Nebraska

Nebraska was admitted to the Union as the thirty-seventh state on March 1, 1867. Nicknamed the Cornhusker State, it lies in the north-central United States and is bordered by South Dakota , Iowa , Missouri , Kansas , Colorado , and Wyoming . Two-thirds of the state lies within the Great Plains. Its northcentral region includes the Sand Hills, a prairie with dunes anchored by grasses that covers nearly 18,000 square miles (47,000 square kilometers).

The United States acquired the region from France as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Many tribes lived in present-day Nebraska in the 1800s, including the Omaha, Pawnee, and Ponca. Largely because it was sparsely populated, Nebraska escaped the vehement arguments over slavery that occurred shortly before and throughout the American Civil War (1861–65). But much blood was shed by both Native Americans and U.S. soldiers as tribal members were forced onto reservations throughout the late 1800s.

During the devastating dust storms of the 1930s, many Nebraskans left for the West Coast. (See Dust Bowl .) World War II (1939–45), however, brought prosperity to the prairie as military airfields and war industries developed in the state. Situated far inland, Nebraska was ideal for these endeavors. After the war and well into the 1970s, farm output and income were on the rise. Later in the century, small industries and tourism became important to the stabilization of the state's economy.

More than 1.7 million people lived in Nebraska in 2006, the majority (89.6 percent) white. Another 7.2 percent were Hispanic, and 4 percent were African American. The most heavily populated cities were Omaha (414,521) and the capital, Lincoln (239,213).

Agriculture remains the cornerstone of Nebraska's economy in the early twenty-first century. The largest percentage of workers are employed as farm workers or in farm equipment and food processing industries. Food manufacturing accounted for the largest portion of industrial shipments in 2004. Most manufacturing is located in Omaha, Lincoln, and the portion of Sioux City belonging to Nebraska.

The tourism industry provides nearly 43,000 jobs. Tourists visit Nebraska's state and historical parks, museums, and recreational areas.