South Dakota State Geography

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Key Facts

Population (1994): 721,000 (45th in size)

State size: 77,116 square miles (16th in size)

State Capital: Pierre (named after Pierre Chouteau who founded St Louis, Missouri)

Major cities: Pierre, Rapid City and Sioux Falls

Admission to union: The 40th State

Date entered the union: November 2, 1889

Origin of state name: Same as North Dakota, an indian name meaning "allies".

Nicknames: The Coyote State or the Sunshine State

Bordering states: North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming and Montana

State bird: Ring-necked Pheasant

State flower: Pasqueflower

State tree: White Spruce

Motto: Under God the People Rule

Mount Rushmore has the carved heads of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Roosevelt.

Cattle farming is the major industry. South Dakota also has gold mining. Other industry includes food products, machinery and wood products.

South Dakota was first settled by the French and Spanish, but later became part of the U.S. with the Louisiana Purchase in 1803.

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