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Encyclopedia: Idaho, Idaho County, Idaho, Idaho City, Idaho, Idaho Falls, Idaho, Talk:Idaho County, Idaho, Category:Idaho County, Idaho, Idaho Falls Idaho Temple, Talk:Idaho Falls, Idaho, Mount Idaho, Idaho, Category:Idaho Falls, Idaho

Idaho (IPA: ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. The state's capital and largest city is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans." Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state.

According to the United States Census Bureau, in 2004, Idaho had an estimated population of 1,393,262. The state's postal abbreviation is ID. Idaho is nicknamed the Gem State because of its abundance of natural resources. The state motto is Esto Perpetua (Latin for "Let it be perpetual").

Southern Idaho, including the Boise metropolitan area, Idaho Falls, Pocatello, and Twin Falls are in the Mountain Time Zone. Areas north of the Salmon River, including Coeur d'Alene, Moscow, and Lewiston, are in the Pacific Time Zone.

Geography

left|thumb|Map of Idaho
thumb|Idaho Population Density Map
thumb|Reynolds Creek Experimental Watershed in the Owyhee Mountains about 50 miles southwest of Boise, Idaho.
thumb|Crooked Creek in Gospel Hump Wilderness, Idaho
thumb|Idaho landscape
see|List of Idaho
Idaho borders the states of Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Montana, Wyoming and the Canadian province of British Columbia (the Idaho-BC border is 48 miles (77 km) long). The landscape is rugged with some of the largest unspoiled natural areas in the United States. It is a Rocky Mountain state with abundant natural resources and scenic areas. The state has snow-capped mountain ranges, rapids, placid lakes and steep canyons. The waters of Snake River rush through Hells Canyon, deeper than the Grand Canyon. Shoshone Falls plunges down rugged cliffs from a height greater than that of Niagara Falls.

The major rivers in Idaho are the Snake River, the Clearwater River and the Salmon River. Other significant rivers include the Boise River and the Payette River.

Idaho's highest point (12,662 feet, 3,862 m) is Borah Peak in the Lost River Mountains north of Mackay. Idaho's lowest point is in Lewiston, where the Clearwater River joins the Snake River and continues into Washington.

Climate

The state of Idaho has much variation in its climate. Even though the state is located 300 miles away from the Pacific Ocean, the maritime influence is still felt in the state especially in the winter when cloud cover, humidity, and precipitation are at its highest point. Conversely, this influence has a moderating effect in the winter where temperatures are not as low as would be expected for a state with a mostly elevated altitude. This maritime influence is lowest in the southeastern part of the state where the precipitation patterns are often reversed with wetter summers and drier winters and seasonal temperature differences more extreme, showing a more continental climate.

Summers in Idaho can be hot, although extended periods over 100 °F (38 °C) or the maximum temperature are rare. This is tempered by the low relative humidity during summer months and also by the cooler evenings, since for most of the state, the highest diurnal difference in temperature is often in the summer. Winters can be cold, although extended periods of bitter cold weather below zero are unusual.

Lakes

* Lake Coeur d'Alene
* Priest Lake
* Payette Lake (McCall)
* Pend Oreille
* Lake Lowell
* Henry's Lake
* Stanley Lake
* Redfish Lake
* Alturas Lake
* Petit Lake
* Sawtooth Lake

Adjacent states

* British Columbia of Canada - north
* Washington - West by north
* Oregon - West by south
* Nevada - southwest
* Utah - southeast
* Wyoming - east by south
* Montana - east by north

History

main|History of

Humans may have been present in the Idaho area as long as 14,500 years ago. Excavations at Wilson Butte Cave near Twin Falls in 1959 revealed evidence of human activity, including arrowheads, that rank among the oldest dated artifacts in North America. Native American tribes predominant in the area included the Nez Perce in the north and the Northern and Western Shoshone in the south.

Idaho, as part of the Oregon Country, was claimed by both the United States and United Kingdom until the United States gained undisputed jurisdiction in 1846. Between then and the creation of the Idaho Territory in 1863, parts of the present-day state were included in the Oregon, Washington, and Dakota Territories. The new territory included most of present-day Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming.

After some tribulation as a territory, including the chaotic transfer of the territorial capital from Lewiston to Boise and a federal attempt to split the territory between Washington Territory and the state of Nevada, Idaho achieved statehood in 1890. The economy of the state, which had been primarily supported by metal mining, shifted towards agriculture and tourism.

In recent years, Idaho has changed itself from an agricultural and tourism state into a science and technology center. Science and technology has become the largest single economic center (over 25% of the State's total revenue) within the State and is greater than agriculture, forestry and mining combined.

Origin of name

Idaho is the only state that was likely named as the result of a hoax. In early 1860s, when the United States Congress was considering organizing a new territory in the Rocky Mountains, eccentric lobbyist George M. Willing suggested the name "Idaho," which he claimed was derived from a Shoshone language term meaning "the sun comes from the mountains" or "gem of the mountains." Willing later claimed that he had made up the name himselfhttp://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761565515/Idaho.html http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/weblog/permalink/did_idaho_get_its_name_as_a_result_of_a_hoax/. Congress ultimately decided to name the area Colorado Territory when it was created in February 1861.

However, the name "Idaho" did not go away. The same year Congress created Colorado Territory, a county called Idaho County was created in eastern Washington Territory. The county was named after a steamship named Idaho, which was launched on the Columbia River in 1860. It is unclear whether the steamship was named before or after Willing's claim was revealed. Regardless, a portion of Washington Territory, including Idaho County, was used to create Idaho Territory in 1863.

Despite this lack of evidence for the origin of the name, many textbooks well into the 20th century repeated as Willing's account that the name "Idaho" derived from the Shoshone term "ee-da-how".

Demographics

Histpop
| 1870 | 14,999 | -
| 1880 | 32,610 | 117.4%
| 1890 | 88,548 | 171.5%
| 1900 | 161,772 | 82.7%
| 1910 | 325,594 | 101.3%
| 1920 | 431,866 | 32.6%
| 1930 | 445,032 | 3.0%
| 1940 | 524,873 | 17.9%
| 1950 | 588,637 | 12.1%
| 1960 | 667,191 | 13.3%
| 1970 | 712,567 | 6.8%
| 1980 | 943,935 | 32.5%
| 1990 | 1,006,749 | 6.7%
| 2000 | 1,293,953 | 28.5%

As of 2005, Idaho has an estimated population of 1,429,096, which is an increase of 33,956, or 2.4%, from the prior year and an increase of 135,140, or 10.4%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 58,884 people (that is 111,131 births minus 52,247 deaths) and an increase due to net migration of 75,795 people into the state. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 14,522 people, and migration within the country produced a net increase of 61,273 people.

This makes Idaho the sixth fastest-growing state after Nevada, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, and Utah. From 2004 to 2005, Idaho was the third fastest grower, surpassed only by Nevada and Arizona.

Nampa, the state's second largest city, has experienced particularly strong growth in recent years. According to census estimates Nampa has grown 22.1% to nearly 65,000 residents between 2000 and 2003. Growth of 5% or more over the same period has also been observed in Caldwell, Coeur d'Alene, Meridian and Twin Falls http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/16000.html.

Since 1990, Idaho's population has increased by 386,000 (38%).

The Boise Metropolitan Area (officially known as the Boise City-Nampa, ID Metropolitan Statistical Area) is Idaho's largest metropolitan area. Other metropolitan areas in order of size are Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Falls, Pocatello and Lewiston.

As of 2006, six official micropolitan statistical areas are based in Idaho. Twin Falls is the largest of these.

The center of population of Idaho is located in Custer County, in the town of Stanley http://www.census.gov/geo/www/cenpop/statecenters.txt.
US
The largest reported ancestries in the state are: German (18.9%), English (18.1%), Irish (10%), American (8.4%), Norwegian (3.6%), Swedish (3.5%).

Religion

thumb|A church in Idaho City

In 2001, the religious affiliations of the people of Idaho were as follows: http://www.gc.cuny.edu/faculty/research_studies/aris.pdf

*Christian – 79%
**Protestant – 50%
***Baptist – 10%
***Methodist – 10%
***Lutheran – 3%
***Presbyterian – 3%
***Other Protestant or general Protestant – 24%
**Roman Catholic – 15%
**LDS (Mormon) – 14%
*Other Religions – <1%
*Non-Religious – 20%

As with many other Western states, the percentage of Idaho's population identifying themselves as "non-religious" is higher than the national average.

Economy

Gross state product for 2004 was US$43.6 billion. The per capita income for 2004 was US$26,881.

Idaho is an important agricultural state, producing nearly one third of the potatoes grown in the United States. Other important agricultural products are beans, lentils, sugar beets, cattle, dairy products, wheat, and barley.

Important industries in Idaho are food processing, lumber and wood products, machinery, chemical products, paper products, electronics manufacturing, silver and other mining, and tourism. The Idaho National Laboratory (INL), a government lab for nuclear energy research, is also an important part of the eastern Idaho economy.

Today, the largest industry in Idaho is the science and technology sector. It amounts for over 25% of the State's total revenue and 70%+ of the State's exports (in dollars). Idaho's industrial economy is growing, with high-tech products leading the way. Since the late 1970s, Boise has emerged as a center for semiconductor manufacturing. Boise is the home of Micron Technology Inc., the only U.S. manufacturer of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) chips. Hewlett-Packard has operated a large plant in Boise, in southwestern Idaho, since the 1970s, which is devoted primarily to Laserjet printers production.http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/mar04.html. Dell, Inc. operates a major customer support call center in Twin Falls.

The state personal income tax ranges from 1.6% to 7.8% in 8 income brackets. Idahoans may apply for state tax credits for taxes paid to other states, as well as for donations to Idaho state educational entities and some nonprofit youth and rehabilitation facilities.

The state sales tax is 6%. Sales tax applies to the sale, rental or lease of tangible personal property and some services. Food is taxed, but prescription drugs are not. Hotel, motel, and campground accommodations are taxed at a higher rate (7% to 11%). Some jurisdictions impose local option sales tax.

Transportation

Major highways

North U.S. Highway 2 U.S. Highway 12
North/South U.S. Highway 95 U.S. Highway 93 Interstate 15 Southwest* *Interstate 184	West/East Interstate 84 U.S. Highway 20 U.S. Highway 26 U.S. Highway 30 Interstate 84 Interstate 86 *Interstate 90

Law and government

thumb|Boise, Idaho, state capitol

State government

The constitution of Idaho provides for 3 branches of government: the executive, legislative and judicial branches. Idaho has a bicameral legislature, elected from 35 legislative districts, each represented by one senator and two representatives. Idaho still operates under its original (1889) state constitution.

Since 1946 statewide elected constitutional officers have been elected to four-year terms. They include: Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Controller (Auditor before 1994), Treasurer, Attorney General, and Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Last contested in 1966, Inspector of Mines was an original elected constitutional office. Afterwards it was an appointed position and ultimately done away with entirely in 1974.

Idaho is an alcohol monopoly or Alcoholic beverage control state.

Executive Branch

The governor of Idaho serves a four-year term, and is elected during what is nationally referred to as midterm elections. As such, the governor is not elected in the same election year as the president of the United States.

The current governor is Republican Jim Risch, who succeeded to the office in May 2006. Risch became governor upon the resignation of his predecessor, Dirk Kempthorne, who was confirmed as United States Secretary of the Interior by the United States Senate on May 26, 2006.

Risch will serve as governor until January 2007, when he will be succeeded by fellow Republican C. L. "Butch" Otter, winner of the 2006 gubernatorial election.

see|List of Idaho

Legislative Branch

Idaho's legislature is part-time. However, the session may be extended if necessary, and often is. Because of this, Idaho's legislators are considered "citizen legislators", meaning that their position as a legislator is not their main occupation.

Terms for both the Senate and House of Representatives are two years. Legislative elections occur every even numbered year.

The Idaho Legislature has been continuously controlled by the Republican Party since the late 1950s, although Democratic legislators are routinely elected from Boise, Pocatello, Blaine County and the northern Panhandle.

See also List of Idaho senators and representatives

Politics

{| align="right" border="2" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;"
|+ Presidential elections results
|- bgcolor=lightgrey
! Year
! Republican
! Democratic
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|2004
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|68.38% 409,235
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|30.26% 181,098
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|2000
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|67.17% 336,937
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|27.64% 138,637
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|1996
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|52.18% 256,595
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|33.65% 165,443
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|1992
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|42.03% 202,645
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|28.42% 137,013
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|1988
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|62.08% 253,881
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|36.01% 147,272
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|1984
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|72.36% 297,523
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|26.39% 108,510
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|1980
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|66.46% 290,699
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|25.19% 110,192
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|1976
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|59.88% 204,151
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|37.12% 126,549
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|1972
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|64.24% 199,384
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|26.04% 80,826
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|1968
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|56.79% 165,369
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|30.66% 89,273
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|1964
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|49.08% 143,557
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|50.92% 148,920
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|1960
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|53.78% 161,597
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|46.22% 138,853
|}

After the Civil War, many Southern Democrats moved to Idaho Territory. As a result, the early territorial legislatures were solidly Democratic. In contrast, most of the territorial governors were appointed by Republican Presidents and were Republicans themselves. This led to sometimes bitter clashes between the two parties. In the 1880s, Republicans became more prominent in local politics.

Since statehood, the Republican Party has usually been the dominant party in Idaho. In the 1890s and early 1900s, the Populist Party enjoyed prominence while the Democratic Party maintained a brief dominance in the 1930s during the Great Depression. Since World War II, most statewide elected officials have been Republicans.

Idaho Congressional delegations have also been generally Republican since statehood. Several Idaho Democrats have had electoral success in the House over the years, but the Senate delegation has been a Republican stronghold for decades. Several Idaho Republicans, including current Senators Larry Craig and Mike Crapo, have won reelection to the Senate, but only Frank Church has won reelection as a Democrat. Church was the last Idaho Democrat to win a U.S. Senate race in 1974. No Democrat has won a U.S. House race in Idaho since Larry LaRocco in 1992.

In modern times, Idaho has been a reliably Republican state in presidential politics as well. It has not supported a Democrat for president since 1964. Even in that election, Lyndon Johnson defeated Barry Goldwater by less than two percentage points. In 2004, George W. Bush carried Idaho by a margin of 38 percentage points and 68.4% of the vote, winning in 43 of 44 counties. Only Blaine County, which contains the Sun Valley ski resort, supported John Kerry.

In the 2006 elections, Republicans led by Governor-elect C. L. "Butch" Otter won all of the state's constitutional offices and retained both of the state's seats in the United States House of Representatives. However, Democrats picked up several seats in the Idaho Legislature, notably in the Boise area. http://www.idahostatesman.com/238/story/59412.html

Important cities and towns

Population > 50,000 (urbanized area)
* Boise
* Nampa
* Idaho Falls
* Pocatello
* Meridian

(state capital)

Population > 10,000 (urbanized area)
* Blackfoot
* Burley
* Caldwell
* Coeur d'Alene - Home of North Idaho College, major tourist hub
* Lewiston
* Moscow - Home of the University of Idaho
* Mountain Home
* Post Falls
* Rexburg Home of Brigham Young University of Idaho
* Twin Falls - Home of College of Southern Idaho, BASE jumping

Smaller Towns and Cities
* Driggs - skiing (Grand Targhee)
* Eden
* Fruitland
* Hayden
* Hazelton
* Island Park - snowmobiling
* Jerome
* Kellogg - skiing (Silver Mountain)
* Kuna
* Malad City
* McCall - major tourist hub
* Mullan
* Plummer
* Rathdrum
* Rigby - television birthplace
* Sandpoint
* Soda Springs - world's only captive geyser
* St. Anthony - sand dunes and several lava tubes
* St. Maries
* Sun Valley - major year-round resort with world-class skiing
* Wallace
* Worley

National Parks of Idaho

* California National Historic Trail
* City of Rocks National Reserve
* Craters of the Moon National Monument
* Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument
* Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail
* Minidoka Internment National Monument
* Nez Perce National Historical Park
* Oregon National Historic Trail
* Yellowstone National Park

National Recreation Areas

* Sawtooth National Recreation Area
* Hells Canyon National Recreation Area

National Wildlife Refuges

* Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge
* Camas National Wildlife Refuge
* Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge
* Grays Lake National Wildlife Refuge
* Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge
* Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge

National Conservation Areas

* Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area

State Parks

Education

Colleges and universities

*Albertson College of Idaho
*Boise State University
*Brigham Young University-Idaho
*Idaho State University

*Lewis-Clark State College
*Northwest Nazarene University
*University of Idaho

*North Idaho College
*College of Southern Idaho

Professional sports teams

Idaho's Minor League baseball teams are:
*Boise Hawks
*Idaho Falls Chukars

Other minor league sports teams:
*Idaho Stampede
*Idaho Steelheads
*Boise Burn

Official State Emblems

*State Bird: Mountain bluebird
*State Dance: Square dance
*State Fish: Cutthroat trout
*State Flower: Syringa
*State Fossil: Hagerman Horse (Equus simplicidens)

*State Fruit: Huckleberry
*State Gem: Idaho star garnet
*State Horse: Appaloosa
*State Insect: Monarch butterfly
*State Raptor: Peregrine falcon

Notable Idahoans

See List of people from Idaho