Nebraska

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{{Infobox U.S. state | Name = Nebraska | Fullname = State of Nebraska | Flag = Flag of Nebraska.svg | Flaglink = [Flag of Nebraska | Seal = Seal of Nebraska.svg | Map = Map of USA NE.svg| Nickname = Cornhusker State | Motto = Equality before the law | Capital = [Lincoln, Nebraska | OfficialLang = [English language | LargestCity = [Omaha, Nebraska | LargestMetro = [Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area | Governor = [Dave Heineman (R)| Senators = [Chuck Hagel (R)
[Ben Nelson (D) | Representatives = [Jeff Fortenberry (R)
[Lee Terry
[Adrian Smith| PostalAbbreviation = NE | AreaRank = 16th | TotalAreaUS = 77,421 | TotalArea = 200,520 | LandAreaUS = 76,873 | LandArea = 199,099 | WaterAreaUS = 481 | WaterArea = 1,247 | PCWater = 0.7 | PopRank = 38th | 2000Pop = 1,711,263 | DensityRank = 42nd | 2000DensityUS = 22.3 | 2000Density = 8.6 | MedianHouseholdIncome = $44,623 | IncomeRank = 20th | AdmittanceOrder = 37th | AdmittanceDate = March 1, [ | TimeZone = [Central Standard Time Zone: [UTC-6/[Daylight saving time | TZ1Where = most of state | TimeZone2 = [Mountain Standard Time Zone: [UTC-7/[Daylight saving time | TZ2Where = [Nebraska Panhandle | Latitude = 40° N to 43° N | Longitude = 95° 19' W to 104° 03' W | WidthUS = 210 | Width = 340 | LengthUS = 430 | Length = 690 | HighestPoint = Panorama Point{{cite web [ | url =http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/elvadist/elvadist.html#Highest| title =Elevations and Distances in the United States| publisher =U.S Geological Survey| accessmonthday = November 6 | accessyear = 2006--> | HighestElevUS = 5,424 | HighestElev = 1,653 | MeanElevUS = 2,592 | MeanElev = 790 | LowestPoint = [Missouri River | LowestElevUS = 840| LowestElev = 256 | ISOCode = US-NE | Website = www.nebraska.gov | -->

Nebraska () is a U.S. state located on the Great Plains of the United States of America. Nebraska gets its name from a Chiwere language word meaning "flat water," after the Platte River that flows through the state. Once considered part of the Great American Desert, it is now a leading agriculture state. Nebraskans are sometimes colloquially referred to as "Cornhuskers" (which is derived from the state nickname).

Geography 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 List of counties in Nebraska; 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, Nebraska and Lincoln, Nebraska are located within this region.

The Great Plains occupy the majority of western Nebraska. The Great Plains itself is comprised of several smaller, diverse land regions, including the Sandhills (Nebraska), the Pine Ridge (region), the Rainwater Basin, the High Plains (United States) 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.

A 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 west, and Chimney Rock National Historic Site.

Nebraska 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, Nebraska
California National Historic Trail
Chimney Rock National Historic Site near Bayard, Nebraska
Homestead National Monument of America in Beatrice, Nebraska
Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail
Missouri National Recreational River near Ponca, Nebraska
Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail
Niobrara National Scenic River near Valentine, Nebraska
Oregon National Historic Trail
Pony Express National Historic Trail
Scotts Bluff National Monument at Gering, Nebraska

Climate Two major climates are represented in Nebraska: the eastern two-thirds of the state has a 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 metre) in the southeast corner of the state to about 13.8 inches (350 mm) in the Nebraska 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. Nebraska 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. ,

The National Wildlife Federation has found that global warming could have a harmful effect on Nebraska's ecology and economy, 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.

== History ==On May 30, 1854, the Kansas-Nebraska Act created the Kansas Territory and the Nebraska Territory, divided by the 40th parallel north. The territorial capital of Nebraska was Omaha, Nebraska.

In the 1860s, the first great wave of Homestead Acts 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, Nebraska to Lancaster, later renamed Lincoln, Nebraska 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.

Nebraska has a long history of Civil Rights Movement in Omaha, Nebraska, starting in 1912 with the foundation of Omaha's National Association for the Advancement of Colored People chapter. Recent legislation proposed by Senator Ernie Chambers continues a legacy that includes the Black Panthers, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Creighton University's unique DePorres Club.

Demographics {{USCensusPop|1860 = 28841|1870 = 122993|1880 = 452402|1890 = 1062656|1900 = 1066300|1910 = 1192214|1920 = 1296372|1930 = 1377963|1940 = 1315834|1950 = 1325510|1960 = 1411330|1970 = 1483493|1980 = 1569825|1990 = 1578385|2000 = 1711263-->

As of 2006, Nebraska has an estimated population of 1,768,331, which is an increase of 10,168, or 0.6%, from the prior year and an increase of 57,066, or 3.3%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 65,881 people (that is 160,471 births minus 94,590 deaths) and a decrease due to net migration of 5,233 people out of the state. Immigration to the United States from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 26,224 people, and migration within the country produced a net loss of 31,457 people.

The center of population of Nebraska is located in Polk County, Nebraska, in the city of Shelby, Nebraska .

As of 2004, the population of Nebraska included about 84,000 foreign-born residents (4.8% of the population).The five largest ancestry groups in Nebraska are Germans (38.6%), Irish American (12.4%), English American (9.6%), Swedish American (4.9%), and Czech people (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, Nebraska (comprised entirely of the Omaha (tribe) and Winnebago (tribe) reservations) has a Native Americans in the United States majority, and Butler County, Nebraska is one of only two counties in the nation with a Czech-American plurality.

Rural flight Eighty-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 Dakota 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, Nebraska) to a 17.04% loss (Hitchcock County, Nebraska). 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, 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.

Religion The religious affiliations of the people of Nebraska are:

Christianity – 90%

Protestantism – 61%

Lutheranism – 16%
Methodism – 11%
Baptist – 9%
Presbyterianism – 4%
Other Protestant – 21%

Roman Catholicism in the United States – 28%
Other Christian – 1%

Other religions – 1%
Non-religious – 9%

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, maize, and soybeans. Other important economic sectors include freight transport (by Rail transport 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, Nebraska, 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.

Industry Kool-Aid was created in 1927 by Edwin Perkins in the city of Hastings, Nebraska; it is the official soft drink of Nebraska. CliffsNotes were invented in Rising City, Nebraska, Nebraska by Clifton Hillegass. His pamphlets were based on the original Canada idea, "Coles (bookstore)."

Omaha is home to Berkshire Hathaway, whose CEO Warren Buffett was ranked the List of billionaires as of April 2007. This city is also home to InfoUSA, TD Ameritrade, West Corporation, Woodmen of the World and Union Pacific. Ameritas Life Insurance Company, Sandhills Publishing Company and Duncan Aviation reside in Lincoln while 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 Railroad's Bailey Yard, is located in North Platte, Nebraska. The Pliers was invented and is still manufactured in De Witt, Nebraska. Memorial Stadium, Lincoln on the University of Nebraska campus in Lincoln, Nebraska 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.

Transportation 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 Acts. The route of the First 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.

Roads and highways The Interstate Highways in Nebraska are:

Interstate 76 (west), Interstate 80, Interstate 129, Interstate 180 (Nebraska), Interstate 480 (Iowa-Nebraska), Interstate 680 (Iowa-Nebraska)

The U.S. Route system in Nebraska are:

U.S. Route 6, U.S. Route 20, U.S. Route 26, U.S. Route 30, U.S. Route 34, U.S. Route 73, U.S. Route 75, U.S. Route 77, U.S. Route 81, U.S. Route 83, U.S. Route 136, U.S. Route 138, U.S. Route 159, U.S. Route 183, U.S. Route 275, U.S. Route 281, U.S. Route 283, U.S. Route 385

Law and government Nebraska's government operates under the framework of the Nebraska Constitution, adopted in 1875 and is divided into three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial.

The head of the executive branch is the List of Governors of Nebraska Dave Heineman. Other elected officials in the executive branch are the Lieutenant Governor Rick Sheehy (elected on the same ticket as the Governor), Nebraska 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.

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 "Nebraska Legislature", and more commonly called the "Unicameral", its members still call themselves "senators". Nebraska's Legislature is also the only State legislature (United States) in the United States that is nonpartisan system. 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.

{{US state insignia | Name = Nebraska | Motto = ''Equality Before the Law'' | Slogan = ''Nebraska, possibilities...endless'' | Bird = [Western meadowlark | Animal = [White-tailed deer | Fish = [Channel catfish | Insect = [Western honey bee | Flower = [Goldenrod | Tree = [Cottonwood | River = [Platte River | Song = "[Beautiful Nebraska" | Fossil = [Mammoth | Dance = [Square dance | Gemstone = [Chalcedony | Rock = [Agate | Grass = [Little bluestem | Soil = [Holdrege series | Beverage = [Milk | Soft Drink = [Kool-aid | Quarter = Nebraska quarter, reverse side, 2006.jpg | QuarterReleaseDate = Released April 7, [ -->

For years, United States Senate George Norris and other Nebraskans encouraged the idea of a unicameral legislature, and demanded the issue be decided in a referendum. Norris argued:

Unicameral supporters also argued that a bicameralism 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."

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 Nebraska State 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 allows for Capital punishment in the United States; the sole method of execution is the electric chair, making Nebraska the only place in the world to use only this mode of execution. However, executions in Nebraska have been infrequent; none have been carried out in the 21st century, and the state has strongly flirted with the idea of a moratorium on, or complete abolition of, capital punishment.

Federal government representation Nebraska's United States Senate are Chuck Hagel (R) and Ben Nelson (D). Nebraska has three representatives in the United States House of Representatives. They are: Jeff Fortenberry (R, United States House of Representatives, Nebraska District 1); Lee Terry (R, United States House of Representatives, Nebraska District 2); and Adrian M. Smith (R, United States House of Representatives, Nebraska District 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 U.S. Electoral College 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.

Nebraska politics For most of its history, Nebraska has been a solidly United States Republican Party state. Republicans have carried the state in all but one presidential election since 1940—the 1964 landslide election of Lyndon Johnson. In the U.S. presidential election, 2004, 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, Nebraska, 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 member of his party in the Senate.

Important cities and towns All population figures are 2006 United States Census Bureau estimates.

Largest cities {|-!align="left"|100,000+ population!align="left" colspan="2"|10,000+ population|-|valign=top|

Omaha, Nebraska - 427,872
Lincoln, Nebraska - 241,167

|valign=top|

Bellevue, Nebraska - 47,594
Grand Island, Nebraska - 44,632
Kearney, Nebraska - 29,385
Fremont, Nebraska - 25,417
Hastings, Nebraska - 25,144
North Platte, Nebraska - 24,386
Norfolk, Nebraska - 23,896

|valign=top|

Columbus, Nebraska - 21,414
Papillion, Nebraska - 21,271
La Vista, Nebraska - 16,041
Scottsbluff, Nebraska - 14,738
Beatrice, Nebraska - 12,921
South Sioux City, Nebraska - 12,137
Lexington, Nebraska - 10,251

|}

Urban areas {|-!align="left"|Metropolitan areas!align="left" colspan="2"] areas|-|valign=top|

Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area - 700,991 (Nebraska portion); 822,549 (total for Nebraska and Iowa)
Lincoln, Nebraska - 283,970
Sioux City, Iowa - 26,757 (Nebraska portion); 143,474 (total for Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota)

|valign=top|

Grand Island, Nebraska - 70,245
Kearney, Nebraska - 50,655
Norfolk, Nebraska - 49,413
Hastings, Nebraska - 39,749
Scottsbluff, Nebraska - 37,329

|valign=top|

North Platte, Nebraska - 37,111
Fremont, Nebraska - 36,171
Columbus, Nebraska - 31,962
Lexington, Nebraska - 26,996
Beatrice, Nebraska - 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.

Education 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, Seward
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 of Lincoln
York College (Nebraska)

Nebraska Community College Association

Central Community College
Little Priest Tribal College
Metropolitan Community College (Omaha)
Mid-Plains Community College
Nebraska Indian Community College
Northeast Community College
Southeast Community College
Western Nebraska Community College

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.

Sports

Professional sports

Lincoln Saltdogs – American Association of Independent Professional Baseball (independent minor league baseball)
Omaha Beef – United Indoor Football
Omaha Royals – Pacific Coast League (AAA minor league baseball; affiliate of the Kansas City Royals)

National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college sports

Creighton Bluejays
Nebraska Cornhuskers

National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II college sports

University of Nebraska at Kearney Lopers
University of Nebraska at Omaha Mavericks
Wayne State College Wildcats

Central Collegiate Hockey Association

University of Nebraska at Omaha Mavericks Hockey Team

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