Idaho

Idaho is a state in the northwestern United States, and was the 43rd state to join the union.^[4]

Idaho
State
State of Idaho
Flag Seal
Nickname:  Gem State
Motto:  Esto perpetua (Latin for "Let it be perpetual")
Anthem: "Here We Have Idaho"
Map of the United States with Idaho highlighted
Country	United States
Before statehood	Oregon Territory, Washington Territory, Idaho Territory
Admitted to the Union	July 3, 1890 (43rd)
Capital (and largest city)	Boise
Largest metro and urban areas	Boise
Government
• Governor	Brad Little (R)
• Lieutenant Governor	Scott Bedke (R)
Legislature	Legislature
• Upper house	Senate
• Lower house	House of Representatives
Judiciary	Idaho Supreme Court
U.S. senators	Mike Crapo (R) Jim Risch (R)
U.S. House delegation	1. Russ Fulcher (R) 2. Mike Simpson (R) (list)
Area
• Total	83,557[1] sq mi (216,443 km2)
• Water	926 sq mi (2,398 km2)  .99%
• Rank	14th
Dimensions
• Length	479 mi (771 km)
• Width	305 mi (491 km)
Elevation	5,000 ft (1,520 m)
Highest elevation (Mt. Borah[1])	12,662[1] ft (3,859 m)
Lowest elevation (Lewiston, ID[1])	738[1] ft (217 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,839,106
• Rank	38th
• Density	21.6/sq mi (8.33/km2)
• Rank	44th
• Median household income	$52,225[2]
• Income rank	41st
Demonym	Idahoan
Language
• Official language	English[3]
Time zones
primary	UTC−07:00 (Mountain)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−06:00 (MDT)
Idaho Panhandle	UTC−08:00 (Pacific)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−07:00 (PDT)
USPS abbreviation	ID
ISO 3166 code	US-ID
Latitude	42° N to 49° N
Longitude	111°03′ W to 117°15′ W
Website	www.idaho.gov

Idaho state symbols
Flag of Idaho
Living insignia
Amphibian	Tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum)
Bird	Mountain bluebird (Sialia currucoides) Raptor: Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus)
Fish	Cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii)
Flower	Syringa (Philadelphus lewisii)
Horse breed	Appaloosa
Insect	Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus)
Tree	Western white pine (Pinus monticola)
Inanimate insignia
Dance	Square dance
Food	Fruit: Huckleberry Vegetable: Potato
Fossil	Hagerman horse (Equus simplicidens)
Gemstone	Star garnet
Soil	Threebear
State route marker
Lists of United States state symbols

Idaho became a state in 1890, and it is the 11th largest state in land area, and the 14th largest in total area (land and water). Despite this, the population of Idaho was only 1,839,106 in 2020, making it ranked the 38th largest state by population.

Idaho is bordered by Washington and Oregon on the west, Montana and Wyoming on the east, Utah and Nevada on the south and the country of Canada (British Columbia) on the north side. Idaho is known for its vast mountainous landscapes, and it is literally covered from north to south by the Rocky Mountains.^[5] Idaho is also home to the massive Snake River, which comes from the Grand Tetons in Wyoming and eventually flows to meld with the Columbia River in Washington state.^[5] This river dissects Hell's Canyon, the deepest gorge in America,^[6] which lies the state's Oregon border, and flows through south central Idaho. This river provides a fertile plain which is the base for most of the state's agricultural industries,^[5] and the production of the potatoes for which Idaho is known. Idaho's state nickname is the "Gem State", despite also being known as the "Spud State", because of a man named George M. Willing who claimed it was derived from a Shoshone term.

Idaho's most prominent universities are Boise State University in its capital, Idaho State University in Pocatello, and the University of Idaho in Moscow.

Idaho's state motto is Esto perpetua, which is Latin for "Let it be forever".

Cities and towns

Population > 100,000 (city area)

• Boise (state capital)
• Meridian – Suburb of Boise
• Nampa – Home of Northwest Nazarene University

Population > 50,000 (city area)

• Idaho Falls – The main offices of the Idaho National Laboratory are here
• Caldwell – Home of the College of Idaho
• Pocatello – Home of Idaho State University
• Coeur d'Alene – Home of North Idaho College, major tourist hub
• Twin Falls – Home of College of Southern Idaho

Population > 30,000 (city area)

• Rexburg – Home of Brigham Young University-Idaho
• Post Falls
• Lewiston – Home of Lewis-Clark State College
• Eagle – Suburb of Boise

Population > 10,000 (city area)

• Ammon – Suburb of Idaho Falls
• Blackfoot – Home of the Idaho Potato Museum
• Burley
• Chubbuck
• Garden City – Suburb of Boise
• Hayden
• Jerome
• Kuna – Suburb of Boise
• Moscow – Home of the University of Idaho
• Mountain Home – U.S. Air Force Base
• Star

Smaller Towns and Cities

American Falls – First town to be entirely moved Arco – First city to be lit by electricity from a nuclear power plant Bonners Ferry – Northernmost major town in Idaho Buhl – "Trout capital of the world" Driggs – skiing Eden Emmett Filer – Suburb of Twin Falls Firth Fruitland Greenleaf Hazelton Homedale – town's name was chosen from a hat Island Park Kellogg – skiing Kimberly – Suburb of Twin Falls Malad City McCall – skiing Melba, Idaho - South of Nampa, Idaho Middleton Montpelier bank robbed by the wild bunch Mullan – mining for silver, lead, zinc New Meadows - at the 45th parallel north

New Plymouth – first planned community in Idaho, third west of the Rocky Mountains Notus Oakley – pioneer town, home of many historic buildings Orofino – Clearwater County seat, site of Dworshak Dam Paris – Bear Lake County seat Parma Payette – Payette County seat Plummer- CDA tribal headquarters Preston- location of the 2004 film Napoleon Dynamite and the annual International Bed Races Rigby – Television birthplace Rupert- Minidoka County seat Salmon – Gateway to "River of No Return" (Salmon River) Sandpoint – skiing (Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort) and Recreation Lake Pend Oreille Shelley – Home of the Russet SPUD Soda Springs – U.S.'s only captive geyser St. Anthony – sand dunes and several lava tubes St. Maries – Benewah County seat Stanley, Idaho – center of the Sawtooth mountains Sun Valley – Year-round resort with skiing Wallace – Historic district and Shoshone County seat Weiser – Washington County seat, home of the National Oldtime Fiddlers' Contest Wilder Worley – casino

History of Idaho

Idaho was formerly Idaho Territory, until July 27, 1890, when it became the 43rd state. In the 1930s, Idaho suffered a lot economically as a result of the Great Depression. Prices plummeted for Idaho's major crops: in 1932, a bushel of potatoes was worth only ten cents compared to $1.51 in 1919, while Idaho farmers´ annual income of $686 in 1929 fell to just $250 by 1932.^[7]

Politics

Today, Idaho is a very conservative state. In the 2024 election, just two counties in Idaho voted for the Democrat, Kamala Harris. Idaho as a whole last voted Democratic in 1964, and that by a narrow margin of less than 2 percent. Both of Idaho's senators (Jim Risch and Mike Crapo) are Republican.

Related pages

• Colleges and universities in Idaho
• List of counties in Idaho
• List of rivers of Idaho