The state known as Utah began when Brigham Young led a group of Mormon pilgrims seeking freedom from religious persecution into the Great Salt Lake Valley, where they established a settlement in 1847. The state gets its name from the Ute, an Indian tribe who lived there before the pioneers arrived. The golden spike completing the first transcontinental railroad line was driven at Promontory, Utah, in 1869, leading to a further influx of settlers. Utah was admitted as the 45th state in 1896. The capital, Salt Lake City, is also the world headquarters for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and Mormons make up 70 percent of the population. The sego lily is the state flower of the "Beehive State."
State Flower: Sego lily
State Motto: Industry
State Nickname: Beehive State
State Bird: California gull
Land area, 2000 (square miles): 82,144
Length: 350 miles
Width: 270 miles
10 largest cities, 2000:
Salt Lake City, 181,743
West Valley City, 108,896
Provo, 105,166
Sandy, 88,418
Orem, 84,324
Ogden, 77,226
West Jordan, 68,336
Layton, 58,474
Taylorsville, 57,439
St. George, 49,663
Geographic Center: 3 miles north of Manti
Geographic Center County: Sanpete
Highest Point: 13,528 ft. — Kings Peak
Lowest Point: 2,000 ft. — Beaverdam Wash
Number of counties: 29
State parks/forests: 41 (64,097 ac.)
Persons per square mile, 2000: 27
This page last updated July 10, 2007
GDP Data — Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
Population and Economic Data — US Census Bureau
Government Data — Congress.Org
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