According to babyinger, South Dakota is a state located in the Midwest region of the United States. It is bordered by North Dakota to the north, Minnesota to the east, Iowa to the southeast, Nebraska to the south, and Wyoming and Montana to the west. South Dakota is divided into two geographic regions: East River and West River. East River is located east of the Missouri River and consists of rolling hills and prairies while West River is located west of the Missouri River and consists of rugged badlands and mountain ranges.
The total area of South Dakota is 77,116 square miles making it 17th largest state in terms of land area. It has an average elevation of 2,200 feet above sea level with Harney Peak being its highest point at 7,242 feet above sea level. The Black Hills region in western South Dakota contains several mountain ranges such as Black Elk Peaks, Harney Peak range, Big Stone Point range, Bear Butte range etc.
The Missouri River runs through central South Dakota from north to south dividing it into two distinct regions – East River and West river. Other major rivers in South Dakota include Cheyenne river which originates from Wyoming; James river which flows through eastern part; White river which originates from Nebraska; Vermillion river which flows through southeastern part; Big Sioux river which originates from Iowa; Grand river which flows along western border etc.
The climate in South Dakota varies greatly across its diverse landscape with temperatures ranging from extreme cold in wintertime to hot summers along with abundant precipitation throughout most areas throughout the year except for western regions where it tends to be drier than other parts due to its location near Rocky Mountains.
Administrative Regions in South Dakota
According to COUNTRYAAH.COM, South Dakota is divided into 66 counties and five administrative regions, namely East River, West River, Central South Dakota, South Central South Dakota and the Black Hills. East River comprises of 34 counties that are located in the eastern part of the state. Most of these counties are located in the Missouri Plateau region. It includes some of the major cities like Sioux Falls, Rapid City and Aberdeen. The West River consists of 17 counties in western South Dakota and includes some of the major cities like Pierre, Spearfish and Sturgis. Central South Dakota comprises of six counties that are located in central part of the state. This region includes some major cities like Brookings, Mitchell and Watertown.
South Central South Dakota consists of eight counties that are located in south central part of the state. This region includes some major cities like Huron, Vermillion and Yankton. The Black Hills region consists of one county which is Lawrence County which is home to many tourist attractions such as Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Crazy Horse Memorial and Wind Cave National Park. All these five administrative regions have their own unique features and attractions which make them a popular destination for tourists from all over the world.
Demographics of South Dakota
South Dakota is a state of the United States with a population of 884,659 as of 2019. It has a total land area of 77,116 square miles. The racial makeup of the state is 86.6% White, 7.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.5% Black or African American, 1.6% Asian, 0.2% Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander and 2.8% from other races. The largest ancestry group in South Dakota is German (36%), followed by Norwegian (14%), Irish (13%), Native American (10%) and English (9%).
The median age in South Dakota is 37 years old with 17% of its population aged under 18 years old and 11.7% aged 65 years or over. In terms of gender distribution, there are more females than males with 50.6 % female population compared to 49.4 % male population in the state as per 2019 estimates. The median household income for the state was $54,467 in 2018 which is higher than the national average of $61,937 for the same year according to US Census Bureau data..
In terms of education level achieved by its residents, about 24 percent have at least a bachelor’s degree while 12 percent have some college experience but no bachelor’s degree according to US Census Bureau data 2018 estimates. In addition to this more than 33 percent have attained high school diploma or equivalent qualification while 3 percent are high school dropouts according to 2018 estimates. Lastly, unemployment rate stood at 3 percent in 2019 which was lower than the national average unemployment rate for that year according to US Bureau Labor Statistics.
Transportation in South Dakota
South Dakota is served by an extensive network of roads, highways, and interstates which provide access to the state’s major cities and towns. The two main interstate highways that run through South Dakota are Interstate 90 and Interstate 29. These two highways link the state with neighboring states such as Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, and Montana. Other major roads in South Dakota include US Route 81, US Route 83, US Route 85, US Route 212 and US Route 18.
The public transportation system in South Dakota is provided by the South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT). The SDDOT operates a fleet of buses that provides intercity transportation services between cities within the state. The transit system also includes numerous local bus systems operated by various cities throughout the state.
South Dakota also has several airports located throughout the state which provide both domestic and international flights. The largest airport in South Dakota is Sioux Falls Regional Airport located in Sioux Falls which offers direct flights to other cities within the United States as well as some international destinations such as Toronto and Mexico City. Other major airports in South Dakota include Rapid City Regional Airport located in Rapid City; Pierre Regional Airport located in Pierre; Watertown Regional Airport located in Watertown; Aberdeen Regional Airport located in Aberdeen; Brookings Municipal Airport located in Brookings; Mitchell Municipal Airport located in Mitchell; Huron Regional Airport located in Huron; Yankton Municipal Airport located in Yankton; Mobridge Municipal Airport located in Mobridge; Sisseton Municipal Airport located in Sisseton and Belle Fourche Municipal Airport located Belle Fourche.
In addition to air travel, there are several train lines that run through the state including Amtrak’s Empire Builder line which runs from Chicago to Seattle via Minneapolis/St Paul with stops at Chamberlain, Pierre and Rapid City among other stations. There are also freight railroads operating within South Dakota including BNSF Railway Co., Canadian Pacific Railway Co., Union Pacific Railroad Co., Burlington Northern Santa Fe Co., Great Northern Railway Co., Central Oregon & Pacific Railroad Co., Red River Valley & Western Railroad Co., Central Kansas Railway Co., Soo Line Railroad Co., Montana Rail Link Inc., etc.