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Travel & Geography > The States & Territories
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The Regions of the United States | Facts & Statistics

Nebraska, the "Cornhusker State"
Abbreviation:
NE

Nebraska Flag
State Flag
Nebraska Seal
State Seal

Nebraska gets its name from an Indian word meaning "flat water" after the Platte River that flows through the state. It became the 37th state in 1867. Nebraska, once considered part of the American desert, is now a leading farming state. Nebraskans have practiced scientific farming to turn the Nebraska desert into a land of ranches and farms. Much of the history of the state is the story of the tough, strong-willed Nebraska farmer. In the 1860s, the first great wave of homesteaders poured into Nebraska to claim free land granted by the federal government. Many of the first farm settlers built their homes out of sod because they found so few trees on the grassy land. Tourists can now drive along highways that follow the historic Oregon and Mormon trails. Almost every county has a fair during the summer and many communities hold annual fall festivals.

"Nebraska" leitet sich von dem indianischen Wort für "flaches Wasser" ab, eine Bezeichnung für den Fluss Platte, der durch den Staat fließt. 1867 wurde Nebraska der 37. Bundesstaat. Nebraska, einst ein Teil der amerikanischen Wüste, ist nun ein führender Agrarstaat. Die Bevölkerung Nebraskas nutzte die Erkenntnisse der Agrarwissenschaft, um die Wüste in fruchtbares Land für die Vieh- und Landwirtschaft zu verwandeln. Die Geschichte des Bundesstaates ist weitgehend die Geschichte seiner zähen, willensstarken Farmer. In den 1860er Jahren strömte die erste Welle von Siedlern nach Nebraska, um das freie, von der Bundesregierung bereit gestellte Land als Eigentum zu beanspruchen. Viele dieser Siedler bauten ihre Häuser aus Rasenstücken, weil sie so wenige Bäume auf dem Grasland fanden. Heute können Touristen den Spuren des historischen Oregon Trail und Mormon Trail auf ausgebauten Straßen folgen. Fast jedes County (Landkreis) hat sein eigenes Sommerfest und auch im Herbst finden in vielen Gemeinden Festivals statt.

GOVERNMENT
Capital:
Lincoln
Governor: Dave Heinemann, R. (to Jan. 2011)
Senators: James M. Inhofe, R (to Jan. 2015); Ben Nelson, D (to Jan. 2013)
House of Representatives: 3 districts | Search by zip code

STATISTICS
Population (July 2005):
1,759,000; National Rank: 38; Percent change since April 2000: 2.8%
Land Area: 76,878 sq mi. (199,113 sq km); National Rank:
16
10 largest cities (2005 est):
Omaha, 414,521; Lincoln, 239,213; Bellevue, 47,334; Grand Island, 44,546; Kearney, 28,958; Hastings, 25,437; Fremont, 25,314; North Platte, 24,324; Norfolk, 23,946; Columbus, 20,909

ECONOMY
Total Gross State Product 2005 prel. (billions of current dollars): 70.3
Per Capita Personal Income 2005:
$33,616; National Rank: 20
State Exports 2005 (millions of dollars):
3,004; National Rank: 40
Agriculture:
Cattle, corn, hogs, soybeans, wheat, sorghum.
Industry: Food processing, machinery, electric equipment, printing and publishing.

Government
·
State of Nebraska Official Homepage
· Project VoteSmart
·
State and Local Government on the Internet

Statistics
· Nebraska Profile - Fedstats
· U.S. Census Bureau: 2000 Data for the State of Nebraska
· U.S. Census Bureau: State Data Centers: Nebraska

Economy
· Nebraska - Regional Accounts Data

Background
· 50States.com
·
InfoPlease
·
Wikipedia.de: Nebraska

 

Travel
·
State of Nebraska Tourist Office
· Nebraska Park Resources
· Map (MapQuest)

For High School Students
· Explore the States
· State Report: Nebraska
· Stately Knowledge

Teacher Resources
·
ProTeacher: Lessons by State: Nebraska

Link Lists
· GovEngine.com: Federal, State & Local Government Site
· Nebraska (Google)
·
Nebraska (Yahoo)

 
Texts are abridged from U.S. State Department IIP publications and other U.S. government materials.
 
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Updated: January 2009