Nebraska (IPA: /n?'bræsk?/) is a state located
on the Great Plains of the United States of America. Nebraska gets
its name from a Chiwere word meaning "flat water," after
the Platte River that flows through the state.[2] Once considered
part of the Great American Desert, it is now a leading farming state.
Nebraskans are sometimes colloquially referred to as "Cornhuskers"
(which is derived from the state nickname).
Contents [hide]
1 Geography
1.1 Climate
2 History
3 Demographics
3.1 Rural flight
3.2 Religion
4 Economy
4.1 Industry
5 Transportation
5.1 Railroads
5.2 Roads and highways
6 Law and government
6.1 Federal government representation
6.2 Nebraska politics
7 Important cities and towns
7.1 Largest cities
7.2 Urban areas
8 Education
8.1 Colleges and universities
9 Culture
9.1 Sports
10 See also
11 References
12 Bibliography
12.1 Surveys
12.2 Scholarly special studies
13 External links
[edit] Geography
Further information: List of counties in Nebraska and List of Nebraska
rivers
Nebraska is split into two time zones. The Central Time zone comprises
the eastern half of the state, while the western half observes Mountain
Time.
Nebraska is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the
east and Missouri to the southeast, across the Missouri River; Kansas
to the south; Colorado to the southwest; and Wyoming to the west.
Nebraska has 93 counties; it also occupies the central portion of
the Frontier Strip.
Nebraska is composed of two major land regions: the Dissected Till
Plains and the Great Plains. The easternmost portion of the state
was scoured by Ice Age glaciers; the Dissected Till Plains were
left behind after the glaciers retreated. The Dissected Till Plains
is a region of gently rolling hills; Omaha and Lincoln are located
within this region.
The Great Plains occupy the majority of western Nebraska. The Great
Plains itself consists of several smaller, diverse land regions,
including the Sandhills, the Pine Ridge, the Rainwater Basin, the
High Plains and the Wildcat Hills. Panorama Point, at 5,424 feet
(1,653 m), is the highest point in Nebraska; despite its name and
elevation, it is merely a low rise near the Colorado and Wyoming
borders.
Nebraska state welcome signA past Nebraska tourism slogan was "Where
the West Begins"; locations given for the beginning of the
"West" include the Missouri River, the intersection of
13th and O Streets in Lincoln (where it is marked by a red brick
star), the 100th meridian, and Chimney Rock.
Nebraska, a doubly landlocked state, claims to have more miles
of river than any other state.
Areas under the management of the National Park Service include:
Agate Fossil Beds National Monument near Harrison
California National Historic Trail
Chimney Rock National Historic Site near Bayard
Homestead National Monument of America in Beatrice
Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail
Missouri National Recreational River near Ponca
Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail
Niobrara National Scenic River near Valentine
Oregon National Historic Trail
Pony Express National Historic Trail
Scotts Bluff National Monument at Gering
Areas under the management of the National Forest Service include:
Nebraska National Forest
Oglala National Grassland
Samuel R. McKelvie National Forest
[edit] Climate
Two major climates are represented in Nebraska: the eastern two-thirds
of the state has a hot summer continental climate, and the western
third of the state has a semiarid steppe climate. The entire state
experiences wide seasonal variations in temperature and precipitation.
Average temperatures are fairly uniform across Nebraska, while average
annual precipitation decreases from about 31.5 inches (800 mm) in
the southeast corner of the state to about 13.8 inches (350 mm)
in the Panhandle. Snowfall across the state is fairly even, with
most of Nebraska receiving between 25 and 35 inches (650 to 900
mm) of snow annually. [2]
Map of NebraskaNebraska is located in Tornado Alley; thunderstorms
are common in the spring and summer months. The chinook winds from
the Rocky Mountains provide a temporary moderating effect on temperatures
in western Nebraska during the winter months. [3], [4]
The National Wildlife Federation has found that global warming
could have a harmful effect on Nebraska's ecology and economy,[3]
promoting the kinds of drought that led to the Dust Bowl conditions
of the 1930s and increasing the population and active season of
disease-carrying mosquitos.
[edit] History
Main article: History of Nebraska
On May 30, 1854, the Kansas-Nebraska Act created the Kansas Territory
and the Nebraska Territory, divided by the Parallel 40° North.
The territorial capital of Nebraska was Omaha.
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.
Nebraska became the 37th state in 1867, shortly after the American
Civil War. At that time, the capital was moved from Omaha to Lancaster,
later renamed Lincoln after the recently assassinated President
of the United States Abraham Lincoln.
The Arbor Day holiday began in Nebraska, and the National Arbor
Day Foundation is still headquartered in Nebraska City.
Nebraska has a long history of civil rights activism, starting
in 1912 with the foundation of Omaha's National Association for
the Advancement of Colored People chapter.
[edit] Demographics
Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1860 28,841 —
1870 122,993 326.5%
1880 452,402 267.8%
1890 1,062,656 134.9%
1900 1,066,300 0.3%
1910 1,192,214 11.8%
1920 1,296,372 8.7%
1930 1,377,963 6.3%
1940 1,315,834 -4.5%
1950 1,325,510 0.7%
1960 1,411,330 6.5%
1970 1,483,493 5.1%
1980 1,569,825 5.8%
1990 1,578,385 0.5%
2000 1,711,263 8.4%
Est. 2007 1,774,571 3.7%
As of 2007, Nebraska has an estimated population of 1,774,571, which
is an increase of 10,806, or 0.6%, from the prior year and an increase
of 63,306, or 3.7%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural
increase since the last census of 77,995 people (that is 187,564
births minus 109,569 deaths) and a decrease due to net migration
of 9,319 people out of the state. Immigration from outside the United
States resulted in a net increase of 27,398 people, and migration
within the country produced a net loss of 36,717 people.[4]
The center of population of Nebraska is located in Polk County,
in the city of Shelby [5].
As of 2004, the population of Nebraska included about 84,000 foreign-born
residents (4.8% of the population).
Demographics of Nebraska (csv)
By race White Black AIAN Asian NHPI
AIAN is American Indian or Alaskan Native — NHPI is Native
Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
2000 (total population) 93.53% 4.48% 1.32% 1.58% 0.11%
2000 (Hispanic only) 5.24% 0.13% 0.17% 0.04% 0.02%
2005 (total population) 93.06% 4.82% 1.31% 1.85% 0.11%
2005 (Hispanic only) 6.74% 0.20% 0.18% 0.05% 0.03%
Growth 2000–2005 (total population) 2.25% 10.52% 1.72% 20.76%
5.53%
Growth 2000–2005 (non-Hispanic only) 0.48% 9.02% 0.56% 20.73%
4.75%
Growth 2000–2005 (Hispanic only) 32.17% 61.17% 9.63% 22.13%
8.10%
The five largest ancestry groups in Nebraska are German (38.6%),
Irish (12.4%), English (9.6%), Swedish (4.9%), and Czech (4.9%).
Nebraska has the largest Czech-American population (as a percentage
of the total population) in the nation. German-Americans are the
largest ancestry group in most of the state, particularly in the
eastern counties. Thurston County (made up entirely of the Omaha
and Winnebago reservations) has a Native American majority, and
Butler County is one of only two counties in the nation with a Czech-American
plurality.
[edit] Rural flight
Population density of NebraskaEighty-nine percent of the cities
in Nebraska have fewer than 3,000 people. Nebraska shares this characteristic
with five other Midwest states (Kansas, Oklahoma, North and South
Dakota, and Iowa). Hundreds of towns have a population of fewer
than 1,000.
Fifty-three of Nebraska's 93 counties reported declining populations
between 1990 and 2000, ranging from a 0.06% loss (Frontier County)
to a 17.04% loss (Hitchcock County). While many areas of the state
continue to suffer, others have experienced substantial growth.
In 2000, the city of Omaha had a population of 390,007; in 2005,
the city's estimated population was 414,521,(427,872 including the
recently annexed city of Elkhorn, NE) a 6.3% increase over five
years. The city of Lincoln had a 2000 population of 225,581 and
a 2005 estimated population of 239,213, a 6.0% change.
This rural flight has also had an impact on schools with many schools
needing to consolidate in order to survive.
[edit] Religion
The religious affiliations of the people of Nebraska are:
Christian – 90%
Protestant – 61%
Lutheran – 16%
Methodist – 11%
Baptist – 9%
Presbyterian – 4%
Other Protestant – 21%
Roman Catholic – 28%
Other Christian – 1%
Other religions – 1%
Non-religious – 9%
[edit] Economy
The Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates of Nebraska's gross state
product in 2004 was $68 billion. Per capita personal income in 2004
was $31,339, 25th in the nation.
Nebraska has a large agriculture sector, and is an important producer
of beef, pork, corn (maize), and soybeans.[5] Other important economic
sectors include freight transport (by rail and truck), manufacturing,
telecommunications, information technology, and insurance.
Nebraska has four personal income tax brackets, ranging from 2.56%
to 6.84%. Nebraska has a state sales tax of 5.5%. In addition to
the state tax, some Nebraska cities assess a city sales and use
tax, up to a maximum of 1.5%. One county in Nebraska, Dakota County,
levies a sales tax. All real property located within the state of
Nebraska is taxable unless specifically exempted by statute. Since
1992, only depreciable personal property is subject to tax and all
other personal property is exempt from tax. Inheritance tax is collected
at the county level.
[edit] Industry
Kool-Aid was created in 1927 by Edwin Perkins in the city of Hastings;
it is the official soft drink of Nebraska.[6] CliffsNotes were invented
in Rising City, Nebraska by Clifton Hillegass. His pamphlets were
based on the original Canadian idea, "Coles Notes."
Omaha is home to Berkshire Hathaway, whose CEO Warren Buffett was
ranked the second-richest person in the world as of April 2007.
This city is also home to InfoUSA, TD Ameritrade, West Corporation,
Valmont Industries, Woodmen of the World and Union Pacific Railroad.
UNIFI Companies, Sandhills Publishing Company and Duncan Aviation
reside in Lincoln while The Buckle(store) is based out of Kearney.
Sidney is the national headquarters for Cabela's, a specialty retailer
of outdoor goods.
The world's largest train yard, Union Pacific's Bailey Yard, is
located in North Platte. The Vise-Grip was invented and is still
manufactured in De Witt. Memorial Stadium on the University of Nebraska
campus in Lincoln holds 85,157 people. During football games, it
holds almost twice the population of Bellevue (47,954) the third-most
populous city in the state. The second-largest Powerball payout
was on February 18, 2006. It was $365 million and was split 8 ways
by workers from a Lincoln food plant operated by ConAgra.
[edit] Transportation
[edit] Railroads
Further information: List of Nebraska railroads
Nebraska has a rich railroad history. The Union Pacific Railroad,
headquartered in Omaha, was incorporated on July 1, 1862, in the
wake of the Pacific Railway Act of 1862. The route of the original
transcontinental railroad runs through the state.
Other major railroads with operations in the state are: Amtrak;
BNSF Railway; Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad; and Iowa Interstate
Railroad.
[edit] Roads and highways
Further information: List of Nebraska numbered highways
Interstate Highways through the State of Nebraska
The U.S. Routes in Nebraska
[edit] Law and government
Wikisource has original text related to this article:
Nebraska ConstitutionNebraska's government operates under the framework
of the Nebraska Constitution, adopted in 1875 and is divided into
three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial.
Further information: Governor of Nebraska
The head of the executive branch is the Governor Dave Heineman.
Other elected officials in the executive branch are the Lieutenant
Governor Rick Sheehy (elected on the same ticket as the Governor),
Attorney General Jon Bruning, Secretary of State John A. Gale, State
Treasurer Shane Osborn, and State Auditor Mike Foley. All elected
officials in the executive branch serve four-year terms.
Further information: Nebraska Legislature and Nebraska State Capitol
Nebraska is the only state in the United States with a unicameral
legislature; that is, a legislature with only one house. Although
this house is officially known simply as the "Legislature",
and more commonly called the "Unicameral", its members
still call themselves "senators". Nebraska's Legislature
is also the only state legislature in the United States that is
nonpartisan. The senators are elected with no party affiliation
next to their names on the ballot, and the speaker and committee
chairs are chosen at large, so that members of any party can be
chosen for these positions. The Nebraska Legislature can also override
a governor's veto with a three-fifths majority, in contrast to the
two-thirds majority required in some other states.
The Nebraska Legislature meets in the third Nebraska State Capitol
building, built between 1922 and 1932.
Nebraska state insignia
Motto Equality Before the Law
Slogan Nebraska, possibilities...endless
Bird Western meadowlark
Animal White-tailed deer
Fish Channel catfish
Insect European honey bee
Flower Goldenrod
Tree Cottonwood
Song "Beautiful Nebraska"
Quarter
Released April 7, 2006
Grass Little bluestem
Beverage Milk
Dance Square dance
Fossil Mammoth
Gemstone Blue agate
Soil Holdrege series
For years, United States Senator George Norris and other Nebraskans
encouraged the idea of a unicameral legislature, and demanded the
issue be decided in a referendum. Norris argued:
“ The constitutions of our various states are built upon
the idea that there is but one class. If this be true, there is
no sense or reason in having the same thing done twice, especially
if it is to be done by two bodies of men elected in the same way
and having the same jurisdiction. ”
Unicameral supporters also argued that a bicameral legislature
had a significant undemocratic feature in the committees that reconciled
Assembly and Senate legislation. Votes in these committees were
secretive, and would sometimes add provisions to bills that neither
house had approved. Nebraska's unicameral legislature today has
rules that bills can contain only one subject, and must be given
at least five days of consideration.
Finally, in 1934, due in part to the budgetary pressure of the
Great Depression, Nebraska's unicameral legislature was put in place
by a state initiative. In effect, the Assembly (the house) was abolished;
as noted, today's Nebraska state legislators are commonly referred
to as "Senators."
Further information: Nebraska Supreme Court
The judicial system in Nebraska is unified, with the Nebraska Supreme
Court having administrative authority over all Nebraska courts.
Nebraska uses the Missouri Plan for the selection of judges at all
levels. The lowest courts in Nebraska are the county courts, above
that are twelve district courts (containing one or more counties).
The Court of Appeals hears appeals from the district courts, juvenile
courts, and workers' compensation courts. The Nebraska Supreme Court
is the final court of appeal.
Nebraska currently has no active death-penalty law, due to a 2008
Nebraska Supreme Court ruling that declared the use of electrocution
to be in conflict with the state constitution. (Prior to this ruling,
Nebraska was the only place in the world that used electrocution
as the sole method of execution.) However, executions in Nebraska
had been infrequent; none had been carried out in the 21st century,
and in the last few decades the state had strongly flirted with
the idea of a moratorium on, or complete abolition of, capital punishment.
[edit] Federal government representation
The Nebraska State Capitol in Lincoln, NebraskaFurther information:
U.S. Congressional Delegations from Nebraska
Nebraska's U.S. senators are Chuck Hagel (R) and Ben Nelson (D).
Nebraska has three representatives in the House. They are: Jeff
Fortenberry (R, NE-1); Lee Terry (R, NE-2); and Adrian Smith (R,
NE-3).
Nebraska is one of two states (the other being Maine) that allow
for a split in the electoral vote. Since 1991, two of Nebraska's
five electoral votes are awarded based on the winner of the statewide
election while the other three go to the highest vote-getter in
each of the state's three congressional districts. Although possible,
a split in the electoral vote has not occurred in any election.
[edit] Nebraska politics
Further information: United States presidential election, 2004,
in Nebraska, Nebraska gubernatorial election, 2006 and Nebraska
United States Senate election, 2006
For most of its history, Nebraska has been a solidly Republican
state. Republicans have carried the state in all but one presidential
election since 1940—the 1964 landslide election of Lyndon
B. Johnson. In the 2004 presidential election, George W. Bush won
the state's five electoral votes by a 33% margin (the fourth-most
Republican vote among states) with 65.9% of the overall vote; only
Thurston County, which includes two American Indian reservations,
voted for John Kerry.
Despite the current Republican domination of Nebraska politics,
the state has a long tradition of electing centrist members of both
parties to state and federal office; examples include George Norris
(who served his last few years in the Senate as an independent),
J. James Exon, and Bob Kerrey. This tradition is illustrated by
Nebraska's current senators: Chuck Hagel is considered a maverick
within his party, while Ben Nelson is arguably one of the most conservative
members of his party in the Senate.
[edit] Important cities and towns
All population figures are 2006 Census Bureau estimates.
[edit] Largest cities
Downtown Omaha
Downtown Lincoln100,000+ population 10,000+ population
Omaha - 427,872
Lincoln - 241,167
Bellevue - 47,594
Grand Island - 44,632
Kearney - 29,385
Fremont - 25,417
Hastings - 25,144
North Platte - 24,386
Norfolk - 23,896
Columbus - 21,414
Papillion - 21,271
La Vista - 16,041
Scottsbluff - 14,738
Beatrice - 12,921
South Sioux City - 12,137
Lexington - 10,251
[edit] Urban areas
Metropolitan areas Micropolitan areas
Omaha-Council Bluffs - 700,991 (Nebraska portion); 822,549 (total
for Nebraska and Iowa)
Lincoln - 283,970
Sioux City, Iowa - 26,757 (Nebraska portion); 143,474 (total for
Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota)
Grand Island - 70,245
Kearney - 50,655
Norfolk - 49,413
Hastings - 39,749
Scottsbluff - 37,329
North Platte - 37,111
Fremont - 36,171
Columbus - 31,962
Lexington - 26,996
Beatrice - 23,365
Other areas
Grand Island, Hastings and Kearney comprise the “Tri-Cities”
area.
The northeast corner of Nebraska is part of the Siouxland region.
[edit] Education
[edit] Colleges and universities
University of Nebraska system
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
University of Nebraska at Kearney
University of Nebraska at Omaha
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture
Nebraska State College System
Chadron State College
Peru State College
Wayne State College
Private colleges/universities
Bellevue University
Clarkson College
College of Saint Mary
Concordia University
Creighton University
Dana College
Doane College
Grace University
Hastings College
Midland Lutheran College
Nebraska Christian College
Nebraska Methodist College
Nebraska Wesleyan University
Summit Christian College
Union College
York College
Nebraska Community College Association
Central Community College
Little Priest Tribal College
Metropolitan Community College
Mid-Plains Community College
Nebraska Indian Community College
Northeast Community College
Southeast Community College
Western Nebraska Community College
Further information: Colleges and universities of Omaha, Nebraska
[edit] Culture
Arbor Day was founded by J. Sterling Morton. The National Arbor
Day Foundation has its headquarters near his home in Nebraska City.
The swing in the Hebron, Nebraska city park at 5th and Jefferson
streets is claimed to be the world's largest porch swing, long enough
to fit 18 adults or 24 children.
[edit] Sports
Further information: Sports in Nebraska
Professional sports
Lincoln Saltdogs – American Association (independent minor
league baseball)
Omaha Beef – United Indoor Football
Omaha Royals – Pacific Coast League (AAA minor league baseball;
affiliate of the Kansas City Royals)
NCAA Division I college sports
Creighton Bluejays
Nebraska Cornhuskers
University of Nebraska at Omaha (the Mavericks Hockey Team is Division
I, all other sports are Division II.)
NCAA Division II college sports[7]
University of Nebraska at Kearney Lopers
University of Nebraska at Omaha Mavericks (the Mavericks Hockey
Team is Division I, all other sports are Division II.)
Wayne State College Wildcats
Chadron State College Eagles
Junior-level sports
Lincoln Stars – United States Hockey League
Omaha Lancers – United States Hockey League (home games played
in Council Bluffs, Iowa)
Tri-City Storm – United States Hockey League
CONTACT
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