NationMaster - Encyclopedia: American West

The Western United States, also referred to as the American West or simply The West, traditionally refers to the region constituting the westernmost states of the United States (see geographical terminology section for further discussion of these terms). Since the United States has historically expanded westward the definition of the West has evolved over time. A U.S. state is any one of the fifty states (four of which officially favor the term commonwealth) which, together with the District of Columbia and Palmyra Atoll (an uninhabited incorporated unorganized territory), form the United States of America. ... This painting (circa 1872) by John Gast called American Progress is an allegorical representation of Manifest Destiny. ...

As defined by the Census Bureau, the Western region of the United States includes 13 states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. This includes all those states through which the Continental Divide passes (Alaska, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico), as well as all other states farther west. Alternately, any state west of the Mississippi River may or may not be considered part of the West today. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census) is a part of the United States Department of Commerce. ... State nickname: The Last Frontier, The Land of the Midnight Sun Other U.S. States Capital Juneau Largest city Anchorage Governor Frank Murkowski (R) Official languages English Area 1,067,653 miÂ² / 1,717,854 kmÂ² (1st) - Land 1,481,347 kmÂ² - Water 236,507 kmÂ² (13. ... State nickname: The Grand Canyon State, The Copper State Other U.S. States Capital Phoenix Largest city Phoenix Governor Janet Napolitano (D) Official languages English Only State Area 295,254 kmÂ² (6th) - Land 294,312 kmÂ² - Water 942 kmÂ² (0. ... State nickname: The Golden State Other U.S. States Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) Official languages English Area 410,000 kmÂ² (3rd) - Land 404,298 kmÂ² - Water 20,047 kmÂ² (4. ... State nickname: The Centennial State Other U.S. States Capital Denver Largest city Denver Governor Bill Owens (R) Official languages English Area 269,837 kmÂ² (8th) - Land 268,879 kmÂ² - Water 962 kmÂ² (0. ... State nickname: The Aloha State Other U.S. States Capital Honolulu Largest city Honolulu Governor Linda Lingle (R) Official languages Hawaiian and English Area 28,337 kmÂ² (43rd) - Land 16,649 kmÂ² - Water 11,672 kmÂ² (41. ... State nickname: Gem State Other U.S. States Capital Boise Largest city Boise Governor Dirk Kempthorne (R) Official languages none Area 216,632 kmÂ² (14th) - Land 214,499 kmÂ² - Water 2,133 kmÂ² (0. ... State nickname: Treasure State Other U.S. States Capital Helena Largest city Billings Governor Brian Schweitzer (D) Official languages English Area 381,156 kmÂ² (4th) - Land 377,295 kmÂ² - Water 3,862 kmÂ² (1%) Population (2000) - Population 902,195 (44th) - Density 2. ... State nickname: Land of Enchantment Other U.S. States Capital Santa Fe Largest city Albuquerque Governor Bill Richardson Official languages English and Spanish Area 315,194 kmÂ² (5th) - Land 314,590 kmÂ² - Water 607 kmÂ² (0. ... State nickname: Silver State, Battle Born State (official) Other U.S. States Capital Carson City Largest city Las Vegas Governor Kenny Guinn (R) Official languages None Area 286,367 kmÂ² (7th) - Land 284,396 kmÂ² - Water 1,971 kmÂ² (0. ... State nickname: Beaver State Other U.S. States Capital Salem Largest city Portland Governor Ted Kulongoski (D) Official languages None Area 255,026 kmÂ² (9th) - Land 248,849 kmÂ² - Water 6,177 kmÂ² (2. ... // History Early history Native Americans have lived in Utah for several thousand years; most archeological evidence dates such habitation about 10,000 to 12,000 years ago. ... State nickname: The Evergreen State Other U.S. States Capital Olympia Largest city Seattle Governor Christine Gregoire (D) Official languages None Area 184,824 kmÂ² (18th) - Land 172,587 kmÂ² - Water 12,237 kmÂ² (6. ... State nickname: Equality State Other U.S. States Capital Cheyenne Largest city Cheyenne Governor Dave Freudenthal (D) Official languages English Area 253,554 kmÂ² (10th) - Land 251,706 kmÂ² - Water 1,851 kmÂ² (0. ... The Continental Divide is the border between the red and green areas The Continental Divide or Great Divide is a ridge of mountains in North America, which separates the watershed area of streams and rivers that flow west into the Pacific Ocean from those that flow east into the Arctic... Length 6,270 km Elevation of the source 450 m Average discharge Saint LouisÂ¹: 5,500 mÂ³/s VicksburgÂ²: 16,800 mÂ³/s Baton RougeÂ³: 12,800 mÂ³/s Area watershed 2,980,000 kmÂ² Origin Lake Itasca Mouth Gulf of Mexico Basin countries United States (98. ...

Geography

Main article: Geography of the Western United States. The Geography of the Western United States is split into three major physiographic divisions: the Rocky Mountain System (areas 16-19 on map), the Intermontane Plateaus (20-22), and the Pacific Mountain System (23-25). ...

The West is the most geographically diverse region of the country and its largest region, and can comprise more than half the land area of the United States, depending on how it is defined. This diversity includes a number of the geographic regions, including; the Pacific Coast, the temperate rain forests of the Northwest, the Rocky Mountains, all of the Great Plains, most of the tall-grass prairie, the western Ozark plateau, the western portions of the southern forests, the Gulf Coast, and all of the desert areas located in the United States (the Mojave, Sonara, Great Basin, and Chihuahua deserts). Gateway Arch, 2001, by Rick Dikeman File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Gateway Arch, 2001, by Rick Dikeman File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The Old Courthouse sits at the heart of the city of Saint Louis, with the arch to the east, near the rivers edge. ... The Pacific Coast is any coast fronting the Pacific Ocean. ... A rainforest is a forested biome with high annual rainfall. ... Darker red states are always part of the Pacific Northwest. ... White Goat Wilderness Area, Alberta, Canada The Rocky Mountains, often called the Rockies, are a broad mountain range in western North America. ... The Great Plains states. ... Ozark redirects here. ... The Gulf of Mexico is a major body of water bordered and nearly landlocked by North America. ... Mojave Desert The Mojave or Mohave Desert occupies a significant portion of Southern California and parts of Utah, Nevada and Arizona. ... Sonoran Desert wildlife Mountains in the Sonoran Desert The Sonoran Desert is a North American desert which straddles part of the border between the United States and Mexico and covers large parts of the states of Arizona, California and Sonora. ... The Great Basin is a large, arid region of the western United States, commonly defined as the contiguous watershed region, roughly between the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada, that has no natural outlet to the sea. ... The Chihuahuan Desert is a desert mainly situated in much of central and southern New Mexico, Texas west of the Pecos River, the northern half of the Mexican state of Chihuahua and most of the Mexican state of Coahuila. ...

The region encompasses much of the Louisiana Purchase, most of the land ceded by Britain in 1818, some of the land acquired when the Republic of Texas joined the U.S., all of the land ceded by Britain in 1846, all of the land ceded by Mexico in 1848, and all of the Gadsden Purchase. From Frank Bond, Louisiana and the Louisiana Purchase. ... Official language English de facto nationwide also Spanish, French, German and Native American languages regionally Capital Washington-on-the-Brazos 1836 Harrisburg 1836 Galveston 1836 Velasco 1836 Houston 1837â€“1839 Austin 1839â€“1845 Largest city San Antonio, Texas Presidents David G. Burnet, Sam Houston, Mirabeau B. Lamar, Anson Jones Area... The Gadsden Purchase (shown with present-day state boundaries and cities) The Gadsden Purchase is a 29,640 miÂ² (77,700 kmÂ²) region of what is today southern Arizona and New Mexico that was purchased by the United States from Mexico in 1853. ...

Variation and regionalism

As the largest region in the United States there is varation to such an extent in the west that it is often broken down into regions. Arizona, Colorado, California, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas, and Utah or regions of those states are sometimes considered part of the Southwest, while all or part of Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming can be considered part of the Northwest, more narrowly part or all of those same states, with the exception of Wyoming and the eastern protions of Montana and Idaho, and the addition of Northern California, and the Canadian province of British Columbia comprise the Pacific Northwest. Alternately the west can be divided into the Pacific States; Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington, with the term West Coast usually restricted to just California, Oregon, and Washington, and the Mountain States, always Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. Alaska and Hawaii, being detached from the other western states, have few similarities with them, but are usually also classified as part of the West. Not all states that can be considered part of the west are: Kansas, Nebraska and North Dakota are often included in the Midwest, while Oklahoma and Texas are often in the South or Southeast. In truth they have ties to both regions, as do the first tier of states west of the Mississippi River (Louisiana to Minnesota). The Southwestern United States or simply the Southwest is a region of the United States that is drier in weather than the adjoining Southern United States and Western United States; the population is less dense and, with moderate Mexican and American Indian components, more ethnically varied than neighboring areas. ... The Northwestern United States is comprised of the Pacific Northwest and the western Great Plains and generally includes, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming. ... Northern California (sometimes NorCal) refers to the northern portion of the U.S. state of California, roughly covering all of those counties except for the ten counties which make up Southern California. ... Motto: Splendor Sine Occasu (Splendour without diminishment) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Lieutenant Governor Iona Campagnolo Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Area 944,735 kmÂ² (5th) Land 925,186 kmÂ² Water 19,549 kmÂ² (2. ... Darker red states are always part of the Pacific Northwest. ... The Pacific States form one of the nine geographic divisions within the United States that are officially recognized by that countrys census bureau. ... In general, the term West Coast is a nickname for the coastal states of the Western United States, comprising California, Oregon and Washington, and sometimes Alaska and Hawaii (see Pacific States). ... The Mountain States form one of the nine geographic divisions within the United States which are officially recognized by that countrys census bureau. ... The Midwest is a common name for a region of the United States of America. ... The Southern United States or the South constitute a distinctive region covering a large portion of the United States. ... The Southeastern United States or simply the Southeast refers to a region in the southeastern part of the USA. It usually consists of the following southern states: Louisiana Mississippi Alabama Georgia Florida and sometimes: Arkansas Oklahoma Texas These states are more often referred to as simply the South, although that... State nickname: Pelican State Other U.S. States Capital Baton Rouge Largest city New Orleans, officially (currently Baton Rouge due to the evacuation of New Orleans) Governor Kathleen Blanco (D) Official languages None; English and French de facto Area 134,382 kmÂ² (31st) - Land 112,927 kmÂ² - Water 21,455... State nickname: North Star State Other U.S. States Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Governor Tim Pawlenty (R) Official languages None Area 225,365 kmÂ² (12th) - Land 206,375 kmÂ² - Water 18,990 kmÂ² (8. ...

Natural Geography

Along the Pacific Ocean coast lie the Coast Ranges, which do not approach the scale of the Rockies. They collect a large part of the airborne moisture moving in from the ocean. Even in the relatively arid climate of central California, the Coast Ranges squeeze enough water out of the clouds to support the growth of coast redwoods. East of the Coast Ranges lie several cultivated fertile valleys, notably the San Joaquin Valley of California and the Willamette Valley of Oregon. Download high resolution version (506x611, 474 KB) This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Download high resolution version (506x611, 474 KB) This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... The Pacific Coast Ranges are the series of mountain ranges that stretch along west coast of North America from Alaska to Mexico. ... White Goat Wilderness Area, Alberta, Canada The Rocky Mountains, often called the Rockies, are a broad mountain range in western North America. ... Binomial name Sequoia sempervirens (D. Don) Endl. ... Fljótsdalur in East-Iceland A valley is a landform, which can range from a few square miles (square kilometers) to hundreds or even thousands of square miles (square kilometers) in area. ... The eight-county San Joaquin Valley is the part of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton. ... The Willamette Valley is the region in northwest Oregon in the United States that surrounds the Willamette River as it proceeds northward from its emergence from mountains near Eugene to its confluence with the Columbia River. ...

Beyond the valleys lie the Sierra Nevada in the south and the Cascade Range in the north. These mountains are some of the highest in the United States. Mount Whitney, at 4,421 metres (14,505 feet) the tallest peak in the contiguous 48 states, is in the Sierra Nevada. The Cascades are also volcanic. Mount Rainier, a volcano in Washington, is also well over 4,392 metres (14,000 feet aprox). Mount St. Helens, a volcano in the Cascades erupted explosively in 1980 and a, major volcanic eruption at Mount Mazama around 4860 BC, forming Crater Lake. These mountain ranges see heavy precipitation, capturing most of the moisture that remains after the Coast Ranges, and creating a rain shadow to the east forming vast stretches of arid land. These dry areas encompass much of Nevada, Utah and Arizona. The Mojave Desert and Sonoran Desert along with other deserts are found here. The Sierra Nevada is a mountain range that is mostly in eastern California. ... Mount Adams in Washington state The Cascade Range is a mountainous region famous for its chain of tall volcanoes called the High Cascades that run north-south along the west coast of North America from British Columbia to the Shasta Cascade area of northern California. ... Mount Whitney is the highest point in the Continental United States. ... Mount Rainier is a stratovolcano (and national park) located 54 miles (87 km) southeast of Seattle, Washington in Pierce County. ... Mount St. ... 1980 is a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... Mount Mazama is a destroyed stratovolcano in the Oregon part of the Cascade Range. ... For the general term of a geological feature that goes by the same name, see crater lake. ... A rain shadow (or more accurately, precipitation shadow) is a dry region on the surface of the Earth that is leeward or behind a mountain with respect to the prevailing wind direction. ... Mojave Desert The Mojave or Mohave Desert occupies a significant portion of Southern California and parts of Utah, Nevada and Arizona. ... Sonoran Desert wildlife Mountains in the Sonoran Desert The Sonoran Desert is a North American desert which straddles part of the border between the United States and Mexico and covers large parts of the states of Arizona, California and Sonora. ...

Beyond the deserts lie the Rocky Mountains. In the north, they run immediately east of the Cascade Range, so that the desert region does not reach all the way to the Canadian border. The Rockies are hundreds of miles wide, and run uninterrupted from New Mexico to Alaska. The tallest peaks of the Rockies, some of which are over 4,250 metres (14,000 feet aprox.), are found in central Colorado. State nickname: Land of Enchantment Other U.S. States Capital Santa Fe Largest city Albuquerque Governor Bill Richardson Official languages English and Spanish Area 315,194 kmÂ² (5th) - Land 314,590 kmÂ² - Water 607 kmÂ² (0. ...

The West has several long rivers that empty into the Pacific Ocean, while the eastern rivers run into the Gulf of Mexico. The Mississippi River forms the easternmost possible boundary for the West today. The Missouri River, a tributary of the Mississippi, flows from its headwaters in the Rocky Mountains eastward across the Great Plains, a vast grassy plateau, before sloping gradually down to the forests and hence to the Mississippi. The Colorado River snakes through the Mountain states, at one point forming the Grand Canyon. The Colorado is a major source of water in the Southwest and many dams, such as the Hoover Dam form reservoirs along it. So much water is drawn of for drinking water throughout the West and irrigation in California that in some years, water from the Colorado no longer reaches the Gulf of California. The Columbia River, the largest river in volume flowing into the Pacific Ocean from North America, and its tributary the Snake River water the Pacific Northwest. The Platte runs through Nebraska and is a mile (2 km) wide but only a half-inch (1 cm) deep. The Rio Grande forms the border between, Texas and Mexico before turning due north and spliting New Mexico in half. Gulf of Mexico. ... Length 6,270 km Elevation of the source 450 m Average discharge Saint LouisÂ¹: 5,500 mÂ³/s VicksburgÂ²: 16,800 mÂ³/s Baton RougeÂ³: 12,800 mÂ³/s Area watershed 2,980,000 kmÂ² Origin Lake Itasca Mouth Gulf of Mexico Basin countries United States (98. ... The Missouri River and its tributaries N.P. Dodge Park, Omaha, Nebraska High silt content makes the Missouri (left) noticeably lighter than the Mississipi here at their confluence above St. ... The Great Plains states. ... Pastureland Pasture is land with lush herbaceous vegetation cover used for grazing of ungulates as part of a farm or ranch. ... // Colorado River in the Grand Canyon from Desert View For other uses, see Colorado River (disambiguation). ... Grand CaÃ±on at the foot of the Toroweap - looking east, by William Henry Holmes The Grand Canyon is a colorful, steep-sided gorge, carved by the Colorado River, in northern Arizona. ... Hoover Dam Hoover Dam (36Â°0â€²56â€³ N 114Â°44â€²16â€³ W) is a concrete gravity-arch dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, on the border between Arizona and Nevada. ... The Gulf of California (also known as the Sea of Cortez or Sea of Cortés; locally known in the Spanish language as Mar de Cortés or, much less frequently, Golfo de California) is a body of water that separates the Baja California Peninsula from the Mexican mainland. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... This article is about the Snake River in the northwestern United States. ... This article is about the Platte River in Nebraska. ... The Rio Grande flowing past Albuquerque Rio Grande by Big Bend National Park,Texas Known as the Rio Grande in the United States and as the Río Bravo (or, more formally, the Río Bravo del Norte) in Mexico, the river rises in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, USA, flows...

Climate and agriculture

The seasonal temperatures very greatly throughout the West. Annual rainfall is greater in the eastern portions, gradually tapering off until reaching the Pacific Coast where it again increases. In fact, the greatest annual rainfall in the United States falls in the coastal regions of the Pacific Northwest. The heaviest snows in the nation fall in the Rockies. Drought is much more common in the West than the rest of the United States. The driest place recorded in the U.S. is Death Valley, California. Violent thunderstorms occur east of the Rockies. Tornadoes occur every spring on the southern plains, with the most common and most destructive centered on Tornado Alley, which covers eastern portions of the West, (Texas to North Dakota), and all states in between and to the east. For a detailed examination of the geology and other features of the valley, see Death Valley National Park. ... Tornado Activity in the United States Tornado Alley is the American Meteorological Societys designation for the area of the United States in which tornadoes are most frequent. ... ... State nickname: Peace Garden State, Roughrider State, Flickertail State Other U.S. States Capital Bismarck Largest city Fargo Governor John Hoeven (R) Official languages English Area 183 272 kmÂ² (19th) - Land 178 839 kmÂ² - Water 4 432 kmÂ² (2. ...

Agriculture varies depending on rainfall, irrigation, soil, elevation, and temperature extremes. The arid regions generally support only livestock grazing, chiefly beef cattle. The wheat belt extends from Texas through the Dakotas, producing most of the wheat and soybeans in the U.S. and exporting more to the rest of the world. Irrigation in the Southwest and allow the growing of great quantities of fruits, nuts, and vegetables as well as grain, hay, and flowers. Texas is a major cattle and sheep raising area. Washington is famous for its apples, and Idaho for its potatoes. California and Arizona are major producers of citrus crops, although growing metropolitan sprawl is absorbing much of this land. The Dakotas is a collective term used in the United States to refer to the states of North and South Dakota together. ... The Southwestern United States or simply the Southwest is a region of the United States that is drier in weather than the adjoining Southern United States and Western United States; the population is less dense and, with moderate Mexican and American Indian components, more ethnically varied than neighboring areas. ...

Government officials became convinced after several surveys made during the latter part of the nineteenth century that only a federal action could provide water resources adequate to support the developement of the West. Starting in 1902 congress passed a series of acts authorizing the establishement of the United States Bureau of Reclamation to oversee water development projects in seventeen western states. During the first half of the twentieth century, the dams and irrigation projects provided water for rapid agricultural growth throughout the West and brought prosperity for several states, where agriculture had previously only been subsistence level. Following World War II, the West's cities experience and econoic and population boom, due to the cheap water and power available. The unrestrained population growth, mostly in the Southwest, has strained the water and power resources to the limits with water diverted from agricutural uses to major population centers, such as Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Map of the Bureau of Reclamation regions. ... Map of the Bureau of Reclamation regions. ... The United States Bureau of Reclamation (Formerly the United States Reclamation Service) is a division of the U.S. Department of the Interior which oversees water development projects in the western United States. ... The Southwestern United States or simply the Southwest is a region of the United States that is drier in weather than the adjoining Southern United States and Western United States; the population is less dense and, with moderate Mexican and American Indian components, more ethnically varied than neighboring areas. ... Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign just to the south of the Las Vegas Strip welcoming visitors to the city City nickname: The Entertainment Capital of the World Location Location of Las Vegas in Nevada Government County Clark Mayor Oscar B. Goodman Physical characteristics Area Land Water 293. ...

Geology

Plains make up most of the eastern half of the West, underlain with sedimentary rock from the Upper Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic eras. The Rocky Mountains expose igneous and metamorphic rock from both the Precambrian and the Post Precambrian periods. The Intermountain States and Pacific Northwest have huge expanses of volcanic rock from the Cenozoic period. Salt flats and salt lakes reveal a time when the great inland seas covered much of what is now the West. The Pacific states are the most geologically active areas in the United States. Earthquakes cause major damage every few years in California. While the Pacific states are the most volcanically active areas, extinct volcanoes and lava flows are found over most of the western half of the West. from http://tapestry. ... from http://tapestry. ... There are eight distinct U. S. physiographic region within the continental United States. ... For purposes of description, the physical geography of the United States is split into several major physiographic divisions, one being the Rocky Mountain System. ... For purposes of description, the physical geography of the United States is split into several major physiographic divisions, one being the Intermontane Plateaus. ... (See legend) For purposes of description, the physical geography of the United States is split into several major physiographic divisions, one being the Pacific Mountain System. ... The Paleozoic is a major division of the geologic timescale, one of four geologic eras. ... The Mesozoic is one of three geologic eras of Phanerozoic eon. ... The Cenozoic Era (sometimes still Caenozoic in the United Kingdom) is the most recent of the four Categories: Cenozoic ... The Precambrian or Cryptozoic is the period of the geologic timescale from the formation of Earth (around 4500 million years before the present [BP]) to the evolution of abundant macroscopic hard-shelled fossils, which marked the beginning of the Cambrian, some 542 million years BP. Remarkably little is known about... The playa and shore of Lake Hart, an endorheic desert lake in South Australia An alkali flat (known in US and Mexico as a playa) is a dry lakebed, generally the shore of, or remnant of, an endorheic lake. ... Global earthquake epicenters, 1963â€“1998 An earthquake is a trembling or a shaking movement of the Earths surface. ... A volcano is a geological landform (usually a mountain) where magma (rock of the Earths interior made molten or liquid by extremely high temperatures along with a reduction in pressure and/or the introduction of water or other volatiles) erupts through the surface of the planet. ...

Human geography

Most of these states are growing rapidly. The coastal strip includes several major cities, but the areas between the Rocky Mountains in the east and the Sierra Nevada are still thinly populated. In 2000, Wyoming was the least populous state, with population of 493,782 while California was the most populous, with 33,871,648. City lights from space. ...

The largest city in the region is Los Angeles, located on the West Coast. Other West Coast cities include San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Seattle, and Portland. Prominent cities in the Mountain States include Denver, Phoenix, Albuquerque, Las Vegas and Salt Lake City. The City of Los Angeles (from Spanish Los Ãngeles , meaning the angels), also known as L.A., is the second-largest city in the United States in terms of population, as well as one of the worlds most important economic, cultural, and entertainment centers. ... City nickname: Americas Finest City Location Location of San Diego within San Diego County Government County San Diego Mayor vacant Physical characteristics Area Land Water 372. ... City nickname: Capital of Silicon Valley Location Location of San Jose within Santa Clara County, California. ... The downtown San Francisco skyline, looking east from the central part of the city. ... Downtown Seattle skyline City nickname: The Emerald City Location Location of Seattle in King County and Washington Government County King Mayor Greg Nickels NP/Democrat Â¹ Physical characteristics Area Land Water 369. ... Portland is the largest city in Oregon, and county seat of Multnomah County. ... Denver skyline, 1999. ... Phoenix was incorporated as a city on February 5, 1881. ... Downtown Albuquerque Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. ... Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign just to the south of the Las Vegas Strip welcoming visitors to the city City nickname: The Entertainment Capital of the World Location Location of Las Vegas in Nevada Government County Clark Mayor Oscar B. Goodman Physical characteristics Area Land Water 293. ... Aerial view of Temple Square of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake Citys top tourist draw. ...

Because the tide of development had not yet reached most of the West when conservation became a national issue, agencies of the federal government own and manage vast areas of land. (The most important among these are the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management within the Interior Department, and the U. S. Forest Service within the Agriculture Department.) National parks are reserved for recreational activities such as fishing, camping, hiking, and boating, but other government lands also allow commercial activities like ranching, logging and mining. In recent years some local residents who earn their livelihoods on federal land have come into conflict with the land's managers, who are required to keep land use within environmentally acceptable limits. Conservation may refer to the following: Conservation ethic in relation to preserving ecosystems Conservationist Conservation movement Conservation ecology Conservation law of physics Conservation of energy Conservation of mass Conservation in genetics Conservation in psychology Prolonging the material integrity of cultural and artistic objects Art conservation Architectural conservation or immovable object... ... The National Park Service (NPS) is the United States Federal Government agency that deals with all National Parks, many National Monuments, and other conservation properties with various designations. ... The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers Americas public lands, totaling 262 million acres (1,060,000 km²) or one-eighth of the landmass of the country. ... The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) is a Cabinet department of the United States government that manages and conserves most federally-owned land. ... The USDA Forest Service, a United States government agency within the United States Department of Agriculture, is under the leadership of the United States Secretary of Agriculture. ... The U.S. Department of Agriculture, also called the Agriculture Department, or USDA, is a Cabinet department of the United States Federal Government. ... Yosemite National Park in the United States. ... Fishing is the activity of hunting for fish. ... Camping is an outdoor recreational activity involving the spending of one or more nights in a tent, primitive structure, a travel trailer or recreational vehicle at a campsite with the purpose of getting away from civilization and enjoying nature. ... Beautiful natural scenes are common hiking destinations Hiking is a form of walking, undertaken with the specific purpose of exploring and enjoying the scenery. ... Boating is the activity of traveling by boat. ... Ranching is the raising of cattle or sheep on rangeland, although one might also speak of ranching with regard to less common livestock such as elk, bison or emu. ... Loggers on break, c. ... The El Chino Mine located near Silver City, New Mexico is an open-pit copper mine Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, usually (but not always) from an ore body, vein, or (coal) seam. ...

Geographical terminology

The term Western United States is not strictly interchangeable with American West or the West. The latter terms almost never refer to Alaska or Hawaii, and often exclude the western portions of the Pacific Coast states, meaning, in particular, the exclusion of all of the West Coast cities.

History and Culture

Facing both the Pacific Ocean and the Mexican border, the West has been shaped by a variety of ethnic groups. Hawaii is the only state in the union in which Asian Americans outnumber residents of European stock, and Asians from many countries have settled in California and other coastal states in several waves of immigration since the 1800s. The southwestern border states – California, Arizona, and New Mexico – all have large Mexican-American populations, and the many Spanish placenames attest to their history as former Mexican territories. The West also contains much of the Native American population in the U.S., particularly in the large reservations in the mountain and desert states. Image File history File links The world-famous Hollywood sign. ... Image File history File links The world-famous Hollywood sign. ... ... State nickname: The Aloha State Other U.S. States Capital Honolulu Largest city Honolulu Governor Linda Lingle (R) Official languages Hawaiian and English Area 28,337 kmÂ² (43rd) - Land 16,649 kmÂ² - Water 11,672 kmÂ² (41. ... An Asian American is a person of Asian ancestry or origin who was born in or is an immigrant to the United States. ... World map showing location of Europe When considered a continent, Europe is the worlds second smallest continent in terms of area, with an area of 10,600,000 kmÂ² (4,140,625 square miles), making it larger than Australia only. ... State nickname: The Golden State Other U.S. States Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) Official languages English Area 410,000 kmÂ² (3rd) - Land 404,298 kmÂ² - Water 20,047 kmÂ² (4. ... The ethnonym Mexican-American describes United States citizens of Mexican ancestry (14 million in 2003) and Mexican citizens who reside in the US (10 million in 2003). ... Native Americans (also Indians, Aboriginal Peoples, American Indians, First Nations, Alaskan Natives, Amerindians, or Indigenous Peoples of America) are the indigenous inhabitants of The Americas prior to the European colonization, and their modern descendants. ...

Alaska – the northernmost state in the Union – is a vast land of few, but hardy, people, many of them native; and of great stretches of wilderness, protected in national parks and wildlife refuges. Hawaii's location makes it a major gateway between the U.S. and Asia, as well as a center for tourism. Yosemite National Park in the United States. ... A Wildlife refuge is a geographic territory within which wildlife is protected. ...

In the Pacific Coast states, the wide areas filled with small towns, farms, and forests are supplemented by a few big port cities which have evolved into world centers for the media and technology industries. Now the second largest city in the nation, Los Angeles is best known as the home of the Hollywood film industry; the area around Los Angeles also became a major center for the aerospace industry beginning with World War II. Fueled by the growth of Los Angeles – as well as the San Francisco Bay Area, including Silicon Valley – California has become the most populous of all the states. Oregon and Washington have also seen rapid growth. The City of Los Angeles (from Spanish Los Ãngeles , meaning the angels), also known as L.A., is the second-largest city in the United States in terms of population, as well as one of the worlds most important economic, cultural, and entertainment centers. ... ... Film refers to the celluloid media on which movies are printed Film is a term that encompasses motion pictures as individual projects, as well as the field in general. ... Look up aerospace in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Aerospace refers to the broad field of air and space travel and the associated research. ... World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrinations, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons like the atom bomb World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a mid-20th-century conflict that engulfed much of the globe... USGS Satellite photo of the San Francisco Bay Area. ... A view of downtown San Jose, the self-proclaimed Capital of Silicon Valley. Like many large cities, San Joses downtown is expansive and encompasses much more area than shown in this view. ...

The desert and mountain states have relatively low population densities, and developed as ranching and mining areas which are only recently becoming urbanized. Most of them have highly individualistic cultures, and have worked to balance the interests of urban development, recreation, and the environment. Culturally distinctive points include the large Mormon population of Southeastern Idaho, Utah, Northern Arizona and Nevada, the extravagant casino resort towns of Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada, and of course the many Native American tribal reservations. The term Mormon is a colloquial name referring to Latter Day Saints, derived in the 1830s from the Book of Mormon, one of their books of scripture, whose compiler was called the prophet Mormon. ... State nickname: Gem State Other U.S. States Capital Boise Largest city Boise Governor Dirk Kempthorne (R) Official languages none Area 216,632 kmÂ² (14th) - Land 214,499 kmÂ² - Water 2,133 kmÂ² (0. ... // History Early history Native Americans have lived in Utah for several thousand years; most archeological evidence dates such habitation about 10,000 to 12,000 years ago. ... State nickname: The Grand Canyon State, The Copper State Other U.S. States Capital Phoenix Largest city Phoenix Governor Janet Napolitano (D) Official languages English Only State Area 295,254 kmÂ² (6th) - Land 294,312 kmÂ² - Water 942 kmÂ² (0. ... State nickname: Silver State, Battle Born State (official) Other U.S. States Capital Carson City Largest city Las Vegas Governor Kenny Guinn (R) Official languages None Area 286,367 kmÂ² (7th) - Land 284,396 kmÂ² - Water 1,971 kmÂ² (0. ... The Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, New Jersey Mirage Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas (jb) A casino is a building that accommodates certain types of gambling games and activities. ... Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign just to the south of the Las Vegas Strip welcoming visitors to the city City nickname: The Entertainment Capital of the World Location Location of Las Vegas in Nevada Government County Clark Mayor Oscar B. Goodman Physical characteristics Area Land Water 293. ... City nickname: The Biggest Little City in the World Founded May 13, 1868 County Washoe County Mayor Bob Cashell Area - Total - Land - Water 179. ... Native Americans (also Indians, Aboriginal Peoples, American Indians, First Nations, Alaskan Natives, Amerindians, or Indigenous Peoples of America) are the indigenous inhabitants of The Americas prior to the European colonization, and their modern descendants. ...

Major settlement of the western territories by migrants from the states in the east developed rapidly in the 1840s, largely through the Oregon Trail and the California gold rush of 1849; California experienced such a rapid growth in a few short months that it was admitted to statehood in 1850 without the normal transitory phase of becoming an official territory. The 1850s were marked by political controversies which were part of the national issues leading to the Civil War, though California had been established as a non-slave state in the Compromise of 1850; California played little role in the war itself due to its geographically distance from major campaigns. In the aftermath of the Civil War, many former Confederate partisans migrated to California through the end of the Reconstruction period. For other uses of the term, see Oregon Trail (disambiguation) The route of the Oregon Trail is shown in red in the western United States The Ox Team or the Old Oregon Trail 1852-1906 by Ezra Meeker. ... Gold rush handbill The California Gold Rush was a period in American history marked by mass hysteria concerning a gold discovery in Northern California. ... The origins of the American Civil War lay in the complex problems of slavery, expansion, sectionalism, parties, and politics of the antebellum era. ... Henry Clay takes the floor of the Old Senate Chamber; Millard Fillmore presides as Calhoun and Webster look on. ... In the history of the United States, Reconstruction was the period after the American Civil War when the southern states of the breakaway Confederacy were reintegrated into the United States of America. ...

The history of the American West in the late 19th Century and early 20th Century has acquired a cultural mythos in the literature and cinema of the United States. The image of the cowboy, the homesteader and westward expansion took real events and transmuted them into a myth of the west which has influenced American culture since at least the 1920s. Cowboy circa 1887 Free Public Domain Image from http://www. ... Cowboy circa 1887 Free Public Domain Image from http://www. ... 1887 is a common year starting on Saturday (click on link for calendar). ... A cowboy (Spanish vaquero) tends cattle and horses on cattle ranches in North and South America. ... The Homestead Act is a piece of U.S. legislation which gave one quarter of a section of a township (160 acres, or about 65 hectares) of undeveloped land in the American West to any family head provided he lived on it for five years, or allowed the family head... This article very generally discusses the customs and culture of the United States; for the culture of the United States, see arts and entertainment in the United States. ...

Writers as diverse as Mark Twain, Bret Harte, and Zane Grey celebrated or derided cowboy culture, while artists such as Charles Remington created western art as a method of recordation of the expansion into the west. The American cinema in particular created the genre of the western movie, which films in many cases use the west as a metaphor for the virtue of self-reliance and an American ethos. The contrast between the romanticism of culture about the west and the actuality of the history of the westward expansion has been a theme of late Twentieth and early Twenty First century scholarship about the west. Cowboy culture has become embedded in the American experience as a common cultural touchstone, and modern forms as diverse as country and western music and the works of artist Georgia O'Keefe have celebrated the supposed sense of isolation and independence of spirit inspired by the unpopulated and relatively harsh climate of the region. Mark Twain Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 â€“ April 21, 1910), better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was a famous and popular American humorist, writer and lecturer. ... Francis Bret Harte (August 25, 1839–May 6, 1902) was an American author and poet, best remembered for his accounts of pioneering life in California. ... Zane Grey (January 31, 1872 - October 23, 1939), born Pearl Zane Gray (he later dropped Pearl and changed the a to an e in Grey) was an American author of popular adventure novels and pulp fiction that presented an idealized image of the rugged Old West. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... The cinema of the United States, sometimes simply referred to as Hollywood, can perhaps be summed up by the title American film critic Pauline Kael gave a 1968 collection of her reviews: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. ... Broncho Billy Anderson, from The Great Train Robbery The Western movie is one of the classic American film genres. ... Country music, once known as Country and Western music, is a popular musical form developed in the southern United States, with roots in traditional folk music, spirituals, and the blues. ... Georgia O’Keeffe in Abiquiu, New Mexico, photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1950 Georgia OKeeffe (November 15, 1887 – March 6, 1986) was an American artist born in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. ...

As a result of the various periods of rapid growth, many new residents were migrants who were seeking to make a new start after previous histories of either personal failure or hostilities developed in their previous communities. With these and other migrants who harbored more commercial goals in the opening country, the area developed a strong ethos of self-determinism and individual freedom, as communities were created whose residents shared no prior connection or common set of ideals and allegiances. The open land of the region allowed residents to live at a much greater distance from neighbors than had been possible in eastern cities, and an ethic of tolerance for the different values and goals of other residents developed. California's state constitutions (in both 1849 and 1879) were largely drafted by groups which sought a strong emphasis on individual property rights and personal freedom, arguably at the expense of ideals tending toward civic community.

By 1900, the frontier was gone. In the news, reports spoke of oil boom towns in Texas and Oklahoma rivaling the old mining camps for their lawlessness, of the Dust Bowl forcing children of the original homesteaders even further west. The movies replaced the dime novel as the chief entertainment source featuring western fiction. 1900 is a common year starting on Monday. ... ... Oklahoma is a South Central state of the United States (with strong Southern, Western, and Midwestern influences) and its U.S. postal abbreviation is OK; others abbreviate the states name Okla. ...

The advent of the automobile enabled the average American to tour the West. Western businessmen promoted Route 66 as a means to bring tourism and industry to the West. In the 1950s, representatives from all the western states built the Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Center in Oklahoma City to showcase western culture and greet travelers from the East. During the latter half of the 20th century, several transcontinental interstate highways crossed the West bringing more trade and tourists from the East.

In recent decades, Western cities' reputation for diversity and tolerance has been marred by segregation, along with accusations of racial profiling and police brutality towards minorities, sometimes leading to racially based riots. Nevertheless, perhaps because so many westerners have moved there from other regions to make a new start, as a rule interpersonal relations remain marked by an individualistic, "live and let live" attitude. The western economy is varied. California, for example, features both agriculture and high-technology manufacturing as major sectors in its economy. It has been suggested that Apartheid outside South Africa be merged into this article or section. ... Racial profiling is the use of race as one consideration in suspect profiling or other law enforcement practices. ... Police brutality is a term used to describe the excessive use of physical force, assault, and verbal attacks and threats by police officers. ...

Demographics

Some geographers feel that the demographics for the West are complicated because the United States Census Bureau uses only one of several possible definitions of the West in its reporting system. In the 2000 Census, the Census Bureau included the state with the second largest Hispanic population, Texas, in the South, included the state with the second largest American Indian population, Oklahoma, also in the South, and included the Dakotas, with their large populations of Plains Indians, in with the Midwest. The Southern United States or the South constitute a distinctive region covering a large portion of the United States. ... Native Americans (also Indians, Aboriginal Peoples, American Indians, First Nations, Alaskan Natives, Amerindians, or Indigenous Peoples of America) are the indigenous inhabitants of The Americas prior to the European colonization, and their modern descendants. ... Midwest States (United States of America, ND to OH) The Midwest is a common name for a region of the United States of America. ...

Statistics from the 2000 United States Census, adjusted to include the second tier of States west of the Mississippi, show that under that defintion the West would have a population of 91,457,662, including 1,611,447 Indians, or 1.8% of the total, and 22,377,288 Hispanics (the majority Mexican), or 24.5% of the total. Indians comprise 0.9% of all Americans, and Hispanics, 12.5%. Asians, important from the very beginning in the history of the West, totaled 5,161,446, or 5.6%, with most living in the Far West. African-Americans, totaled 5,929,968, or 6.5%--lower than the national proportion (12.8%). The highest concentration (12%) of black residents in the West is found in Texas--the only Western state in which slavery was established.

The West is still one of the most sparsely settled areas in the United States with 49.5 inhabitants per square mile (19/km²). Only Texas with 78.0 inhabitants/sq mi. (30/km²), Washington with 86.0 inhabitants/sq mi. (33/km²), and California with 213.4 inhabitants/sq mi. (82/km²) exceed the national average of 77.98 inhabitants/sq mi. (30/km²). Wyoming has the lowest population density in the West with only 5 inhabitants per square mile (2/km²).

The entire Western region has also been strongly influenced by Asian, Native and Latino culture; it contains the largest number of minorities in the U.S. and encompasses the only four American states where everyone including Caucasians are a minority (California, Hawaii, New Mexico, and Texas). Download high resolution version (933x148, 18 KB)Census maps of the American West Source: US Census Bureau Briefs Area: 933x148 pix Size: 18. ... Download high resolution version (933x148, 18 KB)Census maps of the American West Source: US Census Bureau Briefs Area: 933x148 pix Size: 18. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (904x593, 28 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (904x593, 28 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The term Asian in a geographical sense simply refers to something or someone from Asia. ... Native Americans (also Indians, Aboriginal Peoples, American Indians, First Nations, Alaskan Natives, Amerindians, or Indigenous Peoples of America) are the indigenous inhabitants of The Americas prior to the European colonization, and their modern descendants. ... In the United States, Latino refers to non-Anglo-Americans who are living in the United States of America and are of Hispanic background, typically Spanish speaking people. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ...

Politics

The clichéd image of the West might suggest that the politics of its inhabitants would typically be conservative. However, the West is far from unified. Major urban centers, particularly along the Pacific Coast, lean toward the Democratic Party, although their suburban areas tend toward a bipartisan makeup. The interior states of the Rocky Mountains and the deserts are more heavily Republican. Although outside of Utah and Arizona, the Republicans of the west tend to be more libertarian than the religious right leaning of many Republicans in the East. As the fastest-growing demographic group, Latinos are hotly contested by both parties, but currently lean Democratic; the subject of illegal immigration remains a major issue in the political importance of this segment of the populace. In terms of the electoral college, California and Hawaii are typically strong blue states (Democratic), and Washington leans Democratic. Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, and Alaska are generally red states (Republican), and Colorado and Arizona lean Republican. Oregon, Nevada, and New Mexico are hotly contested swing states. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (904x593, 28 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (904x593, 28 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Medical marijuana refers to the use of marijuana, a form of cannabis as a therapy or prescription drug, most notably as an anti-emetic. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (904x593, 28 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (904x593, 28 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Same-sex marriage (also called gay marriage, marriage equality, and often just marriage by its proponents, and—usually by its opponents—homosexual marriage) refers to non-traditional marriage between partners of the same gender (for other forms of same-sex unions that are different from marriages, see the articles linked... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (904x593, 28 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (904x593, 28 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Euthanasia (Greek: ÎµÏ…Î¸Î±Î½Î±ÏƒÎ¯Î±, good death) is the practice of killing a person or animal, in a painless or minimally painful way, for merciful reasons, usually to end their suffering. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (904x593, 28 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (904x593, 28 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Prostitution is the sale of sexual services, such as oral sex or sexual intercourse, for money. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (904x593, 28 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (904x593, 28 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The term polygamy (literally much marriage in late Greek) is used in related ways in social anthropology and sociobiology. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (904x593, 28 KB) Map of the United States showing in red states that have no state income tax as of July, 2005. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (904x593, 28 KB) Map of the United States showing in red states that have no state income tax as of July, 2005. ... State income tax is an income tax in the United States that is levied by each individual state. ... Conservatism or political conservatism is any of several historically related political philosophies or political ideologies. ... The Democratic Party is one of the two major political parties in the United States. ... The Republican Party, often called the GOP (for Grand Old Party, although one early citation described it as the Gallant Old Party) [1], is one of the two major political parties in the United States. ... // History Early history Native Americans have lived in Utah for several thousand years; most archeological evidence dates such habitation about 10,000 to 12,000 years ago. ... State nickname: The Grand Canyon State, The Copper State Other U.S. States Capital Phoenix Largest city Phoenix Governor Janet Napolitano (D) Official languages English Only State Area 295,254 kmÂ² (6th) - Land 294,312 kmÂ² - Water 942 kmÂ² (0. ... This article deals with the libertarianism as defined in America and several other nations. ... The term Religious Right, is a broad label applied to a number of political and religious movements and groups. ... In the United States, Latino refers to non-Anglo-Americans who are living in the United States of America and are of Hispanic background, typically Spanish speaking people. ... Illegal immigration is the act of moving to or settling in another country or region, temporarily or permanently, in violation of the law or without documents permitting an immigrant to settle in that country. ... The breakdown of votes in the Electoral College of the United States An electoral college is a set of electors who are empowered as a deliberative body to elect someone to a particular office. ... State nickname: The Golden State Other U.S. States Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) Official languages English Area 410,000 kmÂ² (3rd) - Land 404,298 kmÂ² - Water 20,047 kmÂ² (4. ... State nickname: The Aloha State Other U.S. States Capital Honolulu Largest city Honolulu Governor Linda Lingle (R) Official languages Hawaiian and English Area 28,337 kmÂ² (43rd) - Land 16,649 kmÂ² - Water 11,672 kmÂ² (41. ... ... State nickname: The Evergreen State Other U.S. States Capital Olympia Largest city Seattle Governor Christine Gregoire (D) Official languages None Area 184,824 kmÂ² (18th) - Land 172,587 kmÂ² - Water 12,237 kmÂ² (6. ... State nickname: Gem State Other U.S. States Capital Boise Largest city Boise Governor Dirk Kempthorne (R) Official languages none Area 216,632 kmÂ² (14th) - Land 214,499 kmÂ² - Water 2,133 kmÂ² (0. ... // History Early history Native Americans have lived in Utah for several thousand years; most archeological evidence dates such habitation about 10,000 to 12,000 years ago. ... State nickname: Equality State Other U.S. States Capital Cheyenne Largest city Cheyenne Governor Dave Freudenthal (D) Official languages English Area 253,554 kmÂ² (10th) - Land 251,706 kmÂ² - Water 1,851 kmÂ² (0. ... State nickname: Treasure State Other U.S. States Capital Helena Largest city Billings Governor Brian Schweitzer (D) Official languages English Area 381,156 kmÂ² (4th) - Land 377,295 kmÂ² - Water 3,862 kmÂ² (1%) Population (2000) - Population 902,195 (44th) - Density 2. ... State nickname: The Last Frontier, The Land of the Midnight Sun Other U.S. States Capital Juneau Largest city Anchorage Governor Frank Murkowski (R) Official languages English Area 1,067,653 miÂ² / 1,717,854 kmÂ² (1st) - Land 1,481,347 kmÂ² - Water 236,507 kmÂ² (13. ... ... State nickname: The Centennial State Other U.S. States Capital Denver Largest city Denver Governor Bill Owens (R) Official languages English Area 269,837 kmÂ² (8th) - Land 268,879 kmÂ² - Water 962 kmÂ² (0. ... State nickname: The Grand Canyon State, The Copper State Other U.S. States Capital Phoenix Largest city Phoenix Governor Janet Napolitano (D) Official languages English Only State Area 295,254 kmÂ² (6th) - Land 294,312 kmÂ² - Water 942 kmÂ² (0. ... State nickname: Beaver State Other U.S. States Capital Salem Largest city Portland Governor Ted Kulongoski (D) Official languages None Area 255,026 kmÂ² (9th) - Land 248,849 kmÂ² - Water 6,177 kmÂ² (2. ... State nickname: Silver State, Battle Born State (official) Other U.S. States Capital Carson City Largest city Las Vegas Governor Kenny Guinn (R) Official languages None Area 286,367 kmÂ² (7th) - Land 284,396 kmÂ² - Water 1,971 kmÂ² (0. ... State nickname: Land of Enchantment Other U.S. States Capital Santa Fe Largest city Albuquerque Governor Bill Richardson Official languages English and Spanish Area 315,194 kmÂ² (5th) - Land 314,590 kmÂ² - Water 607 kmÂ² (0. ... In United States presidential politics, a swing state (also, battleground state) is a state in which no candidate has overwhelming support, meaning that any of the major candidates have a reasonable chance of winning the states electoral college votes. ...

The region is also renowned for libertarian political thought. For example, the majority of its states have legalized medicinal marijuana (all but New Mexico and Utah) and some forms of gambling (all but Utah); Oregon has legalized euthanasia; some counties in Nevada have legalized prostitution; and there is less resistance to the legal recognition of same-sex unions (California and Hawaii recognize them and only 28% of all western residents favor no legal recognition contrasted to 48% of southerners). Southern states such as Texas that were considered western by the Census in the past are more conservative, examples being the Texan laws restricting sex toys. This article deals with the libertarianism as defined in America and several other nations. ... Medical marijuana refers to the use of marijuana, a form of cannabis as a therapy or prescription drug, most notably as an anti-emetic. ... Gambling (or betting) is any behavior involving risking money or property (making a wager or placing a stake) on the outcome of a game, contest, or other event in which the outcome of that activity depends partially or totally upon chance or upon ones ability to do something. ... Euthanasia (Greek: ÎµÏ…Î¸Î±Î½Î±ÏƒÎ¯Î±, good death) is the practice of killing a person or animal, in a painless or minimally painful way, for merciful reasons, usually to end their suffering. ... Prostitution is the sale of sexual services, such as oral sex or sexual intercourse, for money. ... Same-sex marriage is marriage between individuals who are of the same legal or biological sex. ... A sex toy is a term for any object or device that is primarily used in facilitating human sexual pleasure. ...

Contents

Geography

Variation and regionalism

Natural Geography

Climate and agriculture

Geology

Human geography

Geographical terminology

History and Culture

Demographics

Politics

Related topics

Additional reading

External links

External references

Contents

Geography GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Variation and regionalism

Natural Geography

Climate and agriculture

Geology

Human geography

Geographical terminology

History and Culture

Demographics

Politics

Related topics

Additional reading

External links

External references

Geography