Iowa became the 29th state of the USA on December 28, 1846. It is a lowland country located in the north of the United States, bordering the states of Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota, Missouri, Wisconsin and Illinois. Iowa covers an area of 145,743 km², making it the 26th largest US state in terms of size.
The country got its name from the Iowa River, which was named after the original Indian tribe living in the area. The name of this tribe was pronounced “Ayuxea” by the French and “Ioway” by the English. The first Europeans to visit the area were the French explorers Louis Joliet and Jacques Marquette. In 1833, the first American settlers came to the country. Today, the Meskwaki and Soko Indian tribes live in the country.
- LIUXERS: Offers a list of schools with federal school code in Iowa, including contact information, graduation rate, retention rate and transfer rate for each college located within Iowa.
About 3 million people live in Iowa, of which 93% are white. The remaining 7% is divided between blacks, Indians, Asians and other races. In Iowa there are many immigrants from European countries, mainly from Germany, Ireland, England and Norway. About 73% of the population is Christian, of which Protestants and Catholics are the most represented.
The land is mostly flat, only in the west do small hills rise. In northeastern Iowa, there is the Driftless Zone upland, which is covered by conifers. The highest mountain is Hawkeye Point with a height of 509 meters above sea level. An important sector of the economy is agriculture, the fertile land mainly grows corn, wheat, potatoes, soybeans, and people also raise cattle. Arable land makes up 93% of the surface. Important industries include engineering, food, chemical, electrical, weapons, metallurgy and aluminum production. The production of refrigerators, washing machines, fountain pens and agricultural implements is important. Iowa is also the largest producer of ethanol and biodiesel.
Important rivers such as the Mississippi, Missouri or Big Sioux River flow through Iowa. The country is also home to large lakes such as Spirit Lake, West Okoboji Lake and East Okoboji Lake. Among the artificial water reservoirs, we name Saylorville Lake, Lake Red Rock, Lake Odessa and Rathbun Lake. In Iowa, we can find four unique nature reserves.
Iowa is divided into 99 administrative units (counties) and the capital is Des Monies. The name of the city is of French origin, until 1851 it was called Fort Des Moines, which means “Fort of the Monks”. In 1857, however, its name was shortened to Des Moines. Today, it is not only the capital of Iowa with approximately 200,000 inhabitants, but also the administrative unit of the Polk Country region. The city is located at the confluence of the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers.
According to COUNTRYAAH, other important cities include Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Sioux City, Waterloo, Iowa City, Council Bluffs, Dubuque, Ames or West Des Moines.
The country has a continental climate with significant temperature fluctuations, with plenty of rainfall and warm summers. The average annual temperature is around 10°C. In winter, snow is not unusual, and in summer temperatures here can climb up to 40°C.
Davenport
The city of Davenport covers an area of 168 km2 in Scott County, Iowa, on the banks of the Mississippi River. Around 100,000 inhabitants live here, making it the third largest city in the state. The town was founded after the war of 1836 by Antoine LeClair, who named it after his friend, Colonel George Davenport.
The city is home to two colleges, Saint Ambrose University and the Palmer College of Chiropractic dating back to 1897. It also hosts several well-known music festivals every year, such as the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival or the Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Jazz Festival, which is named after the famous jazz musician. Davenport is also the site of a number of sporting events. For example, an 11 km running race, the so-called Bix 7, is held here, which is run right during the music festival. There is low unemployment in the city and, with that, low crime. It can be said that Davenport is an ideal place to live.
In Davenport, you’ll find around 27 parks and over 12 miles of recreational trails that can be used for biking or hiking. The city center, the so-called Downtown, hides a number of interesting places. You can see, for example, the Figge Art Museum, Putnam Museum, visit the IMAX Theater, Davenport Public Library from 1839, Davenport Skybridge or Modern Woodmen Park. The Putnam Museum was founded in 1867 and was one of the first museums built west of the Mississippi River. Downtown Davenport is also home to the Quad City Symphony Orchestra, founded in 1915.
