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Coordinates: 45°N 114°W / 45°N 114°W / 45; -114
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For other uses, see the U.S. State of Idaho.
Idaho
State
Map
CountryUnited States
Before statehoodIdaho Territory
Admitted to the UnionJuly 3, 1890 (43rd)
CapitalBoise
Largest cityBoise
Largest metro and urban areasBoise metropolitan area
Government
 • GovernorC.L. "Butch" Otter (R)
 • Lieutenant GovernorBrad Little (R)
 • Upper house{{{Upperhouse}}}
 • Lower house{{{Lowerhouse}}}
U.S. senatorsMike Crapo (R)
Jim Risch (R)
U.S. House delegation1-Walt Minnick (D)
2-Mike Simpson (R) (list)
Population
 • Total1,523,816 (2,008 est.)[1]
1,293,953 (2,000)
 • Density15.64/sq mi (6.04/km2)
Language
 • Official languageEnglish
Latitude42° N to 49° N
Longitude111°03′ W to 117°15′ W
Symbols

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

Idaho is a mostly mountainous state larger than the whole of New England. It is landlocked, surrounded by the states of Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Montana and the Canadian Province of British Columbia. However, the network of dams and locks on the Columbia River and Snake River make Lewiston, Idaho the farthest inland seaport on the west coast of the continental United States.

To residents of the state and regular visitors, Idaho is regarded as a highly outdoors-oriented community. Central Idaho is home to one of North America's oldest ski resorts, Sun Valley, where the world's first chairlift was installed. Snow sports are important keystones of Idaho's identity, with a ski resort adjacent to nearly every urban area. Whitewater rafting and kayaking are among the state's major pastimes. Hell's Canyon and the Salmon River boast some of North America's finest whitewater, with the nearby town of Riggins, ID serving as the state's informal whitewater capital.

According to the United States Census Bureau, in 2008 the population for Idaho was estimated to be 1,523,816.[1] The state's postal abbreviation is ID. Idaho's nickname is the Gem State because nearly every known gem has been found there.[3] In addition, Idaho is one of only two places in the world where star garnets can be found (the other is the Himalaya Mountains, in India), and is the only place six pointed star garnets have been found. The state motto is Esto Perpetua (Latin for "Let it be forever").

Geography

File:Idahogeography.jpg
Digitally colored elevation map of Idaho.
Idaho Population Density Map
Sixty percent of Idaho's land is held by the National Forest Service or the Bureau of Land Management, and it leads the nation in forest service land as a percentage of total area.[4][5]
Reynolds Creek Experimental Watershed in the Owyhee Mountains about 50 miles (80 km) southwest of Boise, Idaho.
Crooked Creek in Gospel Hump Wilderness, Idaho
The Palouse region of North Idaho.
File:Snakeriveridahofalls.jpg
A scenic part of the Snake River in Idaho Falls.
Sunset over the Snake River Plain near Chubbuck.
Further information: List of Idaho counties

Idaho borders six states and one Canadian province. The states of Washington and Oregon are to the west, Nevada and Utah are to the south, and Montana and Wyoming are to the east. Idaho also shares a short border (48 miles (77 km)) with the Canadian province of British Columbia to the north. 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, vast lakes and steep canyons. The waters of Snake River rush through Hells Canyon, the deepest canyon in the United States.

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 Clark Fork/Pend Oreille River, the Clearwater River and the Salmon River. Other significant rivers include the Coeur d'Alene River, the Spokane River, the Boise River and the Payette River. The Port of Lewiston, at the confluence of the Clearwater and the Snake Rivers is the farthest inland seaport on the West Coast.[6]

Idaho's highest point is Borah Peak, 12,662 ft (3,859 m), in the Lost River Range north of Mackay. Idaho's lowest point, 710 ft (216 m), is in Lewiston, where the Clearwater River joins the Snake River and continues into Washington. The Sawtooth Range is often considered Idaho's most famous mountain range.[7]

Map of Idaho

Southern Idaho, including the Boise metropolitan area, Idaho Falls, Pocatello, and Twin Falls are in the Mountain Time Zone. (A legislative oddity (15 U.S.C. ch. 6 § 264) theoretically placed this region in the Central Time Zone, but this error was corrected with a 2007 Amendment.)[8] Areas north of the Salmon River, including Coeur d'Alene, Moscow, Lewiston, and Sandpoint are in the Pacific Time Zone and revolve commercially and culturally around Spokane, Washington.

Climate

Idaho has much variation in its climate. Although the state's western border is located about 350 miles (560 km) from the Pacific Ocean, the maritime influence is still felt in Idaho, especially in the winter when cloud cover, humidity, and precipitation are at their highest points. This influence has a moderating effect in the winter where temperatures are not as low as would otherwise be expected for a northern state with a mostly elevated altitude.[9] The 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.

Climate in Idaho can be hot, although extended periods over 100 °F (38 °C) for the maximum temperature are rare. Hot summer days are tempered by the low relative humidity and cooler evenings during summer months 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.

Monthly Normal High and Low Temperatures For Various Idaho Cities.
City Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Boise 37/24 44/29 54/34 62/39 71/47 80/54 89/60 88/60 77/51 64/41 48/32 37/24
Lewiston 39/28 46/31 54/36 62/41 70/47 78/54 88/59 88/59 77/51 62/41 47/34 39/28
Pocatello 32/16 39/21 48/27 58/33 68/39 78/46 88/51 87/50 76/42 62/33 44/25 34/17
[5]

Lakes

History

Main article: History of Idaho

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 Great Britain until the United States gained undisputed jurisdiction in 1846. From 1843 to 1849 present-day Idaho was under the de facto jurisdiction of the Provisional Government of Oregon.

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. The first organized communities, within the present borders of Idaho, were established in 1860.[10][11]

After some tribulation as a territory, including the chaotic transfer of the territorial capital from Lewiston to Boise, disenfranchisement of Mormon polygamists,[12] 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 expanded its commercial base as a tourism and agricultural state to include science and technology industries. Science and technology have become the largest single economic center (over 25% of the state's total revenue) within the state and are greater than agriculture, forestry and mining combined.[13]

The Idaho State Historical Society preserves and promotes Idaho’s cultural heritage.

Origin of name

Lake Coeur d'Alene in North Idaho.

Idaho is the only state that was possibly named as the result of a hoax (the so-called "Idahoax") although this is disputed. The exact origin of the name remains a mystery.[14] In the 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 himself.[15][16] 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 fact Willing's account that the name "Idaho" derived from the Shoshone term "ee-da-how".

An excerpt from an Idaho History Textbook:

"Idaho" is a Shoshoni Indian exclamation. The word consists of three parts. The first is "Ee", which in English conveys the idea of "coming down". The second is "dah" which is the Shoshoni stem or root for both "sun" and "mountain". The third syllable, "how", denotes the exclamation and stands for the same thing in Shoshoni that the exclamation mark (!) does in the English language. The Shoshoni word is "Ee-dah-how", and the Indian thought thus conveyed when translated into English means, "Behold! the sun coming down the mountain".[17]

Chief Joseph Seltice, of the Coeur d'Alene Tribal Nation, posits another possible origin of the name. In his history of the tribe, Saga of the Coeur d'Alene Indians, he writes:

Some sources claim that the name "Idaho" comes from an Indian word, "Ee-dah-how," meaning "Gem of the Mountains." This expression may have come from some other Tribe, and it would have a different meaning for them than it would for the Coeur d'Alenes.
As the Coeur d'Alenes understood the word "Idaho," it would be more correctly pronounced "Ah-d'Hoo." It means "greetings by surprise," indicating friendship, but surprise.
The first syllable conveys to the mind, "All are welcome, from wherever you come; but keep the friendly peace. We welcome you with out-stretched arms, and this entitles us to permanent friendship."
The last syllable is a surprise and exclamation point. The expression means that all are welcome, "though we are surprised to see so many different strangers. The first dawn of day welcomes you as the sun rises." This expression was used by many of the Coeur d'Alenes on the Bitterroot Mountains to greet all who come.
So to all who read these words: "Welcome, with open arms! We're just surprised that there are so many of you!"

Demographics

File:Idaho Population.png
Idaho Population
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
187014,999—
188032,610117.4%
189088,548171.5%
1900161,77282.7%
1910325,594101.3%
1920431,86632.6%
1930445,0323.0%
1940524,87317.9%
1950588,63712.1%
1960667,19113.3%
1970712,5676.8%
1980943,93532.5%
19901,006,7496.7%
20001,293,95328.5%
2008[1] (est.)1,523,816Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "".

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 made Idaho the sixth fastest-growing state after Arizona, Nevada, Florida, Georgia, and Utah. From 2004 to 2005, Idaho grew the third-fastest, 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. As of 2007, the population in Nampa was estimated at 84,000. Growth of 5% or more over the same period has also been observed in Caldwell, Coeur d'Alene, Meridian, Post Falls and Twin Falls.[6]

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.[18]

Demographics of Idaho (csv)
By race White Black AIAN* Asian NHPI*
2000 (total population) 96.99% 0.65% 2.14% 1.36% 0.23%
2000 (Hispanic only) 7.53% 0.10% 0.28% 0.07% 0.03%
2005 (total population) 96.81% 0.84% 2.05% 1.48% 0.22%
2005 (Hispanic only) 8.70% 0.17% 0.27% 0.08% 0.03%
Growth 2000–05 (total population) 10.24% 42.33% 5.93% 20.25% 6.65%
Growth 2000–05 (non-Hispanic only) 8.78% 33.87% 5.74% 19.96% 7.09%
Growth 2000–05 (Hispanic only) 27.65% 89.80% 7.17% 25.37% 3.90%
* AIAN is American Indian or Alaskan Native; NHPI is Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

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

A church in Idaho City.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Idaho Falls Temple.

According to the 15th annual Idaho Public Policy study ([7], 2004) by the Social Science Research Center at BSU, the ambiguous religious affiliations of Idahoans break down roughly as follows.

  • Protestant – 29.3%
  • LDS (Mormon) – 22.8%
  • Catholic – 14.3%
  • Non-Denominational Christian – 13.6%
  • None – 12.7%
  • Other – 7.2%

The largest denominations by number of adherents in 2000 were the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with 311,425; the Roman Catholic Church with 130,847; the Assemblies of God with 18,745; and the United Methodist Church with 17,683.[19]

Economy

File:Idaho GDP.png
Idaho GDP
File:2007 ID Proof Rev.png
Idaho State Quarter
American Falls Dam

The Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates that the total gross state product of Idaho in 2008 was $52.7 billion, Idaho would be the ninth lowest state by gross domestic product in the U.S. state of America. The states per capita personal income in 2008 was $29,890.[20][21] Idaho is an important agricultural state, producing nearly one third of the potatoes grown in the United States.

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 world's largest factory for barrel cheese, the raw product for processed cheese is located in Gooding, Idaho. It has a capacity of 120,000 metric tons per year of barrel cheese and belongs to the Glanbia group.[22] The Idaho National Laboratory (INL), a government lab for nuclear energy research, is also an important part of the eastern Idaho economy. Idaho also is home to three facilities of Anheuser-Busch which provide a large part of the malt for breweries located across the nation.

Today, the largest industry in Idaho is the science and technology sector. It accounts 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 since the 1970s, which is devoted primarily to LaserJet printers production.[8] Dell, Inc. operates a major customer support call center in Twin Falls. AMI Semiconductor, whose worldwide headquarter locates in Pocatello, is a widely recognized innovator in state-of-the-art integrated mixed-signal semiconductor products, mixed-signal foundry services, and structured digital products. Coldwater Creek, a women's clothing retailer, is headquartered in Sandpoint. Fortune 500 Sun Microsystems has two offices in Boise and a parts depot in Pocatello. Sun brings $4M in annual salaries and over $300M of revenue to the state each year.

The state personal income tax ranges from 1.6% to 7.8% in eight 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.

Idaho has a state gambling lottery which contributed $333.5 million in payments to all Idaho public schools and Idaho higher education from 1990 - 2006.[23]

Energy

Electricity Generation in Idaho

The energy landscape of Idaho is favorable to the development of renewable energy systems. The state is rich in renewable energy resources but has limited fossil fuel resources. The Snake River Plain and smaller river basins provide Idaho with some of the best hydroelectric power resources in the nation and its geologically active mountain areas have significant geothermal power and wind power potential. These realities have shaped much of the state’s current energy landscape.

The state’s numerous river basins allow hydroelectric power plants to provide 556 thousand MWh, which amounts to about three-fourths of Idaho’s electricity output. Washington State provides most of the natural gas used in Idaho through one of the two major pipeline systems supplying the state. Although the state relies on out-of-state sources for its entire natural gas supply, it uses natural gas-fired plants to generate 127 thousand MWh, or about ten percent of its output. Coal-fired generation and the state’s small array of wind turbines supplies the remainder of the state’s electricity output. The state produces 739 thousand MWh but still needs to import half of its electricity from out-of-state to meet demand.[24]

While Idaho’s 515 trillion Btu total energy consumption is relatively low compared to other states and represents just 0.5% of United States consumption, the state also has the nation’s 11th smallest population, 1.5 million, so its per capita energy consumption of 352 million Btu is currently just above the national average of 333 million Btu.[24]

In addition, Idaho also has the 6th fastest growing population in the United States with the population expected to increase by 31% from 2008 to 2030.[25] This projected increase in population will contribute to a 42% increase in demand by 2030, further straining Idaho’s finite hydroelectric resources.[26] Given that Idaho has no crude oil reserves and a limited supply of natural gas, the state’s most realistic method of meeting this projected increase in demand is to develop its ample renewable resources.

Transportation

Main article: List of Idaho State Highways
File:Idaho license plate.jpg
The current state license plate design, modified since its introduction in 1991.

Major highways

Interstate 15.
US Highway 95.

Idaho is among the few states in the nation without a major freeway linking the two largest metropolitan areas of Boise in the south and Coeur d'Alene in the north. US-95 links the two ends of the state, but like many other highways in Idaho, it is badly in need of repair and upgrade. In 2007, the Idaho Transportation Department stated that the state's highway infrastructure faces a $200 million per year shortfall in maintenance and upgrades. Interstate 84 is the main highway linking the Southeast and Southwest portions of the state, along with Interstate 86 and Interstate 15.

Air Travel

Major airports include the Boise International Airport serving the southwest region of Idaho, and the Spokane International Airport (actually located in Spokane, Washington), which serves northern Idaho. Other airports with scheduled service are the Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport serving the Palouse; the Lewiston-Nez Perce County Airport, serving the Lewis-Clark Valley and north central Idaho; The Magic Valley Regional Airport in Twin Falls; the Idaho Falls Regional Airport; and the Pocatello Regional Airport.

Rail Travel

Idaho is served by two transcontinental railroads. The Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) connects North Idaho with Seattle, Portland and Spokane to the west, and Minneapolis and Chicago to the east. The BNSF travels through Kootenai, Bonner and Boundary Counties. The Union Pacific Railroad crosses southern Idaho traveling between Portland, Green River, WY, and Ogden, Utah and serves Boise, Nampa, Twin Falls, and Pocatello. Amtrak's Empire Builder crosses northern Idaho, with its only stop being in Sandpoint. There has been a push recently to return Amtrak service to southern Idaho as well.

Ports

The Port of Lewiston is the farthest inland Pacific port on the west coast. A series of dams and locks on the Snake River and Columbia River facilitate barge travel from here to Portland, where goods are loaded on ocean-going vessels.

North

North/South

West/East

Southwest

Law and government

State capitol building in Boise

State Constitution

The Constitution of Idaho is roughly modeled on the national constitution with several additions. Idaho's constitution defines the form and function of the state government. Idaho's Constitution may be amended through plebiscite. Notably, the state constitution presently requires the state government to maintain a balanced budget. As result, the State of Idaho has limited debt (construction bonds, etc).

Idaho Code

All of Idaho's state laws are contained in the Idaho Code. The code is amended through the Legislature with the approval of the Governor. Although extensive, the code is exceptionally easy to read and interpret.

State government

The constitution of Idaho provides for three 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. Afterward it was an appointed position and ultimately done away with entirely in 1974.

Idaho's government has an alcohol monopoly.

Executive Branch

Further information: List of Idaho Governors
Further information: Lieutenant Governor of Idaho
Further information: Secretary of State of Idaho

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 C. L. "Butch" Otter, who was elected in 2006.

Legislative Branch

Main article: Idaho Legislature

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

Judicial Branch

Main article: Courts of Idaho

The highest court in Idaho is the Idaho Supreme Court. There is also an intermediate appellate court, the Idaho Court of Appeals, which hears cases assigned to it from the Supreme Court. The state's District Courts serdistricts.[27]

Counties

Map of all Idaho's counties
Map of all Idaho's counties

Idaho is divided into political jurisdictions designated as counties. As of 1919 there were 44 counties in the state, ranging in size from 410 to 8,502 square miles (1,062 to 22,020 square kilometers).

IDAHO COUNTIES
County name County seat Year founded Population Percent Area (sq. m.) Percent
Ada Boise 1864 300,904 23.25 % 1,060 1.21 %
Adams Council 1911 3,476 0.27 % 1,370 1.57 %
Bannock Pocatello 1893 75,565 5.84 % 1,147 1.31 %
Bear Lake Paris 1893 6,411 0.50 % 1,049 1.20 %
Benewah St. Maries 1915 9,171 0.71 % 784 0.90 %
Bingham Blackfoot 1885 41,735 3.23 % 2,120 2.42 %
Blaine Hailey 1895 18,991 1.47 % 2,661 3.04 %
Boise Idaho City 1864 6,670 0.52 % 1,907 2.18 %
Bonner Sandpoint 1907 36,835 2.85 % 1,920 2.19 %
Bonneville Idaho Falls 1911 82,522 6.38 % 1,901 2.17 %
Boundary Bonners Ferry 1915 9,871 0.76 % 1,278 1.46 %
Butte Arco 1917 2,899 0.22 % 2,234 2.55 %
Camas Fairfield 1917 991 0.08 % 1,079 1.23 %
Canyon Caldwell 1891 131,441 10.16 % 604 0.69 %
Caribou Soda Springs 1919 7,304 0.56 % 1,799 2.06 %
Cassia Burley 1879 21,416 1.66 % 2,580 2.95 %
Clark Dubois 1919 1,022 0.08 % 1,765 2.02 %
Clearwater Orofino 1911 8,930 0.69 % 2,488 2.84 %
Custer Challis 1881 4,342 0.34 % 4,937 5.64 %
Elmore Mountain Home 1889 29,130 2.25 % 3,101 3.54 %
Franklin Preston 1913 11,329 0.88 % 668 0.76 %
Fremont St. Anthony 1893 11,819 0.91 % 1,896 2.17 %
Gem Emmett 1915 15,181 1.17 % 566 0.65 %
Gooding County, Idaho Gooding 1913 14,155 1.09 % 734 0.84 %
Idaho Grangeville 1861/1864 15,511 1.20 % 8,502 9.71 %
Jefferson Rigby 1913 19,155 1.48 % 1,106 1.26 %
Jerome Jerome 1919 18,342 1.42 % 602 0.69 %
Kootenai Coeur d'Alene 1864 108,685 8.40 % 1,316 1.50 %
Latah Moscow 1886 34,935 2.70 % 1,077 1.23 %
Lemhi Salmon 1869 7,806 0.60 % 4,570 5.22 %
Lewis Nezperce 1911 3,747 0.29 % 480 0.55 %
Lincoln Shoshone 1895 4,044 0.31 % 1,206 1.38 %
Madison Rexburg 1914 27,467 2.12 % 473 0.54 %
Minidoka Rupert 1913 20,174 1.56 % 763 0.87 %
Nez Perce Lewiston 1861/1864 37,410 2.89 % 856 0.98 %
Oneida Malad City 1864 4,125 0.32 % 1,202 1.37 %
Owyhee Murphy 1863 10,644 0.82 % 7,697 8.79 %
Payette Payette 1917 20,578 1.59 % 410 0.47 %
Power American Falls 1913 7,538 0.58 % 1,443 1.65 %
Shoshone Wallace /1861/1864 13,771 1.06 % 2,636 3.01 %
Teton Driggs 1915 5,999 0.46 % 451 0.52 %
Twin Falls Twin Falls 1907 64,284 4.97 % 1,928 2.20 %
Valley Cascade 1917 7,651 0.59 % 3,734 4.27 %
Washington Weiser 1879 9,977 0.77 % 1,474 1.68 %
Total Counties: 44 Total 2000 Population: 1,293,953 Total Area: 87,530 square miles
  • three counties were first designated as such by the Washington Territorial Legislature in 1861[28]; they were subsequently re-designated as Idaho counties in 1864

Politics

Presidential elections results
Year Republican Democratic
2008 61.5% 403,012 36.1% 236,440
2004 68.38% 409,235 30.26% 181,098
2000 67.17% 336,937 27.64% 138,637
1996 52.18% 256,595 33.65% 165,443
1992 42.03% 202,645 28.42% 137,013
1988 62.08% 253,881 36.01% 147,272
1984 72.36% 297,523 26.39% 108,510
1980 66.46% 290,699 25.19% 110,192
1976 59.88% 204,151 37.12% 126,549
1972 64.24% 199,384 26.04% 80,826
1968 56.79% 165,369 30.66% 89,273
1964 49.08% 143,557 50.92% 148,920
1960 53.78% 161,597 46.22% 138,853

After the Civil War, many Southern Democrats moved to Idaho Territory. As a result, the early territorial legislatures were solidly Democrat-controlled. 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, as there was a polar shift in social and political stance between the two parties, when the Democrats became more liberal and the Republicans more conservative. 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 Senator 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. Walt Minnick's 2008 win in the First Congressional District was the state's first Democratic Congressional victory in 16 years.

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, Republican George W. Bush carried Idaho by a margin of 38 percentage points and with 68.4% of the vote, winning in 43 of 44 counties. Only Blaine County, which contains the Sun Valley ski resort, supported John Kerry, who owns a home in the area. In 2008 Barack Obama's 36.1 percent[29] showing was the best for a Democratic presidential candidate in Idaho since 1976. However, Republican margins were narrower in 1992 and 1996.

In the 2006 elections, Republicans, led by gubernatorial candidate 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.[30]

Republicans lost one of the House seats in 2008 to Minnick, but Republican Jim Risch retained Larry Craig's Senate seat for the GOP by a comfortable margin.[31]

Further information: [[:Political party strength in Idaho]]

Important cities and towns

Population > 100,000 (urbanized area)

Population > 50,000 (urbanized area)

Population > 30,000 (urbanized area)

Population > 10,000 (urbanized area)

Smaller Towns and Cities

Boise, capital and largest city in Idaho.
Coeur d'Alene
Pocatello
Post Falls
Idaho Falls

National Parks, Reserves, Mounuments and Historic sites

  • City of Rocks National Reserve
    City of Rocks National Reserve
  • Craters of the Moon National Monument
    Craters of the Moon National Monument

National Recreation Areas

File:Boise2008 065.JPG
Hells Canyon National Recreation Area.

National Wildlife Refuges

National Conservation Areas

State Parks

See also: List of Idaho state parks

Education

Colleges and universities

File:Idahostateuniversity.jpg
Idaho State University in Pocatello.
University of Idaho in Moscow.
File:Boise2008 084.JPG
Boise State University in Boise.

The Idaho State Board of Education oversees three comprehensive universities. The University of Idaho in Moscow was the first university in the state (founded in 1889). A land-grant institution, the UI is the state's flagship university. Idaho State University in Pocatello opened in 1901 as the Academy of Idaho and was granted university status in 1963. Boise State University is the most recent school to attain university status in Idaho, and is primarily geared toward being a commuter school for part-time undergraduate students. The school opened in 1932 as Boise Junior College and became Boise State University in 1974. Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston is the only public, non-university 4 year college in Idaho.

Idaho has three regional community colleges: North Idaho College in Coeur d'Alene; College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls; and The College of Western Idaho in Nampa, which opened in 2009.

Private institutions in Idaho are Brigham Young University-Idaho in Rexburg, which is affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; The College of Idaho in Caldwell, which still maintains a loose affiliation with the Presbyterian Church; Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa; and New Saint Andrews College in Moscow, of reformed Christian theological background.

Sports

Club Sport League
Boise Hawks Baseball Minor League Baseball
Boise State Broncos NCAA Division 1 College Sports
Idaho Vandals NCAA Division 1 College Sports
Idaho State Bengals NCAA Division 1 College Sports
Idaho Falls Chukars Baseball Minor League Baseball
Idaho Stampede Basketball NBA Development League
Boise Burn Arena football af2
Idaho Steelheads Ice hockey East Coast Hockey League

Boise is the host to the largest 5 K run for women, the St. Luke's Women's Fitness Celebration.

Official State Emblems

Notable Idahoans

Main article: List of people from Idaho

See also

Main article: Outline of Idaho

References

  1. ^ a b c "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for the United States, Regions, States, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2008". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2009-02-05.
  2. ^ a b "Elevations and Distances in the United States". U.S Geological Survey. 29 April 2005. Retrieved November 6 2006. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |dateformat= ignored (help)
  3. ^ Just, Rick. "Star Garnet." Idaho Snapshots. Meridian, Idaho: Radio Idaho, 1990. 9.
  4. ^ Western States Data Public Land Acreage
  5. ^ http://www.fs.fed.us/land/staff/lar/2007/Table_4.htm
  6. ^ http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h2812.html
  7. ^ http://www.idahoaclimbingguide.com/id27.htm
  8. ^ http://uscode.house.gov/download/pls/15C6.txt
  9. ^ http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/narratives/IDAHO.htm
  10. ^ Bennett, Eldon T. "An Early History of Franklin". Franklin, Idaho. Retrieved 2008-05-19.
  11. ^ "Elias Davidson Pierce and the Founding of Pierce" (PDF). Idaho State Historical Society. 1966. Retrieved 2008-05-19. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  12. ^ "Mormon" Entry for The Encyclopedia of the Supreme Court of the United States, David S.Tanenhaus
  13. ^ "The Power of Idaho". Idaho Economic Development Association. 2004. Retrieved 2007-10-07.
  14. ^ [1]
  15. ^ [2]
  16. ^ [3]
  17. ^ "IDAHO in the Pacific Northwest". Barber -Martin. 1956. Caxton Printers Ltd. Library of Congress 55-5192.
  18. ^ "Population and Population Centers by State - 2000". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-12-04.
  19. ^ http://www.thearda.com/mapsReports/reports/state/16_2000.asp
  20. ^ Idaho Economy
  21. ^ http://www.bea.gov/regional/gsp/
  22. ^ "Zuivelzicht" April 25, 2007
  23. ^ "Facts At a Glance". Idaho Lottery. 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-29.
  24. ^ a b "Idaho Energy Profile". Energy Information Administration. 2009. Retrieved 2007-06-02.
  25. ^ [www.energy.idaho.gov/idahostrategicenergyalliance/d/isea_faq.pdf "Idaho Strategic Energy Alliance Frequently Asked Questions"] (PDF). Idaho Strategic Energy Alliance. 2009. Retrieved 2007-06-02. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  26. ^ "Idaho Energy Complex". Idaho Energy Complex. 2009. Retrieved 2007-06-02.
  27. ^ "Idaho District Court Websites". Isc.idaho.gov. Retrieved 2008-12-17.
  28. ^ http://www.idahohistory.net/pierce.html
  29. ^ Idaho Secretary of State Election Division, "November 4, 2008 General Election Results"
  30. ^ [4]
  31. ^ 2008 statewide totals
  32. ^ Idaho history homepage

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