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Utah is from a Ute Indian word meaning- Home on the Mountain Top!
Utah is bordered by Idaho and Wyoming (N), Colorado (E), Arizona (S), and Nevada (W), and touches New Mexico in the SE, at the Four Corners.
Area, 84,916 sq mi (219,932 sq km), including 2,577 sq mi (6,674 sq km) of inland water surface, with
Pop. (2000) 2,233,169 , a 29.6% increase since the 1990 census.
Capital and largest city, Salt Lake City.
Motto, Industry.
State bird, seagull.
State flower, sego lily.
State tree, blue spruce.
Utah is the rooftop of the United States. The average elevation of the tallest peaks in each of Utah´s counties is 11,222 ft. above sea level - higher than the same average in any other state." The state of Utah is unique. We have more variety of landscapes, geology, and recreational opportunities than even we can imagine. While our national parks are considered national treasures, there are many more places to see and things to do that are just as amazing… and certainly less crowded!
Cultivated land, including isolated farms in river valleys and considerable dry-farming acreage, is limited to a small percentage of the state's total area. Major crops are hay, corn, barley, and wheat, but the bulk of income from agriculture comes from livestock and livestock products, including sheep, cattle, dairying, and an expanding poultry industry. Abundant sunshine provides some compensation for inadequate rainfall, and the climate is generally moderate, allowing for substantial fruit production. Most of Utah lies on a plateau higher than 4,000 feet above sea level. The geology of this region takes on an amazing variety of shapes and colors. Elevations rise and fall dramatically in the shape of mountains, buttes, and plateaus, the highest reaching over 13,000 feet!
For many years high freight rates and the long distances to major markets, together with a Mormon distrust of industrialization, tended to discourage manufacturing. However, the establishment of defense plants and military installations during World War II spurred phenomenal industrial growth. The proximity of high-grade iron, coal, and limestone made Provo a steel center. Industrial plants extend from Provo to Brigham City, with the largest concentration in the Salt Lake City area. Utah is now a center for aerospace research and the production of missiles, spacecraft, computer hardware and software, electronic systems, and related items. Other major manufactures are processed foods, machinery, fabricated metals, and petroleum products.
Temple Square in Salt Lake City, is Utah's most popular tourist destination. Part of its appeal lies in its accessibility: three city blocks in downtown Salt Lake City contain nearly 20 attractions related to Mormon pioneer history and genealogy, including the Salt Lake Temple, the Tabernacle, and the Family History Library. This means that visitors can see all or most of these attractions in a relatively short period of time.
*Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, Copyright (c) 2003
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