality. In 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency’s database listed 598 hazardous waste sites, 50 of which were on the National Priorities List as of 2006, including four military sites.
6
Population
Florida is the most populous state in the southeastern United States and one of the fastestgrowing of the 50 states. In 2006, Florida had the fourth-largest population in the United States with an estimated total of 18,089,888 people. US Census Bureau projections indicate Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
that Florida will have a population of 25.9 million by 2025. In 2004, the population density was 322.7 persons per square mile (about 124.6 persons per square kilometer), the eighth-highest in the nation. Florida has one of the oldest populations of the 50 states. In 2004, the median age was 39.3, the fifth-highest median of the 50 states. In 2005, some 17% of the population was 65 years old or older and about 23% was 18 or younger. The most populous city in Florida is Jacksonville, which was also the 13th-largest city in the United States in 2005. Its population that year was estimated at 782,623. Miami is Florida’s second-largest city, with a 2005 population of 386,417. Other major cities and their 2005 populations are Tampa, 325,989; St. Petersburg, 249,079; Hialeah, 220,485; Orlando, 213,223; and Ft. Lauderdale, 167,380. Tallahassee, the state capital, had a population of 158,500 in 2005.
7
Ethnic Groups
Florida’s population consists mainly of whites of northern European stock, blacks, and Hispanics. European immigrants came primarily from Germany and the United Kingdom. Florida’s foreign-born population numbered 2,670,828 in the 2000 census, or 16.7% of the state total, the fourth-highest percentage of foreign born in the nation. The largest group of first- and second-generation residents are Cubans, who represented 5.2% of Florida’s population in 2000. There were 2,682,715 Hispanics and Latinos in that year, including 833,120 Cubans, 482,027 Puerto Ricans, and 363,925 Mexicans. In 2006, 19.6% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino ori183
Florida
gin. The black population in 2000 was estimated at 2,335,505, the fourth-largest in the nation. In 2006, 15% of the population was black. The 2000 census also reported that there were 53,541 Native Americans living within the state, primarily of the Seminole and Miccosuckee tribes. As of 2000, Florida had an Asian population of 266,256. The number of Pacific Islanders was estimated at 8,625. There were also 54,310 Filipinos, 46,368 Chinese, 70,740 Asian Indians, 33,190 Vietnamese, 10,897 Japanese, 19,139 Koreans, and 2,131 native Hawaiians.
8
Languages
Massive migration from the North Central and North Atlantic areas, including a large number of speakers of Yiddish, has affected the previously rather uniform Southern speech of much of the state. Borrowing from the Spanish of the expanding number of Cubans and Puerto Ricans in the Miami area has had a further effect. Representative words in the Southern speech of most native-born Floridians are light bread (white bread), fairing off (clearing up), tote (carry), snap beans (green beans), and pullybone (wishbone). In the northern half of the state a peanut might be called a pinder. Indian place-names in Florida include Okeechobee, Apalachicola, Kissimmee, Sarasota, Pensacola, and Hialeah. In 2000, 11,569,739 Floridians (76.9% of the resident population five years old and older) spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Spanish or Spanish Creole (2,476,528); French Creole (208,487); French or French Patois (Cajun, 129,118), German (89,656); Italian (67,257); Portuguese or Portuguese Creole (55,014), and Yiddish (18,225). 184
9
Religions
Dominican and Franciscan friars arrived with the Spanish conquistadors and settlers in the 1500s. Protestant denominations claim the majority of church members in Florida. Protestant colonists from Britain arrived in the late 1700s. Sephardic Jews from the Carolinas moved into Florida in the early 1800s. As of 2004, the Catholic Church was the largest religious organization, with 2,316,652 adherents. The next largest group was the Southern Baptist Convention with 1,292,097 adherents in 2000. Judaism claimed 628,485 adherents. Other Protestant denominations include the United Methodist Church, 477,758 adherents in 2003; the Assemblies of God, 189,387 in 2000; Presbyterian Church USA, 157,751 in 2000; and Episcopalians, 152,526 in 2000. About 58.9% of the population did not specify affiliation with any religious organization as of 2000.
10
Transportation
The first operating railway in Florida was the St. Joseph Railroad, which inaugurated service between St. Joseph Bay and Lake Wimico on 14 April 1836, using mules to pull the train. The railroad soon put into operation the state’s first steam locomotive on 5 September 1836. By the time the Civil War broke out, railroads connected most of northern Florida’s major towns. In 2003, there were 2,956 rail miles (4,759 kilometers) of track in Florida, operated by 14 railroads. CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern were the state’s operating Class I railroads. As of 2006, Amtrak provided passenger rail service to 24 Florida stations. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Florida
The Seven Mile Bridge in the Florida Keys runs over a channel between the Gulf of Mexico and the Florida Strait. COPYRIGHT © 2004 BY KELLY A. QUIN.
In 2004, Florida had 119,525 miles (192,435 kilometers) of public roads. The Florida Turnpike extends from Wildwood in north-central Florida to Ft. Pierce on the Atlantic coast and then south to Miami. An extension runs between Miramar and Homestead. The Overseas Highway down the Keys, including the famous Seven Mile Bridge (which is actually only 6.8 miles in length), is part of the state highway system. There are about 44 bridges connecting the Florida Keys. Florida had about 15,205,000 registered motor vehicles in 2004. As of 2004, 13,146,357 people held active Florida drivers’ licenses. Inland waterways in Florida include the southernmost section of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway and the easternmost section of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, encompassing approximately 1,200 navigable miles (1,931 kilometers), as well as federally maintained coastal channels for commercial vessels and pleasure craft. Florida has several commercially important ports. By far the largest in terms of gross tonnage is Tampa. Other major ports include Port Everglades in Ft. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Port Manatee, Miami, Panama City, Port Canaveral, and Palm Beach. In addition to civil aviation activity, Florida has more than 20 military airfields. There were 832 public and private-use aviation-related facilities (including airports, heliports, short take-off and landing ports, and seaplane bases) in 2005. Florida’s busiest airport is Orlando International (14th-busiest in the United States in 2004). Other major airports in the state include Miami International, Tampa International, and Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International.
11
History
By about 2000 bc, Native Americans in north Florida had an agricultural and hunting economy organized around village life. The southern groups did not practice agriculture until about 450 bc, when they began to plant corn in villages around Lake Okeechobee. As they spread over Florida and adjusted to widely different local conditions, the various tribes fell into six 185
Florida
main divisions, with numerous subgroups and distinctive cultural traits. When Europeans arrived in the early 16th century, they found nearly 100,000 Native Americans, including the Apalachee, Timucua, Tocobaga, Calusa, and Tequesta tribes. The Spaniards sought to Christianize the Native Americans and settle them around missions to grow food, supply labor, and help defend the province. The impact of the Europeans on the native population was, on the whole, disastrous. They died of European-introduced diseases, were killed in wars with whites or with other Indians, or moved away. When the Spanish departed Florida in 1763, the remaining 300 of the original 100,000 Native Americans left with them. As early as 1750, small groups of Creek tribes from Georgia and Alabama began to move into the north Florida area vacated by the previous tribes. Called Seminole, the Creek word for runaway or refugee, these groups numbered only 5,000 when Florida became part of the United States. However, pressures on the US president and Congress to remove the Seminole intensified after runaway black slaves began seeking refuge with them. When the Seminole resisted being removed to present-day Oklahoma (after first being confined to reservations) the result was the longest and most costly of Indian wars, the Seminole War of 1835–42. The warfare and the succeeding forced migration left fewer than 300 Seminole in Florida. European Settlement The history of the twicerepeated annihilation of Florida Indians is, at the same time, the history of white settlers’ rise to power in Florida. Sailing from Puerto Rico in search of the fabled island of Bimini, Juan Ponce de León sighted Florida on 27 March 186
1513. Ponce de León claimed the land for Spain and named it La Florida, for Pascua Florida, the Easter festival of flowers. In 1562, Jean Ribault, with a small expedition of French Huguenots, arrived at the St. Johns River, east of present-day Jacksonville, and claimed Florida for France. Another group of French Huguenot settlers built nearby Fort Caroline two years later. In the summer of 1565, the Spaniard Pedro Menéndez de Avilés marched overland to take Fort Caroline by surprise, killing most of the occupants. St. Augustine was the first permanent European settlement in the United States. It served primarily, under Spanish rule, as a military outpost, maintained to protect the wealth of New Spain. In 1763, when Spain ceded Florida to England in exchange for Cuba, about 3,000 Spaniards departed from St. Augustine and 800 from Pensacola, leaving Florida to the Seminole. British Florida reached from the Atlantic to the Mississippi River and became two colonies, East and West Florida. There, settlers established farms and plantations and moved steadily toward economic and political self-sufficiency (although these settlers did not join the American Revolution). In 1781, Spain attacked and captured Pensacola. Two years later, Britain ceded both Floridas back to Spain. During the second Spanish era, English influence remained strong. Florida west of the Perdido River was taken over by the United States in 1810, as part of the Louisiana Purchase (1803). Statehood Present-day Florida was ceded to the
United States in 1821, in settlement of $5 million in claims by US citizens against the Spanish government. At this time, General Andrew Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Florida
Jackson, who three years earlier had led a punitive expedition against the Seminole, came back to Florida as military governor. In 1824 Tallahassee, in the wilderness of north-central Florida, was selected as Florida’s capital. Middle Florida, as the Tallahassee region was then called, rapidly became an area of slave-owning cotton plantations and was for several decades the fastest-growing part of the territory. Floridians drew up a state constitution in 1838–39. But, being proslavery, Florida had to wait until 1845 to enter the Union, when it was paired with the free state of Iowa under the Missouri Compromise. In 1861, Florida seceded from the Union and joined the Confederacy. Some 15,000 whites (one-third of whom died) served in the Confederate army, and 1,200 whites and almost as many blacks joined the Union army. Bitterness and some violence accompanied Republican Reconstruction government in 1868–76. The conservative Bourbon Democrats then governed for the rest of the century. The Spanish-American War in 1898, during which Tampa became the port of embarkation for an expedition to Cuba, stimulated the economy and advertised the state nationwide. Twentieth Century Feverish land speculation
brought hundreds of thousands of people to Florida in the first half of the 1920s. Cresting in 1925, the real estate boom was already over in 1926, when a devastating hurricane struck Miami, burying all hope of recovery. The Florida depression that began in 1926 was compounded by the national depression that hit late in 1929. The state joined the federal government in assuming responsibility for relief and recovery. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
The state’s first paper mill opened in the same year, revolutionizing the forest industry. The 1940s opened with recovery and optimism, arising from the stimulus of production for World War II. New army and navy installations and training programs brought business growth. The number of army and navy airfield flying schools increased from 5 to 45. Families of thousands of trainees visited the state. Florida was on the eve of another boom. Between 1940 and 1990, migration would bring Florida’s population ranking from 27th in the nation up to 4th, with more than 12.8 million people. In 1986, Florida absorbed 1,000 arrivals a day. Until the early 1980s, many of those migrants were 65 years of age or over. In the mid-1980s, however, the majority of newcomers were younger—25 to 44 years old. They came in search of the opportunities provided by Florida’s growing and diversifying economy. The management of growth in Florida has dominated state politics in the postwar era, centering on conflicts between developers and those who seek to preserve the natural beauty of the state. Racial and ethnic relations have become another central issue. There have been efforts to reapportion (reorganize) Florida’s 23 Congressional districts and the Legislature’s 40 Senate and 120 House seats. The reorganization has been complicated by battles between blacks and Hispanics over the number and character of minority districts. Tensions between the two groups led to violence in 1989 when a Hispanic police officer shot and killed a black motorcyclist. Riots broke out in the mostly black Overton section of Miami and continued for three days. Six people died and 27 stores were set on fire. 187
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Florida Governors: 1845–2007 1845–1849 1849–1853 1853–1857 1857–1861 1861–1865 1865 1865 1865–1868 1868–1872 1873–1874 1874–1877 1877–1881 1881–1885 1885–1889 1889–1893 1893–1897 1897–1901 1901–1905 1905–1909 1909–1913 1913–1917 1917–1921 1921–1925
William Dunn Moseley Democrat Thomas Brown Whig James E. Broome Democrat Madison Stark Perry Democrat John Milton Democrat A. K. Allison Confederate William Marvin Dem-Prov David Shelby Walker Conservative Harrison Reed Republican Ossian Bintley Hart Republican Marcellus Lovejoy Stearns Republican George Franklin Drew Democrat William Dunnington Bloxham Democrat Edward Alysworth Perry Democrat Francis Philip Fleming Democrat Henry Laurens Mitchell Democrat William Dunnington Bloxham Democrat William Sherman Jennings Democrat Napoleon Bonaparte Broward Democrat Albert Waller Gilchrist Democrat Park Trammell Democrat Sidney Johnston Catts Prohibitionist Cary Augustus Hardee Democrat
Miami was again the site of rioting in April 2000, when some Cuban Americans took to the streets to protest the federal government’s handling of the custody case of six-year-old Cuban refugee Elian Gonzalez. A fisherman found the boy clinging to a raft offshore: the boat on which he and his mother had escaped Cuba capsized, and his mother died. Miami relatives claimed and cared for the boy, while federal officials grappled with the problem of returning him to his Cuban father. The incident, which ended when the boy arrived back in Havana, Cuba, remained a point of protest for Miami’s Cuban American community, among whom the prevailing sentiment was that the child should have remained in the United States. Tropical storms and hurricanes periodically strike Florida. In August 1992, Hurricane Andrew caused $26.5 billion in damages in south 188
1925–1929 1929–1933 1933–1937 1937–1941 1941–1945 1945–1949 1949–1953 1953 1953–1955 1955–1961 1961–1965 1965–1967 1967–1971 1971–1979 1979–1987 1987 1987–1991 1991–1999 1999–2006 2006–
John Wellborn Martin Doyle Elam Carlton David Sholtz Frederick Preston Cone Spessard Lindsey Holland Willard Fillmore Caldwell Fuller Warren Dananiel Thomas McCarty Charley Eugene Johns Thomas LeRoy Collins Cecil Farris Bryant William Haydon Burns Claude Roy Kirk, Jr. Reuben O’Donovan Askew Daniel Robert Graham John Wayne Mixon Robert Martinez Lawton Mainor Chiles, Jr. Jeb Bush Charlie Crist
Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Republican
Democrat Provisional – Dem-Prov
Florida, primarily in and around Homestead. The 2004 season devastated Florida: four hurricanes—Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne— damaged 20% of Florida’s homes, and 124 people died. In October 2005, Hurricane Wilma hit southern Florida, and millions of people were left without power. Florida became the center of national and international attention in the 7 November 2000 presidential election. The race between Democratic Vice President Al Gore and Republican challenger George W. Bush was extremely close, and on election night, Florida’s 25 electoral college votes became the ones that would decide the election. Because the vote in Florida was so close, Florida’s election officials began a mandatory recount. In addition to the automatic recount, an investigation was launched into voting irregularities denying Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Florida
rights to minority voters. Hand recounts began in some counties, and Bush’s lead was gradually reduced from 537 votes to 154. When the Florida Supreme Court ordered a manual recount of 43,432 “under votes” from as many as 62 counties, the Bush campaign appealed to the US Supreme Court to stop any vote recounts in Florida. On 12 December 2000, the Court decided, in Bush v. Gore, that the Florida Supreme Court had erred in its decision to order manual vote recounts. On 13 December, Gore conceded the election to Bush, who became the nation’s 43rd president after the electoral college votes were tallied, including Florida’s 25 votes.
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State Government
Florida’s legislature consists of a 40-member senate and a 120-member house of representatives. Senators serve four-year terms, with half the senate being elected every two years. Representatives serve two-year terms. The maximum length of a regular session is 60 calendar days, unless it is extended by a three-fifths vote of each house. The governor is elected for a four-year term; a two-term limit is in effect. The lieutenant governor is elected on the same ticket as the governor. An amendment to the constitution that took effect in 2002 merged the cabinet offices of treasurer and comptroller into one chief financial office. The other cabinet members are the attorney general and agriculture commissioner; the amendment eliminated the offices of secretary of state and education commissioner from the cabinet. Passage of legislation requires a majority vote of those present and voting in both houses. A bill passed by the legislature becomes law if it is signed by the governor. The governor may veto Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
The eyes of the nation turned to Florida in the final hours of the 2000 presidential elections. When the polls closed, initial results showed Republican George W. Bush ahead of Democrat Al Gore by less than 2000 votes. Here an official examines a disputed ballot. AP IMAGES.
legislation and, in general appropriations bills, may veto individual items. The governor’s vetoes may be overridden by a two-thirds vote of the legislators present in each house. In 2004, the governor’s salary was $120,171, and the legislative salary was $29,916.
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Political Parties
Aided from 1889 to 1937 by a poll tax, which effectively prevented the majority of the state’s mostly Republican blacks from voting, the Democrats won every governor’s election but 189
Florida
Florida Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR
FLORIDA WINNER
DEMOCRAT
REPUBLICAN
STATES’ RIGHTS DEMOCRAT
PROGRESSIVE
1948 1952 1956 1960 1964
*Truman (D) *Eisenhower (R) *Eisenhower (R) Nixon (R) *Johnson (D)
281,988 444,950 480,371 748,700 948,540
194,280 544,036 643,849 795,476 905,941
89,755 — — — —
11,620 — — — —
1968 1972
*Nixon (R) *Nixon (R)
676,794 718,117
886,804 1,857,759
1976
*Carter (D)
1,636,000
1,469,531
AMERICAN IND.
624,207 —
— —
AMERICAN
21,325
— LIBERTARIAN
1980 1984
*Reagan (R) *Reagan (R)
1,417,637 1,448,816
2,043,006 2,730,350
1988
*Bush (R)
1,656,701
2,618,885
IND. (ANDERSON)
189,099
30,457 744
NEW ALLIANCE
6,665
19,796
IND. (PEROT)
1992 1996
Bush (R) *Clinton (D)
2,072,798 2,546,870
2,173,310 2,244,536
2,912,253 3,583,544
2,912,790 3,964,522
1,053,067 483,870
15,079 23,965
REFORM
2000 *Bush, G. W. (R) 2004 *Bush, G. W. (R) * Won US presidential election.
one from 1876 through 1962. By the time Republican Claude R. Kirk Jr. won the governorship in 1966, Florida had already become, for national elections, a two-party state, although Democrats retained a sizable advantage in party registration. As of 2004, the state had 10,301,000 registered voters; 41% were Democratic, 38% Republican, and 21% unaffiliated or members of other parties. In addition to the Democratic and Republican parties, organized groups include the Green, Reform, and Libertarian parties. Republican Jeb Bush, brother of President George W. Bush, was elected governor in 1998 and reelected in 2002. Republican Charlie Crist was elected governor in 2006. Democrat Bill Nelson was elected to the Senate in 2000 and reelected in 2006. Democratic Senator Robert Graham was reelected in 1998. Graham ran for 190
17,484 32,971
97,488 11,996
president in 2003, giving up his bid for reelection to the Senate in 2004. In 2004, Republican Mel Martinez narrowly won the seat formerly held by Graham. He was the first Cuban-American to serve in the US Senate. Florida’s US House delegation following the 2006 elections had 16 Republicans and 9 Democrats. The state senate following the 2006 elections contained 14 Democrats and 26 Republicans, and the state house of representatives had 42 Democrats and 78 Republicans. There were 39 women serving in the state legislature following the 2006 elections, or 24.4%. In the 2000 presidential election, Floridians gave 49% of the vote to Republican George W. Bush and 49% to Democrat Al Gore in one of the closest presidential races in history. George W. Bush was the winner in Florida by a narrow margin after votes in that state were conJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Florida
tested. In 2004, Bush won 52% of the presidential vote to Democrat John Kerry’s 47%.
14
Local Government
In 2005, Florida had 67 counties, 404 municipalities, 67 school districts, and 626 special districts. Generally, legislative authority within each county is vested in a five-member elected board of county commissioners. Counties may generally enact any law not inconsistent with state law. Municipalities are normally incorporated and chartered by an act of the state legislature. Except where a county charter specifies otherwise, municipal ordinances override county laws. Municipal governments may provide a full range of local services. Consolidated city, county governments are found in Miami (Dade County) and Jacksonville (Duval County).
15
Judicial System
The state’s highest court is the Supreme Court, a panel of seven justices that sits in Tallahassee. The Supreme Court has appeals jurisdiction only. Below the Supreme Court are five district courts of appeal. District courts hear appeals of lower court decisions and may review the actions of executive agencies. The state’s principal trial courts are its 20 circuit courts, which have original jurisdiction in many types of cases, including civil suits involving more than $5,000, felony cases, and all cases involving juveniles. Circuit courts may also hear appeals from county courts if no constitutional question is involved. Each of Florida’s 67 counties has a county court with original jurisdiction in misdemeanor cases, civil disputes involving $5,000 or less, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
and traffic-violation cases. Florida has one of the highest crime rates in the United States. In 2004, Florida had a violent crime rate (murder, rape, robbery, assault) of 711.3 reported incidents per 100,000 (the second-highest among the states). That year, crimes against property (burglary, larceny/theft, and motor vehicle theft) totaled 4,179.7 reported incidents per 100,000 people. As of 31 December 2004, a total of 85,533 persons were serving prison sentences in institutions run by state and federal correctional authorities in Florida. Florida has a capital punishment law. As of 1 January 2006, Florida had 388 persons under sentence of death, the third-largest number after California and Texas.
16
Migration
The early European immigrants to Florida, first the Spanish, then the English, never populated the state in significant numbers. Immigration from southern states began even before the US acquisition of Florida and accelerated thereafter. In the 20th century, US immigrants to Florida came, for the most part, from the Northeast and Midwest, in order to escape harsh northern winters. A large proportion of migrants have been retirees and other senior citizens. Since the 1960s, Florida has also experienced large-scale migration from the Caribbean and parts of Latin America. Although the state has had a significant Cuban population since the second half of the 19th century, the number of immigrants surged after the Cuban revolution of 1959. From December 1965 to April 1973, an airlift agreed to by the Cuban and US governments landed a quarter of a million Cubans in Miami. Another period of large-scale immigration from Cuba, beginning in April 191
Florida
1980, brought more than 100,000 Cubans into Florida harbors. At the same time, Haitian “boat people” were arriving in Florida in significant numbers—often reaching the southern peninsula packed in barely seaworthy small craft. The US government classified some of them as illegal aliens, fleeing extreme poverty in their native country, but the immigrants claimed to be political refugees and sued to halt deportation proceedings against them. In 1996, a reported 2,186,000 Floridians (15%) were foreign-born. In 1998, 59,965 foreign immigrants were admitted into Florida, the third-highest total of any state. Of that total, 14,265 were from Cuba; 6,613 from Haiti; and 4,795 from Jamaica. Between 1990 and 1998, net domestic migration added 1,035,000 while international migration added 553,000. In the period 1995–2000, net international migration was 1,860,772 people moved into the state and net domestic migration was -1,253,749, for a net gain of 607,023, of whom 149,440 were age 65 or over.
early 1980s helped to expand Florida’s aerospace and electronics industries. Even in 1991, after reduction of the military budget, Florida ranked seventh nationally in the value of Department of Defense contracts awarded. Florida ranked fourth in the nation in defense electronics manufacturing jobs in 1999. Miami is said to have one of the largest “underground economies” in the United States, a reference both to the sizable inflow of cash from illicit drug trafficking and to the large numbers of Latin American immigrants working for low, unreported cash wages. Strong economic growth in the late 1990s was only moderated in the national recession of 2001. Even though growth in the tourism industry slowed in 2002, Florida’s economic growth remained above the national average. The real estate sector accounted for the largest percentage of gross state product (GSP) in 2004, at 15.5%, followed by healthcare and social assistance (7.4%) and wholesale trade (6.5%).
17
18
Economy
Tourists and winter residents with second homes in Florida contribute billions of dollars annually to the state economy and make retailing and construction particularly important economic areas. However, this dependence on spending by visitors and part-time dwellers also makes the economy—and especially the housing industry—highly sensitive to recession. An extremely low level of unionization among Florida workers encouraged growth in manufacturing in the 1970s and early 1980s— but may also help explain Floridians’ below-average income levels. The arms build-up during the 192
Income
In 2005, Florida ranked fourth among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a gross state product (GSP) of $674 billion. In 2004, Florida had a per capita personal income of $31,469. This ranked Florida 25th in the United States, and was 95% of the national average of $33,050. The three-year median household income for 2002–04 was $40,171, compared to the national average of $44,473. For the same period, 12.3% of the state’s residents lived below the federal poverty level, compared with 12.4% nationwide. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Florida
19
Industry
Florida is not a center of heavy industry, and many of its manufacturing activities are related to agriculture and exploitation of natural resources. Leading industries include food processing, electric and electronic equipment, transportation equipment, and chemicals. Florida ranks high in both employment and number of firms engaged in the manufacture of guided missiles and space vehicles. Laser research and development began in the 1950s by Martin–Marietta in Orlando. Since then, the greater Orlando area has grown to have the thirdhighest concentration of electro-optics and laser manufacturers in the United States. In 2004, computer and electronic product manufacturing accounted for the largest share of all products manufactured in the state. The cigar-making industry, traditionally important in Florida, has declined considerably with changes in taste and the cutoff of tobacco imports from Cuba.
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Labor
In April 2006, the civilian labor force in Florida numbered 8,903,500, with approximately 265,300 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 3%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. As of April 2006, 7.7% of the labor force was employed in construction; 4.9% in manufacturing; 19.9% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 6.7% in financial activities; 17.1% in professional and business services; 11.9% in education and health services; 11.4% in leisure and hospitality services; and 13.6% in government. In 2005, 401,000 of Florida’s 7,389,000 employed wage and salary workers were memJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
bers of unions. This represented 5.4% of those so employed. The national average is 12%. As of 1 March 2006, Florida had a state-mandated minimum wage rate of $6.40 per hour. In 2004, women in the state accounted for 46.3% of the employed civilian labor force.
21
Agriculture
The total value of Florida’s crops in 2005 exceeded $6 billion, the fourth highest among the 50 states. Total farm marketings, including livestock marketings and products, exceeded $7.4 billion in 2005 (ninth in the United States). There were about 43,000 farms covering some 10.1 million acres (4.08 million hectares) in 2004, representing nearly 30% of the state’s entire land area. Florida’s most important agricultural products are citrus fruits. Florida continues to supply the vast majority of orange juice consumed in the United States. The orange was introduced to Florida by Spanish settlers around 1570. The grapefruit was introduced in the early 1800s. Polk, St. Lucie, Indian River, Hendry, and Hardee counties in central Florida are the largest producers of citrus fruits. In the 2002/03 season, the orange crop totaled 242 million boxes, with each box weighing 90 pounds (41 kilograms). The grapefruit crop was 40.9 million boxes, with each box weighing 85 pounds (39 kilograms). Tangerines, tangelos, and temple oranges are also large crops. There are about 50 processing plants in Florida where citrus fruits are processed into canned or chilled juice, frozen or pasteurized concentrate, or canned fruit sections. Production of frozen concentrate orange juice totaled 195.4 million gallons (739.7 liters) in 2002. Stock feed made from peel, pulp, and seeds is an impor193
Florida
tant byproduct of the citrus-processing industry. Other citrus byproducts are citrus molasses, Dlimonene, alcohol, wines, preserves, and citrus seed oil. Florida is the country’s second leading producer of vegetables. Vegetable farming is concentrated in central and southern Florida, especially in the area south of Lake Okeechobee. Florida’s major field crop is sugarcane (mostly grown near Lake Okeechobee). Florida’s second-largest field crop is peanuts, followed by cotton, hay, corn, tobacco, soybeans, and wheat. Florida leads the nation in the production of watermelons.
22
Domesticated Animals
Florida is an important cattle-raising state. The Kissimmee Plain, north of Lake Okeechobee, is the largest grazing area. In 2005, Florida had an estimated 1.74 million cattle and calves valued at an estimated $1.4 billion. During 2004, Florida had an estimated 20,000 hogs and pigs valued at around $2.3 million. An estimated 2.8 billion eggs were produced in 2003, worth $145.1 million. Florida had an estimated 142,000 milk cows in 2003 that produced around 2.2 billion pounds (1 billion kilograms) of milk. Also during 2003, Florida poultry farmers produced 511.3 million pounds (232.4 million kilograms) of broilers, valued at $178.9 million.
23
Fishing
In 2004, Florida’s total commercial fish catch was 124.5 million pounds (56.6 million kilograms), worth $190.6 million. About 66% of the volume and 76% of the value came from fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. The remainder was from Atlantic waters. The most important commer194
cial species of shellfish are shrimp, spiny lobster, and crabs. Valuable finfish species include grouper, swordfish, and snapper. Florida’s commercial fishing fleet had 4,438 boats and 1,934 vessels in 2002. In 2003, Florida had 376 processing and wholesale plants with an average 4,745 employees. Florida’s extensive shoreline and numerous inland waterways make sport fishing a major recreational activity. Both freshwater and saltwater fishing are important sports. Tarpon, sailfish, and redfish are some of the major saltwater sport species; largemouth bass, panfish, sunfish, catfish, and perch are leading freshwater sport fish. Florida had 1,296,328 sport fishing license holders in 2004 (coastal marine fishing does not require a license).
24
Forestry
About 47% of Florida’s land area, 16,285,000 acres (6,590,000 hectares), was forested in 2003, when the state had about 2.2% of all forested land in the United States. A total of 4,016,000 acres (1,625,000 hectares) was owned by the forest industry. The most common tree is the pine, which occurs throughout the state but is most abundant in the north. Florida’s logging industry is concentrated in the northern part of the state. The most important forestry product is pulpwood for paper manufacturing. Lumber production in 2004 was 1.07 billion board feet, mostly softwoods. Four national forests—Apalachicola, Ocala, Osceola, and Choctawhatchee—covering 1,434,000 acres (580,000 hectares) are located in Florida. State forests covered 1,403,000 acres (568,000 hectares) in 2003. Three of the main Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Florida
Aerial view of Broward County, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. COPYRIGHT © 2004 BY KELLY A. QUIN.
activities of state forests are forest management, outdoor recreation, and wildlife management. Virtually all of Florida’s natural forest had been cleared by the mid-20th century; the forests existing today are thus almost entirely the result of reforestation. Since 1928, more than 5.6 billion seedlings have been planted in the state.
25
Mining
According to the US Geological Survey, Florida’s estimated nonfuel mineral production in 2004 was valued at nearly $2.32 billion (fourth among the states). The phosphate industry usually has the greatest impact on the state’s nonfuel mineral economy since exports of phosphate fertilizers are important to the industry’s vitality. In 2004, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Florida led the nation in phosphate rock mining, producing more than six times as much as the next ranking state. The largest foreign consumers of Florida phosphate are China, India, and the countries of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. Florida leads the nation in phosphate rock, masonry cement, and peat output and ranks among the top three states in crushed stone and masonry cement production. It is also the only state producing rutile concentrates and staurolite. Phosphate rock, crushed stone, portland and masonry cement, and construction sand and gravel, together with ilmenite and rutile, account for about 94% of the state’s nonfuel mineral value. Crushed stone (105 million metric tons produced in 2004, value of $675 mil195
Florida
lion) was the second-leading mineral commodity for the state. Portland cement (5.23 million metric tons, $432 million) ranked third in 2004. Sand, gravel, and clays rounded out the other top commodities in terms of value.
26
Energy and Power
In 2000, 4 quadrillion Btu (1 quadrillion kilocalories) of energy was consumed in Florida, ranking it eighth among the 50 states in total energy consumption and 47th in per capita energy consumption, which was 247 million Btu (62.2 million kilocalories). The major source of energy consumed is petroleum, which accounted for 47.8% in 1998. Although Florida produces some oil and natural gas, many energy resources are imported. Its mild climate and abundant sunshine offer great potential for solar energy development, but this potential has not been extensively exploited. In 2003, Florida had an installed electric energy generating capacity (utility and nonutility) of 49.4 million kilowatts. As of 2006, Florida had three nuclear power-generating plants: the Crystal River Energy Complex in Citrus County; the St. Lucie plant near Fort Pierce; and the Turkey Point nuclear power station near Miami, in Dade County. In 2004, the state produced 8,000 barrels per day of crude oil. Proven reserves as of 2004 were 65 million barrels. Natural gas marketed production in 2004 was 3.12 billion cubic feet (88 million cubic meters). Proven reserves were 78 billion cubic feet (2.2 billion cubic meters) in 2004. 196
27
Commerce
Wholesale trade in 2002 totaled $219.4 billion. According to the 2002 US Census of Retail Trade, the state had retail sales worth $191.8 billion. The fashionable shops lining Palm Beach’s Worth Avenue make it one of the nation’s most famous shopping streets. About 30% of retail trade is in the more than 10,000 restaurants, cafeterias, bars, and similar establishments—a reflection, in part, of the importance of the travel business in Florida’s economy. The value of all exports sent from Florida was over $33.3 billion in 2005. Duty-free goods for reshipment abroad pass through Port Everglades, Miami, Orlando, Jacksonville, Tampa, and Panama City—free-trade zones established to bring international commerce to the state. Florida is a popular entry point for marijuana, cocaine, and other illicit drugs being smuggled into the United States from Latin America.
28
Public Finance
The Office of Planning and Budget of the governor’s office prepares and submits to the legislature the budget for each fiscal year, which runs from 1 July to 30 June. Florida’s constitution requires a balanced budget by prohibiting borrowing to finance operating expenses. The total revenues for 2004 were $75.2 billion and expenditures were $59.9 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($17.7 billion), public welfare ($15.4 billion), and highways ($5 billion). The total indebtedness of Florida state and local governments reached nearly $23.2 billion, about $1,334.18 per capita (per person). Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Florida
Kennedy Space Center-Spaceport USA is NASA’s site for shuttle and other launches. ORLANDO/ORANGE COUNTY CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU, INC.
29
Taxation
Florida’s constitution prohibits a personal income tax. The 6% sales and use tax provides over half of state revenue. The state sales tax applies to most retail items (but excludes groceries, medicines, and certain other items), as well as to car and hotel room rentals and theater admissions. The use tax is levied on wholesale items brought into Florida for sale. Various selective sales taxes (excises) are imposed, including the gasoline tax, which was raised in 2002. The state corporate income tax is a flat 5.5% on net income over $5,000. Other taxes include state property taxes, an oil, gas and sulfur production tax, a solid minerals severance tax and state license fees. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
In 2005, state tax revenues in Florida totaled $33.9 billion, of which 56.2% came from the general sales tax, 19% from selective sales taxes, 5.3% from corporate income taxes, and 18.7% from other taxes.
30
Health
Reflecting the age distribution of the state’s population, Florida has a relatively low birth rate and a high death rate. In 2003, Florida’s live birth rate was 12.5 per 1,000 population. In 2005, the infant mortality rate was 7.1 per 1,000 live births. The death rate in 2003 was 9.9 deaths per 1,000 population. About 20.1% of state residents were smokers in 2004. In the same year, the reported AIDS case rate was about 33.5 per 100,000 people, representing the third197
Florida
highest rate in the nation (following the District of Columbia and Maryland). In 2002, about 53.9% of the population was considered overweight or obese. In 2003, Florida had 203 community hospitals with about 50,700 beds. In 2004, Florida had 258 doctors per 100,000 residents and 780 nurses per 100,000 residents in 2005. In 2003, the average cost per day for hospital care was $1,387. In 2004, at least 19% of the adult population was uninsured.
31
Housing
In 2004, there were an estimated 8,009,427 housing units in Florida, ranking the state third in the nation for total number of housing units (after California and Texas). About 6,819,280 of the units were occupied; 70.5% were owneroccupied. About 53.3% of all units were singlefamily, detached homes; 12.3% were in buildings with 20 units or more; and about 10.4% were mobile homes. It was estimated that about 305,291 units were without telephone service, 19,379 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 26,983 lacked complete kitchen facilities. About 76% of all units relied on electricity for heating; about 1,845 units were equipped for solar power heating. The average household size was 2.49 people. In 2004, 255,900 new privately owned housing units were authorized for construction. Multifamily housing ranges from beachfront luxury high rises along the Gold Coast to dilapidated residential hotels in the South Beach section of Miami Beach. In 2004, the median value of one-family homes was $149,291. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,143 while renters paid a median of $766 per month. 198
32
Education
In 2004, 85.9% of Floridians 25 years of age or older were high school graduates. About 26% had four or more years of college. Total enrollment in public schools was estimated at 2,540,000 in fall 2002 and was estimated to reach 2,790,000 by fall 2014. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 323,766. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $2.9 billion. As of fall 2002, there were 776,622 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In 2005, Florida had 169 degree-granting institutions. Florida has nine state universities, the largest being the University of Florida (Gainesville). Also part of the state university system are special university centers that provide advanced and graduate courses, such as the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Science. The State University System also offers instruction at strategic sites away from the regular campuses. Of Florida’s 90 private four-year institutions of higher education, by far the largest is the University of Miami (Coral Gables).
33
Arts
Florida ranks near the top nationally in state funding for culture and the arts. Key West has long been a gathering place for creative artists, including John James Audubon, Ernest Hemingway, and Tennessee Williams. Regional and metropolitan symphony orchestras include the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra, Florida Orchestra, Jacksonville Symphony, and the Florida West Coast Symphony. Opera companies include the Florida Grand Opera and the Sarasota Opera. The four state theater companies Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Florida
are the Caldwell Theatre Company, Hippodrome State Theatre, Coconut Grove Playhouse, and the Asolo Theatre Company. The annual Florida International Festival (FIF), established in 1966, features worldrenowned artists in music and dance. The London Symphony Orchestra, which has a summer residency in Daytona Beach, provides an annual concert series for the FIF and the city. Florida is also home to premier performing arts halls, such as the Philharmonic Center for the Arts (Naples), Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, and the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts (West Palm Beach). Unique cultural institutions located in Florida include Fairchild Tropical Garden, the Atlantic Center for the Arts, and Bok Tower Gardens, which has a working carillon. The State of Florida’s Division of Cultural Affairs (DCA) was established in 1969. The Florida Arts Council (previously the Fine Arts Council of Florida) serves in an advisory capacity to the DCA. The DCA has a partnership with the Southern Arts Federation. The DCA also coordinates a touring program, a public art program that acquires artwork for new state buildings, an arts license plate program, and the Florida Artists Hall of Fame, which includes such luminaries as Zora Neale Hurston, Ernest Hemingway, and Ray Charles. The Florida Humanities Council (est. 1973) sponsors about 300 free programs per year throughout the state.
34
Libraries and Museums
For the fiscal year ending in September 2001, Florida had 72 public library systems, with a total of 473 libraries of which 417 were branches. In that year, a total of 29,826,000 volumes of Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
books and serial publications were available, while circulation totaled 81,334,000. The State Library in Tallahassee has 661,849 volumes. The largest university library in the state is that of the University of Florida (Gainesville), with holdings of more than 3.4 million volumes in 1999. Florida has about 278 museums, galleries, and historical sites, as well as numerous public gardens. One of the best-known museums is the John and Mabel Ringling Museum of Art (Sarasota), a state owned facility which houses the collection of the late circus entrepreneur, featuring Italian and North European Renaissance paintings. Also in Sarasota are the Ringling Museum of the Circus and the Circus Hall of Fame. The estates and homes of a number of prominent former Florida residents are now open as museums, including the homes of Ernest Hemingway and John James Audubon in Key West and Thomas Edison’s house in Fort Myers. The largest historic restoration in Florida is in St. Augustine, where several blocks of the downtown area have been restored to their 18thcentury likeness. Castillo de San Marcos, the 17th-century Spanish fort at St. Augustine, is now a national monument
35
Communications
As of 2004, 93.4% of Florida’s occupied housing units had telephones. By June of 2004, there were 11.9 million mobile telephone subscribers. In 2003, 61% of Florida households had a computer and 55.6% had Internet access. In 2005, the state had 66 major AM stations and 145 major FM radio stations. Film and television production in Florida is a billion-dollar per year industry with over 5,000 production companies providing more than 100,000 jobs. There 199
Florida
Canoeing in Orange County, Florida. ORLANDO/ORANGE COUNTY CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU, INC.
were 62 major TV stations in Florida in 2005. In 1999, the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Sarasota area had 1,485,980 television households, 74% of which had cable. The Orlando-Daytona BeachMelbourne area had a 77% rate for cable usage in television-owning households. At West Palm Beach-Fort Pierce, 85% of television households had cable. The Miami-Fort Lauderdale area had 1,441,570 television households, with a 73% subscription rate for cable. A total of 471,645 Internet domain names were registered in Florida by 2000, the fourth most of any state.
36
Press
The oldest newspaper still publishing is the Jacksonville Times-Union (now Florida TimesUnion), which first appeared in February 1883. In 2005, there were 38 morning papers, 3 eve200
ning papers, and 37 Sunday papers. The leading English-language dailies and their daily circulations in 2005 were the Miami Herald (315,980); the St. Petersburg Times (330,091); the Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel (266,889); and the Orlando Sentinel (258,881). Spanish language newspapers include Diario Las Americas and El Nuevo Herald, both published in Miami with circulations under 100,000. The most widely read periodical published in Florida is the sensationalist National Enquirer. There were 11 book publishers in Florida in 2005, including DC Press and University Presses of Florida.
37
Tourism, Travel & Recreation
Tourism is a mainstay of the state’s economy. In 2005, there were about 85.8 million visitors Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Florida
to the state. Over 944,000 Floridians worked directly in tourist- and recreation-related businesses in 2005, which generated more than $57 billion. Florida’s biggest tourist attractions are its sun, sand, and surf. Major tourist attractions are Walt Disney World, a huge amusement park near Orlando, Busch Gardens (Tampa) and Sea World of Florida (Orlando). Other major attractions are the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral and the St. Augustine historic district. The state has 28 state parks, 28 state recreation areas, and 18 state historical sites. The most popular destination is the Gulf Islands National Seashore, located near Pensacola, followed by the Canaveral National Seashore. Fishing and boating are major recreational activities. Off-track betting, horse-racing, dog-racing, jai alai, and bingo are all legalized forms of gaming.
Several tournaments on both the men’s and women’s professional golf tours are played in Florida. In auto racing, the Daytona 500 is a top race on the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit and the Pennzoil 400 is run at the HomesteadMiami Speedway. The 24 Hours of Daytona is one of the top sports car races in the world. Three of the major collegiate football bowl games are played in the state: the Orange Bowl in Miami, the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, and the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando. Major college football teams are from the University of Florida, Florida State, and the University of Miami. Other annual sporting events include rodeos in Arcadia and Kissimmee and the Pepsi 400 Auto Race in Daytona Beach. Professional athletes born in the state include Emmitt Smith (football), Steve Carlton (baseball), and Tracy McGrady (basketball).
38
39
Sports
Florida has nine major league professional sports teams: the Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League; the Miami Heat and the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association; the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League; and the Florida Marlins and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays of Major League Baseball. Two Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) teams and two Major League Soccer teams folded or relocated in 2002. The Miami Heat won the NBA Championship in 2006. Many Major League Baseball teams have their spring training camps in Florida and play exhibition games (in the “Grapefruit League”) in the spring. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Famous Floridians
Florida produced one of the major US military figures of World War II, General Joseph Warren Stilwell (1883–1946), dubbed “Vinegar Joe” for his strongly stated opinions. Janet Reno (b.1938), Attorney General of the United States in the Clinton presidency, was born in Miami. Military figures who have played a major role in Florida’s history include the Spanish conquistadors Juan Ponce de Len (c.1460–1521), the European discoverer of Florida, and Pedro Menéndez de Avils (1519–1574), founder of the first permanent settlement, St. Augustine. Well-known Florida authors include James Weldon Johnson (1871–1938), perhaps best known for his 1912 novel Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man. He was also the first black to 201
Florida
b.1953), who became a dominant force in women’s tennis in the mid-1970s. She retired from tennis in 1990.
40
Bibliography
BOOKS Blaustein, Daniel. The Everglades and the Gulf Coast. New York: Benchmark Books, 2000. Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Brown, Jonatha A. Florida. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2006. Dregni, Michael, ed. Our Florida: A Heritage of the Sunshine State in Stories and Photos. Stillwater, MN: Voyageur Press, 2000. Hart, Joyce. Florida. 2nd ed. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2007. Florida native General Daniel James Jr. (1920–1978), known as “Chappie,” was the first black four-star general in the United States. EPD PHOTOS/NATIONAL ARCHIVES.
be admitted to the Florida bar (1897) and was a founder and secretary of the NAACP. Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings (b.Washington, DC, 1895– 1953) wrote the Pulitzer Prize-winning The Yearling (1938), the poignant story of a 12-yearold boy on the Florida frontier in the 1870s. Zora Neale Hurston (1901–1960), another prominent writer, was born in poverty in the all-Negro town of Eatonville and a graduate of Barnard College. Entertainers born in Florida include Sidney Poitier (b.1927), Charles Eugene “Pat” Boone (b.1934), Faye Dunaway (b.1941), and Ben Vereen (b.1946). Among Florida’s famous sports figures is Chris Evert Lloyd (Christine Marie Evert, 202
Hurston, Zora Neale. Their Eyes Were Watching God. New York: J. B. Lippincott, 1937. London, Jonathan. Panther: Shadow of the Swamp. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick, 2000. McAuliffe, Emily. Florida Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003. Murray, Julie. Florida. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Rawlings, Marjorie Kinnan. The Yearling. New York: Scribner, 1938. Somerville, Barbara A. Florida. New York: Children’s Press, 2001. Sullivan, Ann. Florida. Mankato, MN: Weigl, 2000. WEB SITES Florida Department of State. Florida Kids. dhr.dos. state.fl.us/kids (accessed March 1, 2007). Florida Department of State. State Library & Archives of Florida. dlis.dos.state.fl.us (accessed March 1, 2007). Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Georgia State of Georgia
O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Named for King George
II of England in 1732. N I CKNAME : The Empire State of the South; the Peach
State. C AP ITAL: Atlanta. ENT ERED UNION: 2 January 1788 (4th). OBVERSE: same as the coat of arms. a sailing vessel and a smaller boat are offshore; on land, a man and horse plow a field, and sheep graze in the background. The scene is surrounded by the words “Agriculture and Commerce 1776.” FLAG: The Georgia flag has two red stripes and one white stripe. The state coat of arms is on a blue field in the upper left corner. Flag adopted 8 May 2003. C OAT OF ARMS: Three columns support an arch inscribed with the word “Constitution;” intertwined among the columns is a banner bearing the state motto. Right of center stands a soldier with a drawn sword, representing the aid of the military in defending the Constitution. Surrounding the whole are the words “State of Georgia 1776.” M OT TO: Wisdom, Justice and Moderation. SONG: “Georgia on My Mind.” FLOWER: Cherokee rose; azalea (wildflower). TREE: Live oak. B IRD: Brown thrasher. FISH: Largemouth bass. IN S ECT: Honeybee. G E M: Quartz. FOSSIL: Shark tooth. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January;
O FFICIAL SEAL: REVERSE:
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Confederate Memorial Day, 26 April; National Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Robert E. Lee’s Birthday, 19 January (observed the day after Thanksgiving); Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 7 AM EST = noon GMT.
1
Location and Size
Located in the southeastern United States, Georgia is the largest state east of the Mississippi River and ranks 21st in size among the 50 states. The total area of Georgia is 58,910 square miles (152,576 square kilometers), of which land comprises 58,056 square miles (150,365 square kilometers) and inland water 854 square miles 203
Georgia
(2,211 square kilometers). Georgia extends 254 miles (409 kilometers) east-west and 320 miles (515 kilometers) north-south. The Sea Islands extend the length of the Georgia coast. The state’s total boundary length is 1,039 miles (1,672 kilometers).
2
Topography
There are three main geographic regions in the state: northern Georgia is mountainous, the central region has the rolling hills of the Piedmont Plateau, and southern Georgia is a nearly flat coastal plain. The Blue Ridge Mountains end in northern Georgia, where Brasstown Bald, at 4,784 feet (1,459 meters), is the highest point in the state. Stone Mountain, where a Confederate memorial is carved into a mass of solid granite 1,686 feet (514 meters) high, is located in the piedmont region. The coastal plain, thinly populated except for towns at the mouths of inland rivers, ends in marshlands along the Atlantic Ocean. Lying offshore are the Sea Islands, called the Golden Isles of Georgia, the most important of which are, from north to south, Tybee, Ossabaw, St. Catherines, Sapelo, St. Simons, Sea Island, Jekyll, and Cumberland. Two great rivers rise in the northeast: the Savannah and the Chattahoochee. The two largest rivers of central Georgia, the Ocmulgee and Oconee, flow together to form the Altamaha. Perhaps the best-known Georgia river, though smaller than any of the above, is the Suwannee, flowing southwest through the Okefenokee Swamp, across Florida, and into the Gulf of Mexico. Huge lakes created by dams on the Savannah River are Clark Hill Reservoir and Hartwell 204
Georgia Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:
9,363,941 14.4% 7.1% 98.6% 62.5% 29.3% 0.2% 2.7% 0.0% 3.9% 1.4%
Population by Age Group
65 and over (9%) Under 18 (27%)
45 to 64 (24%)
18 to 24 (9%)
25 to 44 (31%)
Major Cities by Population City Atlanta Augusta-Richmond Columbus Savannah Athens-Clarke Macon Roswell Albany Marietta Warner Robins
Population
% change 2000–05
470,688 190,782 185,271 128,453 103,238 94,316 85,920 75,394 61,261 57,907
13.0 -2.3 NA -2.3 3.0 -3.0 8.3 -2.0 4.3 18.7
Notes: †A person of Hispanic or Latino origin may be of any race. NA indicates that data are not available. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey and Population Estimates. www.census.gov/ (accessed March 2007).
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Georgia
GEORGIA
NORTH CAROLINA
TENNESSEE
Explanation Point of Interest
Chattahoochee National Forest DADE
59
CATOOSA
City (25,000-100,000 people) RABUN
TOWNS
FANNIN
WHITFIELD
City (more than 100,000 people) State Capital
UNION
Dalton
WALKER
GILMER
Chattahoochee National Forest
MURRAY
Area of Interest
HABERSHAM
WHITE
GORDON
CHATTOOGA
HALL
FRANKLIN
DAWSON BANKS
BARTOW
FORSYTH
75 Rome FULTON PAULDING
Lake Sidney Lanier
CLARKE
WALTON
Smyrna
Atlanta East Point
CARROLL
ROCKDALE
DEKALB
NEWTON
FAYETTE
PIKE
RICHMOND
Hamburg State Park BALDWIN
Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park
ah
BURKE
Piedmont N. W. R.
UPSON
JONES
h Chatta
CRAWFORD
R.
JENKINS WILKINSON
Magnolia Springs State Park
EMANUEL
Macon
BIBB
TALBOT
JOHNSON
SCREVEN
185 TAYLOR
ooc
TWIGGS
PEACH
eR he
MUSCOGEE
.
Columbus MARION
BULLOCH
LAURENS
Warner Robins
George L. Smith State Park
16
HOUSTON BLECKLEY
TREUTLEN PULASKI
SCHLEY
MONTTOOMBS TATTNALL GOMERY
DODGE
Savannah N. W. R.
16 EVANS BRYAN
STEWART
DOOLY
Eufaula National Wildlife Ref.
WEBSTER
WILCOX
TERRELL
APPLING
TELFAIR
75 BEN HILL
WORTH
JEFF DAVIS
COFFEE
Albany
BERRIEN
MITCHELL
COOK
CLINCH
Red Bingham St. Park DECATUR
PIERCE GLYNN
ATKINSON
Blackbeard Island Nat’l Wildlife Ref. Wolf Island Nat’l Wildlife Ref.
COLQUITT
MILLER
Seminole State Park
Blackbeard Is. Wilderness Area WARE
BAKER
St. Catherines Sound
MCINTOSH
BACON
General Coffee State Park
TIFT
DOUGHERTY
Kolomoki EARLY Mounds State Park
95
WAYNE IRWIN
Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge
LIBERTY
LONG
TURNER
Tybee National Wildlife Ref.
Savannah
Fort Stewart Mil. Res.
Little Ocmulgee State Park
CRISP
LEE
CLAY
CALHOUN
CHATHAM
WHEELER
SUMTER
Georgia Veterens Mem. State Park
QUITMAN RANDOLPH
SEMINOLE
EFFINGHAM
CANDLER
MACON
Fort Benning Mil. Res.
CHATTAHOCHEE
Walter F. George Reservoir
Fort Gordon Mil. Res.
JEFFERSON WASHINGTON
HARRIS
ALABAMA
GLASCOCK
MONROE
LaGrange
West Point Lake
SOUTH CAROLINA
Augusta
PUTNAM
High Falls S. P.
LAMAR
McDUFFIE
nn va Sa
TROUP
Martinez
WARREN HANCOCK
Oconee Nat’l For.
BUTTS
SPALDING
85 MERIWETHER
COLUMBIA
JASPER
COWETA
HEARD
LINCOLN
20
HENRY
50 miles 50 kilometers
GREENE
MORGAN
TALIAFERRO CLAYTON
John Tanner State Park
25
WILKES
Oconee Nat. For.
285
DOUGLASS
25
0
OGLETHORPE
Athens
OCONEE
20
Bobby Brown St. Park
BARROW
Ft. Yargo State Park
Marietta
HARALSON
0
ELBERT
MADISON
JACKSON
GWINNETT
Roswell
COBB
POLK
N
HART
85
CHEROKEE
FLOYD
Hartwell Reservoir
STEPHENS
LUMPKIN
PICKENS
U.S. Interstate Route
95
Dixon Mem. State Forest
BRANTLEY
LANIER
GRADY THOMAS
BROOKS
LOWNDES
Valdosta
Saint Simons Sound CAMDEN
CHARLTON
Okefenokee Nat’l. Wildlife Refuge and Wilderness ECHOLS Area
Lake Seminole
St. Andrews Sound Cumberland Is. Nat’l Seashore Kings Bay Naval Submarine Support Base
AT L A N T I C OCEAN
FLORIDA Gulf of Mexico
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
205
Georgia
An inhabitant of Okefenokee Swamp. GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRY, TRADE, AND TOURISM.
Lake; artificial lakes on the Chattahoochee River include Lake Seminole, Walter F. George Reservoir, Lake Harding, West Point Reservoir, and Lake Sidney Lanier.
3
Climate
The Chattahoochee River divides Georgia into separate climatic regions. The mountain region to the northwest is colder than the rest of Georgia, averaging 39°f (4°c) in January and 78°f (26°C) in July. The state experiences mild winters, ranging from a January average of 44°f (7c) in the piedmont to 54°f (12c) on the coast. Summers are hot in the piedmont and on the coast, with July temperatures averaging 80°f (27°c) or above. The record high is 113°f (45°c) at Greenville on 27 May 1978. The record low is 206
-17°f (–27°c), registered in Floyd County on 27 January 1940. Humidity is high, ranging from 82% in the morning to 56% in the afternoon in Atlanta. Rainfall averages 50 inches (127 centimeters) annually in the lowlands, increasing to 75 inches (191 centimeters) in the mountains. Snow falls occasionally in the interior. Tornadoes are an annual threat in mountain areas and Georgia beaches are exposed to hurricane tides.
4
Plants and Animals
Georgia has about 250 species of trees, 90% of which are of commercial importance. White and scrub pines, and northern red oak cover the mountain zone, while loblolly, yellow pines and whiteback maple are found throughout the piedmont. Pecan trees grow densely in southern Georgia, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Georgia
Georgia Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number
Percent
Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,186,453 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,072,265 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106,506 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18,367 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19,232 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13,643 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,030 White and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26,324 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,567 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,591 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . 941 Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,776 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 937 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . 69 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,342 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,000 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,115 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 572 Three or more races. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,682
. . . . . 100.0 . . . . . . 98.6 . . . . . . . 1.3 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.3 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1
Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.
and white oak and cypress are plentiful in the eastern part of the state. Trees found throughout the state include scaly-bark and white hickories, sassafras, and various dogwoods and magnolias. Common flowering shrubs include yellow jasmine, flowering quince, and mountain laurel. Spanish moss grows in the coastal regions, and kudzu vines, originally from Asia, are plentiful. The state lists 58 protected plants, of which 23 (including smooth coneflower, fringed campion, and small whorled pogonia) are endangered. Prominent among Georgia animals is the white-tailed (Virginia) deer, found in some 50 counties. Other common mammals include the black bear, muskrat, mink, and three speJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
cies of squirrel: fox, gray, and flying. At least 160 bird species breed in Georgia, among them the mockingbird, brown thrasher (the state bird), and numerous sparrows. There are 79 species of reptile, including such poisonous snakes as the rattler and copperhead. The state’s 63 amphibian species consist mainly of various salamanders, frogs, and toads. The most popular freshwater game fish are trout, bream, bass, and catfish. Dolphins, porpoises, shrimp, oysters, and blue crabs are found off the Georgia coast. As of April 2006, 38 animal species were considered endangered or threatened by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Among these are the bald eagle, eastern indigo snake, West Indian mana207
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tee, four species of moccasinshell, five species of turtle, three species of whale, and the shortnose sturgeon.
5
Environmental Protection
The Environmental Protection Division (EPD) within the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) was established in 1972. This agency administers 21 state environmental laws, most of them passed during the 1970s. The EPD issues all the environmental permits, with the exception of those required by the Marshlands Protection and Shore Assistance Acts, which are enforced by the Coastal Resources Division of the DNR. Georgia’s greatest environmental problems are an increasingly scarce water supply, nonpoint source water pollution, and hazardous waste sites. In 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency’s database listed 408 hazardous waste sites in the states, 15 of which were on the National Priorities List in 2006. As of 1997 the state had 7.7 million acres of wetlands.
6
Population
Georgia ranked ninth in population among the 50 states in 2006 with an estimated total population of 9,363,941. In 2004, the population density was 153.4 persons per square mile (59.2 persons per square kilometer).The population is projected to reach 11.4 million by 2025. The state’s largest cities and their estimated populations in 2005 were Atlanta, 470,688; August-Richmond, 190,782; Columbus, 185,271; and Savannah, 128,453. In 2004, the median age was 34. In 2005, about 9% of all 208
residents were 65 years old or older, while about 27% were 18 or younger.
7
Ethnic Groups
Most Georgians are of English or Scotch-Irish descent. In 2000, there were 173,170 Asians and 4,246 Pacific Islanders within the state. Asian Indians were the largest group, with a population of 46,132. There were about 29,016 Vietnamese, 28,745 Koreans, and 27,446 Chinese. The black population was estimated at 2,349,542, the third-largest black population among the 50 states. Atlanta has been a significant center for the development of black leadership, especially at Atlanta University. The Native American population in Georgia was estimated to be 21,737 in 2000. About 6% of the population (435,227 people) were of Hispanic or Latino origin. The total number of Georgians who were foreignborn was 577,273. In 2006, estimates indicated that 2.7% of the population was Asian, 29.3% was black, 7.1% was Hispanic or Latino, and 0.2% was Native American.
8
Languages
Georgia English is typically Southern. However, a highly unusual variety of regional differences makes a strong contrast between northern upcountry and southern low-country speech. In such words as care and stairs, for example, many up-country speakers use a vowel like that in cat, while many low-country speakers use a vowel like that in pane. A peanut might be called a goober in the north or a pinder in the south. Other northern terms include French harp for harmonJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Georgia
ica and sallet for salad. In Atlanta a big sandwich is a poorboy. A distinctive variety of black English, called Gullah, is spoken in the islands off the Georgia and South Carolina coast, to which Creolespeaking slaves escaped from the mainland during the 17th and 18th centuries. In 2000, about 6,843,038 Georgians (90.1% of the population five years old and older) spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home, and the number of people who speak them, include Spanish and Spanish Creole (426,115), French or French Patois (Cajun, 43,428), German (32,777), Vietnamese (27,671), and Korean (25,814).
9
Religions
The Church of England was the official church in colonial Georgia. Daniel Marshall, the first “separate” Baptist in Georgia, established a church near Kiokee Creek in 1772. Some 16 years later, James Asbury formed the first Methodist Conference in Georgia. In 2000, most of the religious adherents in the state were Evangelical Protestants. The Southern Baptist Convention was the largest single denomination, claiming 1,719,484 adherents. Mainline Protestants included 476,727 United Methodists (in 2004), 105,774 USA Presbyterians (in 2000), and 71,950 Episcopalians (2000). Roman Catholic adherents numbered about 447,126 in 2004. Judaism claimed about 93,500 adherents in 2000 and there were about 38,882 Muslims. Only 16 Buddhist and 15 Hindu congregations were reported. About 55.2% of the population were not counted as members of any religious organization. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
10
Transportation
Georgia’s location between the Appalachian Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean makes it the link between the eastern seaboard and the Gulf states. From the 1830s onward, businessmen in the eastern cities built railroads west to maintain their commerce. The two principal lines, the Georgia and the Central of Georgia, were required by law to make connection with a stateowned line, the Western and Atlantic, at the new town of Atlanta, which thus became in 1847 the link between Georgia and the Ohio Valley. By the Civil War, Georgia, with more miles of rail than any other Deep South state, was a vital link between the eastern and western sectors of the Confederacy. In 2003, total trackage was at 4,532 rail miles (7,805 kilometers). In the same year, CSX and Norfolk Southern were the only Class I railroads operating within the state. Amtrak provides eastwest routes through Atlanta, and north-south routes through Savannah. In 1979, Atlanta inaugurated the first mass-transit system in the state, including the South’s first subway. Major ports are located at Savannah, Brunswick, and St. Mary’s. In 2004, Georgia had 721 miles (1,160 kilometers) of navigable inland waterways. In the 1920s, Georgia became the gateway to Florida for motorists. Today, I-75 is the main route from Atlanta to Florida, and I-20 is the major east-west highway. Both cross I-85 at Atlanta, which proceeds southeast from South Carolina to Alabama. I-95 stretches along the coast from South Carolina through Savannah to Jacksonville, Florida. In 2004, Georgia had 116,917 miles (188,236 kilometers) of public 209
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roads, 7.8 million registered motor vehicles and 5.7 million licensed drivers. In 2005, there were 341 airports in Georgia, 109 heliports, and 4 STOLports (Short TakeOff and Landing). Hartsfield International Airport in Atlanta is the hub of air traffic in the Southeast.
11
History
The Native Americans of the Master Farmer culture that reached its height in about ad 800 left impressive mounds at Ocmulgee (near Macon) and at Etowah (north of Atlanta). During the colonial period, the most important tribes were the Creek and the Cherokee. By clever diplomacy, the Creek were able to maneuver between the English on the one hand and the French and Spanish on the other. With the ascendancy of the English and the achievement of statehood, however, the Creek lost their leverage and were expelled from Georgia in 1826. In an effort to avoid expulsion or annihilation, the Cherokee sought to adopt the Europeans’ ways. Thanks to their remarkable linguist Sequoyah, they learned to write their own language, later running their own newspaper, the Cherokee Phoenix, and their own schools. Some even owned slaves. Unfortunately for the Cherokee, gold was discovered on their lands and they were expelled from their territory between 1832 and 1838. Thousands died on the march to Indian Territory (Oklahoma), known ever since as the Trail of Tears. Georgia’s first European explorer was Hernando de Soto of Spain, who crossed the region in 1540. By 1586 Spanish captain Pedro Menéndez de Avilés had established the mission of Santa Catalina de Gaule on St. Catherines 210
Island. By 1700, Jesuit and Franciscan missionaries had established an entire chain of missions along the Sea Islands and on the lower Chattahoochee. By 1702, however, the English had forced the Spaniards back to St. Augustine, Florida. In 1732, desiring a buffer between the valuable rice-growing colony of Carolina and Native American-held lands to the south and west, King George II granted a charter to a group who wanted to establish a colony in present-day Georgia. The first settlers, led by James Edward Oglethorpe, landed at Yamacraw Bluff on 12 February 1733. By 1742 Oglethorpe had fought off Spanish threats to the British colony. Statehood In 1752, Georgia became a royal col-
ony. Its society, like that of Carolina, was shaped by the planting of rice, indigo, and cotton. After the French and Indian War, settlers began to pour into the Georgia backcountry above Augusta. Following the War of Independence, a period of rapid expansion began. Georgia ratified the US Constitution on 2 January 1788, becoming the fourth state of the Union. The invention of the cotton gin by Eli Whitney in 1793 made cotton cultivation profitable in the lands east of the Oconee River. The settlement of the cotton lands brought prosperity to Georgia. After South Carolina seceded from the Union in 1860, Georgia also withdrew and joined the Confederate States of America. In 1864, troops under General William Tecumseh Sherman moved relentlessly upon Atlanta, capturing it in September. In November, Sherman began his famous “march to the sea,” and he presented Savannah as a Christmas present to President Abraham Lincoln. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
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After ratifying the 14th and 15th amendments, Georgia was readmitted to the Union on 15 July 1870. After the Democrats recovered control of the state in 1871, business interests dominated politics. Former Democratic Representative Thomas E. Watson, who declared himself a Populist during the early 1890s, incited anti-Black, anti-Jewish, and anti-Catholic sentiment in order to control a bloc of rural votes with which he dominated state politics for ten years. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s efforts to introduce the New Deal to Georgia after he became president in 1933 were blocked by Governor Eugene Talmadge. It was not until the administration of Governor Eurith D. Rivers (1937–41) that progressive social legislation was enacted. The Supreme Court order to desegregate public schools in 1954 provided Georgia politicians with an emotional issue they exploited to the maximum.
Civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was born in Atlanta. King was the leader of the March on Washington in 1963, and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. EPD PHOTOS/NATIONAL ARCHIVES.
1960s–2000s During the 1960s, Atlanta was
the home base for the civil-rights efforts of Martin Luther King Jr., though his campaign to end racial discrimination in Georgia focused mostly on the town of Albany. Federal civilrights legislation in 1964 and 1965 changed the state’s political climate by guaranteeing the vote to black citizens. A black man, Julian Bond, was elected to the state legislature in 1965. In 1973, Maynard Jackson was elected mayor of Atlanta, thus becoming the first black mayor of a large southern city. Governor Jimmy Carter’s resolute renunciation of racism in his inaugural speech in 1971 marked a turning point in Georgia politics and was a key factor in his election to the presidency in 1976. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
The prosperity of Atlanta in the 1970s and 1980s stemmed largely from its service-based economy. The decline of service industries in the early 1990s, however, pulled Atlanta and the state of Georgia as a whole into a recession. That decline was exemplified by the collapse in 1991 of one of the two airlines that used Atlanta as its hub, Eastern Airlines, which cost Atlanta 10,000 jobs. Nevertheless, as the decade progressed, the state’s economy rebounded, fueled in part by the science and technology sector. Some changes were still on the horizon, however, as in 2000 the major employers of Lockheed Martin, CocaCola, and BellSouth announced combined layoffs of more than 15,000 workers. 211
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Georgia Governors: 1776–2007 1776 1776–1777 1777 1777–1778 1778–1779 1779 1779–1780 1779–1782 1780 1780 1780–1781 1781–1782 1782–1783 1783–1784 1784–1785 1785–1786 1786–1787 1787–1788 1788–1789 1789 1789–1793 1793–1796 1796–1798 1798–1801 1801 1801–1802 1802–1806 1806–1809 1809–1813 1813–1815 1815–1817 1817–1819 1819 1819–1823 1823–1827 1827–1829 1829–1831 1831–1835 1835–1837 1837–1839 1839–1843 1843–1847 1847–1851 1851–1853 1853–1857 1857–1865 1865 1865–1868
William Ewen Archibald Bulloch Button Gwinnett John Adam Treutlen John Houstoun John Wereat George Walton Sir James Wright Richard Howley Stephen Heard Myrick Davies Nathan Brownson John Martin Lyman Hall John Houstoun Samuel Elbert Edward Telfair George Mathews George Handley George Walton Edward Telfair George Mathews Jared Irwin James Jackson David Emanuel Josiah Tattnall, Jr. John Milledge Jared Irwin David Byrdie Mitchell Peter Early David Brydie Mitchell William Rabun Matthew Talbot John Clark George Michael Troup John Forsyth George Rockingham Gilmer Wilson Lumpkin William Schley George Rockingham Gilmer Charles James McDonald George Walker Crawford George Washington Towns Howell Cobb Herschel Vespasian Johnson Joseph Emerson Brown James Johnson Charles Jones Jenkins
President
President
President
Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Whig Union-Dem Unionist Whig Democrat Whig Democrat Union-Dem Union Democrat Dem-Prov Democrat
The 1996 Summer Olympics were staged in and around Atlanta. An explosion (on 27 July) 212
1868 1868 1868–1871 1871–1872 1872–1877 1877–1882 1882–1883 1883 1883–1886 1886–1890 1890–1894 1894–1898 1898–1902 1902–1907 1907–1909 1909–1911 1911 1911–1912 1912–1913 1913–1915 1915–1917 1917–1921 1921–1923 1923–1927 1927–1931 1931–1933 1933–1937 1937–1941 1941–1943 1943–1947 1947 1947–1948 1948–1955 1955–1959 1959–1963 1963–1967 1967–1971 1971–1875 1975–1983 1983–1991 1991–1999 1999–2002 2002–
Gen. Thomas Howard Ruger Military Rufus Brown Bullock Rep-Prov Rufus Brown Bullock Reconstructionist Benjamin Conley Reconstructionist James Milton Smith Democrat Alfred Holt Colquitt Democrat Alexander Hamilton Stephens Democrat James Stoddard Boynton Democrat Henry Dickerson McDaniel Democrat John Brown Gordon Democrat William Jonathan Northen Democrat William Yates Atkinson Democrat Allen Daniel Candler Democrat Joseph Meriwether Terrell Democrat Hoke Smith Democrat Joseph Mackey Brown Democrat Hoke Smith Democrat John Marshall Slaton Democrat Joseph Mackey Brown Democrat John Marshall Slaton Democrat Nathaniel Edwin Harris Democrat Hugh Manson Dorsey Democrat Thomas William Hardwick Democrat Clifford Mitchell Walker Democrat Lamartine Griffin Hardman Democrat Richard Brevard Russell, Jr. Democrat Eugene Talmadge Democrat Eurith Dickinson Rivers Democrat Eugene Talmadge Democrat Ellis Gibbs Arnall Democrat Herman Eugene Talmadge Democrat Melvin Ernest Thompson Democrat Herman Eugene Talmadge Democrat Samuel Marvin Griffin Democrat Samuel Ernest Vandiver, Jr. Democrat Carl Edward Sanders Democrat Lester Garfield Maddox Democrat James Earl Carter Democrat George Dekle Busbee Democrat Joe Frank Harris Democrat Zell Miller Democrat Roy E. Barnes Democrat Sonny Perdue Republican
Democrat Provisional – Dem-Prov Democratic Republican – Dem-Rep Republican Provisional – Rep-Prov Union Democrat – Union-Dem
killed one person and marred the 100th anniversary of the modern Olympics. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Georgia
Georgia Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR
GEORGIA WINNER
DEMOCRAT
REPUBLICAN
STATES’ RIGHTS DEMOCRAT
PROGRESSIVE
1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976
*Truman (D) Stevenson (D) Stevenson (D) *Kennedy (D) Goldwater (R) Wallace (AI) *Nixon (R) *Carter (D)
254,646 456,823 444,6878 458,638 522,163 334,440 289,529 979,409
76,691 198,961 222,778 274,472 616,584 380,111 881,490 483,743
85,136 — — — — 535,550 — **1,071
1,636 — — — — — — 1,1681
1980 1984
Carter (D) *Reagan (R)
890,955 706,628
654,168 1,068,722
15,627 1521
1988
*Bush (R)
714,792
1,081,331
8,435
LIBERTARIAN
— — NEW ALL.
5,099 IND. (PEROT)
1992 1996
*Clinton (D) Dole (R)
1,008,966 1,053,849
995,252 1,080,843
2000 *Bush, G. W. (R) 2004 *Bush, G. W. (R) * Won US presidential election. ** Write-in votes.
1,116,230 1,366,149
1,419,720 1,914,254
7,110 17,870
309,657 146,337
LIBERTARIAN
Weather problems struck the state in July 1994, when record floods caused 31 deaths and millions of dollars in damage. In 2000, the state suffered one of the worst droughts in its history, with farmers struggling to keep their crops alive. In 2003–05, the problems faced by the state included a weak economy, declining tax revenues, rising interest rates, and poor SAT scores, the latter of which inspired some colleges to stress the need for better higher education standards.
12
State Government
Georgia has had a number of constitutions in its history, the last of which, ratified in 1982 and still in force, had been amended 63 times by January 2005. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
36,332 18,387
13,273 —
The legislature, called the general assembly, consists of a 56-seat senate and a 180-seat house of representatives. All the legislators serve twoyear terms. Elected executives include the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, and state school superintendent. To become law, a bill must be passed by both houses of the legislature and approved by the governor, or passed over the executive veto by a two-thirds vote in both houses. All revenue measures originate in the house, but the senate can propose, or concur in, amendments to these bills. Amendments to the constitution may be proposed by two-thirds votes of the elected members of each chamber and must then be ratified by popular vote. In 2004, the governor’s salary was $127,303 and the legislative salary was $16,200 per year. 213
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13
Political Parties
Georgia voted solidly Democratic between 1870 and 1960, casting its electoral votes for the Democratic presidential candidate in every election until 1964, when Republican Barry Goldwater won the state. The state’s 12 electoral votes went to independent candidate George C. Wallace in 1968 and Republican Richard Nixon in 1972. In 1976, Georgia’s native son Jimmy Carter returned the state to the Democratic camp in presidential balloting. Congressman Newt Gingrich was instrumental in guiding the Republicans to control of both the House and the Senate in the 1994 elections. Following the election, Gingrich became the first Republican Speaker of the House in 40 years. However, after Republican losses in the November 1998 midterm elections, Gingrich stepped down as Speaker and resigned his seat in 1999. Republican George W. Bush won 58% of the vote and Democrat John Kerry won 41% in the 2004 presidential election. Long-time Democrat Sonny Purdue changed party affiliations in 1998 to the Republican Party, and won election as governor in 2002, the first Republican governor in Georgia since Reconstruction. He was reelected in 2006. Republican Saxby Chambliss was elected US senator in 2002. Republican Johnny Isakson was elected US senator in 2004. Georgia’s US House delegation following the 2006 election consisted of six Democrats and seven Republicans. At the state level there were 34 Republicans and 22 Democrats in the state senate, and 74 Democrats and 106 Republicans in the state house. There were 44 women serving in the state legislature following the 2006 elections, or 18.6%. In 2004, there were 4,968,000 214
registered voters; there is no party registration in the state. The state had 15 electoral votes in the 2004 presidential election.
14
Local Government
In 2005, Georgia had 159 counties, 531 municipal governments, 180 public school districts, and 581 special districts. In 1965, the legislature passed a home-rule law permitting local governments to amend their own charters. The traditional and most common form of municipal government is the mayor-council form. But city managers are employed by some communities, and a few make use of the commission system.
15
Judicial System
Georgia’s highest court is the supreme court, consisting of a chief justice, presiding justice, and five associate justices. Georgia’s general trial courts are the superior courts, which have exclusive jurisdiction in cases of divorce and land title, and in major criminal cases. Cases from local courts can be sent to the court of appeals. Each county has a probate court and separate juvenile courts. The prison population in Georgia numbered 51,104 in December 2004, an increase of 8.3% over the previous year. Georgia’s death penalty is carried out through lethal injection. From 1976–2006, the state executed 39 persons. According to the FBI Crime Index, the violent crime rate per 100,000 inhabitants for 2004 was 455.5. The rate for crimes against property was 4,265.9 per 100,000 people.
16
Migration
During the colonial period, the chief source of immigrants to Georgia was England. Other Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Georgia
important national groups were Germans, Scots, and Scotch-Irish. The number of African slaves increased from 1,000 in 1752 to nearly 20,000 in 1776. After the Revolution, a large number of Virginians came to Georgia, as well as lesser numbers of French refugees from Hispaniola and immigrants from Ireland and Germany. Following the Civil War, there was some immigration from Italy, Russia, and Greece. The greatest population shifts during the 20th century were from country to town and, after World War I, of black Georgians to northern cities. For the period 2000–05, net international migration was 192,844 and net internal migration was 232,666 for a net gain of 425,510 people.
17
Economy
Georgia’s economy underwent drastic changes as a result of World War II. Many northern industries moved to Georgia to take advantage of low wages and low taxes. The raising of poultry and livestock became more important than crop cultivation, and manufacturing replaced agriculture as the chief source of income. Georgia is a leader in the making of paper products, tufted textiles products, processed chickens, naval stores, lumber, and transportation equipment. Textile manufacturing, Georgia’s oldest industry, remained its most important source of income until 1999, when food processing exceeded it. Also, most durable-goods industries, such as electrical machinery and appliances, have grown rapidly. The state economy suffered in the national recession of the early 1980s but performed better during the expansion of the latter part of the decade than the nation as a whole. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Service industries grew dramatically, particularly health and business as well as finance, insurance, and real estate. The 2001 national recession had more of a negative effect on Georgia’s economy than it did on other states’ economies, as layoffs from the end of 2001 to the end of 2002 were the worst in the nation. In 2004, there were 29,547 new businesses established and 27,835 businesses terminated.
18
Income
In 2005, Georgia has a gross state product (GSP) of $364 billion, ranking 10th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. In 2004, Georgia ranked 36th in the nation with a per capita (per person) income of $29,782; the national average was $33,050. In 2000, the median household income was $42,887, compared to the national average of $42,148. The three-year average median household income for 2002–04, was $43,217 compared to the national average of $44,473. For the same period, 12% of the population lived below the federal poverty level, compared to the national average of 12.4%.
19
Industry
The transport equipment, chemical, food-processing, apparel, and forest-products industries today rival textile industries in economic importance. The state’s most famous product was created in 1886, when druggist John S. Pemberton developed the formula for what became CocaCola, the world’s most widely known commercial product. In 2004, the shipment value of all products manufactured in the state was over $131 billion. 215
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20
Labor
In April 2006, the civilian labor force in Georgia numbered 4,693,900, with 214,800 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 4.6%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. In 2006, about 5.2% of the labor force was employed in construction; 21.4% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 6.2% in financial activities; 14.6% in professional and business services; 10.7% in education and health services; 10.1% in leisure and hospitality services, and 16.2% in government. Georgia is not considered to be a unionized state. In 2002, some 218,000 of Georgia’s 3,643,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions. This represented 6% of those so employed. The national average is 13.2%.
21
Agriculture
In 2001, Georgia’s farm marketings totaled $5.5 billion (11th in the United States). Georgia ranked first in the production of peanuts and pecans, harvesting 25% of all the pecans grown in the United States in 2001 and 40% of all peanuts. Cotton, first planted near Savannah in 1734, was the mainstay of Georgia’s economy through the early 20th century. World War I stimulated the cultivation of peanuts along with other crops. By the 1930s, tobacco and peanuts were challenging cotton for agricultural supremacy and Georgia had also become an important producer of peaches, a product for which the “peach state” is still widely known. In fact in 2002, Georgia produced 110 million pounds (49.8 kilograms) of peaches. 216
Sales of potted flowering plants produced in Georgia amounted to nearly $9 million in 2001. The number of farms has declined from 226,000 in 1945 to 50,000 in 2002, when the average farm size was 226 acres (91 hectares). Georgia’s farmland area of 11 million acres (4.6 million hectares) represents roughly 30% of its land area.
22
Domesticated Animals
In 2003, Georgia had an estimated 1.3 million cattle and calves valued at around $774 million, and an estimated 345,000 hogs and pigs in 2002 valued at around $21.7 million. Cows kept for milk production numbered an estimated 86,000 in 2001, when Georgia dairies produced around 1.4 billion pounds (0.64 billion kilograms) of milk. In the same year poultry farmers sold an estimated 6.2 billion pounds (2.8 billion kilograms) of broilers, more than any other state, with a value of $2.43 billion. The total egg production was 5.11 billion in 2001, valued at $367.9 million.
23
Fishing
In 2002, the total commercial fishing catch in Georgia brought about 9.5 million pounds (4.3 million kilograms) with a value of $15 million. Commercial fishing in Georgia involves more shellfish than finfish, the most important of which are caught in the nets of shrimp trawlers. Leading finfish are snappers, groupers, tilefish, and porgy. In 2001, the state had 5 processing and 30 wholesale plants. In 2002, the commercial fleet had about 226 vessels. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Georgia
In brisk mountain streams and sluggish swamps, anglers catch bass, catfish, jackfish, bluegill, crappie, perch, and trout. In 1998, over 4.8 million bass were distributed within the state. Georgia issued 666,389 sport fishing licenses in 2001.
24
Forestry
Georgia, which occupies 1.6% of the total US land area, has nearly 3.3% of the nation’s forestland and nearly 5% of the nation’s commercial forests. In 2002 Georgia’s forest area totaled 24,405,000 acres (9,877,000 hectares), of which 23,802,000 acres (9,633,000 hectares) were commercial forest. Forests cover about two-thirds of the state’s land area. The most densely wooded counties are in the piedmont hills and northern mountains. Ware and Charlton counties in southeastern Georgia, containing the Okefenokee Swamp, are almost entirely forested. In 2002, about 90% of Georgia’s forestland was privately owned. The chief products of Georgia’s timber industry are pine lumber and pine panels for the building industry, hardwood lumber for the furniture industry, and pulp for the paper and box industry. In 2002, Georgia produced over 3.04 billion board feet of lumber (third in the United States), of which 87% was softwood (pine). The chief recreational forest areas are in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, consisting of two main tracts in the northern and central part of the state. Georgia has 1,856,000 acres (751,123 hectares) of National Forest System lands, 99% of which are within the boundaries of the two major tracts. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
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Mining
In 2001, the US Geological Survey estimated the value of nonfuel minerals produced in Georgia at $1.61 billion. The state ranked seventh nationally in value of nonfuel mineral production. According to preliminary figures, Georgia produced about 24% of all clay output in the United States. Kaolin clay was Georgia’s foremost nonfuel mineral commodity, accounting for 54% of the total nonfuel mineral value in 2001, while crushed stone represented about 29%. Other minerals increasing in value included portland cement, fuller’s earth, crushed stone, and industrial sand and gravel. In 2001, the state was the national leader in the quantity of kaolin, fuller’s earth, and iron oxide pigments. Georgia also ranked second in barite (used by the chemical and the industrial filler and pigments industries), fourth in common clays and feldspar, fifth in dimension stone, and ninth in masonry cement. Blue-gray granite, known as “Elberton granite,” is the mainstay of the industry. The granite is commonly used for road curbing in the northeastern United States. Overall, the estimated quantity of dimension stone produced was 74 million metric tons valued at $11 million in 2001. Output of crushed stone, Georgia’s second-leading mineral commodity, was 76 million metric tons valued at $463 million.
26
Energy and Power
Georgia is an energy-dependent state which produces only a small proportion of its energy needs, most of it through hydroelectric power. There are no commercially recoverable petroleum or natural-gas reserves, and the state’s coal 217
Georgia
deposits are not of great importance. Georgia does have large amounts of timberland, however, and it has been estimated that 20–40% of the state’s energy demands could be met by using wood that is currently wasted. In 2000, Georgia’s total per capita energy consumption was 338 million Btu (85.2 million kilocalories), ranking it 28th among the 50 states. In 1999, Georgia produced 117.7 billion kilowatt hours of electricity (utility and nonutility) and had a total installed capacity of 25 million kilowatts. As of 2001, the Georgia Power Co. operated two atomic reactors at the Edwin I Hatch power plant near Baxley, with a combined capacity of 1,726,000 kilowatts, and two more reactors, with a combined capacity of 2,297,000 kilowatts, at the Vogtle plant at Waynesboro. All utilities are regulated by the Georgia Public Service Commission. Exploration for oil is currently in progress off the coast, but the state’s offshore oil resources are expected to be slight.
27
Commerce
Georgia’s wholesale trade in 1997 had total sales of $170 billion. The state ranked 10th in retail trade in 1992, with sales totaling $49.9 billion. Retail sales in the Atlanta area accounted for 53% of the total. Georgia exported goods worth $13 billion in 1998. Savannah is Georgia’s most important export center.
28
Public Finance
The governor’s Office of Planning and Budget prepares the budget, which is then presented to the general assembly at the beginning of each year’s session. The assembly may decide to 218
change the revenue estimate, but it usually goes along with the governor’s forecast. The fiscal year begins on 1 July. The Georgia constitution forbids the state to spend more than it takes in from all sources, The total state revenues for 2001 were $25.2 billion and expenditures were $27.8 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($11.5 billion), public welfare ($6.3 billion), and highways ($1.7 billion). Georgia’s state debt totaled more than $7.5 billion in 2001, or about $894.61 per capita.
29
Taxation
Georgia was the last of the 13 original colonies to tax its citizens, but today its state tax structure is among the broadest in the United States. Sales tax in the state is at 4% and provides the second-largest source of revenue. Basic foods and prescription drugs are exempt. State law allows counties to charge an additional 1% local-option sales tax and to use the money to roll back property taxes. Local sales and use taxes range from 1% to 3%. Almost half of Georgia’s taxes are collected at the local level. The state personal income tax schedule has six brackets ranging from 1% to 6%. The basic corporate tax rate is 6%. Other state taxes include selective sales taxes (excises) on tobacco products, alcoholic beverages, motor fuels and insurance premiums, and various license fees. State tax collection in Georgia totaled $13.77 billion in 2002, with 47.1% from individual income tax, 35% from state sales tax, 8.6% from selective sales taxes, and 4.1% from the corporate income tax. In 2003, combined state and local taxes amounted to 9.9% of income, the 15th highest in the country. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Georgia
30
Health
In 2000, Georgia’s infant mortality rate was 8.5 per 1,000 live births. Heart disease, cancer, and cerebrovascular disease were leading causes of death. Of the population age 18 and older, 23.6% were smokers. The same year, the HIVrelated death rate was 9.4 per 100,000 population. AIDS cases numbering 24,559 had been reported through 2001. In 1998, there were 147 community hospitals in Georgia. By 2001, there were 24,113 beds available in these hospitals. Georgia had 28,326 full-time registered nurses and 4,502 full-time licensed practical nurses in 2001 and 225 physicians per 100,000 population the same year. The average daily expense for hospital care was $1,173.7. In 2002, at least 16.7% of Georgia’s adult population was uninsured. The Medical College of Georgia, established at Augusta in 1828, is one of the oldest medical schools in the United States and the center of medical research in the state. The Federal Centers for Disease Control (CDC) were established in Atlanta in 1973.
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Housing
In 2002, there were an estimated 3,487,088 housing units in Georgia, of which 3,078,258 were occupied; 67.9% were owner-occupied. About 64.9% of all units were single-family, detached homes; about 12% were mobile homes. The average household size was 2.7 people. It was estimated that about 137,503 units were without telephone service, 14,408 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 16,281 lacked complete kitchen facilities. Most households relied on gas and electricity for heating. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
The University of Georgia, America’s first state-chartered university, was founded in 1785. This statue of its mascot, the Bulldog, greets visitors to the campus in Athens. ATHENS CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU.
In 2002, 97,523 privately owned housing units were authorized for construction. The median value of a one-family home was about $131,221. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,125 while renters paid a median of $664 per month.
32
Education
During the colonial period, education was in the hands of private schoolmasters. Georgia’s first constitution called for the establishment of a school in each county. The oldest school in the state is Richmond Academy (Augusta), founded in 1788. The nation’s oldest chartered public university, the University of Georgia, dates from 1784. In 2000, 78.6% of the population age 25
219
Georgia
or older had a high school diploma and 24.3% had obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Total enrollment in public schools was estimated at 1,444,937 in fall 2000 and expected to reach 1,527,000 by fall 2005. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2001 was 116,407. Fullday kindergarten is offered statewide and preschool classes are available for all four-year-olds. Every school has a satellite dish for long-distance learning, and computers are being provided to every school, with extensive technology services, both instructional and administrative. Additionally, instructional services are provided for hearing- and sight-impaired students at three state schools: Atlanta Area School for the Deaf, Georgia Academy for the Blind, and Georgia School for the Deaf. As of fall 2000, there were 436,555 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In the same year Georgia had 125 degree-granting institutions. Thirty-four public colleges are components of the University System of Georgia; the largest of these is the University of Georgia (Athens). The largest private university is Emory (Atlanta).
making industry and, as of the late 1990s, an increasing number of films for cinema and television were being produced in the state. Georgia has at least 11 symphony orchestras, ranging from the Atlanta Symphony to community and college ensembles throughout the state. Atlanta and Augusta have professional ballet touring companies. Augusta has a professional opera company and choral groups and opera societies perform in all major cities. Macon has become a major recording center, especially for popular music. The north Georgia mountain communities retain their traditional folk music. The Georgia Council for the Arts was founded in 1965. Major ongoing programs of the Council include the Georgia Folklife Program (est. 1987), the Grassroots Arts Program (est. 1993), and the State Capitol Gallery (est. 1991), which features exhibits from the State Art Collection of over 600 works of art from Georgian artists. The Georgia Humanities Council was founded in 1971. Georgia’s arts education programs are offered to about 21,600 students. There are over 200 arts associations in Georgia along with an estimated 30 local arts groups.
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Arts
Atlanta is the major arts center of Georgia. The state has eight major art museums, as well as numerous private galleries. The Atlanta Memorial Arts Center was dedicated in 1968. The Atlanta Art Association exhibits the work of contemporary Georgia artists. Georgia’s Art Bus Program delivers art exhibits to Georgia communities, mostly in rural areas, for three-week periods. Atlanta has a resident theater and there are community theaters in some 30 cities and counties. Georgia has actively cultivated the film220
Libraries and Museums
In 2000, the Georgia public library system included 33 regional and 24 county systems, each operating under its own board. The holdings of all public libraries totaled 14.8 million volumes in 2000 with a combined circulation of over 34 million. The University of Georgia had by far the largest academic collection, including over 3 million books. Georgia has 179 museums, including the Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences in Savannah, the Georgia State Museum of Science and Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Georgia
Exterior of the Georgia Aquarium. BARRY WILLIAMS/GETTY IMAGES.
Industry in Atlanta, and the Columbus Museum of Arts and Sciences. Atlanta’s Cyclorama depicts the 1864 Battle of Atlanta. Georgia abounds in historic sites. Sites administered by the National Park Service include the Chickamauga battlefield, Kennesaw Mountain battlefield, Fort Pulaski National Monument, and Andersonville prison camp near Americus, all associated with the Civil War, as well as the Fort Frederica National Monument, an 18th-century English barracks on St. Simons Island. The Martin Luther King Jr., National Historic Site was established in Atlanta in 1980. Also in Atlanta is former President Jimmy Carter’s library, museum, and conference center complex. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
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Communications
As of 2001, 93.2% of Georgian households had telephones. In 2003, Georgia had 106 major radio stations, 24 AM and 82 FM. There were 37 major television stations in the same year. Atlanta had 1,774,720 television-owning households in 1999, 70% of which received cable. On 1 June 1980, Atlanta businessman Ted Turner inaugurated the independent Cable News Network (CNN), which made round-theclock news coverage available to 4,100 cable television systems throughout the United States. By the late 1980s, CNN had become well known worldwide. In addition, Turner broadcasts CNN Headline News. A total of 183,093 Internet 221
Georgia
domain names were registered in Georgia by the year 2000.
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Press
In 1817, the Savannah Gazette became the state’s first daily. After the Native American linguist Sequoyah gave the Cherokee a written language, Elias Boudinot gave them a newspaper, the Cherokee Phoenix, in 1828. Georgia authorities suppressed the paper in 1835 and Boudinot joined his tribe’s tragic migration westward. In 1958, Ralph E. McGill, editor and later publisher of the Constitution, won a Pulitzer Prize for his editorial opposition to racial intolerance. In 2001, the Constitution, and the Atlanta Journal merged to form the Journal-Constitution, owned by Cox Newspapers. As of 2002, Georgia had 27 morning dailies, 6 evening dailies, and 28 Sunday newspapers. Leading newspapers with their 2002 daily circulations were: the Journal-Constitution (396,464); the Augusta Chronicle (69,022); and the Macon Telegraph (63,553). Periodicals published in Georgia include Golf World, Atlanta Weekly, Robotics World, and Southern Accents. Among the nation’s better-known scholarly presses is the University of Georgia Press (Athens), which publishes the Georgia Review.
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Tourism, Travel & Recreation
In 2002, over 42 million travelers spent $23.9 billion on visits to Georgia. More than 207,000 jobs are supported by the tourism industry in Georgia. Besides national forests and parks, major tourist attractions include the Okefenokee Swamp in 222
southern Georgia; Stone Mountain near Atlanta; former President Jimmy Carter’s home in Plains; the birthplace, church, and gravesite of Martin Luther King Jr., in Atlanta; and the historic squares and riverfront of Savannah. The varied attractions of the Golden Isles include fashionable Sea Island. Georgia has long been a hunters’ paradise. Waynesboro calls itself the “bird dog capital of the world,” and Thomasville in South Georgia is a popular destination for quail hunters.
38
Sports
There are four major league professional sports teams in Georgia, all in Atlanta. Turner Field and the Georgia Dome, main venues for the 1996 Summer Olympic Games, serve as the home field baseball’s Atlanta Braves and the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. The Philips Arena houses the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association and the Atlanta Thrashers of the National Hockey League. The Atlanta Braves won the National League Pennant five times in the 1990s and won the World Series in 1995. The Cracker Barrel Old Country Store 500 and the NAPA 500 are two of the NASCAR Winston Cup auto races. They are both held at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The Masters, the most publicized golf tournament in the world, has been played at the Augusta National Golf Club since 1934. The Atlanta Golf Classic is also listed on the professional golfers’ tour. Football and basketball dominate college sports. The University of Georgia Bulldogs play in the Southeastern Conference. Georgia Tech’s Yellow Jackets of the Atlantic Coast Conference are a perennial basketball power. The Peach Bowl Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Georgia
has been an annual postseason football game in Atlanta since 1968. Professional fishing, sponsored by the Bass Anglers Sportsman’s Society, is one of the fastest-growing sports in the state. Another popular summer pastime is rafting with raft races on the Chattahoochee at Atlanta and Columbus, and on the Savannah River at Augusta.
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Famous Georgians
James Earl “Jimmy” Carter (b.1924), born in Plains, was the first Georgian to serve as president of the United States. He was governor of the state (1971–75) before being elected to the White House in 1976. He was the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. Clarence Thomas (b.1948) was appointed as a Supreme Court Justice in 1991. Dean Rusk (1909–1994) was secretary of state in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations. Notable US senators in recent years were Herman Talmadge (1913–2002), and Sam Nunn (b.1938). A Georgia member of Congress, Newt Gingrich (b. Pennsylvania 1943), served as Speaker of the US House of Representatives from 1994 until 1998. Revolutionary War hero James Jackson (b.England, 1757–1806) organized the Democratic-Republican Party (today’s Democratic Party) in Georgia. Confederate General Joseph Wheeler (1836–1906) became a major general in the US Army during the Spanish-American War. Other Civil War generals included W. H. T. Walker (1816–1864), Thomas R. R. Cobb (1823–1862), who also codified Georgia’s laws, and John B. Gordon (1832–1904), later a US senator and governor of the state. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Jimmy Carter, who was elected president of the United States in 1976, was born in Plains, Georgia. He was governor of Georgia from 1971 to 1975. COURTESY, JIMMY CARTER LIBRARY.
Among Georgia’s notable Native Americans were Osceola (1800–1838), who led the Seminoles into the Florida swamps rather than move west and rallied them during the Seminole War of 1835–42; Sequoyah (b.Tennessee, 1773– 1843), who framed an alphabet for the Cherokee; and John Ross (Coowescoowe, b.Tennessee, 1790–1866), the first president of the Cherokee republic. Distinguished black Georgians include civil-rights activists W. E. B. (William Edward Burghardt) DuBois (b.Massachusetts, 1868– 1963). One of the best-known Georgians was Martin Luther King Jr. (1929–1968), born in 223
Georgia
Atlanta, leader of the March on Washington in 1963, and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. Black Muslim leader Elijah Muhammad (Elijah Poole, 1897–1975) was also a Georgian. Other prominent black leaders include Atlanta Mayor and former UN Ambassador Andrew Young (b.Louisiana, 1932), former Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson (b.Texas, 1938), and Georgia Senator Julian Bond (b.Tennessee, 1940). Famous Georgia authors include Joel Chandler Harris (1848–1908), Conrad Aiken (1889–1973), and Flannery O’Connor (1925– 1964). Also notable is Margaret Mitchell (1900– 1949), whose Pulitzer Prize-winning Gone With the Wind (1936) typifies Georgia to many readers. Entertainment celebrities include songwriter Johnny Mercer (1909–1976); comedian Oliver Hardy (1877–1961); musicians Ray Charles (Ray Charles Robinson, 1930–2004), James Brown (1933–2006), Little Richard (Richard Penniman, b.1935), Otis Redding (1941– 1967), Gladys Knight (b.1944), Brenda Lee (b.1944), and Amy Grant (b.1961); and actors Joanne Woodward (b.1930), and Burt Reynolds (b.1936). Major sports figures include baseball’s “Georgia peach,” Tyrus Raymond “Ty” Cobb (1886–1961); Jack Roosevelt “Jackie” Robinson (1919–1972), the first black man to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame; and Robert Tyre
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“Bobby” Jones (1902–1971), winner of the “grand slam” of four major golf tournaments in 1930.
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Bibliography
BOOKS Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Doak, Robin S. Georgia, 1521–1776. Washington, DC: National Geographic Society, 2006. King, Coretta Scott. My Life with Martin Luther King. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1970. Lommel, Cookie. James Oglethorpe. Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 2000. McAuliffe, Emily. Georgia Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003. Murphy, Andrea. Georgia. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2006. Murray, Julie. Georgia. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Otfinoski, Steven. Georgia. New York: Benchmark Books, 2001. Waters, Andrew, ed. On Jordan’s Stormy Banks: Personal Accounts of Slavery in Georgia. Winston-Salem, NC: John F. Blair, 2000. WEB SITES Georgia Department of Economic Development. Georgia. www.georgia.org (accessed March 1, 2007). State of Georgia. Georgia.gov. www.georgia.gov/00/ home/0,2061,4802,00.html (accessed March 1, 2007).
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Hawaii State of Hawaii
O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Unknown. The name
may stem from Hawaii Loa, traditional discoverer of the islands, or from Hawaiki, the traditional Polynesian homeland. N I CKNAME : The Aloha State. C AP ITAL: Honolulu. ENT ERED UNION: 21 August 1959 (50th). O FFICIAL SEAL: Same as coat of arms, with the words “State of Hawaii 1959” above and the state motto below. FLAG: Eight horizontal stripes, alternately white, red, and blue, represent the major islands, with the British Union Jack (reflecting the years that the islands were under British protection) in the upper left-hand corner. C OAT OF ARMS: The heraldic shield of the Hawaiian kingdom is flanked by the figures of Kamehameha I, who united the islands, and Liberty, holding the Hawaiian flag. Below the shield is a phoenix surrounded by taro leaves, banana foliage, and sprays of maidenhair fern. EMBLEM: Each of the eight major islands has its own emblem—Hawaii, lehua (ohia blossom); Kahoolawe, hinahina (beach heliotrope); Kauai, mokihana (fruit capsule of the Pelea anisata); Lanai, kaunaoa (Cuscuta sandwichiana); Maui, lokelani (pink cottage rose); Molokai, kukui (candlenut) blossom; Niihau, white pupa shell; and Oahu, ilima (Sida fallax). M OT TO: Ua mau ke ea o ka aina i ka pono (The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness). SONG: “Hawaii Ponoi.” Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
C O L O R S : Each of the eight major islands has its own
color—Hawaii, red; Kahoolawe, gray; Kauai, purple; Lanai, yellow; Maui, pink; Molokai, green; Niihau, white; and Oahu, yellow. F L O W E R : Pua aloalo (yellow hibiscus). T R E E : Kukui (candlenut tree). B I R D : Nene (Hawaiian goose). L E G A L H O L I D AY S : New Year’s Day, 1 January;
Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Presidents’ Day, 3rd Monday in February; Kuhio Day, 26 March; Good Friday and Easter, March or April; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Kamehameha Day, 11 June; Independence Day, 4 July; Statehood Day, 3rd Friday in August; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Election Day, 1st Tuesday after 1st Monday in November; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 2 AM Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time = noon
GMT.
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Hawaii
1
Location and Size
The State of Hawaii is an island group situated in the northern Pacific Ocean, about 2,400 miles (3,900 kilometers) west-southwest of San Francisco. The smallest of the five states with a border on the Pacific, Hawaii ranks 47th in size among the 50 states. The 132 Hawaiian Islands have a total area of 6,470 square miles (16,758 square kilometers), including 6,425 square miles (16,641 square kilometers) of land and only 45 square miles (117 square kilometers) of inland water. The island chain extends over 1,576 miles (2,536 kilometers) north-south and 1,425 miles (2,293 kilometers) east-west. The four largest islands of the Hawaiian group are Hawaii, 4,035 square miles (10,451 square kilometers); Maui, 734 square miles (1,901 square kilometers); Oahu, 617 square miles (1,598 square kilometers); and Kauai, 558 square miles (1,445 square kilometers). The general coastline of the islands is 750 miles (1,207 kilometers).
2
Topography
The eight major and 124 minor islands that make up the State of Hawaii were formed by volcanic eruptions. Mauna Loa, on the island of Hawaii, is the world’s largest active volcano, at a height of 13,675 feet (4,168 meters). The highest peak in the state is Puu Wekiu on Hawaii at 13,796 feet (4,208 meters). The largest natural lake is Halulu on Niihau at 182 acres (74 hectares). The largest artificial lake, Waiia Reservoir on Kauai, covers 422 acres (171 hectares). The longest rivers are Kaukonahua Stream (33 miles/53 kilometers) in the north on Oahu, and Wailuku River (32 miles/51 kilometers) on Hawaii. 226
Hawaii Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:
1,285,498 6.1% 8.0% 79.0% 24.9% 2.0% 0.3% 42.0% 8.5% 1.3% 21.0%
Population by Age Group 65 and over (14%)
Under 18 (24%)
45 to 64 (27%)
18 to 24 (9%)
25 to 44 (26%)
Major Cities by Population City Honolulu CDP
Population
% change 2000–05
377,379
1.5
Notes: †A person of Hispanic or Latino origin may be of any race. NA indicates that data are not available. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey and Population Estimates. www.census.gov/ (accessed March 2007).
3
Climate
Hawaii has a tropical climate cooled by trade winds. Normal daily temperatures in Honolulu average 72°f (22°c) in February and 78°f (26°c) in August. The record high for the state Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
0
0
Niihau Island
Waimea Canyon S.P.
Haena State Park
25
25
50 miles
50 kilometers
N
Area of Interest
State Capital
City (more than 100,000 people)
City (25,000-100,000 people)
Point of Interest
Explanation
HAWAII
Na Pali Coast S.P. Kokee S.P. Polihale S.P. Wailua River State Park
Kauai
Kauai Channel
Kaena Point State Park
Oahu
Kahana Valley State Park
Channel
PA C I F I C OCEAN
Honolulu
Hanauma Bay St. Underwater Park Diamond Head State Mon. Kaiwi
Pearl Kaneohe City Kailua
Pearl Harbor
Waipahu
Miliani Town
Puu o Mahuka Heiau State Monument
James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge
Auau Channel
Molokai
Waianapanapa State Park
Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Hist. Park
Kealakekua Bay State Hist. Park
Hulihee Palace State Monument
Puukohola Heiau National Hist. Site
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Dr. D. Douglas Historical Monument
Alenuihaha Channel
Haleakala National Park
Maui
Kohala Historical Sites State Monument
Iao Valley St. Mon.
Halekii-Piharia Heiaus St. Mon.
Pailolo Channel
Kahoolawe Island
Kealaikahiki Channel
Lanai Island
Kalohi Channel
Palaau State Park
Hawaii
Lava Tree State Mon.
Hilo
Akaka Falls State Park
Hawaii
227
Hawaii
An area of devastation near the Kiluaea Crater. Although destructive at times, Hawaii’s volcanoes are also beneficial. Not only do they add new land to the island chain, but they also form a soil that is high in nutrients. © COREL CORPORATION.
is 100°f (38°c), set at Pahala on 27 April 1931. The record low is 12°f (–11°c), set at Mauna Kea Observatory on 17 May 1979. Rainfall is extremely variable. Mt. Waialeale, on Kauai, is said to be the rainiest place on earth, with a mean annual total of 486 inches (1,234 centimeters). Upper mountain slopes and island interiors are the driest areas, averaging under 10 inches (25 centimeters). Snow falls at the summits of Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea, and Haleakala—the highest mountains. The highest tidal wave (tsunami) in the state’s history reached 56 feet (17 meters).
4
Plants and Animals
Hawaii has about 2,200 species and subspecies of plants, more than half are endangered, threat228
ened, or extinct. As of April 2006, a total of 317 species (44 animal and 273 plant species) were listed as endangered or threatened by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The only land mammal native to the islands, the Hawaiian hoary bat, is now endangered. There are no indigenous snakes. Animal species listed as endangered or threatened. These include four species of sea turtle and the humpback whale, which migrates to Hawaiian waters in winter. Among threatened birds are several varieties of honeycreeper, shorttailed albatross, Hawaiian coot, and the Hawaiian goose, or nene (the state bird). Animals considered endangered by the state but not on the federal list include the Hawaiian storm petrel, Hawaiian owl, Maui ‘amakihi (Loxops virens wilsoni), and ‘i’iwi (Vestiaria coccinea). Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Hawaii
Hawaii Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number
Percent
Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,211,537 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 952,194 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175,252 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,289 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,953 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55,028 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31,485 White and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,728 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . 645 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,936 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . 1,330 Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 532 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,473 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . 1,259 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57,647 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,671 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,051 Three or more races. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84,091
. . . . . 100.0 . . . . . . 78.6 . . . . . . 14.5 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . 0.5 . . . . . . . 4.5 . . . . . . . 2.6 . . . . . . . 0.6 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 4.8 . . . . . . . 0.5 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . 6.9
Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.
5
Environmental Protection
Environmental protection within the state is the responsibility of the Department of Land and Natural Resources, and the Environmental Management Division of the Department of Health. Noise pollution requirements for the state are among the strictest in the United States, and air and water purity levels are well within federal standards. The federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) banned the use of ethylene dibromide (EDB), a pesticide used in the state’s pineapple fields, after high levels of the chemical were found in wells on the island of Oahu in 1983. In 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency’s Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
database listed 87 hazardous waste sites in the state, 3 of which were on the National Priorities List as of 2006.
6
Population
In 2006, Hawaii ranked 42nd in population in the United States with an estimated total of 1,285,498 residents. The Census Bureau projects that the population will reach 1.38 million by 2015 and 1.43 million by 2025. Almost fourfifths of the population lives on Oahu. In 2004, Hawaii had a population density of about 196.6 persons per square mile (75.9 persons per square kilometer). In that same year, the median age was 38. In 2005, about 14% of all residents were 65 229
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or older, while about 24% were 18 or younger. Honolulu is the largest city in the state. In 2005, it had an estimated population of 377,379.
7
Ethnic Groups
Hawaii has the nation’s highest percentage of Asian residents. In 2006, a total of 42% were of Asian descent, while 8.5% were Pacific Islanders or native Hawaiians, 2.0% were black, 0.3% were Native Americans or Alaskan natives, and 8.0% were Hispanic or Latino. In 2000, foreignborn residents numbered 212,229, or 17.5% of the total state population.
8
Languages
The Hawaiian legacy is apparent in the state’s English. Newcomers soon add to their vocabulary aloha (love, good-bye), haole (white foreigner), malihini (newcomer), mahimahi (dolphinfish), ukulele, muumuu, and other common native words. Most native-born residents of Hawaiian ancestry speak one of several varieties of Hawaiian pidgin, a common language with elements of Hawaiian, English, and other Asian and Pacific languages. In 2000, of all Hawaiians five years old or older, 73.4% spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home, and the number of speakers, include Tagalog (60,967), Japanese (56,225), and Chinese (29,363).
9
Religions
Congregationalist missionaries arrived in 1820 and Roman Catholics in 1827. Subsequent migration brought Mormons and Methodists. Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism arrived with the Chinese during the 1850s. In 2004, the largest religious group was the Catholic Church, 230
with 234,588 adherents. The Latter-day Saints (Mormons) followed with 64,608 adherents in 2006. Other major groups (as of 2000) included the Assemblies of God with 21,754 members, and the Southern Baptist Convention with 20,901 adherents. In 2005, the United Church of Christ had 17,362 adherents. In 2000, the Jewish population was at about 7,000. There were 73 Buddhist, 1 Muslim, and 8 Hindu congregations reported in that same year. About 63.8% of the population were not counted as members of any religious organization.
10
Transportation
Hawaii has only two railroads: the nonprofit Hawaiian Railway Society, with 6.5 miles (10.5 kilometers) of track on Oahu, and the commercial-recreational Lahaina, Kaanapali & Pacific on Maui, with 6 miles (10 kilometers) of track. The islands of Oahu, Hawaii, Maui, and Kauai have public bus systems. In 2004, Hawaii had 843,876 licensed drivers, and 4,318 miles (6,951 kilometers) of roads and streets. In that same year, there were about 532,000 passenger cars registered, along with around 394,000 trucks, and some 4,000 buses. Hawaii’s busiest port is Honolulu. Other major Hawaiian ports include Barbers Point, Oahu, and Kahului, Maui. Most scheduled interisland passenger traffic and most trans-Pacific travel is by air. In 2005, the state had 31 airports and 17 heliports. The busiest air terminal is Honolulu International Airport, which had a total of 9,579,076 passengers in 2004. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Hawaii
11
History
The Western world learned of the Hawaiian islands in 1778, when an English navigator, Captain James Cook, sighted Oahu. At that time, each island was ruled by a hereditary chief under a caste system called kapu. Contact with European sailors and traders exposed the Polynesians to smallpox, venereal disease, liquor, firearms, and Western technology—and fatally weakened the kapu system. Within 40 years of Cook’s arrival, one of the island chiefs, Kamehameha (r.1810– 19), had conquered Maui and Oahu and established a royal dynasty in what became known as the Kingdom of Hawaii. His son, Liholiho, was proclaimed Kamehameha II in 1819. After the death of Kamehameha II in 1824, his brother, Kauikeaouli, was proclaimed King Kamehameha III. His reign saw the establishment of public schools, the first sugar plantation, and a two-chamber legislature. Hawaii’s first written constitution was adopted in 1840, and in 1848, a land reform called the Great Mahele abolished the feudal land system, fostering the expansion of sugar plantations. The 1840s and 1850s saw recognition of the kingdom from the United States, Britain, and France. The following decades witnessed the arrival of Chinese contract laborers and the increasing influence of American sugar planters. In 1893, the reigning monarch, Queen Liliuokalani, was overthrown in an Americanled revolution that produced a provisional government under the leadership of Sanford B. Dole. After unsuccessfully requesting annexation by the United States, Hawaii’s government drafted a new constitution and on 4 July 1894 proclaimed the Republic of Hawaii. After the Spanish-American War, which fueled expanJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
A worker cleans up the remains of the historical Hawi Mill after it was destroyed by an earthquake in Hawi, Hawaii, October 16, 2006. AP IMAGES.
sionist feelings in the United States and pointed up the nation’s strategic interests in the Pacific, the United States annexed Hawaii, effective June 1900. Notable in the territorial period were a steady US military buildup; the creation of a pineapplecanning industry; the growth of tourism (spurred in 1936 by the inauguration of commercial air service); and a rising desire for statehood. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, crippling the US Pacific fleet and causing some 4,000 casualties, quickly turned Hawaii into an armed camp under martial law. Hawaiians pressed for statehood after World War II, but Congress was reluctant, partly 231
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Hawaii Governors: 1959–2007 1959–1962 1962–1974 1974–1986 1986–1994 1994–2002 2002–
William Francis Quinn John Anthony Burns George Ryoichi Ariyoshi John Waihee III Benjamin J. Cayetano Linda Lingle
Republican Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican
because of racial hostility and partly because of fears that Hawaii’s powerful International Longshoremen’s and Warehousemen’s Union was Communist-controlled. Not until 21 August 1959, after Alaska became the 49th state, did Hawaii become the 50th. Since then, defense and tourism have been the mainstays of Hawaii’s economy, with the state playing an increasingly important role as an economic, educational, and cultural bridge between the United States and the nations of Asia and the Pacific. In recent years, a prominent political issue in Hawaii has been the movement to give native Hawaiians some form of sovereignty. At stake is the control of around 2 million acres of land. In 1996, the state’s 200,000 descendants of native Hawaiians voted to establish some form of self-government. In July 2000, a rights bill was introduced in the US Congress by Hawaiian senator Daniel Akaka, which would give native Hawaiians the right to form their own government, with a status similar to that granted to American Indians. However, certain native Hawaiian groups opposed the bill because it would give too much administrative power over native Hawaiian affairs to the US Department of the Interior. Affecting Hawaii in the early years of the 21st century were the recession of 2001, the 11 September terrorist attacks that same year, and 232
the 2003 Iraq war, all of which had deeply hit the state’s tourism industry. One month after the Iraq war began on 19 March 2003, the state’s tourism business fell by one-third.
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State Government
Hawaii’s constitution, ratified in 1950 and amended by the 1959 plebiscite on the statehood question, had been amended 104 times by January 2005. Hawaii has a two-chamber legislature of 25 senators and 51 representatives. The governor and lieutenant governor are elected to four-year terms and must be of the same political party. They are the only elected officers of the executive branch, except for members of the Board of Education. The legislature can override the governor’s veto by a two-thirds vote. In 2004, the governor’s salary was $94,780, and the legislative salary was $32,000.
13
Political Parties
Before statehood, the Republican Party dominated the political scene. Since the 1960s, however, Hawaii has been solidly Democrat. Following the 2006 midterm elections, the majorities of both houses of the state legislature, its senators, and its two US Representatives were all Democrats. Democrats held 20 of the seats in the state senate while Republicans held just 5. In the house, Democrats held 43 seats to the Republicans 8. There were 24 women serving in the state legislature following the 2006 elections, or 31.6%. Democrat Al Gore won with 56% of the vote in the presidential election in 2000, while Republican George W. Bush garnered 38%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democratic Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Hawaii
challenger John Kerry took 54% of the vote in Hawaii, to George W. Bush’s 45%. However, a Republican, Linda Lingle, was elected governor in 2002 and reelected in 2006. In 2002 there were 676,242 registered voters; there is no party registration in the state.
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Local Government
The state is divided into five principal counties—Hawaii, Maui, Honolulu (coextensive with the city of Honolulu and covering all of Oahu), Kauai (including the island of Niihau), and Kalawao on that part of Molokai more commonly known as the Kalaupapa Settlement, primarily for the care and treatment of persons suffering from leprosy. Since there are no further subdivisions, the counties provide some services traditionally performed in other states by cities, towns, and villages. On the other hand, the state government provides many functions normally performed by counties on the mainland. Each principal county has an elected council and a mayor. In 2002, the state had fifteen special districts and one public school system.
15
Judicial System
The supreme court, the highest in the state, consists of a chief justice and four associate justices. The state is divided into four judicial circuits with 27 circuit court judges and 4 intermediate appeals court judges. Circuit courts are the main trial courts, having jurisdiction in most civil and criminal cases. District courts function as inferior courts within each judicial circuit; district court judges may also preside over family court proceedings. Hawaii also has a land court and a tax appeal court. Hawaii in 2004 had a violent Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Hawaii Presidential Vote by Major Political Parties, 1960–2004 YEAR
HAWAII WINNER
DEMOCRAT
REPUBLICAN
1960 *Kennedy (D) 92,410 92,295 1964 *Johnson (D) 163,249 44,022 1968 Humphrey (D) 141,324 91,425 1972 *Nixon (R) 101,433 168,933 1976 *Carter (D) 147,375 140,003 1980 Carter (D) 135,879 130,112 1984 *Reagan (R) 147,154 185,050 1988 Dukakis (D) 192,364 158,625 1992** *Clinton (D) 179,310 136,822 1996** *Clinton (D) 205,012 113,943 2000 Gore (D) 205,286 137,845 2004 Kerry (D) 231,708 194,191 * Won US presidential election. **Independent candidate Ross Perot received 53,003 votes in 1992 and 27,358 votes in 1996.
crime rate (murder/nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault) in 2004 of 254.4 incidents per 100,000 people. There were 5,960 persons in the state’s jails and prisons as of 31 December 2004. Hawaii does not have a death penalty.
16
Migration
The US mainland and Asia have been the main sources of immigrants to Hawaii since the early 19th century. Immigration remains a major source of population growth. Since the early 1970s, about 40,000 mainland Americans have come each year to live in Hawaii. More than half are military personnel and their dependents, on temporary residence during their term of military service. Between 1990 and 1998, the net loss from domestic migration was 80,000. During the same period there was a net gain of 51,000 from international migration. In the period 2000–05, a net total of 30,068 moved into the state from 233
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other countries, and a net loss of 13,112 left the state and moved to other states, for a net gain of 16,956 people.
17
Economy
Tourism remains Hawaii’s leading employer, revenue producer, and growth area. However, agricultural diversification—including the cultivation of flowers and nursery products, papaya, macadamia nuts, fish farming, manganese nodule mining, and film and television production have broadened the state’s economic base. The national recession of 2001, and the after-effects of the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States reduced the annual economic growth rate, mainly through the impact on tourism. Hotel revenues had begun to increase by the end of 2002, however. Hawaii’s gross state product (GSP) in 2005 totaled $54 billion. In 2004, real estate accounted for the largest portion of GSP at 16.5%, followed by lodging and food service at 8.4%. Of the 29,791 businesses in the state that had employees, 96.8% were small companies.
18
Income
In 2004, Hawaii ranked 20th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a per capita (per person) income of $32,625. The three-year average median income for the period 2002–04 was $53,123, compared to the national average of $44,473. In the same three-year period, an estimated 9.7% of the state’s population lived below the federal poverty level, compared to the national average of 12.4%. 234
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Industry
As of 2004, food and food products accounted for slightly more than 23% of shipment value of all manufactured goods, including sugar and pineapples. Other major industries are clothing, stone, clay, glass products, fabricated metals, and shipbuilding.
20
Labor
In April 2006, the civilian labor force in Hawaii numbered 645,600, with approximately 18,000 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 4.6%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. For that same date, about 5.7% of the labor force was employed in construction; 2.4% in manufacturing; 19.8% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 21.6% in trade; 11.5% in education and health services; 17.5% in leisure and hospitality services; and 19.5% in government. Data was not available for financial activities and services. Unionization was slow to develop in Hawaii. After World War II, however, the International Longshoremen’s and Warehousemen’s Union (ILWU) organized workers in the sugar and pineapple industries, and then on the docks. The Teamsters Union is also well established. In 2005, a total of 141,000 of Hawaii’s 545,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of a union. This represented 25.8% of those so employed, and well above the national average in 2004 of 12%. Hawaii is one of only four states with a union membership rate over 20%. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Hawaii
21
Agriculture
Export crops—especially sugarcane and pineapple—dominate Hawaiian agriculture, which had farm receipts exceeding $553 million in 2005. The islands of Hawaii (Maui, Molokai, Oahu, and Kauai) are the only places in the United States where coffee is grown commercially. Coffee production in 2004/2005 totaled 7.1 million pounds (3.2 million kilograms). Another tropical product, pineapple, has also become a substantial export crop, with 215,000 tons produced in 2004. Macadamia nuts, tropical flowers, and taro are also grown. Banana production in 2003 was 22.5 million pounds (10.2 million kilograms).
22
Domesticated Animals
Hawaii had an estimated 155,000 cattle and calves worth $97.6 million in 2005. In 2004, the estimated number of hogs and pigs was 22,000, worth $3.5 million. Poultry farms produced an estimated 117.2 million eggs in 2003, worth $9.4 million. Most of the eggs were for domestic consumption, making eggs one of the very few farm commodities in which the state is close to being self-sufficient. Most of the state’s cattle farms are in Hawaii and Maui counties.
23
Fishing
Although expanding, Hawaii’s commercial catch remains surprisingly small. In 2004, Hawaii landings brought in 24.2 million pounds (11 million kilograms) with a value of $57.2 million. Although the port of Honolulu ranked eighth in the nation that year in catch value ($44.6 million), it was 42nd in quantity with 18.2 milJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
lion pounds (8.3 million kilograms). The most valuable commercial species are swordfish and bigeye tuna. In 2001, the state had 2,814 commercial fishing boats and vessels. Sport fishing is extremely popular, with bass, bluegill, tuna, and marlin among the most sought-after varieties. In 2004, the state had 5,796 holders of sport fishing licenses.
24
Forestry
As of 2003, Hawaii had 1,748,000 acres (707,940 hectares) of forestland and water reserves, with 700,000 acres (283,500 hectares) classified as commercial timberland, most of it located on the island of Hawaii. The majority of the locally grown wood is used in the manufacture of furniture, flooring, and craft items. As the sugar industry downsizes, there is an initiative to expand the forest industry by planting trees on lands formerly planted in sugar cane.
25
Mining
The value of Hawaii’s nonfuel mineral production in 2003 was estimated to be around $74 million. Mining in the state that year consisted of crushed stone, primarily for use by the state’s construction industry, and the extraction of sand and gravel from open pits. Preliminary data for 2003 showed 600,000 metric tons of construction grade sand and gravel, were produced, along with 6.5 million metric tons of crushed stone.
26
Energy and Power
Without indigenous fossil fuels or nuclear installations, Hawaii depends on imported petroleum for about 78% of its energy needs. Coal, hydroelectric power, natural gas, windmills, geother235
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mal energy, and sugar cane wastes contribute the rest. As of 2003, the state’s installed electrical power generating capacity totaled 2.268 million kilowatts, with total production that same year at 10.976 billion kilowatt hours. All of Hawaii’s electric power plants are privately owned. As of 2004, Hawaii had no proven reserves of crude oil or natural gas. In 2005, the state’s two refineries had a combined crude oil distillation capacity of 147,000 barrels per day.
27
Commerce
In 2002, Hawaii’s wholesale trade sector had sales of $9.9 billion, while the retail trade sector had sales that same year of $13 billion. In 2005, Hawaii’s exports totaled $1.02 billion. Foreign imports to the state primarily come from Japan, Singapore, and Indonesia.
28
Public Finance
Hawaii’s biennial budget is the responsibility of the Department of Budget and Finance. The fiscal year runs from 1 July through 30 June. Total revenues for the 2004 fiscal year were $8.2 billion, while total expenditures were $7.856 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($2.48 billion), public welfare ($1.346 billion), and health ($416.2 million). The debt of the Hawaii state government at the end of fiscal year 2004 was $5.7 billion, or $4,553.24 per capita (per person).
29
Taxation
Hawaii’s per capita tax burden is one of the highest in the United States. In 2005, the state collected $4.43 billion or $3,478 per person, making the state second among the 50 states in per 236
person tax burden, and well above the national average of $2,192. As of 1 January 2006, Hawaii had nine individual income tax brackets, ranging from 1.4% to 8.25%. The corporate income tax rate ranged from 4.4% to 6.4%. The state general sales tax rate is 4%. Food purchased for consumption off premises (such as at home) is taxed, although an income tax credit is allowed as an offset to the sales tax on food. There are no local sales taxes, but all property taxes are local taxes. There are selective sales taxes (excises) on cigarettes, and motor fuels. Other state taxes include various license fees and stamp taxes. General sales taxes accounted for 48.2% of all taxes collected by the state, followed by selected sales taxes at 13.8%, and individual income taxes at 31.2%. Corporate income taxes accounted for 2.8% of all taxes collected.
30
Health
In October 2005, Hawaii’s infant mortality rate was estimated at 5.6 per 1,000 live births. Death rates per 100,000 people, as of 2002, from heart disease was 201.8, followed by cancer at 156.2, cerebrovascular diseases at 65.2, chronic lower respiratory disease at 21.3, and diabetes at 16.4. The HIV-related death rate in Hawaii was 2.1 per 100,000 people. In 2004, the reported AIDS case rate was around 10.8 per 100,000 population. In 2000, about 19.7% of Hawaiians were smokers. In 2003, Hawaii had 24 community hospitals, which together provided about 3,100 beds. In 2005, there were 725 nurses per 100,000 people. In 2004, there were 302 physicians, and 997 dentists in the state per 100,000 population. The Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Hawaii
average expense for hospital care was $1,350 per day. Hawaii comes the closest of any state to providing universal health care coverage as the result of a 1974 law that requires employers to provide health insurance for full-time workers, and a state insurance plan for low-income, part-time workers and Medicaid recipients. About 10% of the state’s population were uninsured in 2004.
31
Housing
In 2004 there were an estimated 482,873 housing units, 427,673 of which were occupied. However, only 58.9% were owner-occupied, ranking the state at 48th out of 51 (the 50 states and the District of Columbia) in the number of homeowners. About 51.4% of all units were single-family, detached homes, while around 22% were within buildings of 20 or more units. Most units relied on electricity for heating, but about 5,476 units were equipped for solar power. It was estimated that 20,719 units were lacking telephone service, 4,972 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 8,549 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 2.87 people. In 2004, a total of 9,000 privately owned housing units were authorized for construction. Median home value was at $291,576, the highest in the nation. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,648 while renters paid a median of $871 per month.
32
Education
In 2004, of all state residents 25 years of age or older, 88% had completed high school and Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
26.6% had completed four or more years of college. Hawaii is the only state to have a single, unified public school system. It was founded in 1840. Total enrollment in public schools was estimated at 183,000 in fall 2003 and expected to reach 193,000 by fall 2014. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 37,228. Expenditures for public education in 2003/2004 were estimated at $1.7 billion. As of fall 2002, there were 65,368 students enrolled in college or graduate school. As of 2005, Hawaii had 20 degree-granting institutions. The University of Hawaii maintains three campuses—Manoa (by far the largest), Hilo, and West Oahu. Private colleges include the Hawaiian campus of Brigham Young University, Chaminade University of Honolulu, and Hawaii Pacific College. There were also seven community colleges.
33
Arts
The Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (SFCA) was founded in 1965. Ongoing programs include the Folk Arts Program (est. 1983) and the Hawaii State Art Museum, which opened in 2002 to feature artworks from the State Art Collection of the SFCA. The Hawaii Council for the Humanities was established in 1972 and has since granted over $4 million for over 500 projects in the state. The Neal Blaisdell Center in Honolulu has a 2,100-seat theater and concert hall, an 8,400seat arena, and art display rooms. Other performance facilities in Honolulu are the John F. Kennedy Theater at the University of Hawaii, the Waikiki Shell for outdoor concerts, and the Hawaii Opera Theater, which presents three 237
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dance, and history of the various cultures represented in the state.
34
Hawaii’s famous Waikiki Beach on the island of Oahu. Income generated from tourism is important to Hawaii’s economy. © COREL CORPORATION.
operas each season. The Honolulu Symphony Orchestra performs both on Oahu and on the neighboring islands. Other Oahu cultural institutions are the Honolulu Community Theater, Honolulu Theater for Youth, and Polynesian Cultural Center. The annual Cherry Blossom Festival includes a number of Japanese cultural events presented from January through March, mostly on Oahu. The Honolulu Festival, established in 1994 as a way to encourage cultural cooperation and understanding, presents a number of art exhibits and musical performances. The Aloha Festivals, which began in 1946, now consist of over 300 events on six islands throughout the months of August and September to celebrate the music, 238
Libraries and Museums
The Hawaii State Public Library System (HSPLS) operates as a single system with a combined book collection of over 3.1 million volumes and total circulation of 6.7 million. In 2000, the University of Hawaii library system in Honolulu had approximately 3 million volumes. Hawaii has 42 major museums and cultural attractions. Among the most popular sites are the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, Polynesian Cultural Center, Sea Life Park, Bernice P. Bishop Museum (specializing in Polynesian ethnology and natural history), and Honolulu Academy of Arts. Outside Oahu, the Kilauea Visitor Center (Hawaii Volcanoes National Park) and Kokee Natural History Museum (Kauai) attract the most visitors.
35
Communications
In 2004, a total of 95.4% of Hawaii’s occupied housing units had telephones. Hawaii had 12 major AM radio stations and 21 major FM stations as of 2003, as well as 10 major television stations. A total of 27,025 Internet domain names were registered in Hawaii by the year 2000. In 2003, of all Hawaiian households, 63.3% had a computer, and 55% had Internet access.
36
Press
In 2005, Hawaii had eight daily newspapers: the Honolulu Advertiser (circulation 141,341 daily, 161,325 Sunday), Honolulu Star-Bulletin (64,305 daily, 64,344 Sunday), Hawaii TribuneJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Hawaii
Herald (18,806 daily, 22,150 Sundays), Maui News (21,478 daily, 25,938 Sundays), West Hawaii Today (12,397 daily, 15,916 Sundays), and The Garden Island (8,677 daily, 9,130 Sundays).
37
Tourism, Travel & Recreation
In 2004, there were 7 million visitor arrivals to the islands, with travel expenditures at about $10.8 billion dollars for those who arrived by air. An estimated 42% of all visitors are from other US states. Visitors come for scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming, and sailing; for the hula, luau, lei, and other distinctive island pleasures; for the tropical climate and magnificent scenic beauty; and for a remarkable variety of recreational facilities, including 7 national parks and historic sites, 74 state parks, 626 county parks, 17 public golf courses, and 1,600 recognized surfing sites.
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Sports
Hawaii has no major league professional sports teams. The Aloha Bowl (est. 1982) is a major college football postseason game played on Christmas Day in Aloha Stadium in Honolulu. The Hula Bowl, a postseason all-star game for college athletes, takes place in January. The Pro Bowl (the National Football League’s all-star game) is also played in Honolulu, on the weekend following the Super Bowl. Surfing is an extremely popular sport in Hawaii, as it is the home of the Banzai Pipeline, north of Oahu. Here, the annual Duke Kahanamoku and Makaha surfing meets take place. Hawaii is also the site of an annual Professional Golfers’ Association tournament Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
and the world-famous Ironman Triathlon competition. The Transpac Yacht Race is held biennially from California to Honolulu. Kona is the site of the International Billfish Tournament and the Hawaii Big Game Fishing Club holds statewide tournaments each year. Football, baseball, and basketball are the leading collegiate sports. The University of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors produce the most well-known collegiate teams.
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Famous Hawaiians
Hawaii’s best-known federal officeholder is Daniel K. Inouye (b.1924), a US senator since 1962 and the first person of Japanese ancestry ever elected to Congress. George R. Ariyoshi (b.1926), who was elected governor of Hawaii in 1974, was the first Japanese-American to serve as chief executive of a state. Commanding figures in Hawaiian history are King Kamehameha I (1758?–1819), who unified the islands through conquest, and Kamehameha III (Kauikeaouli, 1813–1854), who transformed Hawaii into a constitutional monarchy. Sanford B. Dole (1844–1926) led a revolutionary movement that overthrew Queen Liliuokalani (1838–1917), and ultimately secured annexation by the United States. Honolulu-born Luther Halsey Gulick (1865–1918), along with his wife, Charlotte Vetter Gulick (b.Ohio, 1865–1928), founded the Camp Fire Girls. Don Ho (b.1930) is a prominent Hawaiianborn entertainer; singer-actress Bette Midler (b.1945) was also born in Hawaii. Duke Kahanamoku (1889–1968) held the Olympic 100-meter free-style swimming record for almost 20 years. 239
Hawaii
40
Bibliography
BOOKS Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Feinstein, Stephen. The Pacific States. Chicago: Raintree, 2006. Goldberg, Jake. Hawaii. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2007. McAuliffe, Emily. Hawaii Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003.
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Murray, Julie. Hawaii. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Thomas, William. Hawaii. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2007. WEB SITES Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau. Hawaii, the Island of Aloha. www.gohawaii.com (accessed March 1, 2007). State of Hawaii. Ehawaiigov. pahoehoe.ehawaii. gov/portal (accessed March 1, 2007).
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Idaho State of Idaho
O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Apparently coined by a
lobbyist-politician, George M. Willing, who claimed the word came from an Indian term meaning “gem of the mountains.” N I CKNAME : The Gem State. C AP ITAL: Boise. ENT ERED UNION: 3 July 1890 (43rd). O FFICIAL SEAL: With cornucopias at their feet, a female figure (holding the scales of justice in one hand and a pike supporting a liberty cap in the other) and a miner (with pick and shovel) stand on either side of a shield depicting mountains, rivers, forests, and a farm; the shield rests on a sheaf of grain and is surmounted by the head of a stag above whose antlers is a scroll with the state motto. The words “Great Seal of the State of Idaho” surround the whole. FLAG: On a blue field with gilt fringe, the state seal appears in the center with the words “State of Idaho” on a red band below. M OT TO: Esto perpetua (Let it be perpetual). SONG: “Here We Have Idaho.” FLOWER: Syringa. TREE: Western white pine. H ORSE: Appaloosa. B IRD: Mountain bluebird. G E M: Star garnet. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. and Idaho Human Rights Day, 3rd Monday in January; Presidents’ Day, 3rd Monday in February; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 5 AM MST = noon GMT; 4 AM PST = noon
GMT.
1
Location and Size
Situated in the northwestern United States, Idaho is the smallest of the eight Rocky Mountain states and 13th in size among the 50 states. The total area of Idaho is 83,564 square miles (216,431 square kilometers), of which land comprises 82,412 square miles (213,447 square kilometers), and inland water 1,152 square miles (2,984 square kilometers). With a shape sometimes described as a hatchet, a snub-nosed pistol, or a pork chop, Idaho extends a maximum of 305 miles (491 kilometers) east-west and 479 miles 241
Idaho
(771 kilometers) north-south. Its total boundary length is 1,787 miles (2,876 kilometers).
2
Topography
Idaho is extremely mountainous. Its northern two-thirds consists of a mountain massif broken only by river and stream valleys and by two prairies: the Big Camas Prairie and the Palouse Country. The Snake River Plain extends east to west across Idaho from Yellowstone National Park to the Boise area. A forested high-mountain area juts out of the southeastern corner of the state, but the rest of Idaho’s southern edge consists mostly of low, dry mountains. More than 40 peaks rise above 10,000 feet (3,000 meters), of which the highest is Mt. Borah, at 12,662 feet (3,862 meters). Idaho’s lowest point is at 710 feet (217 meters) near Lewiston, where the Snake River leaves the Idaho border and enters Washington. The largest lakes are Pend Oreille, at 180 square miles (466 square kilometers), Coeur d’Alene, Priest, and Bear. The Snake River—one of the longest in the United States, extending 1,038 miles (1,671 kilometers) across Wyoming, Idaho, and Washington—dominates the southern part of the state. The Salmon River, also called the “River of No Return,” is a salmon-spawning stream. The Clearwater, Kootenai, Bear, Boise, and Payette are other major rivers. There are ice caves near Shoshone and American Falls and a large scenic cave near Montpelier. Near Arco is an expanse of lava, craters, and caves called the Craters of the Moon, another scenic attraction. At Hell’s Canyon in the northernmost part of Adams County, the Snake River cuts the deepest gorge in North America, 7,913 feet (2,412 meters) deep. 242
Idaho Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:
1,466,465 13.3% 9.1% 98.0% 91.8% 0.4% 1.1% 1.1% 0.1% 3.5% 2.0%
Population by Age Group
Under 18 (27%)
65 and over (11%)
45 to 64 (25%) 18 to 24 (10%)
25 to 44 (27%)
Major Cities by Population City Boise Nampa Pocatello Idaho Falls Meridian Coeur d’Alene Twin Falls Caldwell Lewiston Rexburg
Population
% change 2000–05
193,161 71,713 53,372 52,338 52,240 40,059 38,630 34,433 31,081 26,265
4.0 38.3 3.7 3.2 49.6 16.1 12.1 32.6 0.6 52.2
Notes: †A person of Hispanic or Latino origin may be of any race. NA indicates that data are not available. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey and Population Estimates. www.census.gov/ (accessed March 2007).
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Idaho
CANADA BOUNDARY
Kaniksu Nat’l For.
BONNER
Lake Pend Oreille
Coeur d’Alene Nat’l For. KOOTENAI
Coeur d’Alene
IDAHO
WASHINGTON
90 BENEWAH
Explanation Point of Interest
Coeur d’Alene Indian Res.
City (10,000 to 40,000 people) City (more than 40,000 people)
St. Joe National Forest
SHOSHONE LATAH
MONTANA
CLEARWATER
State Capital U.S. Interstate Route
94 84
Dworshak Res. Dworshak St. Park
Moscow
Area of Interest
Nez Clearwater Perce National Indian Forest Res.
Lewiston NEZ PERCE LEWIS
N Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Area
0 Sa lm
0
50 miles
50 kilometers
on
IDAHO
25 25
R.
Seven Devils State Park
Hells Canyon Nat. Rec. Area
LEMHI
Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area
ADAMS
Salmon National Forest
VALLEY
Beaver Head National Forest
Payette National Forest
Salmon National Forest
Salm on R
.
Sna ke R
.
CUSTER
WASHINGTON
CLARK
Lost River Range
BOISE
Targhee National Forest
PAYETTE
OREGON
Boise Nat’l For.
GEM
Caldwell
BUTTE
CAMAS
Boise ELMORE
Nampa
84
MADISON
BINGHAM
e ak Sn
GOODING
LINCOLN
American Falls Res.
C.J. Strike Dam
Idaho Falls
BONNEVILLE
Sawtooth Nat’l For. Mtn. Home Air Force Base
TETON
Camas National Wildlife Ref.
Craters of the Moon Nat’l Mon.
BLAINE
OWYHEE
Rexburg
15
Challis Nat’l For.
ADA CANYON
FREMONT
JEFFERSON
BANNOCK
. R
CARIBOU
Pocatello Blackfoot
POWER
Reservoir
JEROME
WYOMING
Ft. Hall Ind. Res. Targhee Nat’l For.
MINIDOKA
Caribou Nat’l For.
86 TWIN FALLS
Twin Falls Balanced Rock
Duck Valley Ind. Res.
Bruneau Dunes State Park
Salmon Dam
NEVADA
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
15 Sawtooth Nat’l For.
CASSIA
84 ONEIDA
Sawtooth Caribou Nat’l Nat’l Forest For.
FRANKLIN
Cache Nat’l For. BEAR LAKE
UTAH
243
Idaho
The Towers, where the Louis and Clark expedition stopped in 1805. © DAVID MUENCH/CORBIS.
3
Climate
The four seasons are distinct in Idaho, but do not occur at the same time in all parts of the state. Boise and Lewiston are protected from severe weather by nearby mountains and have earlier springs and later winters than other areas. Eastern Idaho tends to have more extreme temperatures. Mean temperatures in Boise range from 29°f (-2°c) in January to 74°f (23°c) in July. The record low temperature in the state is -60°f (-51°c), set at Island Park Dam on 16 January 1943. The record high, 118°f (48°c), was set 244
at Orofino on 28 July 1934. Humidity is low throughout the state. Precipitation in southern Idaho averages 13 inches (33 centimeters) per year. In the north, annual precipitation is over 30 inches (76 centimeters). The average annual snowfall in Boise is over 20 inches (53 centimeters). Much greater accumulations of snow are experienced in the mountains.
4
Plants and Animals
Idaho has some 3,000 native plants. Evergreens include Douglas fir and western white pine (the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Idaho
Idaho Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number
Percent
Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,293,953 . . . . . 100.0 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,268,344 . . . . . . 98.0 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24,265 . . . . . . . 1.9 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,725 . . . . . . . 0.1 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,112 . . . . . . . 0.6 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,929 . . . . . . . 0.3 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 673 . . . . . . . 0.1 White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,094 . . . . . . . 0.6 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . 42 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 425 . . . . . . . . — Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254 . . . . . . . . — Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320 . . . . . . . . — Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 . . . . . . . . — Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,344 . . . . . . . 0.1 Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.
state tree). Oak/mountain mahogany and ponderosa pine are among the other main forest types. Syringa is the state flower. MacFarlanes four-o’clock, water howellia, Spalding’s catchfly, and Ute ladies-tresses were the state’s four threatened plant species as of April 2006. Game mammals include the elk, mountain sheep, pronghorn antelope, black bear, moose, mule deer, mountain lion, and white-tailed deer. Pheasant, partridge, quail, and forest grouse are the main game birds. Trout, salmon, and bass are numerous in Idaho’s lakes and streams. Rare animal species include the wolverine, kit fox, and pika. As of April 2006, a total of 17 animal species were listed as threatened or endangered. They include the woodland caribou, whooping crane, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
three species of salmon, grizzly bear, bald eagle, woodland caribou, gray (timber) wolf, American peregrine falcon, and whooping crane.
5
Environmental Protection
The Department of Health and Welfare’s Division of Environment is responsible for enforcing environmental standards. Air quality improved greatly since 1978, following the passage of federal regulations strengthening the Clean Air Act. Vehicle emissions were responsible for high carbon monoxide levels in the Boise area in the late 1970s and 1980s. Emissions have dropped to the point that no carbon monoxide violations have occurred for several years. 245
Idaho
operation near Lowman are a potential health hazard. A top-priority site for hazardous-waste cleanup is Bunker Hill Mining at Smelterville. Two sites in Pocatello are also considered candidates for cleanup. In 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency’s database listed 87 hazardous waste sites in the state, 6 of which were on the National Priorities List as of 2006.
6
Population
In 2006, Idaho ranked 39th in population in the United States with an estimated total of 1,466,465 residents. The state’s population density was 16.8 persons per square mile (7.33 per square kilometer) in 2004. The population is projected to reach nearly 1.6 million by 2015 and 1.8 million by 2025. In 2004, the median age was 34.3 years. Residents who were 65 years old or older accounted for 11% of the population, while nearly 27% were 18 or younger in 2005. Boise is the largest city. Its estimated population in 2005 was 193,161. A Nez Perce man in traditional dress. The Nez Perce are one of the Native American tribes of Idaho. © DAVE G. HOUSER/CORBIS.
7
Water quality is generally good. Most of the existing problems stem from runoff from agricultural lands. The state has 386,000 acres of wetlands. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game has implemented plans to acquire privately owned wetlands deemed to be in danger. Since 1953, nuclear waste has been buried at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory west of Idaho Falls or discharged in liquid form into the underground aquifer. Some isotopes are migrating toward the boundaries of the site. Tailings from a former uranium-ore milling
According to the 2000 census, there were about 17,645 Native Americans living in Idaho. The largest group in the census year was the Nez Perce, with a reservation located in northern Idaho. There were 5,456 black Americans and 11,889 Asians, including 2,642 Japanese. Persons were of Hispanic or Latino origin accounted for 9.1% of the state’s population in 2006. There was also a very visible Basque community in the Boise area, with an organization devoted to preserving their language and culture. In 2000, the total number of foreign-born residents was 64,080, about 5% of the population.
246
Ethnic Groups
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Idaho
8
Languages
In Idaho, English is a merger of Northern and North Midland features, with certain Northern pronunciations marking the panhandle. Of all residents five years old or older, 90.7% spoke only English in the home in 2000. Other languages spoken (and the number of speakers) were Spanish (80,241) and German (5,666).
9
Religions
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) has been the leading religion in Idaho since 1860. The number of Mormons in Idaho is second only to that in Utah. In 2006, membership in the Mormon church was reported at 376,661. According to 2000 estimates, Idaho had 18,745 adherents in the Assemblies of God, and 17,683 United Methodists. There were also 130,847 Roman Catholics, and an estimated 1,050 Jews.
10
Transportation
In 2004, Idaho had 47,101 miles (75,832 kilometers) of public roads and streets, the vast majority of which were rural. The major east– west highways are I-90, I-84, and US 12. US 95, Idaho 55, US 93, and I-15 are among the most traveled north–south routes. Idaho had 1.370 million registered vehicles in 2004, including about 569,000 automobiles, 751,000 trucks, and around 1,000 buses. In that same year, there were 942,983 licensed drivers. Boise, Pocatello, and Idaho Falls have mass transit system bus lines. In 2003, there were 1,678 miles (2,701 kilometers) of railroad right of way used by the nine Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
railroads operating within the state. Among the two Class I railroads, the Union Pacific Railroad served southern Idaho, while the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad crossed the panhandle. As of 2006, Amtrak provided east-west passenger service to Idaho via its Empire Builder train connection at Sandpoint to Chicago, or Seattle/Portland. The modern airport at Boise is the state’s busiest. In 2005, there were a total of 204 airports, 44 heliports, 5 seaplane bases, and 2 STOLports (Short Take-Off and Landing). The Snake River port at Lewiston links Idaho, Montana, and the Dakotas with the Pacific via 464 miles (747 kilometers) of navigable waterways in Washington State.
11
History
The Shoshone, Northern Paiute, Salishan, and Shapwailutan tribal families were living in the area now known as Idaho when fur trappers and missionaries arrived in the early 1800s. The Oregon Trail opened in 1842, but for two decades people used it only to cross Idaho, not to settle there. In 1860 Mormons from Utah established Franklin, Idaho’s first permanent settlement, and began farming. Gold was discovered that summer in northern Idaho. A gold rush, lasting several years, led directly to the organizing of the Idaho Territory on 10 July 1863. Idaho’s population nearly doubled between 1870 and 1880. The threat to Native American hunting and fishing grounds posed by growing white settlement touched off a series of wars in the late 1870s. The most famous of these conflicts was the Nez Perce War. With a population of 88,548 in 1890, Idaho was eligible to enter the Union, becoming the 43rd state on 3 July. 247
Idaho
with a new interest in the environment, creating controversies over land-use planning, mineral development, and water supply and dam construction.
12
The Idaho state capitol building in Boise. © KEVIN R. MORRIS/CORBIS.
From 1895 onward, federal land and irrigation projects fostered rapid economic growth. The modern timber industry began in 1906 with the completion of one of the nation’s largest sawmills at Potlatch. By World War I, agriculture was a leading enterprise. Between the wars, Idaho suffered first from a farm depression in the 1920s, then from the nationwide Great Depression of the 1930s. After the war, an agroindustrial base was created, with fertilizers and potato-processing leading the way. In the 21st century, population expansion and the push for economic growth have collided 248
State Government
Idaho’s 1889 constitution, amended 117 times as of January 2005, continues to govern the state today. The legislature, consisting of a 35-seat Senate and a 70-member House of Representatives, meets annually on the Monday closest to 9 January. The executive branch is headed by the governor, lieutenant governor, and five other elected officials, all of whom serve four-year terms. The governor may only serve two consecutive terms. The governor can sign or veto a bill or let it become law without his signature. Vetoes may be overridden by a two-thirds vote of each legislative house. The governor’s salary as of December 2004 was $98,500, and the legislative salary was $15,646 in that same year.
13
Political Parties
Idahoans usually vote Republican in presidential elections. In 2004 Republican George W. Bush received 68.5% of the vote while Democrat John Kerry won 30.4% of the vote. However, while the state has become increasingly conservative politically since the early 1960s, Democrats were elected governor during 1970–92. In November 2006, Republican C. L. “Butch” Otter won election as governor. Following the 2006 elections, the state legislature had 28 Republicans and 7 Democrats in the state senate, and 51 Republicans and 19 Democrats in Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Idaho
the state house. There were 29 women serving in the state legislature following the 2006 elections, or 27.6%. In the 2006 elections, Idaho voters again elected two Republicans to represent them in the US House. Its US senators, Larry Craig, reelected in 2002, and Mike Crapo, elected in 2004, are also Republicans. In 2004, there were 798,000 registered voters. There is no party registration in the state.
14
Local Government
As of 2005, Idaho had 44 counties, 200 municipal governments, 115 public school districts, and 798 special districts. Most counties elect three commissioners and other officers. Nearly all cities have an elected mayor and a council of four to six members.
15
Judicial System
Idaho’s highest court, the supreme court, consists of five justices. There is a three-member court of appeals. The district court is the main trial court in civil and criminal matters, while magistrates’ courts handle traffic, misdemeanor, and minor civil cases and preliminary hearings in felony cases. Idaho’s crime rates are low in almost every category. In 2004, Idaho had a violent crime rate (murder/nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault) of 244.9 incidents per 100,000 people. As of 31 December 2004, there were 6,375 inmates in Idaho’s state and federal prisons. The state permits execution by lethal injection. As of 1 January 2006, there were 20 persons under sentence of death. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Idaho Governors: 1890–2007 1890–1891 1891–1893 1893–1897 1897–1901 1901–1903 1903–1905 1905–1909 1909–1911 1911–1913 1913–1915 1915–1919 1919–1923 1923–1927 1927–1931 1931–1937 1937–1939 1939–1941 1941–1943 1943–1945 1945 1945–1947 1947–1951 1951–1955 1955–1967 1967–1971 1971–1977 1977–1987 1987–1995 1995–1999 1999–2006 2006 2006–
16
George Laird Shoup Republican Norman Bushnell Willey Republican William John McConnell Republican Frank Steunenberg Popularist Democrat Frank Williams Hunt Democrat John Tracey Morrison Republican Frank Robert Gooding Republican James Henry Brady Republican James Henry Hawley Democrat John Michiner Haines Republican Moses Alexander Democrat David William Davis Republican Charles Calvin Moore Republican H. Clarence Baldridge Republican C. Ben Ross Democrat Barzilla Worth Clark Democrat Clarence Alfred Bottolfsen Republican Chase Addison Clark Democrat Clarence Alfred Bottolfsen Republican Charles Clinton Gossett Democrat Arnold Williams Democrat Charles Armington Robins Republican Leonard Beck Jordan Republican Robert Eben Smylie Republican Don William Samuelson Republican Cecil Dale Andrus Democrat John Victor Evans Democrat Cecil Dale Andrus Democrat Philip E. Batt Republican Dirk Kempthorne Republican James E. Risch Republican C. L. Otter Republican
Migration
Idaho’s first white immigrants came from Utah, California, and Oregon in the early 1860s. By the end of the Civil War, the chief sources of immigrants were the southern and border states. Homesteaders from the Midwest, Utah, and Scandinavia arrived at the end of the 19th century. Since 1960, immigrants have come largely from California. In 1998, 1,504 immigrants from foreign countries arrived in Idaho. In the period 2000–05, net international migration 249
Idaho
Idaho Presidential Vote by Major Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR
IDAHO WINNER
DEMOCRAT
REPUBLICAN
1948 *Truman (D) 107,370 101,514 1952 *Eisenhower (R) 395,081 180,707 1956 *Eisenhower (R) 105,868 166,979 1960 Nixon (R) 138,853 161,597 1964 *Johnson (D) 148,920 143,557 1968 *Nixon (R) 389,273 165,369 1972 *Nixon (R) 380,826 199,384 1976 Ford (R) 126,549 204,151 1980 *Reagan (R) 110,192 290,699 1984 *Reagan (R) 108,510 297,523 1988 *Bush (R) 147,272 253,881 1992** Bush (R) 137,013 202,645 1996** Dole (R) 165,443 256,595 2000 *Bush, G. W. (R) 138,637 336,937 2004 *Bush, G. W. (R) 181,098 409,235 * Won US presidential election. ** Independent candidate Ross Perot received 130,395 votes in 1992 and 62,518 votes in 1996.
was 14,522 people, while net domestic migration was 61,273 people, giving a net population gain of 75,795.
17
Economy
Currently, agriculture, mining, forest products, and food processing comprise Idaho’s largest industries. The early 1980s brought a national recession to Idaho. Recovery, which required a restructuring of Idaho’s mining, forest products, and agricultural industries, came slowly. In some areas of the economy, the labor force has shrunk permanently. Modernization in lumber and wood products eliminated hundreds of jobs. Employment in chemical manufacturing, the paper industry, electronics, and tourism increased, however. Disputes with the federal government over the management of federal lands—60% of 250
Idaho’s public land—remain central to discussion of Idaho’s economic policy. The disputes center on such matters as grazing fees, costs of water from government projects, species protection, and mining regulations. The electronics industry grew during the 1990s, but so too did other manufacturing sectors. From 1997 to 2000 the state’s overall manufacturing output grew by 37%. However, in the national recession of 2001, there was a substantial decrease in manufacturing output. Idaho’s economy was also negatively impacted by drought conditions in 2002 that reduced grazing lands and threatened the state’s potato crop. The state’s farmers were also affected by historically low milk prices in 2002 and 2003. Idaho’s gross state product (GSP) in 2004 was $43.571 billion, of which manufacturing accounted for the largest portion at 14.3%, followed by real estate at 11.9%, and health care and social services at 6.6% of GSP. In 2005, the state’s GSP totaled $47 billion. In 2004, of the 43,675 businesses that had employees, 97% were small companies.
18
Income
In 2004, per capita (per person) personal income in Idaho was $26,877, which was well below the national average of $33,050. Average median household income in Idaho for the three-year period 2002 through 2004, was $42,519 compared to the national average of $44,473. In that same period, an estimated 10.5% of the state’s residents lived below the federal poverty level, compared to 12.4% nationwide. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Idaho
19
Industry
Although resource industries such as food processing, chemical manufacturing, and lumber production, continued to be important manufacturing sectors in Idaho’s economy, computer and electronic product manufacturing were the state’s primary manufacturing sectors in 2004. Overall, the shipment value of all products manufactured in the state in 2004 totaled $16.583 billion, of which computer and electronic product manufacturing accounted for $6.076 billion, followed by food manufacturing at $4.455 billion. The state’s manufacturing sector employed 56,479 people in 2004.
20
Labor
In April 2006, the civilian labor force in Idaho numbered 761,200, with approximately 25,600 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 3.4%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. According to preliminary nonfarm employment data for April 2006, about 8.1% of the labor force was employed in construction; 10% in manufacturing; 19.9% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 4.9% in financial activities; 12.6% in professional and business services; 10.8% in educational and health services; 9.7% in leisure and hospitality services; and 18.1% in government. Idaho was a pioneer in establishing the eighthour day, and in outlawing so-called “yellow dog contracts,” which were agreements workers were required to sign as a condition of employment, that prohibited them from joining a union. In 2005, a total of 31,000 of Idaho’s 606,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of a union. This represented 5.2% of those Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
so employed, and well under the national average of 12% for that same year.
21
Agriculture
The receipts from farm marketings totaled $4.5 billion in 2005 (21st in the United States). As of 2004, Idaho led the United States in potato production, was second in sugar beet and barley production, third in hops and peppermint oil, and fourth in spearmint oil. Development of the russet potato in the 1920s gave Idaho its most famous crop. In 2004, the state produced 131.97 million hundredweight (5.98 billion kilograms) of potatoes (29% of the US total). Most were grown on irrigated land on the Snake River plain. About three-fourths of the crop is processed into frozen french fries, instant mashed potatoes, and other products. Other leading crops were hay, wheat, barley, and sugar beets. As of 2004, Idaho had 11.9 million acres (5.4 million hectares) in farmland, roughly 22% of the state’s land area, with an estimated 25,000 farms, (including ranches). Almost 3.5 million acres (1.4 hectares) of land were irrigated.
22
Domesticated Animals
In 2005, there were an estimated 2 million cattle and calves worth around $2.2 billion. In 2004, Idaho had an estimated 21,000 hogs and pigs worth around $2.1 million. Idaho had an estimated 404,000 dairy cows, which produced 8.8 billion pounds (3.4 million kilograms) of milk in 2003. In the same year, Idaho produced an estimated 2.3 million pounds (1 million kilograms) of chicken, and an estimated 243 million eggs worth $14.5 million. Also during 2003, the state 251
Idaho
produced an estimated 24.7 million pounds of sheep and lambs, which grossed $20.8 million for Idaho farmers. Shorn wool production in 2004 was estimated at 2.1 million pounds (0.95 million kilograms).
23
Fishing
In 2004, there were some 403,741 licensed sport fishermen catching trout along with salmon, steelhead, bass, and 32 other game-fish species. Idaho is a leading producer of farm-raised trout. The state’s 55 trout farms had $32.6 million in sales in 2004. There are about 19 state hatcheries and 3 national fish hatcheries located within the state. The Idaho Fish Health Center in Orofino is a federally sponsored research facility.
24
Forestry
As of 2004, Idaho forests covered 23.5 million acres (9.5 million hectares), or about 40% of the state’s land area, with 16,824,000 acres (6,809,000 hectares) classified as commercial timberland. Of the total forest area in 2003, the federal government controlled 79%, while the state government controlled 5%, and private owners had 16%. National forest system lands in Idaho totaled 21,575,000 acres (8,731,000 hectares) in 2005. Idaho forests are used increasingly for ski areas, hunting, and other recreation, as well as for timber and pulp. Total lumber production was 1.7 billion board feet (10th in the United States) in 2004, almost all softwoods.
25
Mining
The estimated value of nonfuel mineral production for Idaho in 2004 was $446 million. Phosphate rock, construction sand and gravel, 252
molybdenum concentrates, silver, portland cement, and crushed stone were the leading minerals, accounting for 91% of output by value in 2004. In that same year, Idaho was second nationally in the production of phosphate rock; third in silver and lead; fourth in molybdenum concentrates and zeolites; fifth in pumice and zinc; and sixth in gemstones. In 2004, early data put the state’s production of crushed stone at 3.2 million metric tons, and sand and gravel for construction at 18.2 million metric tons.
26
Energy and Power
In 2003, net summer electric power generating capacity was 3.002 million kilowatts, with total production that same year at 10.422 billion kilowatt hours. Hydroelectric power generation accounted for 80.1% of all electricity produced, followed by 13.2% from natural gas-fired plants. The remaining output came from other types of renewable sources, and from coal-fired plants. Idaho’s large size, widespread and relatively rural population, and lack of public transportation foster reliance on motor vehicles and imported petroleum products. Natural gas is also imported. Hot water from thermal springs is used to heat buildings in Boise. As of 2004, Idaho had no known proven reserves of, or production of crude oil, or natural gas. Nor are there any refineries located within the state.
27
Commerce
In 2002, Idaho’s wholesale trade sector registered $11.4 billion in sales, while the state’s retail trade sector had sales in that same year of $13.5 billion. Motor ve4hicle and motor vehicle parts dealers accounted for the largest portion of retail Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Idaho
sales in 2002 at $3.7 billion, followed by general merchandise stores at $2.3 billion, and food and beverage stores at $1.8 billion. Exports of goods produced in Idaho totaled $3.2 billion in 2005.
28
Public Finance
Idaho’s annual budget is prepared by the Division of Financial Management. The fiscal year runs from 1 July to 30 June. The state constitution requires that the legislature pass a balanced budget, and the governor, as the chief budget officer, has regularly assured that expenditures do not exceed revenues. Idaho had total revenues in 2004 of $7.1 billion, while total expenditures that same year were $5.76 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($2.01 billion), public welfare ($1.19 billion), and highways ($524 million). The debt of the Idaho state government at the end of 2004 was $2.38 billion, or $1,708.85 per capita (per person).
29
Taxation
As of 1 January 2006, the personal income tax schedule had eight categories, ranging from 1.6% to 7.8%. Idaho’s flat tax on corporate income was 7.6%. Idaho has a retail sales tax rate of 6%, while local sales tax rates can reach as much as 3%, making the overall sales tax rate 9%. Although groceries are not exempt from the sales tax, the state does extend a grocery tax credit. The state also levies selective sales taxes (excises) on such items as gasoline and cigarettes. Other state taxes include various kinds of license fees. There is no state property tax. Local property taxes are the only major source of local revenue. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Total state government tax collections in 2005 were $2.934 billion, or $2,054 per person, which was under the national average of $2,192. Sales taxes accounted for the largest share of the state’s tax revenues at 38.5%, followed by 35.5% from individual income taxes, and 12.7% from excise taxes. Corporate income taxes that year, accounted for 4.8% of tax collections.
30
Health
In October 2005, Idaho’s infant mortality rate was estimated at 6.3 per 1,000 live births. The state’s crude death rate in 2003 was 7.6 deaths per 1,000 inhabitants. As of 2002, the death rates (per 100,000 people) for heart disease was 188.8; cancer 159.4; cerebrovascular disease 54.9; chronic lower respiratory disease 44.4; and diabetes 23.9. As of 2004, about 17.4% of the population were smokers. In the same year, the reported AIDS case rate was around 1.6 per 100,000 people. In 2003, Idaho had 39 community hospitals with around 3,400 beds. There were 657 nurses per 100,000 people in 2005. In 2004, there were 175 physicians per and 824 dentists per 100,000 population. The average daily expense for hospital care was $1,235 in 2003. About 17% of the state’s population were uninsured in 2004.
31
Housing
In 2004, there were an estimated 578,774 housing units within the state, of which 515,252 were occupied. About 72.4% of all units were owneroccupied, and around 71.1% were single-family, detached homes. Mobile homes accounted for 10.8% of all homes. Most units relied on utility gas and electricity for heating. It was estimated 253
Idaho
that 22,347 units were without telephone service, 2,419 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 3,220 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 2.64 people. In 2004, a total of 18,100 privately owned housing units were authorized for construction. Median home value was at $120,825. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was about $953, while renters paid a median of $566 per month.
32
Education
As of 2004, a total of 84.7% of Idaho residents over 25 were high school graduates, while 23.8% had obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Total enrollment in public schools was estimated at 250,000 in fall 2003, and was expected to reach 283,000 by fall 2014. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 10,994. Expenditures for public education in 2003/2004 were estimated at $1.7 billion. As of fall 2002, there were 72,072 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In 2005, Idaho had 14 degree-granting institutions. The leading public higher educational institutions are the University of Idaho at Moscow, Idaho State University (Pocatello), Boise State University, and Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston.
33
Arts
The Idaho Commission on the Arts, founded in 1966, offers grants to support both creative and performing artists. The Commission is a partner with the regional Western States Arts Federation. The Idaho Humanities Council was established in 1973. In 2005, the state received 254
$530,730 dollars in the form of six grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities. The Boise Philharmonic is Idaho’s leading professional orchestra. Other symphony orchestras are in Coeur d’Alene, Moscow, Pocatello, and Twin Falls. Boise and Moscow have seasonal theaters. The annual summer Idaho Shakespeare Festival, in Boise, presents a series of plays in its outdoor Festival Amphitheater and Reserve. Boise is also home to Ballet Idaho, the state’s professional ballet company.
34
Libraries and Museums
As of September 2001, Idaho had 106 public library systems, with 143 libraries, 39 of which were branches, and a combined book stock of 3.57 million volumes and a circulation of more than 8.7 million. The largest public library system is the Boise Public Library and Information Center. The leading academic library is at the University of Idaho (Moscow). The state also has 31 museums, notably the Boise Art Museum, Idaho State Historical Museum (Boise), and the Idaho Museum of Natural History (Pocatello). The University of Idaho Arboretum is at Moscow.
35
Communications
As of 2004, a total of 94.1% of Idaho’s occupied housing units had telephones. As of 2005, the state had 43 major operating radio stations (8 AM, 35 FM), and 13 major television stations. Several large cable systems serviced the state in 2005. A total of 21,563 Internet domain names were registered in the state in 2000. In 2003, computers were in 69.2% of all Idaho households, while 56.4% had computer access. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Idaho
36
Press
Idaho, site of the first printing press in the Northwest, had 12 daily newspapers in 2005 (10 morning and 2 evening), and 8 Sunday papers. The most widely read newspaper was the Idaho Statesman, published in Boise, with a circulation of 63,023 daily and 83,857 Sundays in that same year. Caxton Printers, founded in 1902, is the state’s leading publishing house. Leading magazines from the state are Idaho magazine, and the industry trade magazines, Spudman and Sugar.
37
Tourism, Travel & Recreation
In 2004, Idaho’s tourist industry earned $2.97 billion. Tourists come to Idaho primarily for outdoor recreation—river trips, skiing, camping, hunting, fishing, and hiking. There are 19 ski resorts, of which by far the most famous is Sun Valley. Tourist attractions include the Craters of the Moon National Monument, the Nez Percé National Historical Park, and two US parks. Portions of the Lewis and Clark Trail and the Oregon Trail lie within the state as well.
38
Sports
Although Idaho has no major league sports teams, the state is represented in college sports. The Idaho State Bengals and the University of Idaho Vandals play Division I basketball and Division I-A football in the Big Sky and Big West Conferences, respectively. Boise State University is the largest university in the Big West Conference, with a football team in Division I. Most county seats hold quarter-horse racing a few days a year and Boise’s racing season (including thoroughbreds) runs three days a week Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
for five months. World chariot racing championships have been held at Pocatello, as are the National Circuit Rodeo Finals. Polo was one of Boise’s leading sports from 1910 through the 1940s. Idaho cowboys have won numerous riding, roping, and steer-wrestling championships. Skiing is very popular throughout the state and there is a world-class resort at Sun Valley. Golf is also quite popular.
39
Famous Idahoans
Leading federal officeholders born in Idaho include Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994), US secretary of agriculture from 1953 to 1961, and Cecil D. Andrus (b.Oregon, 1931), governor of Idaho from 1971 to 1977 and secretary of the interior from 1977 to 1981. Republican William E. Borah (b.Illinois, 1865–1940) served in the US Senate from 1907 until his death, chairing the foreign relations committee for 16 years. Senator Frank Church (1924–1984) became chairman of the same committee in 1979; however, he was defeated in his bid for a fifth term in 1980. Important state officeholders were the nation’s first Jewish governor, Moses Alexander (b.Germany, 1853–1932), and New Deal governor C. Ben Ross (1876–1946). Idaho was the birthplace of poet Ezra Pound (1885–1972). Nobel Prize-winning novelist Ernest Hemingway (b.Illinois, 1899– 1961) is buried at Ketchum. Gutzon Borglum (1871–1941), the sculptor who carved the Mt. Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota, was an Idaho native. Baseball slugger Harmon Killebrew (b.1936), football star Jerry Kramer (b.1936), and Olympic ski champion Picabo Street (b.1971) are Idaho’s leading sports personalities. 255
Idaho
40
Bibliography
BOOKS Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Brown, Jonatha A. Idaho. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2007. Kule, Elaine A. Idaho Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003.
256
Murray, Julie. Idaho. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Stefoff, Rebecca. Idaho. New York: Benchmark Books, 2000. WEB SITES Idaho Travel and Tourism. Idaho. www.visitid.org (accessed March 1, 2007). State of Idaho. Idaho.gov. www.accessidaho.org (accessed March 1, 2007).
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Illinois State of Illinois
O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : French derivative of
Iliniwek, meaning “tribe of superior men,” a Native American group formerly in the region. N I CKNAME : The Prairie State; Land of Lincoln (slogan). C AP ITAL: Springfield. ENT ERED UNION: 3 December 1818 (21st). O FFICIAL SEAL: An American eagle perched on a boulder holds in its beak a banner bearing the state motto; below the eagle is a shield resting on an olive branch. Also depicted are the prairie, the sun rising over a distant eastern horizon, and on the boulder, the dates 1818 and 1868, the years of the seal’s introduction and revision, respectively. The words “Seal of the State of Illinois Aug. 26th 1818” surround the whole. FLAG: The inner portion of the state seal and the word “Illinois” on a white field. M OT TO: State Sovereignty–National Union. SONG: “Illinois.” FLOWER: Native violet. TREE: White oak. A NIMAL: White-tailed deer. B IRD: Cardinal. FISH: Bluegill. IN S ECT: Monarch butterfly. M INERAL: Fluorite. G RASS: Big bluestem. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Lincoln’s Birthday, 12 February; George Washington’s Birthday, 3rd Monday in February; Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October; Election Day, 1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday in November in even-numbered years; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 6 AM CST = noon GMT.
1
Location and Size
Situated in the eastern north-central United States, Illinois ranks 24th in size among the 50 states. Its area totals 56,345 square miles (145,934 square kilometers), of which land comprises 55,645 square miles (144,120 square kilometers) and inland water 700 square miles (1,814 square kilometers). Illinois extends 211 miles (340 kilometers) east-west and 381 miles 257
Illinois
(613 kilometers) north-south. Its boundaries total 1,297 miles (2,088 kilometers).
2
Topography
Illinois is predominantly flat. Lying wholly within the Central Plains, the state’s physical features are uniform, relieved mainly by rolling hills in the northwest and throughout the southern third of the state. The highest natural point, Charles Mound, is only 1,235 feet (377 meters) above sea level, which is lower than Chicago’s towering skyscrapers. The lowest point is found at the extreme southern tip of the Mississippi River, at 279 feet (85 meters) above sea level. Most of the state’s 2,000 lakes of 6 acres (2.4 hectares) or more were created by dams. The most important rivers are the Illinois, the Wabash, the Ohio, and the Mississippi. Illinois has three manmade lakes. The artificial Lake Carlyle, at 41 square miles (106 square kilometers), is the largest body of inland water.
3
Climate
Illinois has a temperate climate with cold, snowy winters and hot, humid summers. The seasons are sharply differentiated by region. Mean winter temperatures are 22°f (–6°c) in the north and 37°f (3°c) in the south. Mean summer temperatures are 70°f (21°c) in the north and 77°f (25°c) in the south. The record high, 117°f (47°c), was set at East St. Louis on 14 July 1954. The record low, -36°f (–37°c), was registered at Congerville on 5 January 1999. Average annual precipitation is 36 inches (91 centimeters). An annual snowfall of 37 inches (94 centimeters) is normal for northern Illinois, decreasing to 24 inches (61 centimeters) or less 258
Illinois Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:
12,831,970 3.3% 14.5% 98.5% 72.2% 14.5% 0.2% 4.1% 0.0% 7.5% 1.5%
Population by Age Group
Under 18 (26%)
65 and over (12%)
45 to 64 (24%) 18 to 24 (9%)
25 to 44 (29%)
Major Cities by Population City
Population
% change 2000–05
Chicago Aurora Rockford Naperville Joliet Springfield Peoria Elgin Waukegan Cicero
2,842,518 168,181 152,916 141,579 136,208 115,668 112,685 98,645 91,396 82,741
-1.8 17.6 1.9 10.3 28.2 3.8 -0.2 4.4 4.0 -3.4
Notes: †A person of Hispanic or Latino origin may be of any race. NA indicates that data are not available. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey and Population Estimates. www.census.gov/ (accessed March 2007).
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Illinois
WISCONSIN JO DAVIESS
STEPHENSON
WINNEBAGO
Chain O’ Lakes S. P.
BOONE
Freeport CARROLL
Rockford
Highland Park
R
Des Plaines
Elgin
39 De Kalb LEE
Shabonna Lake S. P.
88
ock
Aurora
Buffalo Rock St. Park
ROCK ISLAND
Mark Twain Nat’l Wildlife Ref.
74
80
Johnson Sauk State Park
Joliet
GRUNDY
Matthiesson St. Park
PUTNAM
STARK
KNOX
Harvey
Silver Springs St. Park
BUREAU
Wilmette
Evanston Schaumburg Chicago Elmhurst Cicero NaperOak ville Lawn WILL Orland Park
DU PAGE
KENDALL
LA SALLE
HENRY
COOK
KANE
DE KALB
R.
Kankakee
KANKAKEE
MARSHALL LIVINGSTON
Delabar St. Park
WARREN
55
Galesburg
IROQUOIS
PEORIA
Jubilee College WOODFORD State Upper Peoria Park Lake
HENDERSON
TAZEWELL
MC DONOUGH
FORD
Pekin
Nauvoo St. Park WeinbergKing St. Park
Argyle Lake St. Park
CHAMPAIGN
LOGAN
SCHUYLER
DE WITT
Chautauqua Nat’l Wildlife Ref.
. lt R Sa
74
MENARD
PIATT
CASS
Quincy
MACON
Panther Creek Conservation Area
Siloam Springs State Park
MORGAN
o am ng Sa
Decatur
SANGAMON
SHELBY
COLES
Wolf Cr. Lake S. P. Shelbyville
MONTGOMERY
FAYETTE
s Ka
rr
as
70
55 57 CLINTON
East St. Louis
South Shore S. P.
64 Bellevile
MONROE
Mu dd y
City (25,000-100,000 people)
HAMILTON
WHITE
SALINE
GALLATIN
WILLIAMSON
Big
Shawnee National Forest
U.S. Interstate Route
WABASH
FRANKLIN
JACKSON
State Capital
64 Rend Lake
PERRY
City (more than 100,000 people)
LAWRENCE
Red Hills S. P. EDWARDS
Pyramid S. P.
Point of Interest
R.
Sam Dale Lake Conservation Area
JEFFERSON
R. RANDOLPH
RICHLAND
WAYNE
WASHINGTON
Explanation
80
sh
Granite City
ILLINOIS
R.
CLAY MARION
ST. CLAIR
CRAWFORD
JASPER
ba Wa
Alton
Lincoln Trail S. P.
EFFINGHAM
ia sk ka
ba
BOND
MADISON
CLARK
CUMBERLAND
Em
Ramsey Lake S. P.
JERSEY
Pere Marquette State Park
Fox Ridge S. P.
Eagle Cr. S. P.
R.
Illinoi
Sangchris Lake St. Park
MACOUPIN
Beaver Dam State Park
EDGAR
CHRISTIAN
s R.
pi ip iss iss M
GREENE
Walnut Point S. P.
DOUGLAS
MOULTRIE
Springfield
Danville
Champaign
. nR
72 SCOTT
R.
VERMILION
155
BROWN
PIKE
Moraine View State Park
Normal Bloomington
MASON
ADAMS
MISSOURI
57
MCLEAN
Peoria
FULTON HANCOCK
INDIANA
IOWA
Waukegan North Chicago
OGLE
WHITESIDE
MERCER
94
90
Mississippi Palisades St. Park
Moline Rock Island
Lake Michigan
LAKE
MC HENRY
Apple River Canyon St. Park
Crab Orchard N. W. R.
Carbondale
JOHNSON
UNION
POPE
HARDIN
Area of Interest
57
N 0 0
25 25
PULASKI
50 miles
24 MASSAC
ALEXANDER
Shawnee National Forest
KENTUCKY
50 kilometers
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
259
Illinois
in the central and southern regions. A record high snowfall occurred in Chicago in the winter of 1978–79 with 90 inches (229 centimeters) of snow. The flat plains of Illinois are favorable to tornado activity.
4
Plants and Animals
About 90% of the oak and hickory forests that once were common in the north have been cut down for fuel and lumber. In the forests that do remain, mostly in the south, typical trees are black oak, sugar maple, box elder, and slippery elm. Characteristic wildflowers are the Chase aster, lupine, and primrose violet. Endangered plants include the leafy prairie-clover, smallwhorled pogonia, lakeside daisy, prairie bushclover, and eastern prairie fringed orchid. The bison, elk, bear, and wolves that once roamed freely have long since vanished. Deer are abundant. The state’s fur-bearing mammals include opossum, raccoon, mink, and muskrat. More than 350 birds have been identified. Game birds such as ruffed grouse, wild turkey, and bobwhite quail are especially prized. Other native birds are the cardinal (the state bird), horned lark, and blue jay. Mallard and black ducks are common, and several subspecies of the Canada goose are also found. The state claims 17 types of native turtle, 46 kinds of snake, 19 varieties of salamander, and 21 types of frog and toad. Coho salmon were introduced into Lake Michigan in the 1960s, thus reviving sport fishing. As of April 2006, the US Fish and Wildlife Service listed 25 Illinois animal species as endangered or threatened. Included among threatened animals are the bald eagle and gray wolf. Endangered species include the piping plover, pallid sturgeon, Hine’s 260
emerald dragonfly, Higgins’ eye pearly mussel, and the least tern.
5
Environmental Protection
The Illinois Environmental Protection Act of 1970 created the Pollution Control Board to set standards and conduct enforcement proceedings and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a comprehensive program for protecting environmental quality. In 1980, the Department of Nuclear Safety was established. The Illinois EPA maintains more than 200 air-monitoring stations to measure different types of pollutants. Many of these stations are in the Chicago area. In 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency’s database listed 455 hazardous waste sites in the state, 41 of which were on the National Priorities List as of 2006.
6
Population
In 2006, Illinois had the fifth-largest population among the 50 states, with an estimated total of 12,831,970 residents. In 2004, the population density was 228.8 persons per square mile (88.3 persons square kilometer). The projected population for 2025 is 13.3 million. The age distribution of the state’s population in 2005 closely mirrored the national pattern, with 26% under age 18 and about 12% aged 65 or older. The median age in 2004 was 35.4. The largest city in the state is Chicago, which had an estimated population of 2,842,518 in 2005. Other major cities, with their 2005 populations, were Aurora, 168,181; Rockford, 152,916; Naperville, 141,579; Joliet, 136,208; Springfield, 115,668; and Peoria, 112,685. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Illinois
Illinois Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number
Percent
Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,419,293 One race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,184,277 Two races. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .223,969 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32,903 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24,787 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30,451 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,716 White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97,454 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . .6,281 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3,098 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . 526 Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10,140 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,830 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . 79 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2,538 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2,084 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8,661 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,421 Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11,047
. . . . .100.0 . . . . . .98.1 . . . . . . .1.8 . . . . . . .0.3 . . . . . . .0.2 . . . . . . .0.2 ....... — . . . . . . .0.8 . . . . . . .0.1 ....... — ....... — . . . . . . .0.1 ....... — ....... — ....... — ....... — . . . . . . .0.1 ....... — . . . . . . .0.1
Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.
7
Ethnic Groups
In 2000, 1,529,058 residents of Illinois were foreign born (about 12.3% of the total population). There were 389,928 Europeans, 359,812 Asians, 731,397 Latin Americans, 26,158 Africans, and 2,553 from Oceanic countries. The most common ancestries of Illinois residents were German, Irish, Polish, English, and Italian. There were also significant numbers of Scandinavians, Irish, Lithuanians, Serbs, Eastern European Jews, Ukrainians, Slovaks, Hungarians, Czechs, Greeks, and Dutch. Many ethnic groups in Illinois maintain their own newspapers, clubs, festivals, and houses of worship. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
According to the 2000 census, the Native American population in Illinois was about 31,006, with many residing in Chicago. The black population totaled 1,876,875 the same year, with more than half of all black residents living within the city of Chicago. The number of people with Hispanic and Latino ancestry was 1,530,262, again living chiefly in Chicago. There were 1,144,390 persons of Mexican origin, 157,851 Puerto Ricans, and 18,438 Cubans. Most of the remainder of the Hispanics were of Caribbean and other Latin American descent. The total Asian population was estimated at 423,603, placing Illinois sixth among the 50 states in number of Asian residents. There were 76,725 Chinese in Illinois, 20,379 Japanese, 261
Illinois
86,298 Filipinos, 51,453 Koreans, and 19,101 Vietnamese. Pacific Islanders numbered 4,610.
8
Languages
Except for the Chicago metropolitan area and the extreme northwestern corner of Illinois, the northern quarter of the state is dominated by Northern speech. Settlers from Pennsylvania and Ohio brought a mix of Northern and North Midland speech to central Illinois. Migration from South Midland areas in Indiana and Kentucky affected basic speech in the southern third of Illinois, known as Egypt. Metropolitan Chicago has experienced such complex immigration that, although it still has a basic Northern/North Midland mix, elements of almost all varieties of English appear somewhere. In 2000, English was spoken at home by 80.8% of all state residents who were five years of age and older. Speakers of other languages included Spanish (1,253,676 people), Polish (185,749), Chinese (65,251), German (63,366), and Italian (51,975).
9
Religions
In 2004, the largest religious institution was the Roman Catholic Church, with 3,948,768 adherents. The largest Protestant denomination was the United Methodist Church, with 365,182 adherents (in 2000), followed by the Southern Baptist Convention with 305,838 adherents (2000). Other major Protestant groups (with 2000 data) included the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America with 279,724 adherents and the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod with 278,008 adherents. The Jewish population was estimated at 270,000 in 2000 and the Muslim 262
community had about 125,203 adherents. There are over 11,000 Mennonites throughout the state. About 44.7% of the population did not specify a religious affiliation.
10
Transportation
The intersection of several long-distance transportation routes in Illinois has been an important factor in the state’s economic development. Most of the nation’s rail lines converge on Illinois. Chicago and St. Louis (especially East St. Louis) have been the two main US railroad centers since the late 19th century. Interstate highways, notably the main east-west routes, also cross the state and Chicago’s central location in the United States has made it a major transfer point for airline connections. The Illinois Central aided by the first federal land grants, opened up the prairie lands in the years before the Civil War. The railroads stimulated not only farming but also coal mining and in the process created tens of thousands of jobs in track and bridge construction, maintenance, traffic operations, and the manufacture of cars, rails, and other railroad equipment. The rise of automobile and truck traffic in the 1920s and 1930s dealt the railroads a serious blow. Many lines gave up passenger service to focus instead on freight handling. In the 1990s, abandoned railroad tracks and right-of-ways were being developed into public bicycle trails, walking paths, and greenways to take advantage of the scenic beauty of the state. In 2003, there were 39 railroad companies operating 9,757 route miles (15,708 kilometers) of track within the state. Chicago is the hub of Amtrak’s passenger service, which operated approximately 12 Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Illinois
train routes through Illinois in 2006, connecting a total of 14 cities in Illinois. Mass transit is of special importance to Chicago, where subways, buses, and commuter railroads are essential to daily movement. The transit systems were built privately but eventually were acquired by the city and regional transportation authorities. Outside Chicago, transit service is available in some of the older, larger cities. In 2004, 138,624 miles (223,184 kilometers) of public roadway served 9.4 million registered vehicles, including 5,580,000 automobiles and 3,547,000 trucks. There were 8,057,683 licensed drivers. The main east–west routes are I-90, I-88, I-80, I-74, I-72, I-70, and I-64. I94 links Chicago with Milwaukee to the north and Indiana to the east, while I-57 and I-55 connect Chicago with the south and southwest (St. Louis), respectively. Barge traffic along the Mississippi, Ohio, and Illinois rivers remains important, especially for the shipment of grain. The Port of Chicago no longer harbors the sailing ships that brought lumber, merchandise, and people to a fast-growing city. However, the port is still the largest on the Great Lakes, handling mostly grain and iron ore. Midway Airport in Chicago became the world’s busiest after World War II but was superseded by O’Hare Airport, which opened in the late 1950s. O’Hare lost its title as busiest airport in the world in March 2000 when it was superseded by Atlanta’s Hartsfield International. With 586 airports and 265 heliports in 2005, Illinois is also an important center for general aviation. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
View under elevated transit line, Wabash St., Chicago. WILLIAM SEMPLE.
11
History
When European explorers arrived in Illinois in the 17th century, the region was inhabited by Algonkian-speaking tribes, including the Kickapoo, Sauk, Potawatomi, Ojibwa, and Peoria. Constant warfare with tribes from neighboring areas, plus disease and alcohol introduced by European fur traders and settlers, combined to devastate the tribal population. Defeat of the tribes in the Black Hawk War (1832) led to a series of treaties that removed all of the Native Americans to lands across the Mississippi River. The first permanent European settlement in Illinois was a mission built by French Catholic priests at Cahokia, near present-day St. Louis, in 1699. In 1765, under the Treaty of Paris that 263
Illinois
the Illinois country, and much fighting took place in the area. On 3 December 1818, Illinois was formally admitted to the Union as the 21st state. The capital was moved from Vandalia to Springfield in 1839.
Chicago River harbor locks and lighthouse. WILLIAM SEMPLE.
ended the French and Indian War, the British took control of the Illinois country but established no settlements of their own. During the American Revolution, troops from Virginia captured the small British forts at Cahokia and Kaskaskia in 1778, after which Virginia governed Illinois as its own territory. In 1787, Illinois became part of the newly organized Northwest Territory, and in 1800, it was included in the Indiana Territory. Statehood Nine years later the Illinois Territory,
including the present state of Wisconsin, was created, and a territorial legislature was formed in 1812. During the War of 1812, British and Native American forces combined in a last attempt to push back American expansion into 264
The withdrawal of British influence after the War of 1812 and the final defeat of the Native American tribes in the Black Hawk War of 1832 opened the fertile prairies to white settlers from the south, especially Kentucky. Despite a heavy state debt resulting from the collapse of ambitious financial development schemes in the 1830s, the arrival after 1840 of energetic Yankee pioneers, attracted by the rich soil and excellent water routes, guaranteed rapid growth. During the Civil War, Illinois sent half its young men to the battlefield and supplied the Union armies with huge amounts of food, feed, and horses. The wartime administration of Republican Governor Richard Yates guaranteed full support for the policies of Abraham Lincoln, who had been prominent in Illinois political life since the 1840s and had been nominated for the presidency in 1860 at a Republican convention held in Chicago. Economic and population growth quickened after 1865, and Chicago became the principal city of the Midwest. Responding to opportunities presented by the coming of the railroads, hundreds of small towns and cities built banks, grain elevators, retail shops, small factories, stately courthouses, and schools, in an abundance of civic pride. During the second half of the 19th century, Illinois was a center of the American labor movement. Workers joined the Knights of Labor in the 1870s and 1880s and fought for child-labor laws and the eight-hour day. Union organizJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Illinois
Illinios Governors: 1818–2007 1818–1822 1822–1826 1826–1830 1830–1834 1834 1834–1838 1838–1842 1842–1849 1849–1853 1853–1857 1857–1860 1860–1861 1861–1865 1865–1869 1869–1873 1873 1873–1881 1881–1883 1883–1885 1885–1889 1889–1893 1893–1897
Shadrach Bond Edward Coles Ninian Edwards John Reynolds William Lee Davidson Ewing Joseph Duncan Thomas Carlin Thomas Ford Augustus C. French Joel Aldrich Matteson William Harrison Bissell John Wood Richard Yates Richard James Oglesby John McAuley Palmer Richard James Oglesby John Lourie Beveridge Shelby Moore Cullom John Marshall Hamilton Richard James Oglesby Joseph Wilson Fifer John Peter Altgeld
Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Republican Democrat Democrat Whig Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat
ing led to several spectacular incidents, including the Haymarket riot in 1886 and the violent Pullman strike in 1894. After the great fire of 1871 destroyed Chicago’s downtown section, the city’s wealthy elite dedicated itself to rebuilding Chicago and making it one of the great metropolises of the world. Immense steel mills, meatpacking plants, and factories sprang up, and growth was tremendous in the merchandising, banking, and transportation fields. 20th Century The first three decades of the 20th
century witnessed almost unbroken prosperity in all sections except Egypt, the downstate region where poor soil and the decline of the coal industry produced widespread poverty. The slums of Chicago were poor, too, because most of the hundreds of thousands of new immigrants arrived nearly penniless. After 1920, however, large-scale immigration ended and the immiJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
1897–1905 1905–1909 1909–1913 1913–1917 1917–1925 1925–1929 1929–1937 1937–1940 1940–1945 1945–1949 1949–1957 1957–1965 1965–1968 1968–1969 1969–1973 1973–1977 1977–1991 1991–1999 1999–2002 2002–
John Riley Tanner Richard Yates Charles Samuel Deneen Edward Fitzsimmons Dunne Frank Orren Lowden Lennington Small Louis Lincoln Emmerson Henry Horner John Henry Stelle Dwight Herbert Green Adlai Ewing Stevenson II William Grant Stratton Otto Kerner Samuel Harvey Shapiro Richard Buell Ogilvie Daniel Walker James Robert Thompson James Edgar George H. Ryan Rod Blagojevich
Republican Republican Republican Democrat Republican Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Republican Republican Democrat
Democratic Republican – Dem-Rep
grants achieved steady upward mobility, based on hard work, savings, and education. During the Prohibition era, a vast organized crime empire rose to prominence, giving Chicago and Joliet a reputation for gangsterism, violence, and corruption. The Great Depression of the 1930s affected the state unevenly, with agriculture hit first and recovering first. Industries began shutting down in 1930 and did not fully recover until massive military contracts during World War II restored full prosperity. The depression destroyed the credibility of the pro-business Republican regime that had run the state since 1856, as blacks, white ethnics, and factory workers responded enthusiastically to Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal. The goals of personal security and prosperity dominated Illinois life in the postwar period. However, events in the 1960s and 1970s— assassinations, the Vietnam war, the race riots, 265
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and the violence that accompanied the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago— coupled with a new awareness of such issues as poverty and environmental pollution, helped reshape attitudes in Illinois. This transformation was perhaps best shown in Chicago, where voters elected Jane Byrne the city’s first woman mayor in 1979 and chose Harold Washington as its first black mayor in 1983. The economy of Illinois, like other “rust belt” states, suffered a severe recession in the early 1980s. Hit hard by foreign competition, producers of steel, machine tools, and automobiles engaged in massive layoffs. By the end of the decade, the economy had begun to rebound, but many industrial jobs were permanently lost, as industries sought to improve their efficiency and productivity through automation. In 1990, the unemployment rate in Illinois was 7.2%, in contrast to the national average of 5.2%. In 1992, the 60-mile maze of tunnels beneath downtown Chicago ruptured, filling basements with up to 30 feet of water, and forcing the temporary closure of the Chicago Board of Trade and City Hall. A year later, flooding of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers caused $1.5 billion of damage in the western part of the state and forced 12,800 people to evacuate their homes. In 2000, the state was embroiled in a bribefor-licenses scandal involving Governor George Ryan. It was alleged that truck drivers’ licenses were issued in exchange for campaign contributions (from trucking companies) when Ryan was secretary of state. Indictments were handed down to some state officials, but the governor insisted he knew nothing about the contributions and said if the accusations proved to be 266
true, the money would be contributed to charities. Ryan left after one term in office due to the scandal, succeeded by Rod Blagojevich in 2002. In 2003, the state had a $5 billion budget deficit and was experiencing the worst deficit in two decades. In 2002, Illinois lost 23,000 manufacturing jobs. By 2006, Governor Blagojevich was shepherding programs aimed at creating jobs, providing affordable and comprehensive healthcare for every child in the state, providing residents with better access to prescription drugs from abroad, and increasing education funding to better prepare students to compete and succeed in the economy of the 21st century.
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State Government
Under the 1970 constitution, as amended 11 times as of January 2005, the upper house of the general assembly consists of a senate of 59 members who are elected to four-year terms on a two-year cycle. In November 1980, Illinois voters chose to reduce the size of house membership from 177 to 118 (two representatives from each district). The executive officers elected statewide are the governor and lieutenant governor (who run jointly), secretary of state, treasurer, comptroller, and attorney general. Each serves a fouryear term and is eligible for reelection. Bills passed by both houses of the legislature become law if signed by the governor; if left unsigned for 60 days (whether or not the legislature is in session); or if vetoed by the governor but passed again by three-fifths of the elected members of each house. Constitutional amendments require a three-fifths vote by the legislature for placement on the ballot. Either a simple majority of those voting in the election or threeJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Illinois
Illinois Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR
ILLINOIS WINNER
DEMOCRAT
REPUBLICAN
SOCIALIST LABOR
PROHIBITION
COMMUNIST
1948 1952 1956 1960 1964
*Truman (D) *Eisenhower (R) *Eisenhower (R) *Kennedy (D) *Johnson (D)
1,994,715 2,013,920 1,775,682 2,377,846 2,796,833
1,961,103 2,457,327 2,623,327 2,368,988 1,905,946
3,118 9,363 8,342 10,560 —
11,959 — — — —
— — — — —
1968
*Nixon (R)
2,039,814
2,174,774
13,878
1972
*Nixon (R)
1,913,472
2,788,179
12,344
AMERICAN IND.
390,958
—
AMERICAN
2,471
4,541
LIBERTARIAN
1976
Ford (R)
2,271,295
2,364,269
2,422
8,057
9,250
38,939 10,086 14,944
9,711 — —
CITIZENS
1980 1984 1988
*Reagan (R) *Reagan (R) *Bush (R)
1,981,413 2,086,499 2,215,940
2,358,094 2,707,103 2,310,939
1992 1996
*Clinton (D) *Clinton (D)
2,453,350 2,341,744
1,734,096 1,587,021
2,589,026 2,891,550
2,019,421 2,345,946
10,692 2,716 10,276 NEW ALLIANCE
2000 Gore (D) 2004 Kerry (D) * Won US presidential election.
fifths of those voting on the amendment is sufficient for ratification. As of December 2004, the governor’s salary was $150,691, and the legislative salary was $55,788.
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Political Parties
Politically, Illinois is a closely balanced state, with a slight Republican predominance from 1860 to 1930 giving way to a highly competitive situation statewide. The party balance changed with the rise of the powerful Cook County Democratic organization in the 1930s. Built by Mayor Anton Cermak and continued from 1955 to 1976 by Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
IND. (PEROT)
5,267 —
9,218 22,548
840,515 346,408
PROGRESSIVE (NADER)
REFORM
LIBERTARIAN
16,106 —
11,623 —
103,759 —
six-term Mayor Richard J. Daley, the Chicago “Democratic machine” totally controlled the city, dominated the state party, and exerted enormous power at the national level. However, the machine lost its clout with the election in 1979 of independent Democrat Jane Byrne as Chicago’s first woman mayor, and again in 1983 when Harold Washington became its first black mayor. Although Richard Daley’s son, also named Richard Daley, won the mayoralty in 1989, the machine has never recovered the power it once enjoyed. Richard Daley was elected to his fifth consecutive term as mayor of Chicago in 2003. In the 2000 presidential election, Democrat Al Gore won 55% of the vote, Republican George W. Bush received 43%, and Green Party 267
Illinois
candidate Ralph Nader garnered 2%. In 2004, Bush won 50% of the popular vote in Illinois in his successful bid for reelection to Democrat John Kerry’s 49%. In 2004 there were 8,594,000 registered voters. There is no party registration requirement. Democrat Rod R. Blagojevich was reelected governor in 2006. In 1998, Democrat Carol Moseley-Braun, the first black woman US Senator, lost to Republican challenger Peter Fitzgerald. In 2003, Moseley-Braun campaigned for president. Fitzgerald did not run for a second term as senator; the seat he left vacant was won by Democrat Barak Obama; in 2007, Obama declared himself a candidate for president in the 2008 elections. In 1996 Democrat Richard J. Durbin won the race to succeed retiring US senator Paul Simon; Durbin was reelected in 2002. In the 2006 elections, Illinois voters sent nine Republicans and ten Democrats to the US House of Representatives. Following the 2006 elections, there were 22 Republicans and 37 Democrats in the state senate, and 66 Democrats and 52 Republicans in the state house. Following those elections, there were 48 women serving in the state legislature, or 27.1%.
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Most early white migration into Illinois came from the South, as poor young farm families trekked overland to southern Illinois from Kentucky, Tennessee, and the Carolinas between 1800 and 1840. After 1830, migration from Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania filled the central portion of the state, while New Englanders and New Yorkers came to the northern portion. Immigration from Europe became significant in the 1840s and continued in a heavy stream for about 80 years. Before 1890, most of the new arrivals came from Germany, Ireland, Britain, and Scandinavia. These groups contin-
Local Government
Illinois has more units of local government (most with property-taxing power) than any other state. In 2005 there were 102 counties, 1,291 municipalities, 934 school districts, and 3,145 special districts. In 2002, there were 1,431 townships. Chicago is governed by an elected mayor, clerk, treasurer, and city council composed of 50 aldermen. Larger cities are administered by an elected mayor and council members; most smaller communities are administered by nonpartisan city managers. 268
Judicial System
The state’s highest court is the Illinois Supreme Court, consisting of seven justices elected by judicial districts for ten-year terms. The supreme court has appeals jurisdiction generally, and original jurisdiction in certain cases. The chief justice, assisted by an administrative director, has administrative and supervisory authority over all other courts. The appeals court is divided into five districts. Appeals judges hear appeals from the 22 circuit courts, which handle civil and criminal cases. As of 2004, the violent crime rate (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) in Illinois was 542.9 reported incidents per 100,000 population. Crimes against property (burglary, larceny/ theft, and motor vehicle theft) in 2004 totaled 3,186.1 reported incidents per 100,000 people. Illinois had 44,054 prisoners as of 31 December 2004. The state has a death penalty, and 10 prisoners were under sentence of death as of 1 January 2006.
16
Migration
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Illinois
ued to arrive after 1890, but they were soon outnumbered by heavy immigration from southern and eastern Europe. The opening of prairie farms, the burgeoning of towns and small cities, and the explosive growth of Chicago created a continuous demand for unskilled and semiskilled labor. Concern for the welfare of these newcomers led to the establishment of Hull House (1889) by Jane Addams in Chicago. Hull House served as a social center, shelter, and advocate for immigrants. Launching the settlement movement in America, its activities helped popularize the concept of cultural pluralism. The outbreak of World War I interrupted the flow of European immigrants but also increased the economy’s demand for unskilled labor. The migration of blacks from states south of Illinois—especially from Arkansas, Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama—played an important role in meeting the demand for labor during both world wars. After World War II, the further collapse of the cotton labor market drove hundreds of thousands more blacks to Chicago and other northern cities. After World War II, native whites left the state in large numbers, with southern California as a favorite destination. Between 1990 and 1998, there was a net loss of 516,000 persons from domestic migration and a net gain of 337,000 from international migration. In the period 1995–2000, some 665,122 people moved into the state and 1,007,738 moved out, for a net loss of 342,616. In the period 2000–05, a net number of 328,020 people moved into the state from other countries, and a net 391,031 people left the state to move to other states, for a net loss of 63,011 people. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
17
Economy
Since 1950, the importance of manufacturing has declined, but a very strong shift into services— government, medicine, education, law, finance, and business—has underpinned the state’s economic vigor. In the 1980s heavy industrial competition from Japan wreaked havoc in the state’s steel, television, and automotive industries, while the state’s high-wage, high-cost business climate encouraged the migration of factories to southern states. Meat-packing, once the most famous industry in Illinois, dwindled after the closing of the Chicago stockyards in 1972. Chicago remained the nation’s chief merchandising center during the early 1980s, and an influx of huge international banks boosted the city’s financial strength. The state’s major industries include primary and secondary metals; industrial and farm equipment; electric equipment and appliances; electronic components; food processing; and printing equipment. In 2004, manufacturing made up the largest portion of the gross state product (13.6% of GSP), followed by real estate (12.3%) and professional and technical services (8.1%).
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Income
In 2005, Illinois had a gross state product (GSP) of $560 billion, which placed the state fifth in GSP among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. In 2004, Illinois ranked 14th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a per capita (per person) income of $33,050. The three-year average median household income for 2002–04 was $45,787, compared to the national average of $44,473. For the period 2002–04, 12.5% of the state’s residents lived 269
Illinois
below the federal poverty level, compared to 12.4% nationwide.
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Industry
Manufacturing in Illinois, concentrated in but not limited to Chicago, has always been diverse. As of 2004, the shipment value of all products manufactured in the state was $210 billion. Of that total, food manufacturing accounted for the largest share ($32.7 billion), followed by chemical manufacturing ($28.2 billion), machinery manufacturing ($26 billion), fabricated metal product manufacturing ($18.6 billion), petroleum and coal products manufacturing ($18.1 billion), and plastics and rubber products manufacturing ($12.7 billion). Industrial corporations headquartered in Illinois include Amoco (Chicago), Sara Lee, and Caterpillar Tractor (Peoria).
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Labor
In April 2006, the seasonally adjusted civilian labor force in Illinois numbered 6,525,100, with approximately 332,500 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 5.1%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. In 2006, approximately 4.6% of the labor force was employed in construction; 11.5% in manufacturing; 20.1% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 6.9% in financial activities; 14.3% in professional and business services; 12.7% in education and health services; 8.9% in leisure and hospitality services; and 14.2% in government. The first labor organizations sprang up among German tailors, teamsters, and carpenters in Chicago in the 1850s and among British 270
and German coal miners after the Civil War. The period of industrialization after the Civil War saw many strikes, especially in coal mining and construction, many of them spontaneous rather than union-related. The Chicago Federation of Labor, formed in 1877, was eventually absorbed by the American Federation of Labor (AFL). Labor unions are powerful in Chicago but relatively weak downstate. The major unions are the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the United Steelworkers of America, the International Association of Machinists, the United Automobile Workers, the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees. The Illinois Education Association, though not strictly a labor union, has become one of the state’s most militant employee organizations, often calling strikes and constituting the most active lobby in the state. In 2005, some 927,000 of the state’s 5,473,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions. This represented 16.9% of those so employed. The national average was 12% in 2005. As of 1 March 2006, Illinois had a state-mandated minimum wage of $6.50 per hour. In 2004, women in the state accounted for 46.5% of the employed civilian labor force.
21
Agriculture
Total agricultural income in 2005 reached $8.7 billion in Illinois, seventh in the nation. Crops accounted for nearly 79% of the value of farm marketings, with corn and soybeans the leading cash commodities. Commercial agriculture was made possible by the extension of the railroad network in the 1860s and 1870s. Corn, wheat, hogs, cattle, and horses were the state’s Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Illinois
main products in the 19th century. Since then, wheat and poultry have declined greatly in significance, while soybeans and, to a lesser extent, dairy products and vegetables have played an increasingly important role. Strong interest in scientific farming, including the use of hybrid corn, sophisticated animal-breeding techniques, and chemical fertilizers, has fostered a steady, remarkable growth in agricultural productivity. The number of farms reached a peak at 264,000 in 1900 and began declining rapidly after World War II, down to 73,000 in 2004. Total farmland in 2004 was 27.5 million acres (11.1 million hectares). Very few farms are owned by corporations (except “family corporations,” a tax device). The major agricultural region is the corn belt, covering all of central and about half of northern Illinois. Among the 50 states, Illinois ranked second only to Iowa in production of corn and soybeans during 2000–04.
22
Domesticated Animals
Livestock is raised almost everywhere in Illinois, but production is concentrated especially in the west-central region. In 2005, Illinois farms had an estimated 1.38 million cattle and calves worth around $1.1 billion. Illinois farms had an estimated 4 million hogs and pigs in 2004, worth around $400 million. The dairy belt covers part of northern Illinois. Milk production in 2003 totaled and estimated 2 billion pounds (0.9 billion kilograms). During 2003, Illinois poultry farmers sold an estimated 7.1 million pounds (3.2 million kilograms) of chicken. An estimated 973 million eggs were produced in 2003, worth around $51 million. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
23
Fishing
Commercial fishing is relatively insignificant in Illinois. Sport fishing is of modest importance in southern Illinois and in Lake Michigan. Some 450 lakes and ponds and 200 streams and rivers are open to the public. In 2004, there were 713,120 sport anglers licensed in Illinois. The state Division of Fisheries operates four fish hatcheries, producing more than 50 million fish of 18 species for stocking into Illinois waters. In 2004, Illinois had 18 catfish farms covering 320 acres (130 hectares).
24
Forestry
Forestland covering 4,331,000 acres (1,753,000 hectares) comprises about 12% of the state’s land area. Forests in the northern two-thirds of the state are predominately located in the northwestern part of the state and along major rivers and streams. The majority of the state’s forests are located in the southern one-third of the state. Some 4,087,000 acres (1,654,000 hectares) are classified as commercial forests and are 90% privately owned. As of 2005 Illinois had two national forests, with a total National Forest System acreage of 857,000 acres (347,000 hectares). In 2004, lumber production totaled 123 million board feet.
25
Mining
The value of nonfuel mineral production for Illinois in 2003 was estimated to be $911 million. Illinois was the nation’s leading producer of industrial sand and gravel and tripoli, fourth in fuller’s earth, fifth in production of crushed stone and peat, ninth in lime, and tenth in 271
Illinois
Chicago waterfront from Olive Park. WILLIAM SEMPLE.
portland cement in 2001. It was also a significant producer of construction sand and gravel. Nationally, the state ranked 16th in nonfuel mineral production value in 2003. Crushed stone, the state’s leading nonfuel mineral commodity, accounted for about 46% of the state’s nonfuel mineral value in 2003. Portland cement accounted for nearly 23% and construction sand and gravel production accounted for 17%.
26
Energy and Power
Illinois is one of the nation’s leading energy producers and consumers. Electric power production totaled 189 billion kilowatt hours in 2003. Total installed capacity was 45.5 million kilowatts, nearly all of it privately owned. In 2000, 272
the state’s total per capita energy consumption was 356 million Btu (89.7 million kilocalories), ranking it 22nd among the 50 states. Commonwealth Edison and Northern Illinois Light and Power are the largest suppliers. Coalfired plants account for about 45% of the state’s power production. Nuclear power is also important, particularly for the generation of electricity in the Chicago area. The state had six nuclear power plants in 2006. People’s Gas, a diversified energy conglomerate based in Chicago, is the largest natural gas firm. Marketed gas production in 2004 was 174 million cubic feet (4.9 million cubic meters). Petroleum production totaled 30,000 barrels per day in 2004. Recoverable coal reserves were estimated at 796 million tons in 2004. Coal is abundant Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Illinois
throughout the state, with the largest mines in the south and central regions. In 2004 there were 19 productive coal mines, including 7 surface (strip) mines and 12 underground mines.
27
Commerce
Chicago is the leading wholesaling center of the Midwest. The state’s 20,520 wholesale establishments had sales of $317.4 billion in 2002. Chicago is an especially important trade center for furniture, housewares, and apparel. The state’s 43,022 retail stores recorded sales of $131.4 billion in 2002. Leading Illinois-based retailing companies include Sears, Roebuck; Walgreen’s; McDonald’s; and Household International. Illinois ranked sixth among the states in total exports with an estimated $35.8 billion in 2005.
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Public Finance
Among the larger states, Illinois is known for its low taxes and conservative fiscal policy. The Bureau of the Budget, under the governor’s control, has the major responsibility for the state’s overall fiscal program. The fiscal year runs from 1 July to 30 June. In 2004, the state of Illinois had an income of $61.25 billion. Expenditures were $53.4 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($15.3 billion), public welfare ($12.7 billion), and highways ($3.1 billion). In 2004, the state’s debt was about $48.7 billion, or $3,833.08 per capita (per person).
29
Taxation
The state personal income tax is a flat 3%. In 1998, the state abolished the local personal propJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
erty tax and replaced it with a 2.5% addition to the state’s 4.8% corporate income tax, bringing the total corporate tax rate to 7.3%. The state’s general sales and use tax rate is 6.25%. There is a reduced rate of 1% on food and medicines. Local sales taxes range from 0% to 3%. The state imposes a full set of excise taxes, on tobacco products, motor fuels, amusements, pari-mutuels, public utilities, insurance premiums, and other selected items. Other state taxes include various license fees and a 4% timber fee that goes to the Department of Conservation. Total state tax collections in Illinois in 2005 were $26.4 billion, of which 30.1% was generated by the state income tax, 27.2% by the state general sales and use tax, 23.3% by state excise taxes, 8.3% by the corporate income tax, and 10.9% from other taxes. In 2004, combined state and local taxes amounted to $17,888,828,000, or $1,407 per capita (per person). The per capita amount ranks the state ninth nationally.
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Health
In October 2005, infant mortality was 7.6 per 1,000 live births. The overall death rate was 8.5 per 1,000 residents in 2002. Illinois has ranked above the national averages in deaths due to heart disease and cerebrovascular disease, but below the averages in accidents and adverse effects and suicide. Alcoholism has always been a major problem in Illinois. The state also has a high proportion of residents receiving psychiatric care. In 2004, 22.2% of the adults 18 years of age and older were smokers. The reported AIDS case rate was about 13.2 per 100,000 population in 2004. Hospitals abound in Illinois, with Chicago serving as a diagnostic and treatment center 273
Illinois
for patients throughout the Midwest. In 2003, Illinois had 192 community facilities (many quite large) and about 35,000 beds. In 2004, the state had 284 physicians per 100,000 population, and 803 nurses per 100,000 in 2005. In 2004, there were 7,958 dentists in the state. The average daily expense for hospital care in 2003 was $1,497. In 2004, about 14% of adult residents had no insurance.
31
Housing
Flimsy cabins and shacks provided rude shelter for many Illinoisans in pioneer days. Later, wooden-frame houses, much cheaper to build than traditional structures, became a trademark of the Prairie State. After a third of Chicago’s wooden houses burned in 1871, the city moved to enforce more stringent building codes. The city’s predominant dwelling then became the three- or five-story brick apartment house. In 2004, there were an estimated 5,094,186 housing units in Illinois, of which 4,659,791 were occupied; 69.2% were owner-occupied. About 58.9% of all units were single-family, detached homes. Most units rely on utility gas for heating. It was estimated that 247,234 units were without telephone service, 15,492 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 16,789 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 2.66 people. In 2004, 59,800 new privately owned units were authorized for construction. The median home value was $167,711. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,370, while renters paid a median of $698 per month. 274
32
Education
Illinois tends to have slightly higher literacy levels than the national averages. In 2004, 86.8% of the Illinois adult population held high school diplomas, with 27.4% continuing their education and earning a bachelor’s degree or higher. Total enrollment in public schools was estimated at 2,084,000 in fall 2002 and expected to reach 2,118,000 by fall 2014. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 270,490. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $21 billion. As of fall 2002, there were 776,622 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In 2005, Illinois had 173 degree-granting institutions. Public universities enroll about one-quarter of the Illinois college student population. The University of Illinois system has both the largest and smallest public university campuses. The University of Illinois at Springfield was formerly Sangamon State University. Champaign-Urbana is the state’s most populous campus. Nearly half of all Illinois college students attend one of the state’s 48 public community colleges.
33
Arts
Chicago is one of the leading arts center of the Midwest and continues to hold this premier position. Architecture is the outstanding art form in Illinois and Chicago, where the first skyscrapers were built in the 1880s, has been a mecca for modern commercial and residential architects ever since the fire of 1871. An example of bold contemporary architecture is the $172-million State of Illinois Center in Chicago, which opened in 1985. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Illinois
There were nearly one hundred theatrical producers in the state including the Second City comedy troupe and the Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago. Since the 1980s, television films and motion pictures have been routinely shot in the state. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, organized in 1891, quickly acquired world stature. German immigrants founded many musical societies in Chicago in the late 19th century, when the city also became a major center of musical education. The Lyric Opera was founded in 1954. Chicago’s most original musical contribution was jazz, imported from the South by black musicians in the 1920s. Such jazz greats as King Oliver, Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, Benny Goodman, and Gene Krupa all worked or learned their craft in the speakeasies and jazz houses of the city’s South Side. More recently, Chicago became the center of an urban blues movement, using electric rather than acoustic guitars and influenced by jazz. The Illinois Arts Council was founded in 1965. The Illinois Humanities Council, founded in 1974, offers ongoing programs that include a lecture/presentation series program called the Heartland Chautauqua and the Odyssey Project, which offers free college-level courses in the humanities to individuals with incomes below the poverty level. The state’s arts education programs are offered to over 850,000 schoolchildren. There are over 2,200 arts associations in Illinois and over 80 local associations. There are a number of local arts fairs and festivals held annually throughout the state. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
34
Libraries and Museums
Libraries and library science are particularly strong in Illinois. At the end of fiscal year 2001, there were 629 public library systems with a total of 786 libraries, of which 157 were branches. In that same year, the state’s public library systems had a combined book and serial publications stock of over 41 million and circulation of over 83 million. The facilities in Peoria, Oak Park, Evanston, Rockford, Quincy, and the Harold Washington Library Center in Chicago are noteworthy. The Illinois Regional Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped is operated by the Chicago Public Library system. The libraries of the University of Illinois (Champaign–Urbana) and the University of Chicago are two of the state’s leading research facilities. The University of Illinois also has a famous library school. Illinois has 277 museums and historic sites. Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History, founded in 1893, has sponsored numerous worldwide expeditions in the course of acquiring some 13 million anthropological, zoological, botanical, and geological specimens. The Museum of Science and Industry, near the University of Chicago, attracts two million visitors a year, mostly children. Just about every town has one or more historic sites authenticated by the state. The most popular is New Salem, near Springfield, where Abraham Lincoln lived from 1831 to 1837. Its reconstruction, begun by press magnate William Randolph Hearst in 1906, includes one original cabin and numerous replicas. 275
Illinois
35
Communications
Illinois has an extensive communications system. In 2004, 90.1% of all households had telephones. In addition, by June of that year there were 7,529,966 mobile phone subscribers. In 2003, 60% of Illinois households had a computer and 51.1% had Internet access. There were 36 major AM and 130 major FM commercial radio stations in 2005, with an additional 31 major television stations. The Chicago area has the third largest number of television households of all metropolitan areas (3,204,710), with cable in 65%. As a major advertising center, Chicago produces many commercials and industrial films. Most educational broadcasting in Illinois comes from state universities and the Chicago public and Catholic school systems.
36
Press
As of 2005, Illinois had 26 morning newspapers, 41 evening dailies, and 32 Sunday papers. The Illinois editions of St. Louis newspapers are also widely read. The Chicago Tribune was the eighth-largest daily and fourth-largest Sunday newspaper nationwide in 2005, based on circulation figures. The leading dailies of 2005 and their circulations are the Chicago Tribune (600,988); the Chicago Sun-Times (481,980); the Peoria Journal Star (76,879); and the Rockford Register Star (64,518). The most popular magazines published in Chicago are Playboy and Ebony. Many specialized trade and membership magazines, such as the Lion and the Rotarian, are published in Chicago, which is also the printing and circulation center for many magazines edited in New 276
York. The popular Cricket Magazine for children is published in LaSalle-Peru.
37
Tourism, Travel & Recreation
The tourist industry is of special importance to Chicago, which is the nation’s leading convention center. Business travel accounts for about 36% of all state travel in 2004, when tourism and travel expenditures contributed some $24 billion to the state’s economy. In 2002, there were about 83.3 million domestic visitors to the state. Illinois was the sixth most popular US state for overseas visitors in 2002, with 1,071,000 travelers. The city’s chief tourist attractions are its museums, restaurants, and shops. Chicago also boasts the tallest building in the United States, the Sears Tower, 110 stories and 1,454 feet (443 meters) high. There are 42 state parks, 4 state forests, 36,659 campsites, and 25 state recreation places. The Lincoln Home National Historic Site in Springfield is a popular tourist attraction. Swimming, bicycling, hiking, camping, horseback riding, fishing, and motorboating are the most popular recreational activities. Wildlife observation engages millions of Illinoisans annually.
38
Sports
Illinois has six major league professional sports teams, all of which play in Chicago. The Cubs and the White Sox are Major League Baseball teams, the Bears play for the National Football League, the Bulls for the National Basketball Association, the Fire for Major League Soccer, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Illinois
and the Blackhawks for the National Hockey League. The White Sox built a new ballpark, Comiskey Park, which opened in 1993. The Cubs play their home games at Wrigley Field. The Bulls established a remarkable basketball dynasty fueled by the play of Michael Jordan, perhaps the best athlete in the history of basketball, winning six NBA championships in the 1990s. The Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup three times. The state also has minor league baseball, basketball, and hockey. Horse racing is very popular in the state, with pari-mutuel betting allowed. The Golden Glove Boxing Tournament is held annually in February in Chicago. In collegiate sports the emphasis is on basketball and football. Teams from the University of Illinois and Northwestern University compete in the Big Ten Conference. Southern Illinois University won the National Invitational Tournament in basketball in 1967. The DePaul Blue Demons of Conference USA consistently rank high among college basketball teams.
39
Famous Illinoisans
The only Illinois native to be elected president is Ronald Reagan (1911–2004), who left the state after graduating from Eureka College to pursue film and political aspirations in California. Abraham Lincoln (b.Kentucky, 1809–1865) received his law license in Illinois and established his political and legal careers there. Ulysses S. Grant (b.Ohio, 1822–1885), the nation’s 18th president, lived in Galena on the eve of the Civil War. Adlai E. Stevenson (b.Kentucky, 1835– 1914), founder of a political dynasty, served as US vice-president from 1893 to 1897, but was Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
William Jennings Bryan graduated with highest honors from Illinois College in Jacksonville in 1881. The college was founded in 1829. EPD PHOTOS.
defeated for the same office in 1900. His grandson, also named Adlai E. Stevenson (b.California, 1900–1965), who served as governor of Illinois from 1949 to 1953, was the Democratic presidential nominee in 1952 and 1956, and ended his career as US ambassador to the United Nations. William Jennings Bryan (1860–1925), a leader of the free-silver and Populist movements, was the Democratic presidential nominee in 1896, 1900, and 1908. US Supreme Court justices associated with Illinois include Chicago-born Arthur Goldberg (1908–1990), who also served as secretary of labor and succeeded Stevenson as UN ambas277
Illinois
sador; Harry A. Blackmun (1908–1997); and John Paul Stevens (b.1920). Richard J. Daley (1902–1976) was Democratic boss and mayor of Chicago from 1955 to 1976. Jane Byrne (b.1934), a Daley protégé, became the city’s first female mayor in 1979; she was succeeded in 1983 by Harold Washington (1922–1987), the city’s first black mayor. Richard Michael Daley (b.1942), son of Richard J. Daley, also became mayor. An outstanding Illinoisan was Jane Addams (1860–1935), founder of Hull House (1889), author, reformer, prohibitionist, and feminist, who shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 1931. Feminist leader Betty Friedan (1921–2006) founded the National Organization for Women in 1966. Winners of the Nobel Prize in physics include Albert Michelson (b.Germany, 1852– 1931) and Enrico Fermi (b.Italy, 1901–1954). A Nobel award in literature went to Saul Bellow (b.Canada, 1915–2005), and the economics prize was given to Milton Friedman (b.New York, 1912–2006), leader of the so-called Chicago school of economists. Jerome Friedman (b.1930) was a 1990 co-recipient of the Nobel Prize for physics, and Harry M. Markowitz (b.1927) won the Nobel prize for economics in 1990. Some of the most influential Illinoisans have been religious leaders, and many of them also exercised social and political influence. Notable are Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini (b.Italy, 1850–1917), the first American to be canonized as a Catholic saint; Elijah Muhammad (Elijah Poole, b.Georgia, 1897–1975), leader of the Black Muslim movement; and Jesse Jackson (b.North Carolina, 1941), civil rights leader and prominent public speaker. 278
Outstanding business and professional leaders who lived in Illinois include John Deere (b.Vermont, 1804–1886), industrialist and inventor of the steel plow; railroad car inventor George Pullman (b.New York 1831–1897); merchant Marshall Field (b.Massachusetts, 1834– 1906); sporting-goods manufacturer Albert G. Spalding (1850–1915); breakfast-food manufacturer Charles W. Post (1854–1911); lawyer Clarence Darrow (b.Ohio, 1857–1938); and meat packer Oscar Mayer (1888–1965). Artists who worked for significant periods in Illinois (usually in Chicago) include architects Frank Lloyd Wright (b.Wisconsin, 1869–1959) and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (b.Germany, 1886–1969). Important writers include novelists John Dos Passos (1896–1970) and Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961). Poets include Edgar Lee Masters (b.Kansas, 1869–1950); Carl Sandburg (1878–1967); Nicholas Vachel Lindsay (1879–1931); Archibald MacLeish (1892–1982), also Librarian of Congress and assistant secretary of state; Gwendolyn Brooks (b.Kansas, 1917–2000), the first black woman to win a Pulitzer Prize; and Ray Bradbury (b.1920). Robert Butler (b.1945) was the 1993 winner of the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. Performing artists connected with the state include opera stars Sherrill Milnes (b.1935); clarinetist Benny Goodman (1909–1986); singers Mel Torme (1925–1999) and Grace Slick (b.1939); musicians Ray Charles (1918–2004) and Miles Davis (1926–1991); comedians Jack Benny (Benjamin Kubelsky, 1894–1974), Bob Newhart (b.1929), and Richard Pryor (1940– 2005); and a long list of stage and screen stars, including Gloria Swanson (1899–1983), Karl Malden (Malden Sekulovich, b.1913), Jason Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Illinois
Robards Jr. (1922–2000), Charlton Heston (b.1922), Rock Hudson (Roy Fitzgerald, 1925– 1985), Bruce Dern (b.1936), and Raquel Welch (Raquel Tejeda, b.1942). Dominant figures in the Illinois sports world include Ernest “Ernie” Banks (b.Texas, 1931) of the Chicago Cubs; Robert “Bobby” Hull (b.Canada, 1939) of the Chicago Black Hawks; owner George Halas (1895–1983) and running back Walter Payton (b.Mississippi, 1954– 1999) of the Chicago Bears; and Michael Jordan (b.New York, 1963) of the Chicago Bulls.
40
Bibliography
BOOKS Brill, Marlene Targ. Illinois. 2nd ed. New York: Benchmark Books, 2006.
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. McAuliffe, Emily. Illinois Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003. Murray, Julie. Illinois. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Somervill, Barbara A. Illinois. New York: Children’s Press, 2001. Wiley, William. The Civil War Diary of a Common Soldier: William Wiley of the 77th Illinois Infantry. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2001. WEB SITES Illinois Deparment of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Illinois: Mile after Magnificent Mile. www.enjoyillinois.com (accessed March 1, 2007). State of Illinois. Learn Illinois. www.state.il.us/kids/ learn (accessed March 1, 2007).
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Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Table of Contents
Reader’s Guide vi Guide to State Articles x Indiana 1 Iowa 23 Kansas 43 Kentucky 63 Louisiana 83 Maine 107 Maryland 125 Massachusetts 147 Michigan 173 Minnesota 199 Mississippi 221 Missouri 241 Montana 261 Nebraska 277 Glossary 295 Abbreviations & Acronyms 300
v
Indiana State of Indiana
O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Named “land of Indians”
for the many Indian tribes that formerly lived in the state. N I CKNAME : The Hoosier State. C AP ITAL: Indianapolis. ENT ERED UNION: 11 December 1816 (19th). O FFICIAL SEAL: In a pioneer setting, a farmer fells a tree while a buffalo flees from the forest and across the prairie; in the background, the sun sets over distant hills. The words “Seal of the State of Indiana 1816” surround the scene. FLAG: A flaming torch representing liberty is surrounded by 19 gold stars against a blue background. The word “Indiana” is above the flame. M OT TO: The Crossroads of America. SONG: “On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away.” FLOWER: Peony. TREE: Tulip poplar. B IRD: Cardinal. R OCK OR STONE: Indiana limestone. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Good Friday, Friday before Easter, March or April; Primary Election Day, 1st Tuesday after 1st Monday in May in even-numbered years; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October; Election Day, 1st Tuesday after 1st Monday in November in even-numbered years; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Lincoln’s Birthday, 12 February (observed the day after Thanksgiving); Christmas Day, 25 December; Washington’s Birthday, 3rd Monday in February (observed the day after Christmas). T I ME : 7 AM EST = noon GMT; 6 AM CST = noon
GMT.
1
Location and Size
Situated in the eastern north-central United States, Indiana is the smallest of the 12 Midwestern states and ranks 38th in size among the 50 states. Indiana’s total area is 36,185 square miles (93,720 square kilometers), of which land takes up 35,932 square miles (93,064 square kilometers) and inland water the remaining 253 square miles (656 square kilometers). The state extends about 160 miles (257 kilometers) east–west and about 280 miles (451 kilome1
Indiana
ters) north–south. The total boundary length of Indiana is 1,696 miles (2,729 kilometers).
2
Topography
Indiana has two principal types of terrain: slightly rolling land in the northern half of the state, and rugged hills in the southern, extending to the Ohio River. The highest point in the state is a hill in Franklin Township that is 1,257 feet (383 meters) above sea level. The lowest point, on the Ohio River, is 320 feet (98 meters). Four-fifths of the state’s land is drained by the Wabash River and by its tributaries, the White, Eel, Mississinewa, and Tippecanoe rivers. The northern region is drained by the Maumee, Calumet, and Kankakee rivers. In the southwest, the two White River forks empty into the Wabash, and in the southeast, the Whitewater River flows into the Ohio. In addition to Lake Michigan on the northwestern border, there are more than 400 lakes in the northern part of the state. The largest lakes include Wawasee, Maxinkuckee, Freeman, and Shafer. There are mineral springs at French Lick and West Baden in Orange County and two large caves at Wyandotte and Marengo in adjoining Crawford County.
3
Climate
Temperatures vary from the extreme north to the extreme south of the state. The annual mean temperature in the north is 49°f–58°f (9°c– 12°c). In the south, the mean temperature is 57°f (14°c) in the south. The average temperatures in January range between 17°f (–8°c) and 35°f (2°c). Average temperatures during July vary from 63°f (17°c) to 88°f (31°c). The record 2
Indiana Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:
6,313,520 3.8% 4.6% 98.5% 86.1% 8.6% 0.2% 1.2% 0.0% 2.4% 1.5%
Population by Age Group
Under 18 (26%)
65 and over (12%)
45 to 64 (25%) 18 to 24 (9%)
25 to 44 (28%)
Major Cities by Population City Indianapolis Fort Wayne Evansville South Bend Gary Hammond Bloomington Muncie Lafayette Carmel
Population
% change 2000–05
784,118 223,341 115,918 105,262 98,715 79,217 69,017 66,164 60,459 59,243
0.3 8.6 -4.7 -2.3 -3.9 -4.6 -0.4 -1.9 7.2 57.0
Notes: †A person of Hispanic or Latino origin may be of any race. NA indicates that data are not available. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey and Population Estimates. www.census.gov/ (accessed March 2007).
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Indiana
Lake Michigan
MICHIGAN
Michigan City Indiana Dunes S. P. E. Chicago
90
LAKE
Pokagon St. Park
Potato Cr. St. Park
e ke
Portage Merrillville
ka an STARKE
Chain O’ Lakes St. Park
KOSCIUSKO
Bass Lake St. Beach R.
PULASKI
FULTON
ec
an
oe
Tippecanoe River St. Park
HUNINGTON
R.
Salamonie River St. Forest
l Ee
CASS
BENTON
Fort Wayne
WABASH
MIAMI
Ti pp WHITE
69
ALLEN
WHITLEY
JASPER NEWTON
STEUBEN
DEKALB
NOBLE
MARSHALL
K
LAGRANGE
Mish- Elkhart awaka
R. South
Bend
PORTER LAPORTE
Hammond
ELKHART
ST. JOSEPH
80
94
Gary
Mississinewa Lake
CARROLL
ADAMS
WELLS
Quabache St. Park
GRANT TIPPECANOE
BLACKFORD
HOWARD
JAY
Marion WARREN
W. Lafayette
Kokomo CLINTON
R. Lafayette h as ab W FOUNTAIN
TIPTON
DELAWARE
RANDOLPH MONTGOMERY
69
HAMILTON
Anderson
BOONE
74 VERMILLION
OHIO
MADISON
65
Muncie HENRY
Carmel PARKE
Shades St. Park
Turkey Run S. P.
ILLINOIS
Lawrence
HENDRICKS
70
Indianapolis
Terre Haute
MORGAN
70 OWEN
McCormick’s Creek St. Park
SULLIVAN
Greenwood
MorganMonroe St. Forest
FAYETTE
74
DECATUR
Brookville Lake
BARTHOLOMEW RIPLEY
Columbus
GREENE
UNION
Whitewater Mem. S. P.
FRANKLIN
65
BROWN
MONROE
Richmond
RUSH SHELBY
JOHNSON
CLAY
Shakamak St. Park GreenSullivan St. Forest
WAYNE HANCOCK
PUTNAM
MARION
VIGO
Summit Lake St. Park
DEARBORN
Bloomington JENNINGS
JACKSON
LAWRENCE
KNOX
DAVIESS
Muscatatuck N. W. R.
Hoosier Nat’l For.
MARTIN
Jefferson Proving Grounds JEFFERSON
OHIO
SWITZERLAND
R.
WASHINGTON
W ab
ash
ORANGE
White
R.
PIKE
Jackson Washington St. Forest Clarke St. Forest
SCOTT
CLARK
DUBOIS GIBSON
Patoka R .
HARRISON
Hoosier Nat’l For.
INDIANA
POSEY
Harmonie St. Park
Explanation
VANDERBURGH
WARRICK
64
164
City (25,000-100,000 people)
PERRY
FLOYD
New Albany
Squire Boone’s Caverns
Lincoln St. Park
Evansville
Point of Interest
SPENCER
CRAWFORD
Oh io
City (more than 100,000 people)
R.
State Capital
65
U.S. Interstate Route Area of Interest
KENTUCKY
N 0 0
25 25
50 miles 50 kilometers
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
3
Indiana
high for the state was 116°f (47°c), set on 14 July 1936 at Collegeville, and the record low was -36°f (-38°c) on 19 January 1994 at New Whiteland. Rainfall is distributed fairly evenly throughout the year, although drought sometimes occurs in the southern region. The average annual precipitation in the state is 40 inches (102 centimeters), ranging from about 35 inches (89 centimeters) near Lake Michigan to 45 inches (114 centimeters) along the Ohio River. The annual snowfall in Indiana averages less than 22 inches (56 centimeters). The average wind speed in the state is 8 miles per hour (13 kilometers per hour), but gales sometimes occur along the shores of Lake Michigan. There are occasional tornadoes in the interior.
4
Plants and Animals
There are 124 native tree species, including 17 varieties of oak, as well as black walnut, sycamore, and the tulip tree (yellow poplar), which is the state tree. Fruit trees—apple, cherry, peach, and pear—are common. American elderberry and bittersweet are common shrubs, while various jack-in-the-pulpits and spring beauties are among the indigenous wildflowers. The peony is the state flower. As of April 2006, Mead’s milkweed and Pitcher’s thistle were considered threatened, and running buffalo clover was considered endangered. Although the presence of wolves and coyotes has been reported occasionally, the red fox is Indiana’s only common carnivorous mammal. Other native mammals include the common cottontail, muskrat, and raccoon. Many waterfowl and marsh birds, including the black duck and great blue heron, inhabit northern Indiana, 4
while the field sparrow, yellow warbler, and redheaded woodpecker nest in central Indiana. Catfish, pike, bass, and sunfish are native to state waters. As of April 2006, the US Fish and Wildlife Service listed 21 Indiana animal species as threatened or endangered. Among these are the bald eagle, Indiana and gray bats, gray wolf, piping plover, and two species of butterfly.
5
Environmental Protection
The Department of Natural Resources regulates the use of Indiana’s lands, waters, forests, and wildlife resources. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) seeks to protect public health through the implementation and management of various environmental programs. In addition, the following boards exist to aid in environmental involvement: Air Pollution Control Board, Water Pollution Control Board, Pollution Prevention Control Board, and the Solid Waste Management Board. The IDEM offers technical assistance to industries for the installation of pollution prevention equipment, and encourages consumers to rethink their use and disposal of hazardous household goods and chemicals. In 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency’s database listed 210 hazardous waste sites in the state, 29 of which were on the National Priorities List. Some of the state’s most serious environmental challenges lie in Lake and Porter counties in Northwest Indiana. A century of spills, emissions and discharges to the environment there require comprehensive, regionally coordinated programs. The Northwest Indiana Remedial Action Plan (RAP) is a three-phased program designed especially for the Grand Calumet River and the Indiana Harbor Ship Canal. Both waterways are Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Indiana
Indiana Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number
Percent
Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,080,485 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,004,813 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71,132 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19,187 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18,053 White and Asian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,131 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 843 White and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15,756 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,883 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 959 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 Black or African American and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,432 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . 30 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 458 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 512 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,291 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,540
. . . . . 100.0 . . . . . . 98.8 . . . . . . . 1.2 . . . . . . . 0.3 . . . . . . . 0.3 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.3 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1
Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.
heavily contaminated, and if left in their current state, would certainly degrade the waters of Lake Michigan, the primary source of drinking water for the Northwest Indiana area.
and South Bend, 105,262. In 2004, the median age was 35.7 years. In 2005, about 12% of all residents were 65 or older, and about 26% were 18 or younger.
6
7
Population
In 2006, Indiana ranked 15th in population among the 50 states, with an estimated total of 6,313,520 residents. In 2004, the population density was 173.9 persons per square mile (67.1 persons per square kilometer). The population is projected to reach 6.5 million by 2015, and 6.7 million by 2025. In 2005, Indianapolis, the capital and largest city, had a population of 784,118. Other major cities with their 2005 populations were Fort Wayne, 223,341; Evansville, 115,918; Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Ethnic Groups
According to the 2000 census, the state had 510,034 blacks, representing about 8.4% of the total population. In that same year, about 214,536 Hispanics and Latinos lived within the state, representing approximately 3.5% of the population. In 2006, Hispanics and Latinos accounted for 4.6% of the state’s population. The Asian population was estimated at 59,126, in 2000, including 14,685 Asian Indians, 12,531 Chinese, 6,674 Filipinos, 7,502 Koreans, 5,065 Japanese, and 5
Indiana
4,843 Vietnamese. Pacific Islanders numbered 2,005. There were 15,815 Native Americans, many of whom are descendants of a variety of Algonkian-speaking tribes, such as Delaware, Shawnee, and Potawatomi. As of 2000, foreignborn Hoosiers numbered 186,534, about 3% of the total state population.
8
Languages
Most Indiana speech is basically that of the South Midland pioneers from south of the Ohio River. Between the Ohio River and Indianapolis, South Midland speakers use the term clabber cheese instead of cottage cheese, frogstools rather than toadstools, and goobers instead of peanuts. North of Indianapolis, speakers with a Midland Pennsylvania background wish on the pullybone of a chicken, may use a trestle (sawhorse), and are likely to get their hands greezy rather than greasy. In 2000, of all Hoosiers five years old and older, 93.5% spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home (and number of speakers) include Spanish (185,576), German (44,142), French (18,065), and Polish (7,831). Chinese, Indic, Greek, Italian, and Korean were also reported.
9
Religions
The first branch of Christianity to gain a foothold in Indiana was Roman Catholicism, introduced by the French settlers in the early 18th century. The first Protestant church was founded near Charlestown by Baptists from Kentucky in 1798. In 1807, Quakers built their first meetinghouse at Richmond. The Shakers, established 6
a short-lived community in Sullivan County in 1808. In 2004, the Roman Catholic Church was the largest single denomination in the state, with about 765,699 adherents. The largest Protestant denominations were the United Methodist Church (with 212,667 adherents) in that same year. Other denominations included (with 2000 membership data) the Church of Christ (205,408 adherents), the Southern Baptist Convention (124,452), the American Baptist Church (115,101), and the Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod (111,522). The estimated Jewish population of the state in 2000 was 18,000. The Muslim community had about 11,000 members. There were also over 17,000 Mennonites, and over 19,000 members of Amish communities statewide. About 57% of the population (over 3.4 million people) were not counted as members of any religious organization.
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Transportation
Indiana’s central location in the country and its position between Lake Michigan to the north and the Ohio River to the south gave the state its motto, “The Crossroads of America.” Historically, the state took advantage of its strategic location by digging canals to connect Indiana rivers and by building roads and railroads to provide farmers access to national markets. In 2003, there were 37 railroads operating on 5,136 miles (8,269 kilometers) of railroad track. As of 2006, regularly scheduled Amtrak passenger trains served Indianapolis, Hammond/ Whiting, South Bend, and seven other stations in the state. Indianapolis and other major cities have public transit systems subsidized heavily by the state and federal governments. The South Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Indiana
Shore commuter railroad connects South Bend, Gary, and East Chicago with Chicago, Illinois. Major highways include the east–west National Road (US 40), and the north–south Michigan road (US 421). In 2003, there were 94,597 miles (152,301 kilometers) of public roads in the state. In 2004, motor vehicle registrations totaled 5.587 million, including 3.043 million passenger cars and 2.382 million trucks. Water transportation has been important from the earliest years of European settlement. The Wabash and Erie Canal, constructed in the 1830s from Fort Wayne east to Toledo, Ohio, and southwest to Lafayette, was vital to the state’s market economy. The transport of freight via Lake Michigan and the Ohio River helped to spark Indiana’s industrial development. A deepwater port on Lake Michigan, which became operational in 1970, provided access to world markets via the St. Lawrence Seaway. Indiana Harbor and the port of Gary are leading ports. In 2005, there were 629 public and private use aviation facilities in the state, including 492 airports, 121 heliports, 3 STOLports (Short Take-Off and Landing), and 13 seaplane bases. The state’s main airport is Indianapolis International Airport. In 2004, it handled 3,992,097 boardings.
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History
The first Native Americans to be seen by Europeans in present-day Indiana were probably the Miami and Potawatomi tribes. The first European penetration was made in the 1670s by the French explorers Father Jacques Marquette and Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle. After the founding of Detroit, Michigan, in 1701, the Maumee-Wabash river route to the lower Ohio Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
was discovered. The first French fort was built farther down the Wabash among the Wea tribe, near present-day Lafayette, in 1717. By 1765, Indiana had fallen to the English. The pre-Revolutionary turmoil in the colonies on the Atlantic was hardly felt in Indiana. However, the region did not escape the Revolutionary War itself. Colonel George Rogers Clark, acting for Virginia, captured Vincennes from a British garrison early in 1779. Following the war, the area northwest of the Ohio River was granted to the new nation by treaty in 1783. The first US town plotted in Indiana was Clarksville, established in 1784. A government for the region was established by the Continental Congress under the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. Known as the Northwest Territory, it included present-day Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and part of Minnesota. After continued Native American unrest, General Anthony Wayne was put in command of an enlarged army, which ended the disturbance in 1794 at Fallen Timbers (near Toledo, Ohio). Statehood In 1800, as Ohio prepared to enter
the Union, the rest of the Northwest Territory was set off and called Indiana Territory, with its capital at Vincennes. After Michigan Territory was detached in 1805, and Illinois Territory in 1809, Indiana assumed its present boundaries (having added about 10 miles to its northern border in 1816). William Henry Harrison was appointed first governor and, with a secretary and three appointed judges, constituted the government of Indiana Territory. When the population totaled 60,000—as it did in 1815—the voters were allowed to elect delegates to write a state constitution and to apply for admission to 7
Indiana
the Union. Indiana became the 19th state on 11 December 1816. After the War of 1812, new settlers began pouring into the state from the upper South and in fewer numbers from Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and New England. In 1816, Thomas Lincoln brought his family from Kentucky, and his son Abe grew up in southern Indiana from age 7 to 21. Unlike most other frontier states, Indiana was settled from south to north. Central and northern Indiana were opened up as land was purchased from the Native Americans. Railroads began to tie Indiana commercially with the East. Irish immigrants dug canals and laid the rails, and German immigrants took up woodworking and farming. Levi Coffin, a Quaker who moved to Fountain City in 1826, operated the Underground Railroad, a network of people dedicated to help escaping slaves from the South. Civil War Hoosiers (as Indianans are called)
showed considerable sympathy with the South in the 1850s. However, Indiana remained staunchly in the Union under Governor Oliver P. Morton, sending some 200,000 soldiers to the Civil War. The state suffered no battles, but General John Hunt Morgan’s Confederate cavalry raided the southeastern sector of Indiana in July 1863. After the Civil War, small local industries expanded rapidly. Discovery of natural gas in several northeastern counties in 1886, and the resultant low fuel prices, spurred the growth of energy-intensive glass factories. As America became captivated by the automobile, a racetrack for testing cars was built outside Indianapolis in 1908, and the famous 500-mile (805-kilometer) race on Memorial Day weekend began in 1911. 8
Five years earlier, US Steel had constructed a steel plant at the south end of Lake Michigan. The town built by the company to house the workers was called Gary, and it grew rapidly with the help of the company and the onset of World War I. World Wars Although many Hoosiers of German
and Irish descent favored neutrality when World War I began, Indiana industries boomed with war orders, and public sympathy swung heavily toward the Allies. Indiana furnished 118,000 men and women to the armed forces and suffered the loss of 3,370. After 1920, only about a dozen makes of cars were still being manufactured in Indiana, and those factories steadily lost out to the three largest car makers in Detroit. Auto parts continued to be a big business, however, along with steelmaking and oil-refining in the Calumet region. Elsewhere there was manufacturing of machinery, farm implements, railway cars, furniture, and pharmaceuticals. Meat-packing, coalmining, and limestone-quarrying continued to be important. With increasing industrialization, cities grew, particularly in the northern half of the state, and the number of farms diminished. The balance of rural and urban population, about even in 1920, tilted in favor of urban dwellers. World War II had a greater impact on Indiana than did World War I. Most factories converted to production of war materials, and 300 of them held defense orders in 1942. Military training facilities were created. Camp Atterbury covered 100 square miles (259 square kilometers) in Bartholomew County, and two air stations trained aviators. Two large ammunition depots loaded and stored shells, and the enorJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Indiana
Indiana Governors: 1816–2007 1816–1822 1822 1822–1825 1825–1831 1831–1837 1837–1840 1840–1843 1843–1848 1848–1849 1849–1857 1857–1860 1860–1861 1861 1861–1867 1867–1873 1873–1877 1877–1880 1880–1881 1881–1885 1885–1889 1889–1891 1891–1893 1893–1897 1897–1901 1901–1905 1905–1909 1909–1913
Johathan Jennings Dem-Rep Ratliff Boone Jackson Democrat William Hendricks Dem-Rep James Brown Ray Anti–Jacksonian/Indep Noah Noble Nat-Rep/Whig David Wallace Whig Samuel Bigger Whig James Whitcomb Democrat Paris Chipman Dunning Democrat Joseph Albert Wright Unionist Ashbel Parsons Willard Democrat Abram Adams Hammond Democrat Henry Smith Lane Republican Oliver Hazzard Perry Morton Republican Conrad Baker Republican Thomas Andrews Hendricks Democrat James Douglas Williams Democrat Isaac Pusey Gray Democrat Albert Gallatin Porter Republican Isaac Pusey Gray Democrat Alvin Peterson Hovey Republican Ira Joy Chase Republican Claude Matthews Democrat James Atwell Mount Republican Winfield Taylor Durbin Republican James Franklin Hanly Republican Thomas Riley Marshall Democrat
mous Jefferson Proving Grounds tested ammunition and parachutes. Post-War Period After the war, many small local
industries were taken over by national corporations, and their plants were expanded. By 1984, the largest employer in Indiana was General Motors, with 47,800 employees in six cities. Inland Steel, with 18,500 workers, was second, followed by US Steel with 13,800 workers. Nostalgia for an older, simpler, rural way of life pervades much Hoosier thinking. The state’s conservation efforts were guided by Richard Lieber, a state official from 1933 to 1944, promoted the preservation of land for state parks Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
1913–1917 1917–1921 1921–1924 1924–1925 1925–1929 1929–1933 1933–1937 1937–1941 1941–1945 1945–1949 1949–1953 1953–1957 1957–1961 1961–1965 1965–1969 1969–1973 1973–1981 1981–1989 1989–1997 1997–2003 2003–2004 2004–
Samuel Moffett Ralston James Putnam Goodrich Warren Terry McCray Emmett Forest Branch Edward L. Jackson Harry Guyer Leslie Paul Vories McNutt Mourice Clifford Townsend Henry Frederick Schricker Ralph Fesler Gates Henry Frederick Schricker George North Craig Harold Willis Handley Matthew Empson Welsh Roger Douglas Branigin Edgar Doud Whitcomb Otis Ray Bowen Robert Dunkerson Orr Evan Bayh Frank O’Bannon Joseph Kernan Mitch Daniels
Democrat Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican
Democratic Republican – Dem-Rep Independent – Indep National Republican – Nat-Rep
and recreational areas, as well as for state and federal forests. Hoosiers enjoy politics and participate intensively in conventions and elections. The percentage of registered voters who vote has generally exceeded the national average by a wide margin. The state legislature was dominated by rural interests until a 1966 reorganization gave urban counties more representation. In October 1999, Indiana saw its first African American, Justice Robert D. Rucker, named to the state’s supreme court. On 8 September 2003, Indiana’s governor Frank O’Bannon, who had named Justice Rucker to the state’s highest court, suffered a massive stroke and died five days later. O’Bannon was 9
Indiana
Indiana Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR
INDIANA WINNER
DEMOCRAT
REPUBLICAN
PROGRESSIVE
PROHIBITION
1948 1952 1956 1960 1964
Dewey (R) *Eisenhower (R) *Eisenhower (R) *Nixon (R) *Johnson (D)
807,833 801,530 783,908 952,358 1,170,848
821,079 1,136,259 1,182,811 1,175,120 911,118
9,649 1,222 — — —
14,711 15,335 6,554 6,746 8,266
1968
*Nixon (R)
806,659
1,067,885
AMERICAN IND.
1972
*Nixon (R)
708,568
1,405,154
243,108
4,616
PEOPLE’S
SOC. WORKERS
4,544
5,575
AMERICAN
1976
Ford (R)
1,014,714
1,185,958
1980 1984
*Reagan (R) *Reagan (R)
844,197 841,481
1,255,656 1,377,230
1988
*Bush (R)
860,643
1,297,763
14,048
5,695
CITIZENS
LIBERTARIAN
4,852 —
19,627 6,741
NEW ALLIANCE
10,215
—
IND. (PEROT)
1992 1996
Bush (R) Dole (R)
848,420 887,424
989,375 1,006,693
455,934 224,299
2000 *Bush, G. W. (R) 2004 *Bush, G. W. (R) * Won US presidential election.
901,980 969,011
1,245,836 1,479,438
18,531 —
7,936 15,632 REFORM
replaced by Lieutenant Governor Joe Kernan, who was defeated in November 2004 by Republican Mitch Daniels Jr. Upon taking office in 2005, Daniels moved to fix the state’s $700 million budget shortfall. Daniels called for strict spending controls, and a one-time, one-year tax hike of 1% on all residents with incomes of $100,000 or more.
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State Government
Indiana’s first constitution, which took effect in 1816, prohibited slavery and recommended a free public school system, including a state university. The constitution did not allow for amendment, so a new one was adopted in 1851, which is still in force. It had been amended 46 times as of January 2005. 10
16,959 —
The Indiana General Assembly consists of a fifty-member Senate elected to four-year terms, with half the senators elected every two years, and a one hundred-member House of Representatives elected to two-year terms. The state’s chief executive is the governor, elected to a four-year term. The governor may call special sessions of the legislature and may veto bills passed by the legislature, but his veto can be overridden by a majority vote in each house. Indiana’s other top elected officials are the lieutenant governor, secretary of state, treasurer, auditor, attorney general, and superintendent of public instruction. Each is elected to a four-year term. The lieutenant governor is constitutionally empowered to preside over the state senate and to act as governor if that office should become vacant, or the governor is unable to discharge his Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Indiana
duties. Legislation may be introduced in either house of the General Assembly, although bills for raising revenue must originate in the House of Representatives. As of December 2004, the governor’s salary was $95,000, and the legislative salary was $11,600.
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Political Parties
After voting Republican in four successive presidential elections, Indiana voted Democratic in 1876 and became a swing state. More recently, a Republican trend has been evident, as the state voted Republican in 16 out of 17 presidential elections between 1940 and 2004. In 2004, Indiana gave 60% of the vote to Republican George W. Bush and 39% to Democrat John Kerry. In that same year, Governor Joseph E. Kernan was defeated by Republican Mitch Daniels, but Democrat Evan Bayh was reelected to the US Senate. The state’s other senate seat was held by Republican Richard Lugar, who won re-election to the Senate in 2006. Indiana’s delegation to the US House of Representatives following the 2006 elections included five Democrats and four Republicans. Following the 2006 elections, the state senate had 33 Republicans and 17 Democrats. In the state house of representatives, there were 51 Democrats and 49 Republicans. Following the 2006 elections, there were 27 women serving in the state legislature, or 18%. In 2004 there were 4,009,000 registered voters in the state. There is no party registration in the state. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
14
Local Government
Indiana’s 92 counties have traditionally provided law enforcement in rural areas, operated county courts and institutions, maintained county roads, administered public welfare programs, and collected taxes. In 1984, counties were given the power to impose local income taxes. The county’s business is conducted by a board of county commissioners, consisting of three members elected to four-year terms. Townships (1,008 in 2002) provide assistance for the poor, and assess taxable property. Each township is administered by a trustee elected to a four-year term. Indiana had 567 municipal governments in 2005. They are governed by elected city councils. In 2005, Indiana had 294 public school districts and 1,125 special districts.
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Judicial System
The Indiana supreme court consists of 5 justices who are appointed by the governor. The state court of appeals consists of 15 justices. The court exercises appeals jurisdiction under rules set by the state supreme court. Superior courts, probate courts, and circuit courts all function as general trial courts and are presided over by 279 judges who serve a term of 6 years. Indiana had 24,008 prisoners in its state and federal correctional facilities as of 31 December 2004. Indiana in 2004, had a violent crime rate (murder/nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault) of 325.4 incidents per 100,000 people statewide. Indiana has a death penalty, of which lethal injection is the sole method of execution. As of 1 January 2006, there were 26 inmates on death row. 11
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16
Migration
Indiana’s early settlers were predominantly northern Europeans who migrated from eastern and southern states. The principal migratory pattern since 1920 has been within the state, from the farms to the cities. Since World War II, Indiana has lost population through a growing migratory movement to other states, mostly to Florida and the Southwest. Between 1990 and 1998, the state had a net gain of 76,000 persons through domestic migration and a net gain of 25,000 in international migration. In 1998, 3,981 foreign immigrants arrived in Indiana. In the period 2000–05, some 55,656 people arrived in the state from other countries, while 17,000 people left the state to move to other states, giving the state a net gain of 38,656 people.
17
Economy
Indiana is both a leading agricultural and industrial state. The state’s industrial development in Indianapolis, Gary, and other cities was based on its plentiful natural resources—coal, natural gas, timber, stone, and clay—and on good transportation facilities. The northwestern corner of the state is the site of one of the world’s greatest concentrations of heavy industry, especially steel. Until the end of the 20th century, manufacturing continued to grow, and between 1997 and 2000 accounted for about 30% of Indiana’s total economic output. In the national recession of 2001, however, manufacturing output fell 9.2%. Many jobs were lost, although the unemployment rate remained below the national average. Indiana’s gross state product (GSP) in 2004 was $227.569 billion, of which industry 12
accounted for 27.8% of GSP, followed by real estate at 9.7%, and health care and social services at 7% of GSP. Of the 125,746 businesses in the state that had employees, 97.6% were small companies.
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Income
In 2004, Indiana had a per capita (per person) personal income of $30,204, which was under the national average of $33,050. For the threeyear period 2002 through 2004, the median household income was $43,003, compared to the national average of $44,473. For the same period, 10.2% of the state’s residents lived below the federal poverty level, compared to the national average of 12.4%.
19
Industry
The industrialization of Indiana that began in the Civil War era was spurred by technological advances in processing agricultural products, manufacturing farm equipment, and improving transportation facilities. Meat-packing plants, textile mills, furniture factories, and wagon works—including Studebaker wagons—were soon followed by metal foundries, machine shops, farm implement plants, and various other durable-goods plants. In 2004, the shipment value of all products manufactured in Indiana was $183.563 billion. Among the leading industry groups were transportation equipment, primary metal products, chemicals, food products, and fabricated metal products. Indiana is also a leading producer of compact discs, elevators, storage batteries, small motors and generators, mobile homes, household furniture, burial caskets, and musiJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Indiana
cal instruments. Most manufacturing plants are located in and around Indianapolis and in the Calumet region. In 2004, the state’s manufacturing sector employed 534,942 people.
20
Labor
In April 2006, the civilian labor force in Indiana numbered 3,252,000, with approximately 159,500 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 4.9%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. Preliminary nonfarm employment data for April 2006 showed that 5.1% of the labor force was employed in construction; 19.2% in manufacturing; 19.6% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 4.7% in financial activities; 9.2% in professional and business services; 12.8% in educational and health services; 9.4% in leisure and hospitality services; and 14.3% in government. Most industrial workers live in Indianapolis and the Calumet area of northwestern Indiana. The American Federation of Labor (AFL) first attempted to organize workers at the US Steel Company’s plant in Gary in 1919, but a strike to get union recognition failed. By 1936, however, the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) had won bargaining rights, and the 40hour workweek from US Steel and union organization spread to other industries throughout the state. In 2005, a total of 346,000 of Indiana’s 2,789,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of a union. This represented 12.4% of those employed, and just above the national average of 12%. The majority of the workers belonged to unions affiliated with the AFL-CIO. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
The Oliver chilled plow was developed by James Oliver, an industrialist who came to South Bend, Indiana, in the 1850s. A superior farm plow made of chilled and hardened steel, it revolutionized farming in the later half of the 19th century. NORTHERN INDIANA HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
21
Agriculture
Agriculture in Indiana is a large and diverse industry that plays a vital role in the economy. The state had 59,300 farms containing 15,000,000 acres (6,800,000 hectares) of farmland. In 2005, cash receipts from the sale of all commodities (crops and livestock) reached $5.4 billion. In the same year, Indiana ranked 16th in the United States in cash receipts from the sale of all commodities. Over 80% of Indiana’s farm operators live on the farm, while more than 55% of farmers have a principal occupation other than farming. 13
Indiana
Corn and soybeans are Indiana’s two main crops. In 2004 the state produced 929.04 million bushels of corn for grain, ranking fifth in the United States. Indiana also grew 287.04 million bushels of soybeans, the third most in the nation. Other principal field crops in 2004 included spearmint, peppermint, and cantaloupes.
22
Domesticated Animals
Indiana dairy farmers produced an estimated 2.9 billion pounds (1.3 billion kilograms) of milk from 149,000 milk cows in 2003. The state’s poultry farmers sold an estimated 24.8 million pounds (11.3 million kilograms) of chicken, and an estimated 396.8 million pounds (179.985 million kilograms) of turkey during 2003. Indiana had an estimated 850,000 cattle and calves worth around $799 million in 2005.
23
Fishing
Fishing is not of commercial importance in Indiana, although fishing for bass, pike, perch, catfish, and trout is a popular sport with Indiana anglers. In 2004, there were 522,389 sport fishing licenses issued by the state. There are eight state fish hatcheries.
24
Forestry
About 20% of Indiana’s total land area was forested in 2004. Indiana has 4,501,000 acres (1,822,000 hectares) of forestland, of which 96%, or 4,342,000 acres (1,757,000 hectares), is considered commercial timberland. Some 75% of the commercial forestland is located in the southern half of Indiana, where oak, hickory, beech, maple, yellow poplar, and ash predominate in the uplands. Soft maple, sweetgum, pin 14
oak, cottonwood, sycamore, and river birch are the most common species found in wetlands and drainage corridors. Indiana’s wood-using industries manufacture everything from the “crinkle” center lining in cardboard boxes to the finest furniture in the world. Other wood products include pallets, desks, fancy face veneer, millwork, flooring, mobile homes, and recreational vehicle components. In 2004, Indiana produced 333 million board feet of lumber. Indiana has always been noted for the quality of its hardwood forests and the trees it produces.
25
Mining
The value of nonfuel mineral production in Indiana in 2004 was $764 million. Nationally, Indiana ranked 22nd in value of nonfuel mineral production. In 2004, cement (portland and masonry) was Indiana’s top nonfuel mineral by value, followed by crushed stone, construction sand and gravel, and lime, which together accounted for 92% of all nonfuel mineral output by the states. The state’s top two mineral commodities by output were crushed stone (2001 estimated output 56 million metric tons) and cement (portland cement production was estimated at 2.86 million metric tons).
26
Energy and Power
Indiana is largely dependent on fossil fuels for its energy supplies. In recent years, petroleum has become an important power source for automobiles, home heating, and electricity. Nevertheless, coal has continued to be the state’s major source of power, meeting about half of Indiana’s energy needs. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Indiana
The Indianapolis skyline featuring the Indiana Convention Center & RCA Dome. The RCA Dome is the home of the Indianapolis Colts professional football team. ROB BANAYOTE.
The state has no nuclear power plants. Electric power produced in Indiana in 2003 totaled 124.888 billion kilowatt hours, with total net summer generating capacity at 25.640 million kilowatts. Of the total produced, 94.3% came from coal-fired plants. As of 2004, Indiana’s proven reserves of crude oil totaled 11 million barrels, with production at 5,000 barrels per day in that same year. Natural gas production in 2004 totaled 1.464 billion cubic feet (0.041 billion cubic meters). Data was unavailable as to the state’s proven reserves of natural gas. In 2004 there were 29 producing coal mines in Indiana, of which 7 were underground and 22 were strip (surface) mines. Indiana’s coal production in that same year totaled 35.11 million Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
tons. Recoverable reserves totaled 398 million tons in 2004.
27
Commerce
Indiana’s wholesale trade sector in 2002 had sales of $79.8 billion, while the state’s retail trade sector had sales that same year of $67.2 billion. Indiana ranked 11th among the 50 states in exports during 2005, when its goods shipped abroad were valued at $21.4 billion.
28
Public Finance
The State Budget Agency acts as a watchdog over state financial affairs. The agency prepares the budget for the governor and presents it to the 15
Indiana
General Assembly. The fiscal year runs from 1 July to 30 June of the following year. The total revenues for 2004 were $26.9 billion, with total expenditures that same year of were $25.37 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($9.04 billion), public welfare ($5.67 billion), and highways ($1.9 billion). The total indebtedness of the state government in 2004 stood at $13.07 billion, or $2,100.50 per person.
29
Taxation
Indiana has a general state sales tax of 6%. As of 1 January 2006, the state had a single individual income tax rate of 3.4%, and a flat corporate tax rate of 8.5%. Indiana also imposes an excise tax on cigarettes and gasoline. Food is not subject to the state sales tax, if it is consumed off premises (such as at home). In 2005, state tax collections totaled $12.854 billion, with 38.9% generated by the state sales taxes, 32.8% by the state personal income tax, 17.1% by state excise taxes, 6.4% by the state corporate income tax, and 4.8% from other taxes. Indiana ranked 31st among the 50 states in per capita (per person) tax burden at $2,049, compared to the national average of $2,192.
30
Health
In October 2005, Indiana had an infant death rate estimated at 7.9 per 1,000 live births. In 2003, the state’s crude death rate stood at 9.1 per 1,000 inhabitants. The principal causes of death were heart disease, cerebrovascular diseases, chronic lower respiratory diseases, and diabetes. About 24.8% of the state’s residents were smokers in 2004. The rate of HIV-related 16
deaths stood at 1.9 per 100,000 population. The reported AIDS case rate was about 6.3 per 100,000 people in 2004. Indiana’s 112 community hospitals had about 18,900 beds in 2003. There were 834 nurses per 100,000 people in 2005, and 222 physicians per 100,000 people in 2004. In that same year, Indiana had 2,939 dentists. In 2003, the average expense of community hospital care was $1,352 per day. In 2004, about 14% of the population was uninsured.
31
Housing
In 2004, the state had an estimated 2,690,619 housing units, of which 2,412,885 were occupied, 71.8% by the owner. About 21% of all units were built before 1939. About 71.5% of all units were single-family, detached homes. Most units relied on utility gas and electricity for heating, but about 1,030 units were equipped for solar power. It was estimated that 158,051 units lacked telephone service, while 10,304 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 12,973 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 2.51 people. In 2004, the construction of 39,200 privately owned housing units were authorized. The median home value was $110,020. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $963. Renters paid a median of $589 per month.
32
Education
Although the 1816 constitution recommended establishment of public schools, the state legislature did not provide funds for education. The constitution of 1851 more specifically outlined the state’s responsibility to support a system of Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Indiana
free public schools. In 2004, of those aged 25 years and over, 87.2% were high school graduates, and 21.1% had completed four or more years of college. Total enrollment in public schools was estimated at 1,009,000 in fall 2003, and was expected to reach 1,029,000 by fall 2014. Enrollment in nonpublic schools in fall 2003 was 109,101. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $10 billion. As of fall 2002, there were 342,064 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In 2005, Indiana had 101 degree-granting institutions. Indiana University, the state’s largest institution of higher education, was founded in 1820. It is one of the largest state universities in the United States, with a total of eight campuses. The Bloomington campus has a nationally recognized music program. Other major state universities include Purdue University (Lafayette), Ball State University (Muncie), and Indiana State University (Terre Haute). Well-known private universities in the state include Notre Dame (at South Bend) and Butler (Indianapolis). Small private colleges and universities include DePauw (Greencastle), Earlham (Richmond), Hanover (Hanover), and Wabash (Crawfordsville).
33
Arts
The earliest center for artists in Indiana was the Art Association of Indianapolis, founded in 1883. Around 1900, art colonies sprang up in Richmond, Muncie, South Bend, and Nashville. Indianapolis remains the state’s cultural center. Since 1969, the Indiana Arts Commission has taken art and artists into many Indiana communities. The commission also sponsors biennial awards to artists in the state. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
University of Notre Dame, Hesburgh Library. SOUTH BEND/MISHAWAKA CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU.
The state’s first resident theater company was established in Indianapolis in 1840 and the first theater building, the Metropolitan, was opened there in 1858. Ten years later, the Academy of Music was founded as the center for dramatic activities in Indianapolis. In 1875, the Grand Opera House opened there and the following year it was joined by the English Opera House. Amateur theater has been popular since the 1915 founding of the nation’s oldest amateur drama group, the Little Theater Society, which later became the Civic Theater of Indianapolis. Music has flourished in Indiana. Connersville reportedly was the first American city to establish a high school band, while Richmond claims 17
Indiana
the first high school symphony orchestra. The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1930. There are 23 other symphony orchestras in the state. Indianapolis Opera was founded in 1975. The annual Indiana Fiddlers’ Gathering, founded in 1973, is a three-day festival featuring the bluegrass, swing fiddle, string band, and Celtic and other ethnic music. The Indiana Humanities Council sponsors programs that include Habits of the Heart, a youth volunteer leadership development program, and History Alive, an educational program featuring live portrayals of famous historical figures.
34
Libraries and Museums
In 2001 there were 239 public library systems in Indiana, with a total of 430 libraries, of which 191 were branches. The largest book collections are at public libraries in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Gary, Evansville, Merrillville, and Hammond. The total book stock of all Indiana public libraries was 22.14 million volumes in 2001, with a total circulation of 62.7 million. The Indiana State Library has a large collection of documents about Indiana’s history and a large genealogical collection. The Indiana University Library has special collections on American literature and history and an extensive collection of rare books. The University of Notre Dame has a noteworthy collection on medieval history. Also of note are the General Lew Wallace Study Museum in Crawfordsville, and the Elwood Haynes Museum of early technology in Kokomo. In 2000, Indiana had 179 museums. Many county historical societies maintain smaller
18
museums, such as the Wayne County Historical Museum. Indiana’s historic sites include the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial near Gentryville, the Levi Coffin Home (one of the Underground Railroad stops) in Fountain City, and the Benjamin Harrison Memorial Home in Indianapolis.
35
Communications
In 2004, about 91.8% of all households had telephone service. The state’s first radio station was licensed in 1922 at Purdue University, Lafayette. Indiana had 20 major AM, 102 major FM radio stations, and 30 television stations as of 2005. Powerful radio and television transmissions from Chicago and Cincinnati also blanket the state. In 1999, the Indianapolis area had 963,320 television households, 65% of which received cable. A total of 73,696 Internet domain names were registered in the state in 2000. In 2003, computers were in 59.6% of all Indiana households, while 51% had Internet access. As of June 2004, there were over 2.8 million mobile telephone service subscribers.
36
Press
In 2005, the state had 24 morning dailies, 44 evening dailies, and 25 Sunday papers. In 2005, the morning Indianapolis Star had a daily circulation of 252,021 (Sunday circulation, 358,261), while the circulation of Gary’s Post-Tribune averaged 65,621 daily and 73,795 on Sundays. A number of national magazines are published in Indiana, including Children’s Digest and The Saturday Evening Post.
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Indiana
Many Hoosier authors were first published by Indiana’s major book publisher, BobbsMerrill. Indiana University Press is an important publisher of scholarly books.
37
Tourism, Travel & Recreation
In 2004, there were about 57.7 million visitors to the state, who spent $6.5 billion. The tourist industry supported about 94,000 full-time jobs. About 70% of visitors participate in outdoor activities, many within one of three national parks. Summer resorts are located in the north, along Lake Michigan and in Steuben and Kosciusko counties, where there are nearly 200 lakes. Popular tourist sites include the reconstructed village of New Harmony, site of famous communal living experiments in the early 19th century; the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Museum; and the George Rogers Clark National Historic Park at Vincennes. Among the natural attractions are the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore on Lake Michigan; the state’s largest waterfall, Cataract Falls, near Cloverdale; and the largest underground cavern, at Wyandotte. Indiana has 23 state parks, comprising 59,292 acres (21,800 hectares). The largest state park is Brown County (15,543 acres—6,290 hectares), near Nashville. There are 15 state fish and wildlife preserves, totaling about 75,200 acres (30,400 hectares).
38
Sports
Professional teams in Indiana include the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association, the Indiana Fever of the Women’s National
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
A kayaker looking at Century Center, South Bend. SOUTH BEND/MISHAWAKA CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU.
Basketball Association, and the National Football League’s Colts, who moved to Indianapolis from Baltimore in 1984. There are also several minor league baseball, basketball, and hockey teams in the state. The state’s biggest annual sports event is the Indianapolis 500. The race is now part of a threeday Indiana festival held over Memorial Day weekend that attracts crowds of over 300,000 spectators, the largest crowd for any sporting event anywhere in the world. The state’s most popular amateur sport is basketball. The high school tournaments for both boys and girls are big events. Basketball is also popular at the college level, with teams
19
Indiana
from Indiana University, Purdue University, and Indiana State holding a number of championship titles. Evansville College won the NCAA Division II championships three times. College football is also popular. The Fighting Irish football team from the University of Notre Dame competes as an independent team. They have won ten bowl games. Football teams from Indiana University and Purdue University compete in the Big Ten. The team from Indiana State University is part of the Missouri Valley Conference. The Little 500, a 50-mile (80-kilometer) bicycle race, is held each spring at Indiana University’s Bloomington campus. Other annual sporting events include the National Muzzle-loading Rifle Association Championship Shoot, which is held in Friendship in September, and the Sugar Creek canoe race, which is held in Crawfordsville in April.
39
Famous Indianans
Indiana has contributed one US president and five vice-presidents to the nation. Benjamin Harrison (b.Ohio, 1833–1901), the 23rd president, was a Republican who served one term (1889–1893) and then returned to Indianapolis, where his home is now a national historic landmark. Three vice-presidents were Indiana residents: Thomas Hendricks (b.Ohio, 1819–1885), who served only eight months under President Cleveland and died in office; Schuyler Colfax (b.New York, 1823–1885), who served under President Grant; and Charles Fairbanks (b.Ohio, 1852–1918), who served under Theodore Roosevelt. Two vicepresidents were native sons: Thomas Marshall of North Manchester (1854–1925), who served two four-year terms with President Wilson; 20
James Whitcomb Riley (1849–1916) was one of Indiana’s best known poets. EPD PHOTOS.
and J(ames) Danforth Quayle of Indianapolis (b.1947), who served with President George H. W. Bush during 1989–93. Only one Hoosier, Sherman Minton (1890– 1965), has served on the US Supreme Court. Ambrose Burnside (1824–1881), and Lew Wallace (1827–1905) were Union generals during the Civil War. Harold C. Urey (1893–1981) won the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 1934, and Wendell Stanley (1904–1971) won it in 1946. The Nobel Prize in economics was awarded to Paul Samuelson (b. 1915) in 1970. Booth Tarkington (1869–1946) won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1918 and Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Indiana
1921. A. B. Guthrie (1901–1991) won it for fiction in 1950. Aviation pioneer Wilbur Wright (1867–1912) was born in Millville. Juvenile writer Annie Fellows Johnston (1863–1931) produced the “Little Colonel” series. Other notable Indiana novelists include Theodore Dreiser (1871–1945), Jessamyn West (1907–1984), and Kurt Vonnegut (b.1922). Composers of Indiana origin have worked mainly in popular music: Cole Porter (1893– 1964) and Howard Hoagland “Hoagy” Carmichael (1899–1981). Entertainers from Indiana include David Letterman (b.1947) and singer Michael Jackson (b.1958). Hoosier sports heroes include Knute Rockne (b.Norway, 1888–1931), famed as a football player and coach at Notre Dame. Larry Bird (b.1956) was college basketball’s player of the year at Indiana State University in 1978/79 and went on to play for the Boston Celtics of the NBA in the 1980s; in 1998 he became head coach of the NBA’s Indiana Pacers.
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
40
Bibliography
BOOKS Brill, Marlene Targ. Indiana. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2006. Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Brown, Jonatha A. Indiana. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2006. Fish, Bruce. Indy Car Racing. Philadelphia, PA: Chelsea House, 2000. Heinrichs, Ann. Indiana. New York: Children’s Press, 2000. McAuliffe, Bill. Indiana Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003. Murray, Julie. Indiana. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Nelson, Julie. Indianapolis Colts. Mankato, MN: Creative Education, 2000. WEB SITES Government of Indiana. www.IN.gov. www.in.gov (accessed March 1, 2007). Indiana Traveler: Regional Tourism Office & Information Links. www.indianatraveler.com/ tourism.htm (accessed March 1, 2007).
21
Iowa State of Iowa
O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Named for Iowa Indians
of the Siouan family. N I CKNAME : The Hawkeye State. C AP ITAL: Des Moines. ENT ERED UNION: 28 December 1846 (29th). O FFICIAL SEAL: A sheaf and field of standing wheat
and farm utensils represent agriculture; a lead furnace and a pile of pig lead are to the right. In the center stands a citizen-soldier holding a US flag with a liberty cap atop the staff in one hand and a rifle in the other. Behind him is the Mississippi River with the steamer Iowa and mountains; above him an eagle holds the state motto. Surrounding this scene are the words “The Great Seal of the State of Iowa” against a gold background. FLAG: There are three vertical stripes of blue, white, and red; in the center a spreading eagle holds in its beak a blue ribbon with the state motto. M OT TO: Our Liberties We Prize and Our Rights We Will Maintain. SONG: “The Song of Iowa.” FLOWER: Wild rose. TREE: Oak. B IRD: Eastern goldfinch. R OCK OR STONE: Geode. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 6 AM CST = noon GMT.
1
Location and Size
Located in the western north-central United States, Iowa is the smallest of the Midwestern states west of the Mississippi River and ranks 25th in size among the 50 states. The total area of Iowa is 56,275 square miles (145,752 square kilometers), of which land takes up 55,965 square miles (144,949 square kilometers) and inland water 310 square miles (803 square kilometers). The state extends 324 miles (521 kilometers) east-west and 210 miles (338 kilometers) north-south. Its total boundary length is 1,151 miles (1,853 kilometers). 23
Iowa
2
Topography
The physical terrain of Iowa consists of a gently rolling plain that slopes from the highest point of 1,670 feet (509 meters) in the northwest to the lowest point of 480 feet (146 meters) in the southeast at the mouth of the Des Moines River. Iowa has the richest and deepest topsoil in the United States. The major rivers are the Mississippi River and the Missouri River. Iowa has 13 natural lakes. The largest are Spirit Lake, at about 9 miles (14 kilometers) long) and West Okoboji Lake, at 6 miles (10 kilometers) long. Both are near the state’s northwest border.
3
2,982,085 1.9% 3.7% 98.9% 93.5% 2.2% 0.2% 1.5% 0.0% 1.5% 1.1%
Population by Age Group
Under 18 (23%)
Plants and Animals
Although most of Iowa is under cultivation, such unusual wild specimens as bunchberry and bearberry can be found in the northeast. Other notable plants are pink lady’s slipper and twin24
Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:
65 and over (14%)
Climate
Iowa lies in the humid continental zone and generally has hot summers, cold winters, and wet springs. Temperatures vary widely during the year, with an annual average of 49°f (9°c). Des Moines, in the central part of the state, has a normal daily maximum temperature of 86°f (30°c) in July and a normal daily minimum of 11°f (-4°c) in January. The record low temperature for the state of Iowa is -47°f (–44°c), set as Washta on 12 January 1912. That record was matched on 3 February 1996 in Elkader. The record high is 118°f (48°c), set at Keokuk on 20 July 1934. Annual precipitation averages 32.4 inches (82 centimeters) in Des Moines. Average snowfall statewide is 33.2 inches (84 centimeters).
4
Iowa Population Profile
45 to 64 (26%)
18 to 24 (10%)
25 to 44 (27%)
Major Cities by Population City Des Moines Cedar Rapids Davenport Sioux Waterloo Iowa Council Bluffs Dubuque West Des Moines Ames
Population
% change 2000–05
194,163 123,119 98,845 83,148 66,483 62,887 59,568 57,798 52,768 52,263
-2.3 2.0 0.5 -2.2 -3.3 1.1 2.2 0.2 13.7 3.0
Notes: †A person of Hispanic or Latino origin may be of any race. NA indicates that data are not available. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey and Population Estimates. www.census.gov/ (accessed March 2007).
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
SOUTH DAKOTA
Iowa
MINNESOTA
LYON
KOSSUTH
Ft. Defiance St. Park
Trappers Bay St. Park
SIOUX
CLAY
WORTH
WINNEBAGO
PALO ALTO
HANCOCK
CERRO GORDO
O’BRIEN
Mill Creek St. Park
PLYMOUTH
Flo yd R.
POCAHONTAS
BUENA VISTA
HUMBOLDT
Echo Valley S. P.
BREMER
BUTLER
ke y
WEBSTER SAC
IDA
HAMILTON
Backbone S. P.
Cedar Falls
GRUNDY
Dubuque
HARDIN
Litt le
Ft. Dodge
. ri R sou Mis
Black Hawk Lake S. P.
MONONA
CRAWFORD
CARROLL
GREENE
BOONE
R.
Swan Lake S. P.
Ames
SHELBY
AUDUBON
GUTHRIE
JASPER
POLK
DALLAS
380
LINN
Union Grove State Park
Marshalltown Rock Creek S. P.
yer Bo HARRISON
BENTON
TAMA
MARSHALL
STORY
Ledges S. P.
Waterloo
Pine Lake S. P.
. Io wa R
Sioux City
WISCONSIN
DUBUQUE
DELAWARE
BUCHANAN
BLACK HAWK
CALHOUN
Yellow River St. Forest
R.
35
Sio ux
WOODBURY
CLAYTON
FAYETTE
FRANKLIN
R.
Stone S. P.
Mason City
WRIGHT
Upper Mississippi River Wildlife and Fish Refuge
ALLAMAKEE
Effigy Mounds Nat’l Mon.
CHICKASW
FLOYD
Clear Lake S. P.
CHEROKEE
WINNESHIEK
HOWARD
i R. ssipp Missi
Oak Grove St. Park
MITCHELL
Union Slough N. W. R.
r Tu
Big Siou x R.
EMMET
DICKINSON
OSCEOLA
Wa p
Cedar Rapids
Mesquakie Ind. Res.
JACKSON
JONES
s ip
in i
co n
Maq uo keta
R.
R. CLINTON
Clinton
CEDAR
JOHNSON
POWESHIEK
IOWA SCOTT
De Soto National Wildlife Refuge
80
West Des Moines
29
Iowa City
MUSCATINE
Des Moines
680
CASS
POTTAWATTAMIE
80
R.
Council Bluffs
MILLS
MONTGOMERY
ADAMS
UNION
CLARKE
LOUISA
Lake Darling St. Park WAPELLO
Lake of Three Fires S. P.
RINGGOLD
DECATUR
Nine Eagles S. P.
DAVIS
WAYNE
Bobwhite S. P.
280
Bettendorf Davenport
Mark Twain National Wildlife Refuge
DES MOINES
Rathbun Lake TAYLOR
Wildcat Den S. P.
HENRY
JEFFERSON
Stephens St. For.
Viking Lake S. P. PAGE
MONROE
LUCAS
WASHINGTON
k un Sk
FREMONT
Lake Red Rock
Pammel 35 St. Park
Nish nab otna
80
KEOKUK
MAHASKA
MARION
WARREN
MADISON
ADAIR
APPANOOSE
De s
LEE
Burlington R.
Shimek S. F. es oin M
NEBRASKA
VAN BUREN
R.
ILLINOIS
IOWA Explanation Point of Interest City (25,000-100,000 people) City (more than 100,000 people)
MISSOURI
State Capital
80
U.S. Interstate Route Area of Interest
N 0 0
25 25
50 miles 50 kilometers
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
25
Iowa
leaf. More than 80 native plants have become extinct in the area and at least 35 others are confined to a single location. The federal government classified five plant species as threatened as of April 2006. Among these are the northern wild monkshood and the eastern and western prairie fringed orchids. Common Iowa mammals include red and gray foxes, raccoon, opossum, and woodchuck. Common birds include the cardinal, rosebreasted grosbeak, and eastern goldfinch (the state bird). Game fish include rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, and walleye. In all Iowa has 140 native fish species. Rare animals include the pygmy shrew, ermine, black-billed cuckoo, and crystal darter. As of April 2006, the US Fish and Wildlife Service listed eight threatened or endangered species, including the Indiana bat, bald eagle, Higgins’ eye pearlymussel, piping plover, Topeka Shiner, Iowa Pleistocene snail, pallid sturgeon, and least tern.
5
Environmental Protection
Conservation measures in Iowa are generally directed toward preventing soil erosion and preserving watershed runoff. Other concerns include with improving air quality, preventing chemical pollution, and preserving water supplies. In 1997, wetlands covered 1.2% of Iowa. The Wetlands Reserve Program of 1990 was created to reclaim some of the state’s lost wetlands. The Department of Water, Air and Waste Management, established in 1983, regulates operation of the state’s 2,900 public water supply systems. The department also enforces laws prohibiting open dumping of solid wastes, monitors the handling of hazardous wastes, estab26
lishes standards for air quality, and regulates the emission of air pollutants from more than 600 industries and utilities. In 2003, Iowa had 172 hazardous waste sites listed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s database, 11 of which were on the National Priorities List in 2006.
6
Population
In 2005, Iowa ranked 30th of the 50 states in population with an estimated total of 2,982,085 residents. In 2004, population density was 52.9 persons per square mile (20.4 persons per square kilometer). The median age of all residents in 2004 was 38. In 2005, about 14% of the people were 65 or older while just over 23% were 18 or younger. In 2005, the largest cities and their estimated populations were Des Moines, 194,163 and Cedar Rapids, 123,119.
7
Ethnic Groups
In the 2000 census, Iowa had 61,853 black Americans, 8,989 Native Americans, and 82,473 Hispanics and Latinos living in the state. Among Iowans of European descent, there were 1,046,153 Germans, representing about 35.7% of the population. Other groups included 395,905 Irish residents and 277,487 English residents. The foreign-born population numbered 91,085. The primary countries of origin included Germany, Mexico, Laos, Canada, Korea, and Vietnam.
8
Languages
Iowa English reflects the three major migration streams: Northern in the half of the state above Des Moines, North Midland in the southern half, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Iowa
Iowa Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number
Percent
Total population. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2,926,324 . . . . . 100.0 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2,894,546 . . . . . . 98.9 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29,959 . . . . . . . 1.0 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,856 . . . . . . . 0.3 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,075 . . . . . . . 0.2 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,369 . . . . . . . 0.1 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .468 . . . . . . . . — White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,049 . . . . . . . 0.2 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . .577 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .266 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .634 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .198 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . .24 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .299 . . . . . . . . — Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .275 . . . . . . . . — Asian and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .750 . . . . . . . . — Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 . . . . . . . . — Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,819 . . . . . . . 0.1 Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.
and a slight South Midland trace in the extreme southeastern corner. Northern words that contrast with Midland words include: crab for crawdad, corn on the cob for roasting ears, barnyard for barn lot, and gopher for ground squirrel. In 2000, 94.2% of all Iowans aged five or more spoke only English at home. Other languages reported by Iowans, and the number speaking each at home, included Spanish, 79,491; German, 17,262; and French, 7,476.
9
Religions
The first church building in Iowa was constructed by Methodists in Dubuque in 1834. A Roman Catholic church was built in Dubuque Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
the following year. Mainline Protestantism is predominant in the state even though the largest single Protestant denomination is the Evangelical Free Church of America, which had about 268,211 members in 2000. Other major Protestant denominations include the United Methodist Church (with 195,024 adherents in 2004), the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (120,075 adherents in 2000), the Presbyterian Church USA (69,974 adherents in 2000), and the United Church of Christ (36,326 adherents in 2005). Roman Catholic Church membership was about 506,698 in 2004. The Jewish community had about 6,400 members in 2000. Muslims numbered about 4,717. Nearly 41.5% 27
Iowa
Des Moines has the largest skywalk system per capita in the world. GREATER DES MOINES CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU.
(over 1.2 million) of the state population did not specify a religious affiliation.
10
Transportation
The early settlers came to Iowa by way of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers and the Great Lakes, then traveled overland on trails via wagon and stagecoach. The need of Iowa farmers to haul their products to market over long distances prompted the development of the railroads. In 2003, Iowa had 4,248 miles (6,839 kilometers) of track. Amtrak operates the long-distance California Zephyr (Chicago to Oakland, California) and Southwest Chief (Chicago to Los Angeles, California), serving six major stations in Iowa. 28
Iowa had 113,377 miles (182,462 kilometers) of public roadway in 2004. In 2004, there were 3,461,000 registered vehicles in the state, including 1,872,000 automobiles, 1,448,000 trucks, and around 1,000 buses. There were 2,003,723 licensed drivers. Iowa is bordered by two great navigable rivers, the Mississippi and the Missouri. They provided excellent transport facilities for the early settlers via keelboats and paddle-wheel steamers. Today, rivers remain an important part of Iowa’s intermodal transportation system, providing shippers a gateway to an extensive inland waterway system that has access to ports in St. Paul, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Houston, and New Orleans. Most docks in Iowa are privately owned and all are privately operated. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Iowa
Iowa’s busiest airfield is Des Moines Municipal Airport, which handled 975,859 passengers in 2004.
11
History
The first permanent settlers of the land were the Woodland Indians, who built villages in the forested areas along the Mississippi River and introduced agriculture. Not until June 1673 did the first known white men, explorer Louis Jolliet and the Catholic priest Jacques Marquette, come to the territory. Iowa was part of the vast Louisiana Territory that extended from the Gulf of Mexico to the Canadian border and was ruled by the French until the title was transferred to Spain in 1762. Napoleon took the territory back in 1800 and then promptly sold all of Louisiana Territory to the amazed American envoys who had come to Paris seeking only the purchase of New Orleans and the mouth of the Mississippi. After Iowa had thus come under US control in 1803, the Lewis and Clark expedition worked its way up the Missouri River to explore the newly purchased land. Placed under the territorial jurisdiction of Michigan in 1834, and then two years later under the newly created Territory of Wisconsin, Iowa became a separate territory in 1838. The first territorial governor, Robert Lucas, began planning for statehood by drawing aggressive boundary lines that extended county boundaries and local government westward and northward. Under the Missouri Compromise, Iowa came into the Union with Florida as its slaveholding counterpart. A serious dispute, concerning how large the state would be, delayed Iowa’s admission into the Union until 28 December 1846. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
State Development The settlement of Iowa was
rapidly accomplished. With one-fourth of the nation’s fertile topsoil located within its borders, Iowa was a powerful magnet that drew farmers by the thousands from many areas. The settlers were overwhelmingly Protestant in religion and remarkably uniform in ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Fiercely proud of its claim to be the first free state created out of the Louisiana Purchase, Iowa was an important center of abolitionist sentiment throughout the 1850s. The Underground Railroad for fugitive slaves from the South ran across the southern portion of Iowa to the Mississippi River. When the Civil War came, Iowa overwhelmingly supported the Union cause. The railroad had been lavishly welcomed by Iowans in the 1850s. By the 1870s, Iowa farmers were battling the railroad interests for effective regulatory legislation. The National Grange (an association of farmers) was powerful enough in Iowa to push through the so-called Granger laws regulating the railroads. Following World War I, conservatives regained control of the ruling Republican Party and remained in control until the 1960s. Then new liberal leadership was forced on the party after the disastrous 1964 presidential campaign of Barry Goldwater and effective opposition from a revitalized Democratic Party led by Harold Hughes. After Hughes gave up the governorship in 1969 to become a US senator, he was succeeded in office by Robert Ray, a liberal Republican who dominated the state throughout the 1970s. Iowa’s economy suffered in the 1980s from a combination of high debt and interest rates, numerous droughts, and low crop prices. Businesses departed or shrank their work forces. 29
Iowa
The five-domed state capitol in Des Moines has a 23-karat gold center dome. GREATER DES MOINES CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU.
By the 1990s, however, the companies that had survived were in a much stronger position, and Iowa began enjoying a period of cautious prosperity. The state’s unemployment rate in 1992 was 4.7%, lower than the national average. By 1999, it had dropped to 2.5%, the lowest rate in the nation. In Iowa, as elsewhere in the Midwest, high-tech and service industries continued to pull workers away from farming— and away from the state, causing many to worry about a disappearing way of life. By 2003, the United States economy was slowly recovering from its 2001 recession, and Iowa was also feeling the effects. In 2005, the state was pursuing a comprehensive economic growth strategy focusing on renewable energy, life sciences, financial services, advanced man30
ufacturing, and improving cultural and recreational opportunities. The governor made Iowa’s energy independence a goal, and to that effect, the state from 2000 to 2005 nearly tripled its ethanol production and by 2006 was projected to be the nation’s leading producer of ethanol. In 1993, unusually heavy spring and summer rains produced record floods along the Mississippi River by mid-July. The entire state of Iowa was declared a disaster area. The floods forced 11,200 people to evacuate their homes and caused $2.2 billion in damages.
12
State Government
The state legislature, or general assembly, consists of a 50-member senate and a 100-member house of representatives. Senators serve four-year Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Iowa
Iowa Governors: 1846–2007 1846–1850 1850–1854 1854–1858 1858–1860 1860–1864 1864–1868 1868–1872 1872–1876 1876–1877 1877–1878 1878–1882 1882–1886 1886–1890 1890–1894 1894–1896 1896–1898 1898–1902 1902–1908 1908–1909 1909–1913 1913–1917 1917–1921 1921–1925
Ansel Briggs Stepehn P. Hempstead James Wilson Grimes Ralph Phillips Lowe Samuel Jordan Kirkwood William Milo Stone Samuel Merrill Cyrus Clay Carpenter Samuel Jordan Kirkwood Joshua G. Newbold John Henry Gear Buren Robinson Sherman William Larrabee Horace Boies Frank Darr Jackson Francis Marion Drake Leslie Mortier Shaw Albert Baird Cummins Warren Garst Beryl Franklin Carroll George W. Clarke William Lloyd Harding Nathan Edward Kendall
Democrat Democrat Whig Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican
terms, with half the members elected every two years; representatives serve two-year terms. Each house may introduce or amend legislation, with a simple majority vote required for passage. The governor’s veto of a bill may be overridden by a two-thirds majority in both houses. The state’s elected executives are the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor, treasurer, attorney general, and secretary of agriculture. As of December 2004, the governor’s salary was $107,482, and the legislative salary was $21,380.54.
13
Political Parties
For 70 years following the Civil War, a majority of Iowa voters supported the Republicans over the Democrats in nearly all state and national elections. During the Great Depression of the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
1925–1931 1931–1933 1933–1937 1937–1939 1939–1943 1943–1945 1945–1949 1949–1954 1954–1955 1955–1957 1957–1961 1961–1963 1863–1969 1969 1969–1983 1983–1999 1999–2006 2006–
John Hammill Republican Daniel Webster Turner Republican Clyde LaVerne Herring Democrat Nelson George Kraschel Democrat George Allison Wilson Republican Bourke Blakemore Hickenlooper Republican Robert Donald Blue Republican William S. Beardsley Republican Leo Elthon Republican Leo Arthur Hoegh Republican Herschel Celiel Loveless Democrat Norman Arthur Erbe Republican Harold Everett Hughes Democrat Robert David Fulton Democrat Robert D. Day Republican Terry Edward Branstad Republican Thomas J. Vilsack Democrat Chester Culver Democrat
Democratic Republican – Dem-Rep Independent – Indep National Republican – Nat-Rep
1930s, Iowa briefly turned to the Democrats, supporting Franklin D. Roosevelt in two presidential elections. However, from 1940 through 1984, the majority of Iowans voted Republican in 10 of 12 presidential elections. Democrats carried the state in four recent presidential contests (1988, 1992, 1996, 2000), but turned Republican again in 2004. Republicans won 35 of the 45 gubernatorial elections from 1900 through 2002 and controlled both houses of the state legislature for 112 of the 130 years from 1855 to 1984. In the 2000 elections, Iowa gave Democrat Al Gore 49% of the vote, while Republican George W. Bush received 48%. In 2004, Bush increased his support to 50% to Democrat John Kerry’s 49%. As of the 2006 elections, Democrats had a 3–2 edge in the US House delegation, while a Democrat and a Republican both served in 31
Iowa
Iowa Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR
IOWA WINNER
DEMOCRAT
REPUBLICAN
PROGRESSIVE
PROHIBITION
SOCIALIST LABOR
1948 1952
*Truman (D) *Eisenhower (R)
522,380 451,513
494,018 808,906
12,125 5,085
3,382 2,882
4,274 —
1956 1960 1964
*Eisenhower (R) Nixon (R) *Johnson (D)
501,858 550,565 733,030
729,187 722,381 449,148
— — —
— — 1,902
SOC. WORKERS
AMERICAN IND.
1968
*Nixon (R)
476,699
619,106
3,377
66,422
CONSTITUTION
AMERICAN
1972
*Nixon (R)
496,206
706,207
3,202 — — — PEACE & FREEDOM
22,056
—
1,332 LIBERTARIAN
1976
Ford (R)
619,931
632,863
—
3,040
1,452
— — 540
12,324 — 2,494
3,079 —
1,177 2,315
CITIZENS
1980 1984 1988
*Reagan (R) *Reagan (R) Dukakis (D)
508,672 605,620 670,557
676,026 703,088 545,355
2,191 — 755
1992 1996
*Clinton (D) *Clinton (D)
586,353 620,258
504,891 492,644
253,468 105,159
638,517 741,898
634,373 751,957
29,374 —
IND. (PEROT)
REFORM
2000 Gore (D) 2004 *Bush, G. W. (R) * Won US presidential election.
the US Senate—Republican Charles Grassley, who won election to a fifth term in 2004, and Democrat Tom Harkin, who won reelection for a fourth term in 2002. Democrat Chet Culver won election as governor in 2006. Following the 2006 elections, there were 30 Democrats and 20 Republicans in the state senate, and 54 Democrats, 45 Republicans, and 1 Independent in the state house. There were 30 women serving in the state legislature following the 2006 elections, or 20%. Iowa’s presidential caucuses are held in January of presidential campaign years (ahead of New Hampshire, which also has a primary in January). This is earlier than any other state, thus giving Iowans a degree of influence in national politics. 32
14
5,731 —
190 —
Local Government
The state’s 99 counties are governed by boards of supervisors. County officials enforce state laws, collect taxes, supervise welfare activities, and manage roads and bridges. Local government was exercised by 948 municipal units in 2005. The mayor-council system functioned in the great majority of these municipalities. The power to tax is authorized by the state general assembly. In 2005, there were 374 public school districts and 542 special districts.
15
Judicial System
The Iowa supreme court consists of seven justices appointed by the governor, who select one of their number as chief justice. The court exercises Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Iowa
appeals jurisdiction in civil and criminal cases, supervises the trial courts, and establishes the rules of civil and appeals procedure. The supreme court transfers certain cases to the six-member court of appeals. The state is divided into eight judicial districts, each with a chief justice. Iowa’s violent crime rate (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) in 2004 was 270.9 per 100,000 population. Crimes against property (burglary, larceny/theft, and motor vehicle theft) in 2004 totaled 2,905.3 reported incidents per 100,000 people. Iowa does not have a death penalty. As of 31 December 2004, there were 8,525 prisoners in federal and state institutions.
16
Migration
Iowa was opened, organized, and settled by a generation of native migrants from other states. Around the 1850s, the largest group of foreign immigrants were Germans who had fled military conscription. The next largest group had sought to escape the hardships of potato famine in Ireland or of agricultural and technological displacement in Scotland, England, and Wales. They were joined in the by Dutch immigrants seeking religious liberty and by Norwegians and Swedes. During and immediately after the Civil War, some former slaves fled the South for Iowa, and more blacks settled in Iowa cities after 1900. But many of the migrants who came to Iowa did not stay long. Some Iowans left to join the gold rush and others settled lands in the West. In the period 2000–05, a net total of 29,386 moved into the state from other countries and a net 41,140 people moved to other states, for a net loss of 11,754 people. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
17
Economy
Iowa’s economy is based on agriculture. Although the value of the state’s manufactures exceeds the value of its farm production, manufacturing is basically farm-centered. The major industries are food processing and the manufacture of agriculture-related products, such as farm machinery. Technological progress in agriculture and the growth of manufacturing industries have enabled Iowans to enjoy general prosperity since World War II. In the early 1980s, however, high interest rates and falling land prices created serious economic difficulties for farmers and contributed to the continuing decline of the farm population. By the early 1990s, the state had recovered. The national recession of 2001 had a relatively mild effect on Indiana’s unemployment rate. Agricultural production was positive in 2002, largely because Iowa escaped the drought that was harming other states in the region.
18
Income
In 2005, Iowa ranked 30th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a gross state product (GSP) of $114 billion. In 2004, Iowa had a per capita personal income of $31,058. This ranked 28th in the United States; the national average was $33,050. The three-year average median household income for 2002–04 was $43,042, compared to the national average of $44,473. For the period 2002–04, 9.7% of the state’s residents lived below the federal poverty level, as compared to 12.4% nationwide. 33
Iowa
19
Industry
Because Iowa was primarily a farm state, the first industries were food processing and the manufacture of farm implements. These industries have retained a key role in the economy. In recent years, Iowa has added a variety of others—including pens, washing machines, and even mobile homes. The estimated total value of shipments by manufacturers was $79.47 billion in 2004.
20
Labor
In April 2006, the seasonally adjusted civilian labor force in Iowa numbered 1,674,200, with approximately 59,800 workers unemployed. Iowa’s unemployment rate of 3.6% was below the overall US rate of 4.7%. As of April 2006, approximately 5% of the labor force was employed in construction; 15.5% in manufacturing; 20.5% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 6.6% in financial activities; 16.4% in government; 7.6% in professional and business services; 13.2% in education and health services; and 8.7% in leisure and hospitality services. The labor movement generally has not been strong in Iowa, and labor unions have had little success in organizing farm laborers. The Knights of Labor, consisting mostly of miners and railroad workers, was organized in Iowa in 1876. But the Knights practically disappeared after 1893, when the American Federation of Labor (AFL) established itself in the state among miners and other workers. The Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) succeeded in organizing workers in public utilities, meat packing, and light industries in 1937. After 1955, when the 34
AFL and CIO merged, the power and influence of labor unions increased in the state. In 2005, 157,000 of Iowa’s 1,369,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions. This represented 11.5% of those so employed. The national average is 12%.
21
Agriculture
Iowa recorded a gross farm income of $14.2 billion in 2005, the third highest in the United States. Nearly half of all cash receipts from marketing came from the sale of livestock and meat products. During 2000–04, Iowa ranked first in output of corn for grain and soybeans and fifth for oats. Two important 20th-century developments were the introduction in the 1920s of hybrid corn and the utilization on a massive scale of soybeans as a feed grain (during World War II). In 2004, Iowa had 89,700 farms, with an average size of 353 acres (143 hectares) per farm. Nearly all of Iowa’s land is tillable and about nine-tenths of it is given to farmland. Corn is grown practically everywhere; wheat is raised in the southern half of the state and in counties bordering the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. In 2004, production of corn for grain totaled 2.24 billion bushels, soybeans totaled 497.4 million bushels, oats totaled 10.1 million bushels, and hay totaled 6.24 million tons.
22
Domesticated Animals
Iowa had an estimated 3.6 million cattle and calves in 2005, worth around $3.2 billion. In 2004, Iowa was ranked first among the 50 states in the number of hogs and pigs with 16.1 million, worth around $1.77 billion. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Iowa
Pigs, calves, lambs, and chickens are raised throughout the state, particularly in the Mississippi and Missouri river valleys, where good pasture and water are plentiful. Iowa farmers are leaders in applying modern livestock breeding methods to produce lean hogs, tender corn-fed cattle, and larger-breasted chickens and turkeys. In 2003, Iowa farmers produced an estimated 30.7 million pounds (14 million kilograms) of sheep and lambs, which grossed a total of around $31.6 million. Also during 2003, Iowa farmers produced 267.7 million pounds (121.6 million kilograms) of turkeys, worth $96.4 million. In the same year an estimated 10.4 billion eggs were produced, worth around $460.5 million. Iowa dairy farmers produced 3.8 billion pounds (1.7 million kilograms) of milk from 201,000 dairy cows in 2003.
23
Fishing
Fishing has very little commercial importance in Iowa. Game fishing in the rivers and lakes, however, is a popular sport. In 2004, there were 429,689 sport fishermen licensed in the state.
24
Forestry
Lumber and woodworking were important to the early settlers, but the industry has since declined in commercial importance. In 2004, Iowa had 2.7 million acres (1.1 million hectares) of forestland, which represents 7.5% of the state’s land area, up from 1.6 million acres (650,000 hectares) in 1974. The state’s lumber industry produced 78 million board feet of lumber in 2004. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
25
Mining
The value of nonfuel mineral production in Iowa was estimated at $478 million in 2003. The top products were crushed stone, construction sand and gravel, cement, crude gypsum, which collectively accounted for 97% of the total mineral value produced. In 2001, Iowa ranked second in production of crude gypsum. In 2003, Iowa was a significant producer of crushed stone (34.7 million metric tons), portland cement, and construction sand and gravel (13 million metric tons). The state is also a producer of common clays.
26
Energy and Power
Although Iowa’s fossil fuel resources are extremely limited, the state’s energy supply has been adequate for consumer needs. In 2000, Iowa consumed 372 million Btu (93.7 million kilocalories) per capita, to rank 19th among the states. In 2003, the state’s production of electricity (utility and nonutility) totaled 42.1 billion kilowatt hours. The total installed capacity was 10 million kilowatts. Coal-fired plants supplied the vast majority of generated power (85%), with nuclear power plants in second place (9.5%). The remainder came from gas, hydroelectric power, and other sources. Iowa has one singleunit nuclear plant, the Duane Arnold plant in Palo. Extensive coalfields in southeastern Iowa were first mined in 1840. The state’s annual bituminous coal production reached nearly 9 million tons in 1917–18. Coal output in 1994 was only 46,000 tons. Recoverable coal reserves totaled 1.1 billion tons in 2001. As of 2004, Iowa had 35
Iowa
Des Moines skyline. GREATER DES MOINES CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU.
no production of crude oil or natural gas. There are no refineries in Iowa.
27
Commerce
Iowa had 2002 wholesale sales of $33.5 billion and retail sales of $31.1 billion. The most valuable categories of goods traded were agricultural raw materials, durable goods, groceries and related products, and farm supplies. Iowa’s exports of goods originating within the state had an estimated value of $7.3 billion in 2005.
28
Public Finance
The public budget is prepared by the Department of Management with the governor’s approval and is adopted or revised by the general assembly. The fiscal year runs from 1 July to 30 June. 36
Iowa’s fiscal year 2004 budget included revenues of $15.3 billion and expenditures of $13.4 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($4.67 billion), public welfare ($3.1 billion), and highways ($1.36 billion). The state had an outstanding debt of $4.8 billion, or $1,644.98 per capita (per person).
29
Taxation
Iowa’s personal income tax schedule has nine brackets. In 2006, the lowest bracket was at 0.36% and the highest was at 8.98%. Iowa’s corporate income tax ranges from 6% to 12%. Iowa’s retail sales tax is 5%, with exemptions for basic foods and prescription drugs. Some local governments have local-option sales taxes of up to 2%. There are also state excise taxes on motor fuels, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Iowa
tobacco products, amusements, pari-mutuels, insurance premiums, and other selected items. The state directly controls alcohol sales. Other state taxes include license fees and stamp taxes. Property taxes are all local. Localities collect over 40% of the taxes in Iowa. Total state tax collections in Iowa came to over $5.7 billion in 2005, with 39.2% generated by the state income tax, 29.9% by the state sales tax, 15.7% by state excise taxes, 3.2% by the state corporate income tax, and other taxes 11.9%. The state placed 33rd in the nation in terms of tax burden in 2005.
30
Health
In October 2005, the infant mortality rate was 5.2 per 1,000 live births. The overall death rate was 9.5 per 1,000 people in 2003. The leading causes of death were heart disease and cerebrovascular disease. About 20.8% of all Iowans ages 18 and older were smokers in 2004. The mortality rate from HIV infection was 1 per 100,000 persons, the lowest in the nation. In 2004, the reported AIDS case rate was at about 2.2 per 100,000 population. Iowa’s 116 community hospitals have about 11,000 beds. In 2004, Iowa had 218 doctors per 100,000 people and 1,009 nurses per 100,000 people in 2005. In 2004, there were 1,546 dentists in the state. In 2001, the average expense for hospital care was $1,437.60 per inpatient day. In 2004, about 10% of the population was uninsured.
31
Housing
In 2004, there were 1,292,976 housing units in Iowa, of which 1,175,771 were occupied; 73.8% Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
were owner-occupied, placing the state fourth in the nation in the percentage of homeownership. About 74.7% of all units were single-family, detached homes. About 31.5% of all units were built in 1939 or earlier. Most households relied on utility gas and electricity for heating. It was estimated that 52,215 lacked telephone service, 4,728 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 5,037 lacked complete kitchen facilities. Average household size was 2.42 people. In 2004, 16,300 privately owned housing units were authorized for construction. Median home value was $95,901. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $942. Renters paid a median of $533 per month.
32
Education
In 2004, 89.8% of Iowans age 25 and older were high school graduates and 24.3% had obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Total enrollment in public schools was estimated at 482,000 in fall 2002 but expected to drop to 452,000 by fall 2014. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 45,309. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $4.28 billion. As of fall 2002, there were 202,546 students enrolled in institutions of higher education. As of 2005, Iowa had 63 degree-granting institutions. Iowa has three state universities and 35 private colleges. Since the public community college system began offering vocational and technical training in 1960, total enrollment has increased rapidly and the number of different career programs has grown. Iowa’s small liberal arts colleges and universities include Briar Cliff College, Coe College, Cornell College, Drake University, 37
Iowa
Grinnell College, Iowa Wesleyan College, Loras College, and Luther College.
33
Arts
There is an opera company in Des Moines, and there are art galleries, little theater groups, symphony orchestras, and ballet companies in the major cities and college towns. The Des Moines Arts Center is a leading exhibition gallery for native painters and sculptors. The Des Moines Arts Festival, established in 1998, has drawn an attendance of nearly 800,000 people each year. The 2002 ArtFair SourceBook ranked it as the Sixth Best Fine Arts Festival in the nation. There are regional theater groups in Des Moines, Davenport, and Sioux City. The Writers’ Workshop at the University of Iowa has an international reputation. The Iowa Arts Council (IAC) was established as a state agency in 1967. In 1986, the IAC became a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs, which also includes the State Historical Society of Iowa. Humanities Iowa, founded in 1971, sponsors over $1.5 million of programs each year. Iowa’s arts programs have a total audience of nearly seven million people. There are over 36,000 contributing artists for the programs. The state offers arts education to about 120,000 schoolchildren. There are over 800 art associations in Iowa.
34
Libraries and Museums
As of the end of fiscal year 2001 (June), Iowa had 537 public library systems, with a total of 561 libraries, of which 24 were branches. That year, the public library system had total book and serial publication holdings of 11.45 million 38
volumes and a circulation of nearly 25.5 million. Among the principal libraries in Iowa are the State Library in Des Moines, the State Historical Society Library in Iowa City, the libraries of the University of Iowa (also in Iowa City), and the Iowa State University Library in Ames. Iowa had 134 museums and zoological parks in 2000. The Herbert Hoover National Historical Site, in West Branch, houses the birthplace and grave of the 31st US president and a library and museum with papers and memorabilia.
35
Communications
In 2004, about 95.4% of all occupied units had telephones. In June of that year, there were 1,445,711 mobile phone subscribers. In 2003, 64.7% of Iowa households had a computer and 57.1% had Internet access. The first commercial radio station west of the Mississippi, WDC at Davenport, began broadcasting in 1921. In 2005 there were 110 major radio stations, including 37 AM stations and 73 FM stations. In the same year, Iowa had a total of 21 network television stations.
36
Press
In 2005, Iowa had 37 dailies (21 evening, 16 morning) and 12 Sunday papers. The Des Moines Register remained the leader, with a morning circulation of 152,800 and a Sunday circulation of 243,302 as of 2002. Other major newspapers and their estimated daily circulations at 2002 include the Cedar Rapids Gazette (63,493), Dubuque Telegraph Herald (28,621), Sioux City Journal (41,182), and the Waterloo Courier (42,679). Also published in Iowa were over 100 periodiJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Iowa
From 1960 until her retirement in 2006, Norma Duffield Lyon (“Duffy”) of Toledo produced butter sculptures for the Iowa State Fair. It takes about 16 hours to sculpt a life-size cow out of more than a quarter-ton of low-moisture sweet butter. The finished product is displayed during the fair in a refrigerated showcase in the Agriculture Building. IOWA STATE FAIR. PHOTO BY STEVE POPE.
cals, among them Better Homes and Gardens and Successful Farming.
37
Tourism, Travel & Recreation
The Mississippi and Missouri rivers offer popular water sports facilities for both out-of-state visitors and resident vacationers. Notable tourist attractions include the Effigy Mounds National Monument (near Marquette), which has hundreds of prehistoric Indian mounds and village sites. Tourist sites in the central part of the state include the state capitol and the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site (West Branch), with its Presidential Library and Museum. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Iowa has about 85,000 acres (34,400 hectares) of lakes and reservoirs and 19,000 miles (30,600 kilometers) of fishing streams. There are 52 state parks and 7 state forests. In 2005, there were about 30.5 million visitors to the state. This showed an increase from 17.1 million in 2001. Travel generated expenditures of about $4.3 billion in 2002; in 2005, the figure was $5 billion. In 2005, there were over 62,290 travel-related jobs in the state.
38
Sports
Iowa has no major league professional sports teams, but do sponsor the Iowa Barnstormers 39
Iowa
in the Arena Football League. Minor league baseball and basketball teams make their home in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Clinton, Sioux City, Burlington, and the Quad Cities. High school and college basketball and football teams draw thousands of spectators, particularly to the state high school basketball tournament at Des Moines in March. Large crowds also fill stadiums and fieldhouses for the University of Iowa games in Iowa City and Iowa State University games in Ames. In intercollegiate football competition, the University of Iowa Hawkeyes belong to the Big Ten Conference. They have a legendary wrestling program that has won the NCAA Championship 20 times. The Iowa State University Cyclones are in the Big Twelve Conference. A popular trackand-field meet for college athletes is the Drake Relays, held every April in Des Moines. Horse racing is popular at state and county fairgrounds, as is stock car racing at small-town tracks. The Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa is held in July. There are rodeos in Sidney and Fort Madison and the National Balloon Classic is held in Indianola. Iowa has over 350 golf courses, eight major ski areas, and is the nation’s leading state in pheasant hunting.
39
Famous Iowans
Among Iowa’s most influential governors were the first territorial governor, Robert Lucas (b.Virginia, 1781–1853); William Larrabee (b.Connecticut, 1832–1912); and Harold Hughes (1863–1969). Iowa has produced a large number of radical dissenters and social reformers. Abolitionists, strong in Iowa before the Civil War, included Josiah B. Grinnell (b.Vermont, 1821–1891), and Asa Turner (b.Massachusetts, 1799–1885). 40
George D. Herron (b.Indiana, 1862–1925) made Iowa a center of the Social Gospel movement before helping to found the Socialist Party. William “Billy” Sunday (1862–1935) was an evangelist with a large following among rural Americans. John L. Lewis (1880–1969), head of the United Mine Workers, founded the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO). Iowa can claim two winners of the Nobel Peace Prize: religious leader John R. Mott (b.New York, 1865–1955), and agronomist and plant geneticist Norman E. Borlaug (b.1914). Distinguished scientist George Washington Carver (b.Missouri 1864–1943) was an Iowa resident. Iowa writers of note include Hamlin Garland (b.Wisconsin, 1860–1940) and Wallace Stegner (1909–1993). Two Iowa playwrights, Susan Glaspell (1882–1948) and her husband, George Cram Cook (1873–1924), were instrumental in founding influential theater groups. Columnists Abigail Van Buren (Pauline Esther Friedman, b.1918) and her twin sister Ann Landers (Esther Pauline Friedman Lederer, 1918–2002) are from Sioux City. Iowans who have contributed to America’s musical heritage include popular composers Meredith Willson (1902–1984) and Peter “PDQ Bach” Schickele (b.1935), jazz musician Leon “Bix” Beiderbecke (1903–1931), bandleader Glenn Miller (1904–1944), and opera singer Simon Estes (b.1938). Iowa’s artists of note include Grant Wood (1892–1942), whose American Gothic is one of America’s bestknown paintings. Iowa’s contributions to the field of popular entertainment include William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody (1846–1917); circus promoter Charles Ringling (1863–1926) and his four brothers; Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Iowa
and one of America’s best-loved movie actors, John Wayne (Marion Michael Morrison, 1907– 1979). Johnny Carson (1925–2005), host of the Tonight Show for 30 years, was born in Corning. Iowa sports figures of note are baseball Hall of Famers Adrian C. “Cap” Anson (1851–1922) and Robert “Bob” Feller (b.1918), and football All-American Nile Kinnick (1918–1944).
40
Bibliography
BOOKS Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Dykstra, Mary. Iowa. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2006.
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Genoways, Ted, and Hugh H. Genoways, eds. A Perfect Picture of Hell: Eyewitness Accounts by Civil War Prisoners from the 12th Iowa. Iowa City: University of Iowa Press, 2001. Kule, Elaine A. Iowa Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003. Morrice, Polly Alison. Iowa. 2nd ed. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2007. Murray, Julie. Iowa. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. WEB SITES Iowa Tourism Office. Iowa: Life Changing. traveliowa.com (accessed March 1, 2007). State of Iowa. Official Web Site of the State of Iowa. www.iowa.gov/state/main/index.html (accessed March 1, 2007).
41
Kansas State of Kansas
O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Named for the Kansa (or
Kaw) Indians, the “people of the south wind.” N I CKNAME : The Sunflower State; the Jayhawker
State. C AP ITAL: Topeka. ENT ERED UNION: 29 January 1861 (34th). O FFICIAL SEAL: A sun rising over mountains in
the background symbolizes the east; commerce is represented by a river and a steamboat. In the foreground, agriculture, the basis of the state’s prosperity, is represented by a settler’s cabin and a man plowing a field. Beyond this is a wagon train heading west and a herd of buffalo fleeing from two Indians. Around the top is the state motto above a cluster of 34 stars; the circle is surrounded by the words “Great Seal of the State of Kansas, January 29, 1861.” FLAG: The flag consists of a dark blue field with the state seal in the center; a sunflower on a bar of twisted gold and blue is above the seal; the word “Kansas” is below it. M OT TO: Ad astra per aspera (To the stars through difficulties). SONG: “Home on the Range.” M ARCH: “The Kansas March.” FLOWER: Wild native sunflower. TREE: Cottonwood. A NIMAL: American buffalo. B IRD: Western meadowlark. IN S ECT: Honeybee. R EPT ILE: Ornate box turtle. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 6 AM CST = noon GMT; 5 AM MST = noon GMT.
1
Location and Size
Located in the western north-central United States, Kansas is the second-largest Midwestern state (following Minnesota) and ranks 14th among the 50 states. The total area of Kansas is 82,277 square miles (213,097 square kilometers), of which 81,778 square miles (211,805 square kilometers) are land, and the remaining 499 square miles (1,292 square kilometers) inland 43
Kansas
water. The state has a maximum extension eastwest of about 411 miles (661 kilometers) and an extreme north-south distance of about 208 miles (335 kilometers). Kansas has a total boundary length of 1,219 miles (1,962 kilometers).
2
Topography
Three main land regions define the state. The eastern third consists of the Osage Plains, Flint Hills, Dissected Till Plains, and Arkansas River Lowlands. The central third comprises the Smoky Hills to the north and several lowland regions to the south. To the west are the Great Plains, divided into the Dissected High Plains and the High Plains. Kansas generally slopes eastward from a maximum elevation of 4,039 feet (1,232 meters) at Mt. Sunflower on the Colorado border to 679 feet (207 meters) by the Verdigris River at the Oklahoma border. More than 50,000 streams run through the state and there are hundreds of artificial lakes. Major rivers include the Missouri, the Arkansas, and the Kansas. Extensive beds of prehistoric ocean fossils lie in the chalk beds of two western counties, Logan and Gove.
3
Climate
Kansas’s continental climate is highly changeable. The average mean temperature is 55°f (13°c). The record high in the state is 121°f (49°c), recorded near Alton on 24 July 1936. The record low is -40°f (-40°c), recorded at Lebanon on 13 February 1905. The normal annual precipitation ranges from slightly more than 40 inches (101.6 centimeters) in the southeast to as little as 16 inches (40.6 centimeters) in the west. The 44
Kansas Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:
2,764,075 2.8% 8.4% 97.8% 85.2% 5.5% 0.9% 2.0% 0.0% 4.1% 2.3%
Population by Age Group
Under 18 (25%)
65 and over (13%)
45 to 64 (25%) 18 to 24 (10%)
25 to 44 (27%)
Major Cities by Population City Wichita Overland Park Kansas City Topeka Olathe Lawrence Shawnee Manhattan Salina Lenexa
Population
% change 2000–05
354,865 164,811 144,210 121,946 111,334 81,816 57,628 48,668 45,956 43,434
3.1 10.6 -1.8 -0.4 19.8 2.1 20.1 8.6 0.6 7.9
Notes: †A person of Hispanic or Latino origin may be of any race. NA indicates that data are not available. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey and Population Estimates. www.census.gov/ (accessed March 2007).
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
MORTON
Cimarron National Grassland
STEVENS
GRANT
SEWARD
HASKELL
Finney Wildlife Area
Garden City
FINNEY
Meade S.P.
MEADE
GRAY
LANE
HODGEMAN
Cedar Bluff St. Park
Clark State Fishing Lake
Dodge City
CLARK
FORD
Hodgeman State Fishing Lake
NESS
PHILLIPS
Hill
EDWARDS
COMANCHE
KIOWA
PAWNEE
RUSH
Smo ky
ELLIS
Webster St. Park
ROOKS
Kirwin Nat’l Wildlife Refuge
Saline R.
CLOUD
HARPER
OTTAWA
SUMNER
Wichita
SEDGWICK
Sand Hills S. P.
135
. as R
35
Cowley State Fishing Lake
COWLEY
BUTLER
CHASE
Council Grove Lake
335
CHAUTAUQUA
Toronto Lake
GREENWOOD
ELK
Res.
COFFEY
Melvern Res.
Pomona Res.
OSAGE
Elk City Res.
LABETTE
NEOSHO
ALLEN
ANDERSON
35
FRANKLIN
DOUGLAS
Elk City S.P.
MONTGOMERY
WILSON
Toronto St. Park
WOODSON
0
0 25
WYAN-
CHEROKEE
Crawford St. Park
CRAWFORD
BOURBON
LINN
MIAMI
JOHNSON
Kansas City
Overland Park
Prairie Village
50 miles
ARKANSAS
MISSOURI
50 kilometers
25
N
Area of Interest
U.S. Interstate Route
State Capital
Fort Leavenworth
70
DOTTE Perry Res. Shawnee Lenexa Olathe Lawrence
Leavenworth
JEFFERSON LEAVENWORTH
Flint Hills Emporia N.W.R. John Redmond Reservoir
LYON
SHAWNEE
DONIPHAN
ATCHISON
70 Topeka Clinton
WABAUNSEE
Manhattan
Tuttle Creek Res.
GEARY MORRIS
Fort Riley
JACKSON
Kickapoo Ind. Res.
BROWN
Pottawatomie Ind. Res.
Nemaha State Fishing Lake
NEMAHA
POTTAWATOMIE
MARSHALL
RILEY
Marion Lake
MARION
s Ka n
DICKINSON
Milford Res.
CLAY
WASHINGTON
HARVEY
Salina
Maxwell Wildlife Refuge MC PHERSON
SALINE
Cheney Res. KINGMAN
REPUBLIC
Cheney S.P.
Hutchinson
RENO
s
nsa
ka
Ar
RICE
ELLSWORTH
Kanopolis S.P.
LINCOLN
Glen Elder Res.
MITCHELL
Glen Elder St. Park
Lovewell Res.
JEWELL
OKLAHOMA
Barber State Fishing Lake
BARBER
PRATT
Quivira N.W.R.
STAFFORD
Cheyenne Bottoms
BARTON
R.
Wilson S.P. Wilson Res.
RUSSELL
OSBORNE
Kirwin Res.
SMITH
R.
STANTON
KEARNY
HAMILTON
LakeScott St. Park
SCOTT
Cedar Bluff Res.
TREGO
GRAHAM
Prairie Dog S.P.
NORTON
. R
WICHITA
Chalk Pyramids
GOVE
Sheridan State Fishing Lake
SHERIDAN
DECATUR
on om
GREELEY
LOGAN
70
THOMAS
RAWLINS
l So
Mount Sunflower
WALLACE
SHERMAN
CHEYENNE
NEBRASKA
City (more than 100,000 people)
City (20,000-100,000 people)
Point of Interest
Explanation
KANSAS
Kansas
45
COLORADO
Kansas
National Weather Service meteorologists in Wichita, Kansas, track tornadoes on their computers. © JIM REED/CORBIS.
overall annual precipitation for the state averages 27 inches (68.6 centimeters), although years of drought have not been uncommon. Tornadoes are a regular fact of Kansas life. The annual mean snowfall ranges from about 36 inches (91.4 centimeters) in the extreme northwest to less than 11 inches (27.9 centimeters) in the far southeast. Dodge City is said to be the windiest city in the United States, with an average wind speed of 14 miles per hour (23 kilometers per hour).
4
Plants and Animals
There are 194 species of grasses covering the state of Kansas. Bluestem, both big and little, grows in most parts of the state. Other grasses include 46
buffalo grass, blue and hairy gramas, and alkali sacaton. One native conifer, eastern red cedar, is found generally throughout the state. Hackberry, black walnut, and sycamore grow in the east, while box elder and cottonwood predominate in western Kansas. There are no native pines. The wild native sunflower, the state flower, is found throughout the state. Other characteristic wildflowers include wild daisy, ivy-leaved morning glory, and smallflower verbena. As of 2006, the western prairie fringed orchid and Mead’s milkweed were listed as threatened species and are protected under federal statutes. Kansas’s native mammals include the common cottontail, black-tailed jackrabbit, and black-tailed prairie dog. The white-tailed deer is Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Kansas
Kansas Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number
Percent
Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,688,418 One race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,631,922 Two races. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53,344 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9,970 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17,539 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5,781 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 613 White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12,631 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . .1,951 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 661 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,514 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . 41 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 581 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 433 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,104 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3,152
. . . . .100.0 . . . . . .97.9 . . . . . . .2.0 . . . . . . .0.4 . . . . . . .0.7 . . . . . . .0.2 ....... — . . . . . . .0.5 . . . . . . .0.1 ....... — ....... — . . . . . . .0.1 ....... — ....... — ....... — ....... — ....... — ....... — . . . . . . .0.1
Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.
the state’s only big-game animal. There are 12 native species of bat, 2 varieties of shrew and mole, and 3 types of pocket gopher. The western meadowlark is the state bird. Kansas has the largest flock of prairie chickens remaining on the North American continent. In April 2006 the US Fish and Wildlife Service named 12 Kansas animal species as threatened or endangered. Among these are the Indiana and gray bats, bald eagle, Eskimo curlew, Topeka Shiner, and blackfooted ferret.
5
Environmental Protection
Water quality is the most crucial environmental problem for Kansas. Protection of the water supJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
ply is a primary focus of the state’s environmental efforts. Maintenance of air quality is also a primary effort and the state works actively with the business community to promote pollution prevention. Strip mining for coal is decreasing in southeast Kansas, and the restoration of resources damaged by previous activities is ongoing. The state has sufficient capacity for handling solid waste, although the total number of solid waste facilities has decreased in recent years. In 2003, Kansas had 307 hazardous waste sites listed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s database, 10 of which were on the National Priorities List as of 2006. 47
Kansas
6
Population
In 2006, Kansas ranked 33rd in population among the states with an estimated total of 2,764,075 residents. The population is projected to reach 2.91 million by 2025. The population density in 2004 was 33.4 persons per square mile (12.89 persons per square kilometer). In 2004, the median age of all residents was 36.1. In 2005, about 13% of the population was 65 years old or older while 25% were 18 or younger. The largest cities in 2005 with their estimated populations were Wichita, 354,865; Overland Park, 164,811; and Kansas City, 144,210.
7
Ethnic Groups
According to the census, there were 24,936 Native Americans living in Kansas in 2000. The same year, black Americans in Kansas numbered 154,198, or 5.7% of the population. There were 188,252 Hispanics and Latinos and 46,806 Asian residents. The largest group of Asians was the Vietnamese with 11,623 residents. There were 8,153 Asian Indians and 7,624 Chinese, as well as sizable communities of Laotians and Cambodians. The census also reported that a total of 80,271 residents (2% of the population) were foreign born. The most common lands of origin were Mexico, Germany, and Vietnam. Among the Europeans who reported descent from a single ancestry group, the leading nationalities were German, English, and Irish.
8
Languages
Regional features of Kansas speech are almost entirely those of the Northern and North Midland dialects. Kansans typically play as 48
children on a teetertotter (seesaw), make white bread sandwiches, and carry water in a pail. The migration by Southerners in the mid-19th century is evidenced in southeastern Kansas by such South Midland terms as pullybone (wishbone) and light bread (white bread). In 2000, about 2,281,705 Kansans (91.3% of the residents five years old or older) spoke only English at home. Other languages (and the number of speakers) were Spanish (137,247), German (16,821), Vietnamese (10,393), and French (6,591).
9
Religions
Isaac McCoy, a Baptist minister, was instrumental in founding the Shawnee Baptist Mission in Johnson County in 1831. Mennonites were drawn to the state by a law passed in 1874 allowing exemptions from military service on religious grounds. Religious freedom is specifically granted in the Kansas constitution, and a wide variety of religious groups is represented in the state. The leading Protestant denominations are the United Methodist Church, with 162,202 adherents in 2004; the Southern Baptist Convention, 101,696 adherents in 2000; the American Baptist Church, 64,312 in 2000; the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, 62,712 in 2000; and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), 56,908 in 2000. Roman Catholics constitute the largest single religious group in the state, with 409,906 adherents in 2004. The estimated Jewish population in 2000 was 14,500. There were over 18,000 Mennonites throughout the state and about 3,470 Muslims. About 50.6% of the population (or over 1.3 million people) were not counted as members of any religious organization. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Kansas
10
Transportation
In the heartland of the nation, Kansas is at the crossroads of US road and railway systems. In 2001, Kansas had 25,638 bridges (third in the nation behind Texas and Ohio). In 2004, the state had 135,017 miles (217,377 kilometers) of public roads. There were 845,000 automobiles, 1.71 million trucks, and some 1,000 buses registered in 2004. In the late 1800s, the two major railroads, the Kansas Pacific (now the Union Pacific) and the Santa Fe (now the Burlington NorthernSanta Fe) acquired more than 10 million acres (4 million hectares) of land in the state and then advertised for immigrants to come and buy it. By 1872, the railroads stretched across the state, creating in their path the towns of Ellsworth, Newton, Caldwell, Wichita, and Dodge City. One of the first “cow towns” was Abilene, the terminal point for all cattle shipped to the East. In 2003, the state had 6,269 route miles (10,093 kilometers) of railroad track. An Amtrak passenger train (the Southwest Chief ) crosses Kansas en route from Chicago to Los Angeles. In 2005, the state had 370 airports. The busiest airport is Kansas City International, with 5,040,595 passengers in 2004. Approximately two-thirds of all business and private aircraft in the United States are built in Kansas. River barges move bulk commodities along the Missouri River. The chief river ports are Atchison, Leavenworth, Lansing, and Kansas City.
11
History
Plains tribes—the Wichita, Pawnee, Kansa, and Osage—were living or hunting in Kansas when Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
the earliest Europeans arrived. Around 1800, they were joined on the Central Plains by the nomadic Cheyenne, Arapaho, Comanche, and Kiowa. The first European, explorer Francisco Coronado, entered Kansas in 1541. Between 1682 and 1739, French explorers established trading contacts with the Native Americans. France ceded its claims to the area to Spain in 1762 but received it back from Spain in 1800. Most of Kansas was sold to the United States by France as part of the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. (The extreme southwestern corner was gained after the Mexican War.) Early settlement of Kansas was sparse, limited to a few thousand Native Americans—including Shawnee, Delaware, Ojibwa, and Wyandot. These tribes were forcibly removed from their lands and relocated in what is now eastern Kansas. The Santa Fe Trail was opened to wagon traffic in 1822, and for 50 years that route, twothirds of which lay in Kansas, was of commercial importance to the West. During the 1840s and 1850s, thousands of migrants crossed northeastern Kansas on the California-Oregon Trail. Kansas Territory was created by the KansasNebraska Act (30 May 1854). Almost immediately, disputes arose as to whether Kansas would enter the Union as a free or slave state. Both freestaters and pro-slavery settlers were brought in, and a succession of governors tried to mediate between the two groups. Statehood Kansas entered the Union on 29
January 1861 as a free state, and Topeka was named the capital. Although Kansas lay west of the major Civil War action, more than twothirds of its adult males served in the Union Army and gave it the highest military death rate among the northern states. Following the Civil 49
Kansas
The John Ritchie House (left) and the Hale Ritchie House, a stop on the Underground Railroad. AP IMAGES.
War, settlement expanded in Kansas, particularly in the central part of the state. White settlers encroached on the hunting grounds of the Plains tribes, and their settlements were attacked in retaliation. Most of the Native Americans were eventually removed to the Indian Territory in what is now Oklahoma. By 1872, both the Union Pacific and the Santa Fe railroads had crossed Kansas, and other lines were under construction. Rail expansion brought more settlers, who established new communities. It also led to the great Texas cattle drives that meant prosperity to a number of Kansas towns—including Abilene, Ellsworth, Wichita, Caldwell, and Dodge City—from 1867 50
to 1885. This was when Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp, and Wild Bill Hickok reigned in Dodge City and Abilene—the now romantic era of the Old West. A strain of hard winter wheat that proved particularly well-suited to the state’s soil was brought to Kansas in the 1870s by Russian Mennonites fleeing czarist rule, and Plains agriculture was transformed. Significant changes in agriculture, industry, transportation, and communications came after 1900. Mechanization became commonplace in farming, and vast areas were opened to wheat production, particularly during World War I. The Progressive movement of the early 1900s focused attention on control Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Kansas
of monopolies, public health, labor legislation, and more representative politics. The Modern Age Kansas suffered through the Great Depression of the 1930s. The state’s western region, part of the Dust Bowl, was hardest hit. Improved weather conditions and the demands of World War II revived Kansas agriculture in the 1940s. The World War II era also saw the development of industry, especially in transportation. Other heavy industry grew, and mineral production—oil, natural gas, salt, coal, and gypsum—expanded greatly.
Since World War II, Kansas has become increasingly urban. Agriculture has become highly commercialized, and there are dozens of large industries that process and market farm products and supply materials to crop producers. Livestock production, especially in closely controlled feedlots, is a major enterprise. Recent governors have worked to expand international exports of Kansas products, and by 1981/82, Kansas ranked seventh among the states in agricultural exports, with sales of more than $1.6 billion. The late 1980s and early 1990s brought dramatic extremes of weather. A severe drought in 1988 drove up commodity prices and depleted grain stocks. From April through September of 1993, Kansas experienced the worst floods of the century. Some 13,500 people evacuated their homes, and the floods caused $574 million dollars worth of damage. In 1999, the Kansas Board of Education voted 6–4 to adopt standards that downplayed the importance of evolution and omitted the Big Bang theory of the universe’s origin from the curriculum. The standards drew national attention. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
The bronze sculpture Ad Astra on top of the dome of the Kansas state capitol is silhouetted against a full moon. AP IMAGES.
The decision was later reversed. In 2005, the Kansas Board of Education resumed hearings to determine whether evolution should once again be eliminated from state science standards. The Kansas economy improved by 2003, following the 2001 US recession. From 2003– 05, Wichita’s aircraft industry was shored up, business development in small Kansas towns was increasing, and heavy investments were made in bioscience research at universities and medical centers.
12
State Government
The form of Kansas’s constitution was a matter of great national concern, because the question of whether Kansas would be a free or a slave state was in doubt throughout the 1850s. After three draft constitutions failed to win popular support or congressional approval, a fourth version, which banned slavery, was ratified in 1859 and signed by President James Buchanan in 1861. 51
Kansas
Kansas Governors: 1861–2007 1861–1863 1863–1865 1865–1868 1868–1869 1869–1873 1873–1877 1877–1879 1879–1883 1883–1885 1885–1889 1889–1893 1893–1895 1895–1897 1897–1899 1899–1903 1903–1905 1905–1909 1909–1913 1913–1915 1915–1919 1919–1923 1923–1925
Charles Lawrence Robinson Thomas Carney Samuel Johnson Crawford Nehemiah Green James Madison Harvey Thomas Andrew Osborn George Tobey Anthony John Pierce St. John George Washington Glick John Alexander Martin Lyman Underwood Humphrey Lorenzo Dow Lewelling Edmund Needham Morrill John Whitnah Leedy William Eugene Stanley Willis Joshua Bailey Edward Wallis Hoch Walter Roscoe Stubbs George Hartshorn Hodges Arthur Capper Henry Justin Allen Johathan McMillan Davis
Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Republican Republican Populist Republican Populist Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Republican Republican Democrat
This constitution is in force today, with its 92 amendments (as of 2005). The Kansas legislature consists of a 40-member senate and a 125-member house of representatives. Officials elected statewide include the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, treasurer, and commissioner of insurance. Members of the state Board of Education are elected by districts. The governor cannot serve more than two consecutive terms. Candidates for governor need meet no age, citizenship, or residency requirements as qualifications for office. A bill becomes law when it has been approved by 21 senators and 63 representatives and signed by the governor. A veto can be overridden by two-thirds of the members of both houses. As of December 2004, the governor’s salary was $98,331, and the legislative salary was $78.75 per day during regular sessions. 52
1925–1929 1929–1931 1931–1933 1933–1937 1937–1939 1939–1943 1943–1947 1947–1950 1950–1951 1951–1955 1955–1957 1957 1957–1961 1961–1965 1965–1967 1967–1975 1975–1979 1979–1987 1987–1991 1991–1995 1995–2002 2002–
13
Benjamin Sanford Paulen Clyde Martin Reed Harry Hines Woodring Alfred Mossman Landon Walter Augustus Huxman Payne Harry Ratner Andrew Frank Schoeppel Frank Carlson Frank Leslie Hagaman Edward Ferdinand Arn Frederick Lee Hall John Berridge McCuish George Docking John Anderson, Jr. William Henry Avery Robert Blackwell Docking Robert Frederick Bennett John Carlin John Michael Hayden Joan Finney Bill Graves Kathleen Sebelius
Republican Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Republican Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Democrat
Political Parties
Although the Republicans remain the dominant force in state politics, the Democrats controlled several state offices in the early 2000s. The most recent Democratic governor was Kathleen Sebelius, elected in 2002 and reelected in 2006. Republicans have regularly controlled the state legislature, however. In 2004 there were 1,694,000 registered voters. In 1998, 29% of registered voters were Democratic, 45% Republican, and 26% unaffiliated or members of other parties. In the 2004 election, President George W. Bush won 62% of the vote to Democrat John Kerry’s 36%. In the 2000 election, Republican George W. Bush won 58% of the vote while Democrat Al Gore received 37%. In the 1996 elections, native Kansan and Republican Bob Dole, first elected to the US Senate in 1968 Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Kansas
Kansas Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR
KANSAS WINNER
DEMOCRAT
REPUBLICAN
PROGRESSIVE
SOCIALIST
PROHIBITION
1948 1952 1956 1960 1964
Dewey (R) *Eisenhower (R) *Eisenhower (R) Nixon (R) *Johnson (D)
351,902 273,296 296,317 363,213 464,028
423,039 616,302 566,878 561,474 386,579
4,603 6,038 — — —
2,807 530 — — 1,901
6,468 6,038 3,048 4,138 5,393
1968 1972
*Nixon (R) *Nixon (R)
302,996 270,287
478,674 619,812
88,921 21,808
— —
2,192 4,188
1976 1980 1984 1988
Ford (R) *Reagan (R) *Reagan (R) *Bush (R)
430,421 326,150 333,149 422,636
502,752 566,812 677,296 554,049
4,724 7,555 — 3,806
1992 1996
Bush (R) Dole (R)
390,434 387,659
449,951 583,245
312,358 92,639
399,276 434,993
622,332 736,456
36,086 —
AMERICAN IND.
LIBERTARIAN
3,242 14,470 3,329 12,553
1,403 — — —
4,314 4,557
— —
REFORM
LIBERTARIAN
7,370 9,348
4,525 4,013
IND. (PEROT)
2000 *Bush, G. W. (R) 2004 *Bush, G. W. (R) * Won US presidential election.
and elected Senate majority leader in 1984, was reelected in 1992. He reclaimed the post of Senate majority leader when the Republicans gained control of the Senate in the elections of 1994. In a surprise move in May 1996, Dole suddenly retired from the Senate to concentrate on his presidential campaign. In November, the race to fill his remaining term was won by Republican Sam Brownback. Brownback won his first full term in 1998, and was reelected in 2004. Kansas’s other Republican Senator is Pat Roberts, reelected in 2002. Following the 2006 election, Republicans and Democrats each held two US congressional seats. In the state legislature following those elections, there were 30 Republicans and 10 Democrats in the state senate and 77 Republicans and 48 Democrats in the state house. Fifty-three women were elected to the state legislature in 2006, or 32.1%. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
14
Local Government
As of 2005, Kansas had 105 counties, 627 incorporated cities, 1,533 special districts, and 304 school districts. In 2002, there were 1,299 townships. Each county government is headed by elected county commissioners. Other county officials include the county clerk, treasurer, register of deeds, attorney, sheriff, clerk of district court, and appraiser. Most cities are run by mayor-council systems.
15
Judicial System
The supreme court, the highest court in the state, is composed of a chief justice and six other justices. An intermediate-level court of appeals consists of a chief judge and six other judges. There are 31 district courts. Kansas had a death penalty until 17 December 2004, when the state’s death penalty statutes were declared unconstitutional. 53
Kansas
However, as of 1 January 2006, eight inmates remained on death row. Kansas’s violent crime rate (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) was 374.5 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2004. Crimes against property (burglary, larceny/ theft, and motor vehicle theft) that year totaled 3,973.5 reported incidents per 100,000 people. The state had a prison population of 8,966 as of 31 December 2004.
16
Migration
By the 1770s, Kansas was inhabited by a few thousand Indians, mainly from five tribes: the Kansa (Kaw), the Osage, the Pawnee, the Wichita, and Comanche. The first wave of white migration came during the 1850s with the arrival of New England abolitionists who settled in Lawrence, Topeka, and Manhattan. They were followed by a much larger wave of emigrants from the eastern Missouri and the upper Mississippi Valley, drawn by the lure of wide-open spaces and abundant economic opportunity. The population swelled as a result of the Homestead Act of 1862, which offered land to anyone who would improve it and live on it for five years. The railroads promoted the virtues of Kansas overseas and helped sponsor immigrant settlers. More than 30,000 blacks, mostly from the South, arrived during 1878–80. Crop failures caused by drought in the late 1890s led to extensive out-migration from the western half of the state. Another period of out-migration occurred in the early 1930s, when massive dust storms drove people off the land. Between 1990 and 1998, the state had a net loss of 13,000 in domestic migration and a gain of 24,000 in international migration. In the period 2000–05, a net total of 38,222 people 54
moved into the state from other countries and 57,763 moved out of the state to other states, for a net loss of 19,541 people.
17
Economy
Agricultural products and meat-packing industries are rivaled by the large aircraft industry centered in Wichita. Four Kansas companies, all located in Wichita, manufacture 70% of the world’s general aviation aircraft. Kansas leads all states in wheat production. The Kansas City metropolitan area is a center of automobile production and printing. Metal fabrication, printing, and mineral products are the main industries in the nine southeastern counties. The national recession of 2001 had a relatively mild impact on the Kansas economy. Despite layoffs in 2001 and 2002, total job creation was positive, in contrast to the nation as a whole. Farming was affected by drought conditions, which persisted into the winter of 2002–2003. Kansas’s gross state product (GSP) in 2004 totaled $98.9 billion, of which manufacturing accounted for 15%, followed by real estate (8.8%) and health care and social services (7%).
18
Income
In 2005, Kansas had a gross state product (GSP) of $105 billion, ranking the state 32nd among the 50 states and the District of Columbia in highest GSP. In 2004, Kansas had a per capita (per person) income of $31,078. The three-year average median household income for 2002–04 was $43,725, compared to the national average of $44,473. During the same period, 10.7% of Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Kansas
the state’s residents lived below the federal poverty level, compared to 12.4% nationwide.
19
Industry
Food products, transportation equipment, printing and publishing, petroleum and coal products, and chemicals accounted for about 70% of the estimated value of shipments, which totaled $56.46 billion in 2004. Kansas is a world leader in aviation, claiming a large share of both US and world production and sales of commercial aircraft. Wichita is a manufacturing center for Boeing, Cessna, Learjet, and Raytheon, which combined manufacture approximately 70% of the world’s general aviation aircraft.
20
Labor
In April 2006, the civilian labor force in Kansas numbered 1,481,300, with approximately 67,400 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 4.6%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. In April 2006, 4.9% of the labor force was employed in construction; 19.3% in manufacturing; 19.3% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 9.8% in professional and business services; 12.4% in education and health services; 8.4% in leisure and hospitality services; and 18.9% in government. In 2005, 85,000 of Kansas’s 1,210,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions. This represented 7% of those so employed. The national average is 12%.
21
Agriculture
Known as the breadbasket of the nation, Kansas typically produces more wheat than any other Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
state. It ranked fifth in total farm income in 2005, with cash receipts of $9.7 billion. Between 1940 and 2002, the number of farms declined from 159,000 to 64,500. Income from crops in 2005 totaled $3.1 billion. Other leading crops are alfalfa, hay, oats, barley, popcorn, rye, dry edible beans, corn and sorghums for silage, red clover, and sugar beets.
22
Domesticated Animals
Kansas dairy farmers have an estimated 111,000 milk cows that produced 2.11 billion pounds (0.96 billion kilograms) of milk. In 2001, Kansas poultry farmers sold an estimated 2.2 million pounds (1 million kilograms) of chicken and 434 million eggs worth around $13.6 million. In 2005, Kansas farmers had an estimated 6.65 million cattle and calves worth $5.51 billion (second in the United States). Kansas farmers had an estimated 1.72 million hogs and pigs worth around $160 million in 2004. An estimated 6.9 million pounds (3.1 million kilograms) of sheep and lambs were produced by Kansas farmers in 2003 and sold for $6.1 million.
23
Fishing
There is little commercial fishing in Kansas. Sport fishermen can find bass, crappie, catfish, perch, and pike in the state’s reservoirs and artificial lakes. In 2004, there were 265,238 fishing licenses issued by the state. The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks’ objectives for fisheries include provision of 11.7 million angler trips annually on Kansas reservoirs, lakes, streams, and private waters, while maintaining the quantity and quality of the catch. There are four state hatcheries. 55
Kansas
24
Forestry
Kansas was at one time so barren of trees that early settlers were offered 160 acres (65 hectares) free if they would plant trees on their land. This program was rarely implemented, however, and today much of Kansas is still treeless. Kansas has 1,545,000 acres (625,000 hectares) of forestland, 2.9% of the total state area. There are 1,491,000 acres (491,000 hectares) of commercial timberland, of which 96% are privately owned.
25
Mining
The value of nonfuel mineral production in Kansas was estimated at $754 million in 2004. The leading nonfuel mineral commodities were grade-A helium, portland cement, salt, and crushed stone. Kansas continued to rank first in the nation in producing crude helium and grade-A helium, fifth in salt production, and eighth in the production of gypsum. Production of portland cement in 2004 was 2.69 million metric tons and crushed stone was 19.8 million metric tons.
26
Energy and Power
In 2003, Kansas’s electrical output was 46.56 billion kilowatt hours, 75.4% of which was coalfired. The installed electrical generating capacity (utility and nonutility) was 10.88 million kilowatts. In 2000, the state ranked 18th in energy consumption per capita, with 385 million Btu (97 million kilocalories). In 2004, Kansas was the nation’s eighth-leading oil producer. Output in 2004 totaled 92,000 barrels of crude petroleum per day. There were 56
proven reserves of 245 million barrels in 2004. Natural gas marketed production was 397.1 billion cubic feet (11.2 billion cubic meters) in 2004. Proven reserves that year totaled 4,652 billion cubic feet (132.1 billion cubic meters). Kansas had only one producing coal mine in 2004, a surface mine. Coal production that year totaled 71,000 tons. The state has one single-unit nuclear plant, the Wolf Creek plant in Burlington.
27
Commerce
The state’s wholesale sales totaled $44.1 billion in 2002; retail sales totaled $26.5 billion. Kansas’s agricultural and manufactured goods have an important role in US foreign trade. Exports of goods originating in Kansas totaled $6.7 billion in 2005.
28
Public Finance
The state budget is prepared by the Division of the Budget and is submitted by the governor to the legislature for approval. The fiscal year runs from 1 July to 30 June. The state revenues for fiscal year 2004 were $11.04 billion and expenditures were $11.20 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($4.44 billion), public welfare ($2.47 billion), and highways ($1.22 billion). The total indebtedness of state government exceeded $4.57 billion, or about $1,672.06 per capita (per person).
29
Taxation
The state individual income tax schedule has three brackets, 3.5%, 6.25%, and 6.45%. The corporate tax rate is 4.0%. In 2005, the state Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Kansas
sales tax rate was at 5.3%. Prescription drugs are exempted from the sales tax. Local-option sales taxes can range up to 3%. The state also collects a full set of excise taxes—on motor fuels, insurance premiums, alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, amusements, pari-mutuels, public utilities and other selected items. The Kansas inheritance tax is 10% on amounts up to $100,000 and 15% on amounts above $200,000. Other taxes include various license fees, a state property tax, severance taxes for oil and coal, and an oil and gas conservation tax. Property taxes are mainly collected at the local level and are the largest source of income for local governments. Total state tax collections in Kansas came to $5.59 billion in 2005, with 36.6% generated by the state income tax, 35.6% by the state sales tax, 14.1% by state excise taxes, 1.1% by property taxes, 4.4% by the state corporate income tax, and 8.2% by other taxes. Kansas ranked 32nd in the country in terms of state and local tax burden in 2005.
30
Health
In October 2005, the infant mortality rate was 6.3 per 1,000 live births. The overall death rate in 2003 was 9 deaths per 1,000 population. Heart disease was the leading cause of death in the state. About 19.8% of all Kansans ages 18 and older were smokers in 2004. The rate of HIV-related deaths stood at 1.4 per 100,000 population in 2004. Kansas’s 134 community hospitals had about 10,600 beds in 2003. In 2004, Kansas had 235 doctors per 100,000 resident population and 923 nurses per 100,000 population in 2005. In 2004, there was a total of 1,360 dentists in the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
state. In 2003, the average expense for community hospital care was $952 per inpatient day. In 2004, at least 11% of the adult population was uninsured. The University of Kansas has the state’s only medical and pharmacology schools. The university’s Mid-America Cancer Center and Radiation Therapy Center are the major cancer research and treatment facilities in the state. Topeka, a major US center for psychiatric treatment, is home to the world-famous Menninger Clinic, where research and treatment is sponsored in part by The Menninger Foundation.
31
Housing
Kansas has relatively old housing stock. According to a 2004 survey, about 20% of all housing units were built in 1939 or earlier and 49.6% were built between 1940 and 1979. The overwhelming majority (73.8%) were one-unit, detached structures and 69.5% were owner-occupied. The total number of housing units in 2004 was 1,185,114, of which 1,076,366 were occupied. Most units relied on utility gas and electricity for heating. It was estimated that 46,269 units lacked telephone service, 3,554 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 5,093 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 2.47 people. In 2004, 13,300 privately owned units were authorized for construction. The median home value was $102,458. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,013. Renters paid a median of $567 per month. 57
Kansas
32
Education
In 1954, Kansas was the focal point of a US Supreme Court decision that had enormous implications for public education. The court ruled, in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, that Topeka’s “separate but equal” elementary schools for black and white students were inherently unequal and it ordered the school system to integrate. In 2004, 89.6% of those age 25 and older were high school graduates and some 30% had obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Total public school enrollment was estimated at 471,000 in fall 2002. Enrollment in nonpublic schools in fall 2003 was 41,762. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at more than $3.96 million. As of fall 2002, there were 188,049 students enrolled in institutions of higher education. In 2005, Kansas had 63 degree-granting institutions. There are 9 state universities, 27 two-year community colleges, and 21 private nonprofit four-year institutions. In addition, Kansas has a state technical institute, a municipal university (Washburn University, Topeka), and an American Indian university. Kansas State University was the nation’s first land-grant university. Washburn University and the University of Kansas have the state’s two law schools. The oldest higher-education institution in Kansas is Highland Community College, which was chartered in 1857. The oldest four-year institution is Baker University, a United Methodist institution, which received its charter just three days after Highland’s was issued. 58
33
Arts
The Kansas Arts Commission is a state arts agency governed by a 12-member panel of commissioners appointed for four-year rotating terms by the governor. The Arts Commission is in partnership with the regional Mid-America Arts Alliance. The Kansas Humanities Council, founded in 1972, sponsors programs involving over 500,000 people each year. The largest and most active arts organizations in the state is the Wichita Symphony Orchestra, established in 1944. The Topeka Performing Arts Center presents concerts and shows of a variety of music. Topeka also hosts a symphony.
34
Libraries and Museums
Kansas had 321 public library systems in 2001, with a total of 373 libraries of which 53 were branches. That year, the state’s public library system had 10.4 million volumes and a circulation of 21.48 million. The Dwight D. Eisenhower Library in Abilene houses the collection of papers and memorabilia from the 34th president. There is also a museum there. The Menninger Foundation Museum and Archives in Topeka maintains various collections pertaining to psychiatry. The Kansas State Historical Society Library (Topeka) contains the state’s archives. There were about 188 museums, historical societies, and art galleries scattered across the state in 2000. Among the art museums are the Mulvane Art Center in Topeka, the Helen Foresman Spencer Museum of Art at the University of Kansas (Lawrence), and the Wichita Art Museum. The Dalton Museum in Coffeyville displays memorabilia from the famed Dalton family of desperadoes. La Crosse is the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Kansas
home of the Barbed Wire Museum, displaying more than 500 varieties of barbed wire. The Emmett Kelly Historical Museum in Sedan honors the world-famous clown born there. The US Cavalry Museum is on the grounds of Ft. Riley.
35
Communications
In 2004, about 94.8% of all households had telephone service. By June of that year, there were 1,345,160 mobile telephone subscribers. In 2003, 63.8% of Kansas households had a computer, and 54.3% had Internet access. The state had 15 major AM and 54 major FM radio stations, 14 major commercial television stations, and 4 public television stations in 2005.
36
Press
The first newspaper in the state was the Shawnee Sun, a Shawnee-language newspaper founded by missionary Jotham Meeker in 1833. In 2005, Kansas had 43 daily newspapers and 14 Sunday papers. Leading newspapers and their daily circulations in 2005 were the Wichita Eagle (96,506) and the Topeka Capital-Journal (89,469). The Kansas City Star (from Missouri) is widely read in both the Kansas and Missouri metropolitan areas.
37
Tourism, Travel & Recreation
Kansas has 23 state parks, 24 federal reservoirs, 48 state fishing lakes, and more than 100 privately owned campsites. There are two national historic sites, Fort Larned and Fort Scott, both 19th century frontier army bases. The most popular tourist attraction, with over 2.4 million visitors in 2002, is Cabela’s (Kansas City), a 190,000 square-foot showroom and Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
shopping center featuring a mule deer museum, a 65,000 gallon aquarium, a gun library, and Yukon base camp grill. The next ranking visitor sites in 2002 were Harrah’s Prairie Band Casino (Mayetta), the Kansas City Speedway, Sedgwick County Zoo (Wichita), Woodlands Race Tracks (Kansas City), New Theatre Restaurant (Overland Park), Exploration Place (Wichita) and the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center (Hutchinson). The state fair is held in Hutchinson. Topeka features a number of tourist attractions, including the Kansas Museum of History and the Menninger Foundation. Dodge City offers a reproduction of Old Front Street as it was when the town was the “cowboy capital of the world.” In Hanover stands the only remaining original and unaltered Pony Express station. A recreated “Little House on the Prairie,” near the childhood home of author Laura Ingalls Wilder, is 13 miles (21 kilometers) southwest of Independence. The Eisenhower Center in Abilene contains the 34th president’s family home, library, and museum.
38
Sports
There are no major professional sports teams in Kansas. The minor league Wichita Wranglers play in the AA Texas League. There is also a minor league hockey team in Wichita. During spring, summer, and early fall, horses are raced at Eureka Downs. The national Greyhound Association Meet is held in Abilene. The University of Kansas and Kansas State both play collegiate football in the Big Twelve Conference. The National Junior College Basketball Tournament is held in Hutchinson each March. The Kansas Relays take place at Lawrence in April. The Flint Hills Rodeo 59
Kansas
Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890–1969), shown here with his wife, Mamie, was born in Texas but grew up in Abilene, Kansas. He was elected the 34th president in 1952 and was reelected in 1956. NATIONAL ARCHIVES.
in Strong City is one of many rodeos held statewide. A sporting event unique to Kansas is the International Pancake Race, held in Liberal each Shrove Tuesday. Women wearing housedresses, aprons, and scarves run along an S-shaped course carrying skillets and flipping pancakes as they go.
39
Famous Kansans
Kansas claims only one US president and one US vice president. Dwight D. Eisenhower (b.Texas, 1890–1969) was elected the 34th president in 1952 and was reelected in 1956. 60
Charles Curtis (1860–1936) was vice president during the Herbert Hoover administration. Two Kansans have been associate justices of the US Supreme Court: David J. Brewer (1837–1910) and Charles E. Whittaker (1901–1973). Prominent US senators include Robert “Bob” Dole (b.1923), who was the Republican candidate for vice-president in 1976, twice served as Senate majority leader, and was his party’s presidential candidate in 1996; and Nancy Landon Kassebaum Baker (b.1932), who was first elected to the US Senate in 1978 but retired in 1997. Gary Hart (b.1936) was a senator and a presidential candidate in 1984 and 1988. Other prominent Kansan political figures included Alfred M. Landon (1887–1984), a former governor who ran for US president on the Republican ticket in 1936; and Carrie Nation (b. Kentucky, 1846–1911), the prohibition activist. Leaders in medicine and science include the Menninger doctors—C. F. (1862–1953), William (1899–1966), and Karl (1893–1990)— who established the Menninger Foundation, a leading center for mental health; and Clyde Tombaugh (1906–1997), who discovered the planet Pluto. Kansas also had several pioneers in aviation including Clyde Cessna (b.Iowa, 1880–1954), Walter Beech (1891–1950), and Amelia Earhart (1898–1937). William Coleman (1870–1957) was an innovator in lighting, and Walter Chrysler (1875–1940) was a prominent automotive developer. Most famous of Kansas writers was William Allen White (1868–1944), whose son William L. White (1900–1973) also had a distinguished literary career. Damon Runyon (1884–1946) was a popular journalist and storyteller, and Gordon Parks (1912–2006) made his mark in Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Kansas
literature, photography, and music. Mort Walker (Mortimer Walker Addison, b.1923) is a famous cartoonist. William Inge (1913–1973) was a prize-winning playwright who contributed to the Broadway stage. Notable painters include John Noble (1874–1934) and John Steuart Curry (1897– 1946). Jazz great Charlie “Bird” Parker (Charles Christopher Parker, Jr., 1920–1955) was born in Kansas City. Stage and screen notables include Joseph “Buster” Keaton (1895–1966), Louise Brooks (1906–1985), Edward Asner (b.1929), and Kirstie Alley (b.1955). The clown Emmett Kelly (1898–1979) was a Kansan. Glenn Cunningham (1909–1988) and Jim Ryun (b.1947) both set running records for the mile. Also prominent in sports history were James Naismith (b.Ontario, Canada, 1861– 1939), the inventor of basketball, and baseball pitcher Walter Johnson (1887–1946).
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
40
Bibliography
BOOKS Averill, Thomas Fox. Soldier of Democracy: A Biography of Dwight Eisenhower. New York: Doubleday, 1945, 1952. Bjorklund, Ruth. Kansas. New York: Benchmark Books, 2000. Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Deady, Kathleen W. Kansas Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003. Murray, Julie. Kansas. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Nelson, Julie. Kansas City Chiefs. Mankato, MN: Creative Education, 2000. Zeinert, Karen. Tragic Prelude: Bleeding Kansas. North Haven, CT: Linnet, 2001. WEB SITES Kansas Travel and Tourism. Kansas: As Big as You Think. www.travelks.com (accessed March 1, 2007). State of Kansas Web Site www.state.ks.us (accessed March 1, 2007).
61
Kentucky Commonwealth of Kentucky
O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Possibly derived from
the Wyandot Indian word Kah-ten-tah-teh (land of tomorrow). N I CKNAME : The Bluegrass State. C AP ITAL: Frankfort. ENT ERED UNION: 1 June 1792 (15th). O FFICIAL SEAL: In the center are two men exchanging greetings; above and below them is the state motto. On the periphery are two sprigs of goldenrod and the words “Commonwealth of Kentucky.” FLAG: A simplified version of the state seal on a blue field. M OT TO: United We Stand, Divided We Fall. SONG: “My Old Kentucky Home.” C OLORS: Blue and gold. FLOWER: Goldenrod. TREE: Tulip poplar. A NIMAL: Gray squirrel. B IRD: Cardinal. FISH: Bass. IN S ECT: Viceroy butterfly. FOSSIL: Brachiopod. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January, plus one extra day; Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Washington’s Birthday, 3rd Monday in February; Good Friday, March or April, half-day holiday; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November, plus one extra day; Christmas Day, 25 Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
December, plus one extra day. T I ME : 7 AM EST = noon GMT; 6 AM CST = noon
GMT.
1
Location and Size
Located in the eastern south-central United States, the Commonwealth of Kentucky is the smallest of the eight south-central states and ranks 37th in size among the 50 states. The total area of Kentucky is 40,409 square miles (104,659 square kilometers), of which land makes up 39,669 square miles (102,743 square kilometers) and inland water 740 square miles (1,917 square kilometers). The state extends about 350 miles (563 kilometers) east-west and 175 miles (282 kilometers) north-south. Its total boundary length is 1,290 miles (2,076 kilometers). Because of a double bend in the Mississippi River, about 10 square miles (26 square kilometers) of south63
Kentucky
west Kentucky is separated from the rest of the state by a narrow strip of Missouri.
2
Topography
The eastern quarter of the state is dominated by the Cumberland Plateau, which is on the western border of the Appalachians. At its western edge, the plateau meets the uplands of the Lexington Plain (known as the Bluegrass region) to the north and the hilly Pennyroyal to the south. These two regions, which together make up nearly half the state’s area, are separated by a narrow curving plain known as the Knobs, because of the shapes of its eroded hills. The most level area of the state consists of the western coalfields bounded by the Pennyroyal to the east and the Ohio River to the north. In the far west are the coastal plains of the Mississippi River, a region commonly known as the Purchase, having been purchased from the Chickasaw Indians. The highest point in Kentucky is Black Mountain on the southeastern boundary in Harlan County, at 4,139 feet (2,162 meters). The lowest point is 257 feet (78 meters), along the Mississippi River in Fulton County. The only large lakes in Kentucky are artificial. The biggest is Cumberland Lake, at 79 square miles (205 square kilometers). Kentucky Lake, Lake Barkley, and Dale Hollow Lake straddle the border with Tennessee. Kentucky claims at least 3,000 miles (4,800 kilometers) of navigable rivers. Among the most important of Kentucky’s rivers are the Kentucky (259 miles/417 kilometers), the Cumberland, the Tennessee, the Big Sandy, Green, Licking, and Tradewater rivers. Completion in 1985 of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, linking the Tennessee and Tombigbee rivers in Alabama, 64
Kentucky Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:
4,206,074 4.1% 1.7% 98.9% 89.9% 7.2% 0.2% 0.9% 0.1% 0.7% 1.0%
Population by Age Group
Under 18 (24%)
65 and over (13%)
45 to 64 (26%)
18 to 24 (9%)
25 to 44 (28%)
Major Cities by Population City Louisville/Jefferson Lexington-Fayette Owensboro Bowling Green Covington Richmond Hopkinsville Henderson Frankfort Florence
Population
% change 2000–05
556,429 268,080 55,459 52,272 42,811 30,893 28,821 27,666 27,210 26,349
NA 2.9 2.6 6.0 -1.3 13.8 -4.2 1.1 -1.9 11.9
Notes: †A person of Hispanic or Latino origin may be of any race. NA indicates that data are not available. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey and Population Estimates. www.census.gov/ (accessed March 2007).
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Reelfoot Nat’l Wildlife Refuge
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ILLINOIS
25
25
N
Area of Interest
U.S. Interstate Route
State Capital
City (more than 100,000 people)
City (25,000-100,000 people)
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KENTON
KENTUCKY
Kentucky
65
Kentucky
uplands. In Louisville, the normal monthly mean temperature ranges from 33°f (1°c) in January to 76°f (24°c) in July. The record high for the state was 114°f (46°c), set in Greensburg on 28 July in 1930. The record low, -37°f (-40°c), was set in Shelbyville of 19 January 1994.The average daily relative humidity in Louisville ranges from 58% to 81%. The normal annual precipitation is 44.5 inches (113 centimeters). Snowfall totals about 18 inches (46 centimeters) a year.
4
Mammoth Cave National Park, visited each year by over 1.8 million people, contains an estimated 150 miles (241 kilometers) of underground passages. WWW. KENTUCKYTOURISM.COM.
gave Kentucky’s Appalachian coalfields direct water access to the Gulf of Mexico for the first time. Drainage through porous limestone rock of the Pennyroyal has created underground passages, the best known of which is Mammoth Cave, now a national park. The Cumberland Falls, 92 feet (28 meters) high and 100 feet (30 meters) wide, are located in Whitely County.
3
Climate
Kentucky has a moderate, relatively humid climate, with abundant rainfall. The southern and lowland regions are slightly warmer than the 66
Plants and Animals
Kentucky’s forests are mostly of the oak and hickory variety, with some beech and maple areas. Four species of magnolia are found and the tulip poplar, eastern hemlock, and eastern white pine are also common. Kentucky’s famed bluegrass is actually blue only in May, when dwarf iris and wild columbine are in bloom. Rare plants include the swamp loosestrife and showy gentian. In April 2006, the US Fish and Wildlife Service listed eight Kentucky plant species as threatened or endangered, including Braun’s rock-cress, Cumberland sandwort, running buffalo clover, and Short’s goldenrod. Game mammals include the raccoon, muskrat, and opossum. The eastern chipmunk and flying squirrel are common small mammals. At least 300 bird species have been recorded, including blackbirds, cardinals (the state bird), and robins. More than 100 types of fish have been identified. Rare animal species include the swamp rabbit, black bear, raven (Corvus corax), and mud darter. In April 2006, there were 31 animal species listed as threatened or endangered, including three species of bat (Indiana, Virginia bigeared, and gray), bald eagle, puma, piping ploJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Kentucky
Kentucky Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number
Percent
Total population. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4,041,769 . . . . . 100.0 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3,999,326 . . . . . . 98.9 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39,863 . . . . . . . 1.0 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11,084 . . . . . . . 0.3 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,842 . . . . . . . 0.3 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,728 . . . . . . . 0.1 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .633 . . . . . . . . — White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,166 . . . . . . . 0.2 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,174 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .571 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . .141 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,126 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .174 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . .30 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .233 . . . . . . . . — Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .251 . . . . . . . . — Asian and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .592 . . . . . . . . — Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118 . . . . . . . . — Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,580 . . . . . . . 0.1 Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.
ver, Kentucky cave shrimp, and three species of pearly mussel.
5
Environmental Protection
The National Resources and Environmental Protection Cabinet is the primary state agency for the environment. The Environmental Quality Commission, a watchdog group for environmental concerns, is a citizen’s group of seven members appointed by the governor. The most serious environmental concern in Kentucky is repairing and minimizing damage to land and water from strip-mining. Also active in environmental matters is the Department of Environmental Protection, consisting of four divisions. The Division of Water Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
administers the state’s Safe Drinking Water and Clean Water acts and regulation of sewage disposal. The Division of Waste Management oversees solid waste disposal systems in the state. The Air Pollution Control Division monitors industrial discharges into the air and other forms of air pollution. A special division is concerned with Maxey Flats, a closed nuclear waste disposal facility in Fleming County, where leakage of radioactive materials was discovered. Flooding is a chronic problem in southeastern Kentucky, where strip-mining has exacerbated soil erosion. In 2003, Kentucky had 149 hazardous waste sites, 14 of which were on the National Priorities List, as of 2006. 67
Kentucky
6
Population
In 2005, Kentucky ranked 26th in population among the 50 states, with an estimated total of 4,206,074 residents. The projected population for 2025 is 4.48 million. The population density in 2004 was 104.7 persons per square mile (40.49 persons per square kilometer). In that same year, the median age was 37.3. In 2005, those 65 years or older accounted for 13% of all residents, while 24% of all residents were 18 years old or younger. As of 2005, Louisville-Jefferson County had an estimated population of around 556,429 people. Lexington-Fayette had an estimated population of about 268,080. The population of Louisville metropolitan area (includes portions of Kentucky and Indiana) was estimated at 1,200,847.
7
Ethnic Groups
According to the 2000 census, the number of black Americans in Kentucky stood at 295,994 residents, representing 7.3% of the population. In 2006, the percentage of black residents was 7.2%. In 2000, the state’s Asian population was estimated at 29,744, and the Native American population was estimated at 8,616. In that same year, there were also 3,818 Koreans, 6,771 Asian Indians, 3,683 Japanese, 3,596 Vietnamese, and 5,397 Chinese. A total of 59,939 residents (1.5%) were Hispanic or Latino in 2000, with 31,385 reporting Mexican ancestry and 6,469 of Puerto Rican ancestry. In 2006, the Hispanic or Latino population accounted for 1.7% of all Kentucky residents. Pacific Islanders numbered 1,460, in 2000, while there were 80,271 foreignborn residents in that same year (about 2% of 68
the total population). Among persons reporting a single ancestry a total of 391,542 were English, 514,955 were German, 424,133 were Irish, and 66,147 were French.
8
Languages
Speech patterns in the state generally reflect the Virginia and Kentucky backgrounds of the first settlers. South Midland features are best preserved in the mountains, but some common to Midland and Southern are widespread. Other regional features are typically both South Midland and Southern. After a vowel, the /r/ sound may be weak or missing. In southern Kentucky, earthworms are called redworms, a burlap bag is a tow sack, and green beans are called snap beans. Subregional terms appear in abundance. In the east, kindling is pine and a seesaw is a ridyhorse. In central Kentucky, a moth is a candlefly. In 2000, of all residents five years old and older, 96.1% spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Spanish, German, Korean, and Chinese.
9
Religions
Throughout its history, Kentucky has been predominantly Protestant. The New Light Baptists immigrated from Virginia to Kentucky under the leadership of Lewis Craig and built the first church in the state near Lancaster in 1781. The first Methodist Church was established near Danville in 1783. In 1784, the Roman Catholics also built a church. As of 2000, Evangelical Protestantism was predominant with the single largest denomination within the state being the Southern Baptists Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Kentucky
Convention with 979,994 adherents. The next largest Protestant denomination was the United Methodist Church with 208,720 adherents, but reported only 152,727 members in 2003. In 2000, the Christian Churches and Churches of Christ with 106,638 adherents. The Roman Catholic Church had about 382,042 members in 2004. There were an estimated 11,350 Jews in Kentucky in 2000, and about 4,696 Muslims. Over 1.8 million people (46.6% of the population) were not counted as members of any religious organization in the 2000 survey.
The Ohio River and its tributaries, along with the Mississippi, were Kentucky’s primary commercial routes for trade with the South and the West, until railroads became more popular. Louisville, on the Ohio River, is the chief port. Paducah is the outlet port for traffic on the Tennessee River. In 2005 there were 149 airports, 58 heliports and 1 STOLport (Short Take-Off and Landing) in Kentucky. The largest of these is Cincinnati/ Northern Kentucky International Airport, with 10,864,547 passenger boardings in 2004.
10
11
Transportation
As of 2003, Kentucky had 2,823 miles (4,545 kilometers) of railroad track, with five Class I railroads operating in the state. Rail service to the state, nearly all of which was freight, was provided by 15 railroads. As of 2006, there were four Amtrak stations in Kentucky. The trails of Indians and buffalo became the first roads in Kentucky. Throughout the 19th century, counties called on their citizens to maintain some roads although maintenance was haphazard. The best roads were the toll roads. This system came to an end as a result of the “tollgate war” of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a rebellion in which masked Kentuckians, demanding free roads, raided tollgates and assaulted their keepers. In 1912, a state highway commission was created, and by 1920, roads had improved considerably. In 2004, Kentucky had 77,366 miles (124,559 kilometers) of public roads and 2.8 million licensed drivers. In the same year, there were some 1.855 million automobiles, about 1.415 million trucks, and around 2,000 buses registered in the state. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
History
No Native American nations resided in central and eastern Kentucky when these areas were first explored by British-American surveyors Thomas Walker and Christopher Gist in 1750 and 1751. The dominant Shawnee and Cherokee tribes utilized the region as a hunting ground, returning to homes in the neighboring territories of Ohio and Tennessee. The first permanent colonial settlement in Kentucky was established at Harrodstown (now Harrodsburg) in 1774. North Carolina speculator Richard Henderson, assisted by famed woodsman Daniel Boone, purchased a huge tract of land in central Kentucky from the Cherokee and established Fort Boonesborough. Henderson sought approval for creation of a 14th colony, but the plan was blocked by Virginians, who in 1776 incorporated the region as the County of Kentucky. Kentucky became the principal gateway for migration into the Mississippi Valley. By the late 1780s, its settlements were growing, and it was obvious that Kentucky could not long remain 69
Kentucky
Kentucky Governors: 1792–2007 1792–1796 1796–1804 1804–1808 1808–1812 1812–1816 1816 1816–1820 1820–1824 1824–1828 1828–1832 1832–1834 1834–1836 1836–1839 1839–1840 1840–1844 1844–1848 1848–1850 1850–1851 1851–1855 1855–1859 1859–1862 1862–1863 1863–1867 1867 1867–1871 1871–1875 1875–1879 1879–1883 1883–1887 1887–1891 1891–1895 1895–1899
Isaac Shelby James Garrard Christopher Greenup Charles Scott Isaac Shelby George Madison Gabriel Slaughter John Adair Joseph Desha Thomas Metcalfe John Breathitt James Turner Morehead James Clark Charles Anderson Wickliffe Robert Perkins Letcher William Owsley John Jordan Crittenden John Larue Helm Lazarus Whitehead Powell Charles Slaughter Morehead Beriah Magoffin James Fisher Robinson Thomas E. Bramlette John Larue Helm John White Stevenson Preston Hopkins Leslie James Bennett McCreary Luke Pryor Blackburn James Procter Knott Simon Bolivar Buckner John Young Brown William O’Connell Bradley
Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Republican Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Nat-Rep Democrat Democrat Whig Whig Whig Whig Whig Democrat Democrat American Democrat Democrat Union-Dem Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican
under the control of Virginia. In June 1792, Kentucky entered the Union as the 15th state. State Development Kentucky became a center
for breeding and racing fine thoroughbred horses, an industry that still thrives today. More important was the growing and processing of tobacco, which accounted for half the agricultural income of Kentucky farmers by 1860. Finally, whiskey began to be produced in vast quantities by the 1820s, culminating in the development of a fine, aged amber-red brew known throughout the world as bourbon, after Bourbon County. 70
1899–1900 1900 1900–1907 1907–1911 1911–1915 1915–1919 1919 1919–1923 1923–1927 1927–1931 1831–1835 1835–1839 1839–1843 1943–1947 1947–1950 1950–1955 1955–1959 1959–1963 1963–1967 1967–1971 1971–1974 1974–1979 1979–1983 1983–1987 1987–1991 1991–1995 1995–2003 2003–
William Sylvester Taylor Republican William Goebel Democrat John Crepps Wickliffe Beckham Democrat Augustus Everett Willson Republican James Bennett McCreary Democrat Augustus Owsley Stanley Democrat James Dixon Black Democrat Edwin Porch Morrow Republican William Jason Fields Democrat Flem Davis Sampson Republican Ruby Laffoon Democrat Albert Benjamin Chandler Democrat Keen Johnson Democrat Simeon Slavens Willis Republican Earle Chester Clements Democrat Lawrence Winchester Wetherby Democrat Albert Benjamin Chandler Democrat Bertram Thomas Combs Democrat Edward Thompson Breathitt Democrat Louie Broady Nunn Republican Wendell Hampton Ford Democrat Julian Morton Carroll Democrat John Young Brown, Jr. Democrat Martha Layne Collins Democrat Wallace G. Wilkinson Democrat Brereton Chandler Jones Democrat Paul E. Patton Democrat Ernie Fletcher Republican
Democratic Republican – Dem-Rep National Republican – Nat-Rep Union Democrat – Union-Dem
During the Civil War, Kentuckians were forced to choose sides between the Union, led in the North by Kentucky native Abraham Lincoln, and the Confederacy, led in the South by Kentucky native Jefferson Davis. Although the state legislature finally opted for the Union side, approximately 30,000 men went south to Confederate service, while up to 100,000— including nearly 24,000 black soldiers—served in the Union army. In the decades following the war, railroad construction increased threefold and exploitation of timber and coal reserves began in eastJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Kentucky
ern Kentucky. By 1900, Kentucky ranked first among southern states in per capita (per person) income. However, wealth remained very unevenly distributed—a third of all Kentucky farmers were landless tenants. The gubernatorial election scandal of 1899, in which Republican William S. Taylor was charged with fraud and reform-minded Democrat William Goebel was assassinated, polarized the state. Outside investment plummeted, and Kentucky fell into a prolonged economic depression. By 1940, the state ranked last among the 48 states in per capita income and was burdened by an image of poverty and feuding clans. The Great Depression hit the state hard, though an end to Prohibition revived the inactive whiskey industry. Post-World War II Kentucky has changed greatly
since World War II. Between 1945 and 1980, the number of farms decreased by 53%, while the number of manufacturing plants increased from 2,994 to 3,504 between 1967 and 1982. Although Kentucky remains one of the poorest states in the nation, positive change is evident even in relatively isolated rural communities, the result of better roads, education, television, and government programs. In the early 1990s, public corruption became a major issue in Kentucky politics. In a sting operation code-named Boptrot, legislators were filmed by hidden cameras accepting payments from lobbyists. Fifteen state legislators, lobbyists, and public figures were convicted or charged with bribery, extortion, fraud, and racketeering. An investigation carried out at the same time charged the husband of former Governor Martha Layne Collins, Dr. William Collins, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
with collecting $1.7 million in bribes while his wife was in office. In 1990, the Kentucky Supreme Court ruled that the state’s public education system was unconstitutional and ordered the state legislature to develop a new system of school administration and funding. The legislature responded with the Kentucky Education Reform Act, which it passed that same year and was implemented over the next five years. In 2003, Republican Ernie Fletcher was elected governor, and by 2005, had moved to make the state more business-friendly through the creation of a more flexible tax code, improvements in the quality of education, encouraging more healthy lifestyles, and other governmental and administrative reforms.
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State Government
The state legislature, called the General Assembly, consists of the House of Representatives, which has 100 members elected for 2-year terms, and the Senate with 38 members elected for staggered 4-year terms. Except for revenue-raising measures, which must be introduced in the House of Representatives, either chamber may introduce or amend a bill. Most bills may be passed by majority votes equal to at least two-fifths of the membership of each house. A majority of the members of each house is required to override the governor’s veto. The elected executive officers of Kentucky include the governor and lieutenant governor (elected jointly), secretary of state, attorney general, treasurer, auditor of public accounts, and commissioner of agriculture. All serve 4-year terms and may succeed themselves only once. 71
Kentucky
Kentucky Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR
KENTUCKY WINNER
DEMOCRAT
REPUBLICAN
DEMOCRAT
PROHIBITION
STATES’ RIGHTS PROGRESSIVE
SOCIALIST
1948 1952 1956 1960
*Truman (D) Stevenson (D) *Eisenhower (R) Nixon (R)
466,756 495,729 476,453 521,855
341,210 495,029 572,192 602,607
10,411 — — —
1,245 1,161 2,145 —
1,567 — — —
1,284 — — —
1964
*Johnson (D)
669,659
372,977
—
—
STATES’ RIGHTS
3,469
AMERICAN IND.
1968
*Nixon (R)
397,541
462,411
193,098
— SOC. WRKRS
—
—
AMERICAN
PEOPLE’S
2,843
1,118 —
— —
1972 1976
*Nixon (R) *Carter (D)
371,159 615,717
676,446 531,852
— 2,328
17,627 8,308
LIBERTARIAN
CITIZENS
1980 1984 1988
*Reagan (R) *Reagan (R) *Bush (R)
617,417 539,539 580,368
635,274 821,702 734,281
— — 4,994
— — 1,256
5,531 1,776 2,118
1,304 599 —
1992 1996
*Clinton (D) *Clinton (D)
665,104 636,614
617,178 623,283
203,944 120,396
430 —
4,513 4,009
989 —
LIBERTARIAN
REFORM
2000 *Bush, G. W. (R) 638,898 2004 *Bush, G. W. (R) 712,733 *Won US presidential election.
872,492 1,069,439
2,896 —
4,173 —
23,192 2,619
__ __
IND. (PEROT)
As of December 2004, the governor’s salary was $127,146, and most legislators received less than $14,000 per year based upon salaries of $166.34 per day when the legislature is in session.
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Political Parties
Regional divisions in party affiliation during the Civil War era, based upon sympathy with the South (Democrats) or with the Union (Republicans), have persisted in the state’s voting patterns. In general, in the 21st century, the poorer mountain areas tend to vote Republican, while the more affluent lowlanders in the Bluegrass and Pennyroyal areas tend to vote Democratic. In 1983, Martha Layne Collins, a Democrat, defeated Republican candidate Jim Bunning to 72
become Kentucky’s first woman governor. In 2004 there were 2,819,000 registered voters. In 1998, the party affiliation of registered voters was 61% Democratic, 32% Republican, and 7% unaffiliated or members of other parties. Republican Ernie Fletcher was elected governor in 2003. Republican George W. Bush defeated Democrat Al Gore 57% to 41% in the 2000 US presidential campaign. Bush also defeated Democrat John Kerry 59.5% to 39.7% in the 2004 presidential election. Following the 2006 midterm elections, Republicans held 21 seats in the state senate, while Democrats held 16, and 1 was held by an independent. However in the state house, the Democrats continued to dominate, with 61 seats, to the Republicans’ 39. Sixteen women were elected to the state legislature in 2006, or 11.6%. At the national level, Kentucky was repreJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
Kentucky
sented by Republican senators Mitch McConnell (reelected in 2002) and Jim Bunning (elected in 1998 and reelected in 2004). In the US House of Representatives, there were two Democrats and four Republicans following the 2006 elections.
14
Local Government
The chief governing body of Kentucky’s counties is the fiscal court. Elected officials include magistrates, commissioners, and sheriffs. As of 2005, the state had 120 counties and 424 cities. Cities are assigned by the General Assembly to one of six classes on the basis of population. Kentucky has two first-class cities, Louisville and Lexington. The mayor or other chief executive officer in the top three classes must be elected. In the bottom classes, the executive may be either elected by the people, or appointed by a city council or commission. Other units of local government in Kentucky included 720 special-purpose districts and 176 public school districts in 2005.
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Judicial System
Judicial power in Kentucky is vested in a unified court of justice. The highest court is the supreme court, consisting of a chief justice and six associate justices. It has appeals jurisdiction and also bears responsibility for the budget and administration of the entire system. The court of appeals consists of 14 judges, 2 elected from each supreme court district. Circuit courts, with original and appeals jurisdiction, are held in each county. There are 56 judicial circuits. Under the revised judicial system, district courts, which have limited and original jurisdiction, replaced various local and county courts. In 2004, Kentucky had a vioJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition
lent crime (murder/nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault) rate of 244.9 crimes per 100,000 people. As of 31 December 2004, there were 17,814 prisoners in Kentucky’s state and federal prisons. The state has a death penalty, of which the sole method of execution is lethal injection for those sentenced after 31 March 1998. Those inmates sentenced before that date may select electrocution, instead of lethal injection. From 1976 through 5 May 2006, the state had executed only 2 persons. As of 1 January 2006, there were 37 inmates on death row.
16
Migration
During the frontier period, Kentucky first attracted settlers from eastern states, especially Virginia and North Carolina. Prominent among early foreign immigrants were people of English and Scotch-Irish ancestry, who tended to settle in the Kentucky highlands, which resembled their Old World homelands. Kentucky’s black population increased rapidly during the first 40 years of statehood through slavery. By the 1830s, however, many Kentucky owners either moved to the Deep South or sold their slaves to new owners in that region. During the 1850s, nearly 16% of Kentucky’s slave population, more than 43,000 people, were sold or moved from the state. A tiny percentage of Kentucky’s blacks, probably fewer than 200, emigrated to Liberia under the auspices of the Kentucky Colonization Society. Until the early 1970s there was a considerable out-migration of whites, especially from eastern Kentucky to industrial areas of Ohio, Indiana, and other nearby states. Between 1990 and 1998, Kentucky had net gains of 90,000 in 73
Kentucky
Bowling Green is the only place where the Chevy Corvette is manufactured. The Corvette Museum is located across the street from the manufacturing plant. WWW. KENTUCKYTOURISM.COM.
domestic migration and 14,000 in international migration. In the period 2000–05, net international migration into the state totaled 27,435 people, while net domestic migration totaled 32,169, for a net gain of 59,604 people.
17
Economy
Although agriculture is still important in Kentucky, manufacturing has grown rapidly since World War II, and was by the mid1980s, the most important area of the economy as a source of both employment and personal income. Kentucky leads the nation in the production of coal and whiskey, and ranks second in 74