Idaho
Idaho (/ˈaɪdəhoʊ/ (listen)) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It borders the state of Montana to the east and northeast, Wyoming to the east, Nevada and Utah to the south, and Washington and Oregon to the west. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canadian border with the province of British Columbia. With a population of approximately 1.7 million and an area of 83,570 square miles (216,400 km2), Idaho is the 14th largest, the 12th least populous and the 7th least densely populated of the 50 U.S. states. The state's capital and largest city is Boise.
Idaho | |
---|---|
State of Idaho | |
Nickname(s): Gem State | |
Motto(s): Esto perpetua (Latin for "Let it be perpetual") | |
Anthem: "Here We Have Idaho" | |
Map of the United States with Idaho highlighted | |
Country | United States |
Before statehood | Oregon Territory, Washington Territory, Idaho Territory |
Admitted to the Union | July 3, 1890 (43rd) |
Capital (and largest city) | Boise |
Largest metro | Boise metropolitan area |
Government | |
• Governor | Brad Little (R) |
• Lieutenant Governor | Janice McGeachin (R) |
Legislature | Legislature |
• Upper house | Senate |
• Lower house | House of Representatives |
Judiciary | Idaho Supreme Court |
U.S. senators | Mike Crapo (R) Jim Risch (R) |
U.S. House delegation | 1. Russ Fulcher (R) 2. Mike Simpson (R) (list) |
Area | |
• Total | 83,569[1] sq mi (216,443 km2) |
• Land | 83,570 sq mi (216,400 km2) |
• Water | 926 sq mi (2,398 km2) 1.11% |
Area rank | 14th |
Dimensions | |
• Length | 479 mi (771 km) |
• Width | 305 mi (491 km) |
Elevation | 5,000 ft (1,520 m) |
Highest elevation | 12,662 ft (3,859 m) |
Lowest elevation | 713 ft (217 m) |
Population (2019[5]) | |
• Total | 1,787,065 |
• Rank | 39th |
• Density | 21.6/sq mi (8.33/km2) |
• Density rank | 44th |
• Median household income | $52,225[6] |
• Income rank | 41st |
Demonym(s) | Idahoan |
Language | |
• Official language | English[7] |
Time zones | |
primary | UTC−07:00 (Mountain) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−06:00 (MDT) |
Idaho Panhandle | UTC−08:00 (Pacific) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−07:00 (PDT) |
USPS abbreviation | ID |
ISO 3166 code | US-ID |
Latitude | 42° N to 49° N |
Longitude | 111°03′ W to 117°15′ W |
Website | www |
Idaho state symbols | |
---|---|
Living insignia | |
Amphibian | Tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum) |
Bird |
|
Fish | Cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii) |
Flower | Syringa (Philadelphus lewisii) |
Horse breed | Appaloosa |
Insect | Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) |
Tree | Western white pine (Pinus monticola) |
Inanimate insignia | |
Dance | Square dance |
Food |
|
Fossil | Hagerman horse (Equus simplicidens) |
Gemstone | Star garnet |
Slogan | "Great Potatoes. Tasty Destinations." |
Soil | Threebear |
State route marker | |
State quarter | |
Released in 2007 | |
Lists of United States state symbols |
For thousands of years Idaho has been inhabited by Native American peoples. In the early 19th century, Idaho was considered part of the Oregon Country, an area disputed between the United States and the British Empire. It officially became U.S. territory with the signing of the Oregon Treaty of 1846, but a separate Idaho Territory was not organized until 1863, instead being included for periods in Oregon Territory and Washington Territory. Idaho was eventually admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, becoming the 43rd state.
Forming part of the Pacific Northwest (and the associated Cascadia bioregion), Idaho is divided into several distinct geographic and climatic regions. The state's north, the relatively isolated Idaho Panhandle, is closely linked with Eastern Washington with which it shares the Pacific Time Zone—the rest of the state uses the Mountain Time Zone. The state's south includes the Snake River Plain (which has most of the population and agricultural land). The state's southeast incorporates part of the Great Basin. Idaho is quite mountainous, and contains several stretches of the Rocky Mountains. The United States Forest Service holds about 38% of Idaho's land, the highest proportion of any state.[8]
Industries significant for the state economy include manufacturing, agriculture, mining, forestry, and tourism. A number of science and technology firms are either headquartered in Idaho or have factories there, and the state also contains the Idaho National Laboratory, which is the country's largest Department of Energy facility. Idaho's agricultural sector supplies many products, but the state is best known for its potato crop, which comprises around one-third of the nationwide yield. The official state nickname is the "Gem State", which references Idaho's natural beauty.[9]
Etymology
The name's origin remains a mystery.[10] In the early 1860s, when the U.S. Congress was considering organizing a new territory in the Rocky Mountains, the name "Idaho" was suggested by George M. Willing, a politician posing as an unrecognized delegate from the unofficial Jefferson Territory.[11] Willing claimed that the name was derived from a Shoshone term meaning "the sun comes from the mountains" or "gem of the mountains",[12] but it was revealed later that there was no such term and Willing claimed that he had been inspired to coin the name when he met a little girl named "Ida".[13] Since the name appeared to be fabricated, the U.S. Congress ultimately decided to name the area Colorado Territory instead when it was created in February 1861, but by the time this decision was made, the town of Idaho Springs, Colorado had already been named after Willing's proposal.
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, part of Washington Territory, including Idaho County, was used to create Idaho Territory in 1863.[14] Eventually, the name was given to the Idaho Territory, which would later become the U.S. state.
Despite this lack of evidence for the origin of the name, many textbooks well into the 20th century repeated as fact Willing's account the name "Idaho" derived from the Shoshone term "ee-da-how". A 1956 Idaho history textbook says:
"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 English. 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.[15]
An alternative etymology attributes the name to the Plains Apache word "ídaahę́" IPA: [í.taː.hɛ̃́] (enemy) that was used in reference to the Comanche.[16]
Geography
Idaho borders six U.S. 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 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. For example, at 2.3 million acres (930,000 ha), the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness Area is the largest contiguous area of protected wilderness in the continental United States. Idaho 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 the Snake River run through Hells Canyon, the deepest gorge in the United States. Shoshone Falls falls down cliffs from a height greater than Niagara Falls.
By far, the most important river in Idaho is the Snake River, a major tributary of the Columbia River. The Snake River flows out from Yellowstone in northwestern Wyoming through the Snake River Plain in southern Idaho before turning north, leaving the state at Lewiston before joining the Columbia in Kennewick. Other major rivers are the Clark Fork/Pend Oreille River, the Spokane River, and major tributaries of the Snake river, including the Clearwater River, the Salmon River, the Boise River, and the Payette River. The Salmon River empties into the Snake in Hells Canyon and forms the southern boundary of Nez Perce County on its north shore, of which Lewiston is the county seat. The Port of Lewiston, at the confluence of the Clearwater and the Snake Rivers is the farthest inland seaport on the West Coast at 465 river miles from the Pacific at Astoria, Oregon.[17]
The vast majority of Idaho's population lives in the Snake River Plain, a valley running from across the entirety of southern Idaho from east to west. The valley contains the major cities of Boise, Meridian, Nampa, Caldwell, Twin Falls, Idaho Falls, and Pocatello. The plain served as an easy pass through the Rocky Mountains for westward-bound settlers on the Oregon Trail, and many settlers chose to settle the area rather than risking the treacherous route through the Blue Mountains and the Cascade Range to the west. The western region of the plain is known as the Treasure Valley, bound between the Owyhee Mountains to the southwest and the Boise Mountains to the northeast. The central region of the Snake River Plain is known as the Magic Valley.
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.[18] Other mountain ranges in Idaho include the Bitterroot Range, the White Cloud Mountains, the Lost River Range, the Clearwater Mountains, and the Salmon River Mountains.
Idaho has two time zones, with the dividing line approximately midway between Canada and Nevada. Southern Idaho, including the Boise metropolitan area, Idaho Falls, Pocatello, and Twin Falls, are in the Mountain Time Zone. A legislative error (15 U.S.C. ch. 6 §264) theoretically placed this region in the Central Time Zone, but this was corrected with a 2007 amendment.[19] Areas north of the Salmon River, including Coeur d'Alene, Moscow, Lewiston, and Sandpoint, are in the Pacific Time Zone, which contains less than a quarter of the state's population and land area.
Climate
Idaho's climate varies widely. Although the state's western border is 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 maximum extent. 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 predominantly high elevations.[20] The maritime influence is least prominent in the state's eastern part where the precipitation patterns are often reversed, with wetter summers and drier winters, and seasonal temperature differences are more extreme, showing a more semi-arid continental climate.[21]
Idaho can be hot, although extended periods over 98 °F (37 °C) are rare, except for the lowest point in elevation, Lewiston, which correspondingly sees little snow. 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.[22] Winters can be cold, although extended periods of bitter cold weather below zero are unusual. Idaho's all-time highest temperature of 118 °F (48 °C) was recorded at Orofino on July 28, 1934; the all-time lowest temperature of −60 °F (−51 °C) was recorded at Island Park Dam on January 18, 1943.
Monthly normal high and low temperatures for various Idaho cities. (°F) | ||||||||||||
City | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Boise | 38/24 | 45/27 | 55/33 | 62/38 | 72/46 | 81/53 | 91/59 | 90/59 | 79/50 | 65/40 | 48/31 | 38/23 |
Lewiston | 42/30 | 47/31 | 55/36 | 62/41 | 71/47 | 79/54 | 89/60 | 89/60 | 78/51 | 63/41 | 48/34 | 40/28 |
Pocatello | 33/16 | 38/19 | 49/27 | 59/33 | 68/40 | 78/46 | 88/52 | 88/51 | 76/42 | 62/33 | 45/24 | 33/16 |
Orofino | 38/25 | 46/28 | 55/32 | 64/38 | 72/44 | 80/50 | 89/54 | 90/53 | 79/45 | 63/36 | 46/31 | 37/26 |
[23] |
Lakes and rivers
- Alturas Lake
- Brush Lake
- Bear River
- Bear Lake (Idaho-Utah)
- Boise River
- Clearwater River
- Dawson Lake
- Dierkes Lake
- Hayden Lake
- Henry's Lake
- Hidden Lake
- Kootenai River
- Lake Cascade
- Lake Cleveland
- Lake Coeur d'Alene
- Lake Lowell
- Lake Walcott
- Pend Oreille
- Little Redfish Lake
- Lucky Peak Lake
- Moyie River
- North Fork Clearwater River
- Pack River
- Payette Lake, (McCall)
- Pettit Lake
- Priest Lake
- Perkins Lake
- Portneuf River
- Redfish Lake
- Sawtooth Lake
- Smith Lake
- Snake River
- Stanley Lake
- St. Joe River
- Warm Lake
- Williams Lake (Salmon)
History
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. American Indian peoples predominant in the area included the Nez Percé in the north and the Northern and Western Shoshone in the south.
A Late Upper Paleolithic site was identified at Cooper's Ferry in western Idaho near the town of Cottonwood by archaeologists in 2019. Based on evidence found at the site, first people lived in this area 15,300 to 16,600 years ago, predating the Beringia land bridge by about a thousand years. The discoverers, anthropology professor Loren Davis and colleagues, emphasized that they possess similarities with tools and artifacts discovered in Japan that date from 16,000 to 13,000 years ago.[24][25][26][27][28] The discovery also showed that the first people might not have come to North America by land, as previously theorized. On the contrary, they probably came through the water, using a Pacific coastal road.[27]
The most parsimonious explanation we think is that people came down the Pacific Coast, and as they encountered the mouth of the Columbia River, they essentially found an off-ramp from this coastal migration and also found their first viable interior route to the areas that are south of the ice sheet.
— Davis
An early presence of French-Canadian trappers is visible in names and toponyms: Nez Percé, Cœur d'Alène, Boisé, Payette, some preexisting the Lewis and Clark and Astorian expeditions which themselves included significant numbers of French and Métis guides recruited for their familiarity with the terrain.
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. When Oregon became a state, what is now Idaho was in what remained of the original Oregon Territory not part of the new state, and designated as the Washington Territory.
Between then and the creation of the Idaho Territory on March 4, 1863, at Lewiston, parts of the present-day state were included in the Oregon, Washington, and Dakota Territories. The new territory included present-day Idaho, Montana, and most of Wyoming. The Lewis and Clark expedition crossed Idaho in 1805 on the way to the Pacific and in 1806 on the return, largely following the Clearwater River both directions. The first non-indigenous settlement was Kullyspell House, established on the shore of Lake Pend Oreille for fur trading in 1809 by David Thompson of the North West Company.[29][30] In 1812 Donald Mackenzie, working for the Pacific Fur Company at the time, established a post on the lower Clearwater River near present-day Lewiston. This post, known as "MacKenzie's Post" or "Clearwater", operated until the Pacific Fur Company was bought out by the North West Company in 1813, after which it was abandoned.[31][32] The first attempts at organized communities, within the present borders of Idaho, were established in 1860.[33][34] The first permanent, substantial incorporated community was Lewiston in 1861.
After some tribulation as a territory, including the chaotic transfer of the territorial capital from Lewiston to Boise,[35] disenfranchisement of Mormon polygamists upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1877,[36] and a federal attempt to split the territory between Washington Territory which gained statehood in 1889, a year before Idaho, and the state of Nevada which had been a state since 1864, Idaho achieved statehood in 1890.[37]
Idaho was one of the hardest hit of the Pacific Northwest states during the Great Depression.[38] Prices plummeted for Idaho's major crops: in 1932 a bushel of potatoes brought only ten cents compared to $1.51 in 1919, while Idaho farmers saw their annual income of $686 in 1929 drop to $250 by 1932.[39]
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.[40]
Demographics
Population
Historical population | |||
---|---|---|---|
Census | Pop. | %± | |
1870 | 14,999 | — | |
1880 | 32,610 | 117.4% | |
1890 | 88,548 | 171.5% | |
1900 | 161,772 | 82.7% | |
1910 | 325,594 | 101.3% | |
1920 | 431,866 | 32.6% | |
1930 | 445,032 | 3.0% | |
1940 | 524,873 | 17.9% | |
1950 | 588,637 | 12.1% | |
1960 | 667,191 | 13.3% | |
1970 | 712,567 | 6.8% | |
1980 | 943,935 | 32.5% | |
1990 | 1,006,749 | 6.7% | |
2000 | 1,293,953 | 28.5% | |
2010 | 1,567,582 | 21.1% | |
2019 (est.) | 1,787,065 | 14.0% | |
Source: 1910–2010[41] 2019 estimate[5] |
The United States Census Bureau estimates Idaho's population was 1,787,065 on July 1, 2018, a 14% increase since 2010.[42]
Idaho had an estimated population of 1,754,208 in 2018, which was an increase of 37,265, from the prior year and an increase of 186,626, or 11.91%, since 2010. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 58,884 (111,131 births minus 52,247 deaths) and an increase due to net migration of 75,795 people into the state. There are large numbers of Americans of English and German ancestry in Idaho. 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 tenth fastest-growing state after District of Columbia (+16.74%), Utah (+14.37%), Texas (+14.14%), Florida (+13.29%), Colorado (+13.25%), North Dakota (+13.01%), Nevada (+12.36%), Arizona (+12.20%) and Washington. From 2017 to 2018, Idaho grew the second-fastest, surpassed only by Nevada.
Nampa, about 20 miles (30 km) west of downtown Boise, became the state's second largest city in the late 1990s, passing Pocatello and Idaho Falls. Nampa's population was under 29,000 in 1990 and grew to over 81,000 by 2010. Located between Nampa and Boise, Meridian also experienced high growth, from fewer than 10,000 residents in 1990 to more than 75,000 in 2010 and is now Idaho's third largest city. Growth of 5% or more over the same period has also been observed in Caldwell, Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls, and Twin Falls.[43]
From 1990 to 2010, Idaho's population increased by over 560,000 (55%). 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.
The table below shows the ethnic composition of Idaho's population as of 2016.
Race | Population (2017 est.) | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Total population | 1,657,375 | 100% |
Caucasian | 1,507,880 | 91.0% |
Black or African American | 11,231 | 0.7% |
American Indian and Alaska Native | 21,323 | 1.3% |
Asian | 22,720 | 1.4% |
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 2,343 | 0.1% |
Some other race | 47,964 | 2.9% |
Two or more races | 43,914 | 2.6% |
Racial composition | 1970[45] | 1990[45] | 2000[46] | 2010[47] |
---|---|---|---|---|
Caucasian | 98.1% | 94.4% | 90.1% | 89.1% |
Indigenous | 0.9% | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1.4% |
Asian | 0.5% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 1.2% |
Black | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 0.6% |
Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander | — | — | 0.1% | 0.1% |
Other race | 0.2% | 3.0% | 4.2% | 5.1% |
Two or more races | — | — | 2.0% | 2.5% |
According to the 2017 American Community Survey, 12.2% of Idaho's population were of Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race): Mexican (10.6%), Puerto Rican (0.2%), Cuban (0.1%), and other Hispanic or Latino origin (1.3%).[44] The five largest ancestry groups were: German (17.5%), English (16.4%), Irish (9.3%), American (8.1%), and Scottish (3.2%).[48]
- Birth data
Note: Births in table don't add up, because Hispanics are counted both by their ethnicity and by their race, giving a higher overall number.
Race | 2013[49] | 2014[50] | 2015[51] | 2016[52] | 2017[53] | 2018[54] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Caucasian: | 21,246 (94.9%) | 21,696 (94.8%) | 21,618 (94.7%) | ... | ... | ... |
> Non-Hispanic | 17,951 (80.2%) | 18,188 (79.5%) | 18,087 (79.2%) | 17,543 (78.0%) | 17,151 (77.3%) | 16,574 (77.4%) |
Asian | 491 (2.2%) | 501 (2.2%) | 516 (2.3%) | 363 (1.6%) | 366 (1.7%) | 348 (1.6%) |
Indigenous | 421 (1.9%) | 429 (1.9%) | 406 (1.8%) | 261 (1.2%) | 337 (1.5%) | 285 (1.3%) |
Black | 225 (1.0%) | 250 (1.1%) | 287 (1.2%) | 217 (1.0%) | 243 (1.1%) | 233 (1.1%) |
Hispanic (of any race) | 3,422 (15.3%) | 3,651 (16.0%) | 3,645 (16.0%) | 3,614 (16.1%) | 3,598 (16.2%) | 3,549 (16.6%) |
Total Idaho | 22,383 (100%) | 22,876 (100%) | 22,827 (100%) | 22,482 (100%) | 22,181 (100%) | 21,403 (100%) |
- Since 2016, data for births of White Hispanic origin are not collected, but included in one Hispanic group; persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race.
Religion
According to the Pew Research Center on Religion & Public Life, the self-identified religious affiliations of Idahoans over the age of 18 in 2008 and 2014 were:
Denomination | 2008[56] | 2014[57][58] |
---|---|---|
Christian, including: | 81% | 67% |
* Evangelical Protestant | 22% | 21% |
* Mainline Protestant | 16% | 16% |
* Catholic | 18% | 10% |
* Eastern Orthodox | < 0.5% | 1% |
* Historically Black Protestant | < 0.5% | < 1% |
* The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints | 23% | 19% |
* Jehovah's Witnesses | 1% | < 1% |
* Other Christian | < 0.5% | < 1% |
Unaffiliated, including: | 18% | 27% |
* Nothing in particular | n/d | 22% |
* Agnostic | n/d | 3% |
* Atheist | n/d | 2% |
Non-Christian faiths, including: | n/d | 4% |
* Muslim | < 0.5% | 1% |
* Jewish | < 0.5% | < 1% |
* Buddhist | < 0.5% | < 1% |
* Hindu | < 0.5% | < 1% |
* Other World religions | < 0.5% | < 1% |
* Other faiths (New Age, Native American, etc.) | n/d | 2% |
Don't know/refused | < 0.5% | 1% |
According to the Association of Religion Data Archives, the largest denominations by number of members in 2010 were The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with 409,265; the Catholic Church with 123,400; the non-denominational Evangelical Protestant with 62,637; and the Assemblies of God with 22,183.[59]
Language
English is the state's predominant language. Minority languages include Spanish[60] and various Native American languages.
Economy
- Total employment 2016
- 562,282
- Total employer establishments
- 45,826[61]
Gross state product for 2015 was $64.9 billion,[62] and the per capita income based on 2015 GDP and 2015 population estimates was $39,100.[62][63]
Idaho is an important agricultural state, producing nearly one-third of the potatoes grown in the United States. All three varieties of wheat, dark northern spring, hard red, and soft white are grown in the state. Nez Perce County is considered a premier soft white growing locale.
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 in Gooding, Idaho. It has a capacity of 120,000 metric tons per year of barrel cheese and belongs to the Glanbia group.[64] The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is the largest Department of Energy facility in the country by area. INL is 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 across the nation.
A variety of industries are important. Outdoor recreation is a common example ranging from numerous snowmobile and downhill and cross-country ski areas in winter to the evolution of Lewiston as a retirement community based on mild winters, dry, year-round climate and one of the lowest median wind velocities anywhere, combined with the rivers for a wide variety of activities. Other examples would be ATK Corporation, which operates three ammunition and ammunition components plants in Lewiston. Two are sporting and one is defense contract. The Lewis-Clark valley has an additional independent ammunition components manufacturer and the Chipmunk rifle factory until it was purchased in 2007 by Keystone Sporting Arms and production was moved to Milton, Pennsylvania. Four of the world's six welded aluminum jet boat (for running river rapids) manufacturers are in the Lewiston-Clarkston, WA valley. Wine grapes were grown between Kendrick and Juliaetta in the Idaho Panhandle by the French Rothschilds until Prohibition. In keeping with this, while there are no large wineries or breweries in Idaho, there are numerous and growing numbers of award-winning boutique wineries and microbreweries in the northern part of the state.
Today, Idaho's largest industry is the science and technology sector. It accounts for over 25% of the state's revenue and over 70% of the state's exports. 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, the only U.S. manufacturer of dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) chips. Micron at one time manufactured desktop computers, but with very limited success. Hewlett-Packard has operated a large plant in Boise since the 1970s, which is devoted primarily to LaserJet printers production.[65] Boise-based Clearwater Analytics is another rapidly growing investment accounting and reporting software firm, reporting on over $1 trillion in assets.[66] ON Semiconductor, whose worldwide headquarters is in Pocatello, is a widely recognized innovator of modern integrated mixed-signal semiconductor products, mixed-signal foundry services, and structured digital products. Coldwater Creek, a women's clothing retailer, is headquartered in Sandpoint. Sun Microsystems (now a part of Oracle Corporation) has two offices in Boise and a parts depot in Pocatello. Sun brings $4 million in annual salaries and over $300 million of revenue to the state each year.
A number of Fortune 500 companies started in or trace their roots to Idaho, including Safeway in American Falls, Albertsons in Boise, JR Simplot across southern Idaho, and Potlatch Corp. in Lewiston. Zimmerly Air Transport in Lewiston-Clarkston was one of the five companies in the merger centered around Varney Air Lines of Pasco, Washington, which became United Airlines and subsequently Varney Air Group which became Continental Airlines.
In 2014, Idaho emerged as the second most small business friendly state, ranking behind Utah, based on a study drawing upon data from more than 12,000 small business owners.[67]
Idaho has a state gambling lottery which contributed $333.5 million in payments to all Idaho public schools and Idaho higher education from 1990 to 2006.[68]
- Idaho state quarter
- Wheat harvest on the Palouse
Taxation
Tax is collected by the Idaho State Tax Commission.[69]
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% with a very limited, selective local option up to 6.5%. 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.
The sales tax was introduced at 3% in 1965, easily approved by voters,[70] where it remained at 3% until 1983.[71]
Energy
As of 2017, the primary energy source in Idaho was hydropower, and the energy companies had a total retail sales of 23,793,790 megawatthours (MWh).[72] As of 2017, Idaho had a regulated electricity market, with the Idaho Public Utilities Commission regulating the three major utilities of Avista Utilities, Idaho Power, and Rocky Mountain Power.[73]
Idaho's energy landscape 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 nation's best hydroelectric power resources and its geologically active mountain areas have significant geothermal power and wind power potential. These realities have shaped much of the state's energy landscape.
Idaho imports most of the energy it consumes. Imports account for more than 80% of energy consumption, including all of Idaho's natural gas and petroleum supplies and more than half of its electricity. Of the electricity consumed in Idaho in 2005, 48% came from hydroelectricity, 42% was generated by burning coal and 9% was generated by burning natural gas. The remainder came from other renewable sources such as wind.[74]
The state's numerous river basins allow hydroelectric power plants to provide 556,000 MWh, which amounts to about three-fourths of Idaho's electricity generated in the state. 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 127,000 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 739,000 MWh but still needs to import half of its electricity from out-of-state to meet demand.[75]
While Idaho's 515 trillion British thermal units (151 TWh) total energy consumption is low compared with 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 (103 MWh) is just above the national average of 333 million BTU (98 MWh).[75] As the 13th‑largest state in terms of land area of 83,570 square miles (53,480,000 acres; 216,400 km2), distance creates the additional problem of "line loss". When the length of an electrical transmission line is doubled, the resistance to an electric current passing through it is also doubled.
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.[76] This projected increase in population will contribute to a 42% increase in demand by 2030, further straining Idaho's finite hydroelectric resources.[77]
Idaho has an upper-boundary estimate of development potential to generate 44,320 GWh/year from 18,076 MW of wind power, and 7,467,000 GWh/year from solar power using 2,061,000 MW of photovoltaics (PV), including 3,224 MW of rooftop photovoltaics, and 1,267,000 MW of concentrated solar power.[78]
Idaho Wind Generation (GWh, Million kWh) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Capacity (MW) |
Total | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec | |||||||||||||||
2009 | 147 | 313 | 21 | 18 | 25 | 24 | 22 | 17 | 14 | 19 | 21 | 33 | 34 | 38 | |||||||||||||||
2010 | 353 | 441 | 29 | 24 | 35 | 43 | 36 | 28 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 57 | 69 | 78 | |||||||||||||||
2011 | 618 | 1,308 | 90 | 120 | 132 | 140 | 120 | 112 | 83 | 78 | 71 | 118 | 145 | 105 | |||||||||||||||
2012 | 191 | 133 | 197 | 155 | 148 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
2020 | 973[79] |
Idaho Grid-Connected PV Capacity (MW)[83][84] | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Capacity | Installed | % Growth | |||||||||
2010 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 100% | |||||||||
2011 | 0.4 | 0 | 0% |
Transportation
The Idaho Transportation Department is the government agency responsible for Idaho's transportation infrastructure, including operations and maintenance as well as planning for future needs. The agency is also responsible for overseeing the disbursement of federal, state, and grant funding for the transportation programs of the state.[85]
Highways
Idaho is among the few states in the nation without a major freeway linking its two largest metropolitan areas, 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 the state's highway infrastructure faces a $200 million per year shortfall in maintenance and upgrades. I-84 is the main highway linking the southeast and southwest portions of the state, along with I-86 and I-15.
Major federal aid highways in Idaho:
Airports
Major airports include the Boise International Airport which serves the southwest region of Idaho and the Spokane International Airport (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 and west central Idaho; The Magic Valley Regional Airport in Twin Falls; the Idaho Falls Regional Airport; and the Pocatello Regional Airport.[86]
Railroads
Idaho is served by three transcontinental railroads. The Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) connects the Idaho Panhandle 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 North Idaho entering from Canada through Boundary and Bonner, and proceeding to Spokane. Canadian Pacific Railway uses Union Pacific Railroad tracks in North Idaho carrying products from Alberta to Spokane and Portland, Oregon. Amtrak's Empire Builder crosses northern Idaho, with its only stop being in Sandpoint. Montana Rail Link also operates between Billings, Montana and Sandpoint, Idaho
The Union Pacific Railroad also crosses southern Idaho traveling between Portland, Oregon, Green River, Wyoming, and Ogden, Utah and serves Boise, Nampa, Twin Falls, and Pocatello.
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 Lewiston to Portland, where goods are loaded on ocean-going vessels.
Law and government
State constitution
The constitution of Idaho is roughly modeled on the national constitution with several additions. The constitution defines the form and functions of the state government, and may be amended through plebiscite. Notably, the state constitution presently requires the state government to maintain a balanced budget. As result, Idaho has limited debt (construction bonds, etc.).[87]
Idaho Code and Statutes
All of Idaho's state laws are contained in the Idaho Code and Statutes. The code is amended through the legislature with the approval of the governor. Idaho still operates under its original (1889) state constitution.[87]
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.
Since 1946, statewide elected constitutional officers have been elected to four-year terms. They include: Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Idaho state controller (Auditor before 1994), Treasurer, Attorney General, and Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Last contested in 1966, Inspector of Mines was an originally 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
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 Brad Little, who was elected in 2018.
Legislative branch
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 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.
Judicial branch
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 serve seven judicial districts.[88]
Counties
Idaho is divided into political jurisdictions designated as counties. Since 1919 there are 44 counties in the state, ranging in size from 410 to 8,502 square miles (1,060 to 22,020 km2).
County | County seat | License Plate Code | Year founded | Population (2017 est.) | Population Percentage | Area (sq. mi.) | Area % | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ada | Boise | 1A | 1864 | 456,849 | 25.00% | 1,060 | 1.21% | |||||||
Adams | Council | 2A | 1911 | 4,147 | 00.23% | 1,370 | 1.57% | |||||||
Bannock | Pocatello | 1B | 1893 | 85,269 | 05.30% | 1,147 | 1.31% | |||||||
Bear Lake | Paris | 2B | 1893 | 6,028 | 00.38% | 1,049 | 1.20% | |||||||
Benewah | St. Maries | 3B | 1915 | 9,184 | 00.61% | 784 | 0.90% | |||||||
Bingham | Blackfoot | 4B | 1885 | 45,927 | 02.88% | 2,120 | 2.42% | |||||||
Blaine | Hailey | 5B | 1895 | 22,024 | 01.43% | 2,661 | 3.04% | |||||||
Boise | Idaho City | 6B | 1864 | 7,290 | 00.49% | 1,907 | 2.18% | |||||||
Bonner | Sandpoint | 7B | 1907 | 43,560 | 02.70% | 1,920 | 2.19% | |||||||
Bonneville | Idaho Falls | 8B | 1911 | 114,595 | 06.51% | 1,901 | 2.17% | |||||||
Boundary | Bonners Ferry | 9B | 1915 | 11,922 | 00.72% | 1,278 | 1.46% | |||||||
Butte | Arco | 10B | 1917 | 2,602 | 00.18% | 2,234 | 2.55% | |||||||
Camas | Fairfield | 1C | 1917 | 1,102 | 00.07% | 1,079 | 1.23% | |||||||
Canyon | Caldwell | 2C | 1891 | 216,699 | 12.07% | 604 | 0.69% | |||||||
Caribou | Soda Springs | 3C | 1919 | 7,034 | 00.45% | 1,799 | 2.06% | |||||||
Cassia | Burley | 4C | 1879 | 23,664 | 01.40% | 2,580 | 2.95% | |||||||
Clark | Dubois | 5C | 1919 | 873 | 00.06% | 1,765 | 2.02% | |||||||
Clearwater | Orofino | 6C | 1911 | 8,546 | 00.54% | 2,488 | 2.84% | |||||||
Custer | Challis | 7C | 1881 | 4,172 | 00.28% | 4,937 | 5.64% | |||||||
Elmore | Mountain Home | E | 1889 | 26,823 | 01.90% | 3,101 | 3.54% | |||||||
Franklin | Preston | 1F | 1913 | 13,564 | 00.82% | 668 | 0.76% | |||||||
Fremont | St. Anthony | 2F | 1893 | 13,094 | 00.82% | 1,896 | 2.17% | |||||||
Gem | Emmett | 1G | 1915 | 17,379 | 01.08% | 566 | 0.65% | |||||||
Gooding | Gooding | 2G | 1913 | 15,124 | 00.94% | 734 | 0.84% | |||||||
Idaho | Grangeville | I | 1861/1864 | 16,369 | 01.01% | 8,502 | 9.71% | |||||||
Jefferson | Rigby | 1J | 1913 | 28,446 | 01.57% | 1,106 | 1.26% | |||||||
Jerome | Jerome | 2J | 1919 | 23,627 | 01.34% | 602 | 0.69% | |||||||
Kootenai | Coeur d'Alene | K | 1864 | 157,637 | 09.02% | 1,316 | 1.50% | |||||||
Latah | Moscow | 1L | 1888 | 39,333 | 02.36% | 1,077 | 1.23% | |||||||
Lemhi | Salmon | 2L | 1869 | 7,875 | 00.51% | 4,570 | 5.22% | |||||||
Lewis | Nezperce | 3L | 1911 | 3,887 | 00.24% | 480 | 0.55% | |||||||
Lincoln | Shoshone | 4L | 1895 | 5,318 | 00.30% | 1,206 | 1.38% | |||||||
Madison | Rexburg | 1M | 1914 | 39,141 | 02.46% | 473 | 0.54% | |||||||
Minidoka | Rupert | 2M | 1913 | 20,729 | 01.22% | 763 | 0.87% | |||||||
Nez Perce | Lewiston | N | 1861/1864 | 40,385 | 02.56% | 856 | 0.98% | |||||||
Oneida | Malad City | 1O | 1864 | 4,427 | 00.27% | 1,202 | 1.37% | |||||||
Owyhee | Murphy | 2O | 1863 | 11,628 | 00.71% | 7,697 | 8.79% | |||||||
Payette | Payette | 1P | 1917 | 23,215 | 01.51% | 410 | 0.47% | |||||||
Power | American Falls | 2P | 1913 | 7,600 | 00.50% | 1,443 | 1.65% | |||||||
Shoshone | Wallace | S | 1861/64 | 12,542 | 00.85% | 2,636 | 3.01% | |||||||
Teton | Driggs | 1T | 1915 | 11,381 | 00.58% | 451 | 0.52% | |||||||
Twin Falls | Twin Falls | 2T | 1907 | 85,124 | 04.87% | 1,928 | 2.20% | |||||||
Valley | Cascade | V | 1917 | 10,687 | 00.58% | 3,734 | 4.27% | |||||||
Washington | Weiser | W | 1879 | 10,121 | 00.67% | 1,474 | 1.68% | |||||||
Total Counties: 44 Total 2018 Population Est.: 1,754,208 Total Area: 87,530 square miles (226,700 km2). |
Three counties were first designated as such by the Washington Territorial Legislature in 1861;[89] they were subsequently redesignated as Idaho counties in 1864. The 1861 Nez Percé county has since been broken up into Nez Percé, Lewis, Boundary, Benewah, Latah, Kootenai, and Clearwater counties.
Idaho license plates begin with a county designation based on the first letter of the county's name. Where a letter is at the beginning of more than one name, a number accompanies precedingly in alphabetical order. This reflects an anomalous coincidental situation wherein 10 counties begin with B, seven with C and four with L, which is 21 of the 44 counties.
Politics
Party | Number of Voters | Percentage | |
---|---|---|---|
Republican | 435,246 (+10,390) | 50.74% | |
Unaffiliated | 302,335 (+15,197) | 35.24% | |
Democratic | 109,068 (+12,196) | 12.71% | |
Libertarian | 8,045 (+1,291) | 0.94% | |
Constitution | 3,142 (+243) | 0.37% | |
Total | 857,836 (+39,317) | 100% | |
*Added Between September 5, 2018, and September 3, 2019 |
After the Civil War, many Midwestern and Southern Democrats moved to the 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. This led to sometimes-bitter clashes between the two parties, including a range war with the Democrats backing the sheepherders and the Republicans the cattlemen, which ended in the "Diamondfield" Jack Davis murder trial. In the 1880s, Republicans became more prominent in local politics.
In 1864, Clinton DeWitt Smith removed the territorial seal and the state constitution from a locked safe, and took them to Boise. This effectively moved the capital from where they were stored (Lewiston, Idaho) to the current capital Boise.[91]
Since statehood, the Republican Party has usually been the dominant party in Idaho. At one time, Idaho had two Democratic parties, one being the mainstream and the other called the Anti-Mormon Democrats, lasting into the early 20th century. 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, though the Democrats did hold the majority in the House (by one seat) in 1958 and the governorship from 1971 to 1995.
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. It has not supported a Democrat for president since 1964. Even in that election, Lyndon Johnson defeated Barry Goldwater in the state by fewer than two percentage points, compared to a landslide nationally. 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[92] showing was the best for a Democratic presidential candidate in Idaho since 1976. However, Republican margins were narrower in 1992 and 1976.
In the 2006 elections, Republicans, led by gubernatorial candidate CL "Butch" Otter, won all 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.[93]
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.[94] Minnick lost his seat in the 2010 election to Republican State Rep. Raul Labrador.
In 2020, Idaho overwhelmingly voted for incumbent president Donald Trump. Despite the view that Idaho's bigger cities are "blue islands in a sea of red", as several articles have put it, that was not the case in 2020. Only 3 Idaho counties went blue, and those were Latah, Blaine, and Teton counties, respectively. Every Republican candidate running won their respective race and Idaho residents voted overwhelmingly to retain Republican judges. Additionally, ballot measures leaned towards the right. Medical/recreational marijuana and a crime bill to give victims more rights were absent from the ballot. Former vice president Joe Biden received roughly 33.6 percent of the votes, which was slightly lower than what was received by former president Barack Obama.
Cities and towns
- Population > 100,000 (urbanized area)
- 226,570 Boise, state capital
- Population > 50,000 (urbanized area)
- 99,926 Meridian, suburb of Boise, fastest growing city in Idaho
- 93,590 Nampa, home of Northwest Nazarene University
- 61,076 Idaho Falls, location of the main offices of the Idaho National Laboratory
- 55,193 Pocatello, home of Idaho State University
- 54,660 Caldwell, home of the College of Idaho
- 50,665 Coeur d'Alene, home of North Idaho College, major tourist hub
- Population > 30,000 (urbanized area)
- 49,202 Twin Falls, home of College of Southern Idaho, BASE jumping
- 33,290 Post Falls
- 32,820 Lewiston, home of Lewis-Clark State College, inland port
- Population > 10,000 (urbanized area)
- 28,337 Rexburg, home of Brigham Young University–Idaho
- 26,089 Eagle, suburb of Boise
- 25,146 Moscow, home of the University of Idaho
- 19,200 Kuna, suburb of Boise
- 15,540 Ammon, suburb of Idaho Falls
- 14,869 Chubbuck, Idaho, suburb of Pocatello
- 14,693 Hayden
- 14,224 Mountain Home, U.S. Air Force Base
- 11,922 Blackfoot, home of the Idaho Potato Museum
- 11,890 Garden City, suburb of Boise
- 11,636 Jerome
- 10,474 Burley
- Smaller towns and cities
- American Falls, first town to be entirely relocated
- Arco, first city to be lit by electricity generated from a nuclear power plant
- Bonners Ferry, northernmost major town in Idaho
- Buhl, "trout capital of the world"
- Bone, population 2, but still has a gas station
- Cascade, Lake Cascade and dam
- Craigmont
- Cottonwood
- Driggs, skiing (Grand Targhee)
- Eden
- Emmett
- Grangeville, Idaho County seat
- Greenleaf
- Ferdinand
- Firth
- Fruitland
- Filer, suburb of Twin Falls
- Hazelton
- Homedale, "gateway to the Owyhees"
- Island Park, snowmobiling, world-class fishing
- Kimberly, suburb of Twin Falls
- Kellogg, skiing (Silver Mountain Ski Resort)
- Lapwai, business headquarters of the Nez Perce Tribe ("Lep'wey")
- Malad City, where Utah buys lottery tickets
- Mackay
- McCall, skiing (Brundage Mountain Resort) and recreation (Payette Lake)
- Melba, Idaho, south of Nampa, Idaho
- Middleton, small town
- Montpelier, bank robbed by the Wild Bunch
- Mullan, silver/lead/zinc mining
- New Meadows, at the 45th parallel north
- New Plymouth, first planned community in Idaho and third west of the Rocky Mountains
- Nezperce, Lewis County seat
- Notus
- Oakley, famous pioneer town, home of many historic buildings
- Orofino, site of Dworshak Dam, highest straight-axis dam in Western Hemisphere
- Paris, Bear Lake County seat
- Parma, site of Old Fort Boise
- Payette, Payette County seat
- Pierce, location of the first discovery of gold in Idaho
- Plummer, CDA tribal headquarters
- Preston, location of the 2004 film Napoleon Dynamite and the annual International Bed Races
- Rigby, television birthplace
- Riggins, near the Seven Devils Mountains
- Reubens
- Rupert, Minidoka County seat
- Salmon, gateway to "River of No Return" (Salmon River)
- Sandpoint, skiing (Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort) and recreation (Lake Pend Oreille)
- Shelley, home of the russet potato
- Soda Springs, U.S.'s only captive geyser
- St. Anthony, sand dunes and several lava tubes
- St. Maries, Benewah County seat
- Stanley, Idaho, heart of the Sawtooth mountains
- Sun Valley, year-round resort with world-class skiing
- Wallace, historic district and Shoshone County seat
- Weippe, where the Lewis and Clark Expedition first met the Nez Perce tribe
- Weiser, Washington County seat, home of the National Oldtime Fiddlers' Contest
- Wilder, hometown of former governor Phil Batt
- Winchester
- Worley, casino
Protected areas
National parks, reserves, monuments and historic sites
- California National Historic Trail
- City of Rocks National Reserve
- Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve
- Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument
- Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail
- Minidoka National Historic Site
- Nez Perce National Historical Park
- Oregon National Historic Trail
- Yellowstone National Park
- Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail
National wildlife refuges and Wilderness Areas
State parks
- Bear Lake State Park
- Bruneau Dunes State Park
- Castle Rocks State Park
- City of Rocks National Reserve
- Coeur d'Alene Parkway State Park
- Dworshak State Park
- Eagle Island State Park
- Farragut State Park
- Harriman State Park
- Hells Gate State Park
- Henrys Lake State Park
- Heyburn State Park
- Lake Cascade State Park
- Lake Walcott State Park
- Land of the Yankee Fork State Park
- Lucky Peak State Park
- Massacre Rocks State Park
- McCroskey State Park
- Old Mission State Park
- Ponderosa State Park
- Priest Lake State Park
- Round Lake State Park
- Thousand Springs State Park
- Three Island Crossing State Park
- Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes
- Winchester Lake State Park
Education
K–12
As of January 2020, the State of Idaho contains 105 school districts[96] and 62 charter schools.[97] The school districts range in enrollment from two to 39,507 students.[98]
Idaho school districts are governed by elected school boards, which are elected in November of odd-numbered years,[99] except for the Boise School District, whose elections are held in September.[100]
Colleges and universities
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). It opened its doors in 1892 and is the land-grant institution and primary research university of the state. Idaho State University in Pocatello opened in 1901 as the Academy of Idaho, attained four-year status in 1947 and university status in 1963. Boise State University is the most recent school to attain university status in Idaho. 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 four-year college in Idaho. It opened as a normal school in 1893.
Idaho has four regional community colleges: North Idaho College in Coeur d'Alene; College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls; College of Western Idaho in Nampa, which opened in 2009, College of Eastern Idaho in Idaho Falls, which transitioned from a technical college in 2017.
Private institutions in Idaho are Boise Bible College, affiliated with congregations of the Christian churches and churches of Christ; Brigham Young University-Idaho in Rexburg, which is affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a sister college to Brigham Young University; 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. McCall College is a non-affiliated two-year private college in McCall, which was founded in 2011 and later opened in 2013.
- Boise Bible College
- Boise State University
- Brigham Young University-Idaho (formerly Ricks College)
- College of Idaho (formerly Albertson College of Idaho)
- College of Southern Idaho
- College of Western Idaho
- College of Eastern Idaho
- Idaho State University
- Lewis-Clark State College
- McCall College
- New Saint Andrews College
- North Idaho College
- Northwest Nazarene University
- University of Idaho
Sports
Central Idaho is home to one of North America's oldest ski resorts, Sun Valley, where the world's first chairlift was installed in 1936.[101] Other noted outdoor sites include Hells Canyon, the Salmon River, and its embarkation point of Riggins.
The Boise Open professional golf tournament has been played at Hillcrest Country Club since 1990 as part of the Web.com Tour.
High school sports are overseen by the Idaho High School Activities Association (IHSAA).
In 2016, Meridian's Michael Slagowski ran 800 meters in 1:48.70. That is one of the 35 fastest 800-meter times ever run by a high school boy in the United States.[102] Weeks later, he would become only the ninth high school boy to complete a mile in under four minutes, running 3:59.53.
Official state emblems
- State amphibian: Idaho Giant Salamander (Dicamptodon aterrimus)[103]
- State bird: mountain bluebird (Sialia currucoides)
- State dance: square dance
- State fish: cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii)
- State flower: syringa (Philadelphus lewisii)
- State fossil: Hagerman horse (Equus simplicidens)
- State fruit: huckleberry
- State gem: star garnet
- State horse: Appaloosa
- State motto: Esto perpetua ("Let it be perpetual")[104]
- State insect: monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus)
- State raptor: peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus)
- State song: "Here We Have Idaho"
- State tree: western white pine (Pinus monticola)
- State vegetable: potato
In popular culture
Judy Garland performed the elaborate song-and-dance routine "Born in a Trunk in the Princess Theater in Pocatello, Idaho" in the 1954 version of the film A Star is Born.[105] The 1985 film Pale Rider was primarily filmed in the Boulder Mountains and the Sawtooth National Recreation Area in central Idaho, just north of Sun Valley.[106] The 1988 film Moving, starring Richard Pryor, has the main character take a promotion in Idaho.[107] River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves starred in the 1991 movie My Own Private Idaho, portions of which take place in Idaho.[108][109] The 2004 cult film Napoleon Dynamite takes place in Preston, Idaho; the film's director, Jared Hess, attended Preston High School.[110]
References
- United States Census Bureau—Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010
- "Beauty Reset". NGS data sheet. U.S. National Geodetic Survey. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
- "Elevations and Distances in the United States". United States Geological Survey. 2001. Archived from the original on October 15, 2011. Retrieved October 21, 2011.
- Elevation adjusted to North American Vertical Datum of 1988.
- 2019 U.S. Population Estimates Continue to Show the Nation's Growth Is Slowing Census.gov, December 30, 2019
- "Median Annual Household Income". The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
- "Idaho Statutes (73-121)". State of Idaho. 2017. Archived from the original on December 8, 2017. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
- "Western States Data Public Land Acreage", wildlandfire.com. Archived on July 27, 2011. Retrieved January 3, 2020.
- Wells, Merle W. "Origins of the Name "Idaho" and How Idaho Became a Territory in 1863" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on April 6, 2019. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
- Rees, John E (1928) [1868]. "Idaho—its meaning, origin and application". Internet Archive. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved July 30, 2010.
- "Did Idaho Get Its Name As a Result of a Hoax?". Museum of hoaxes. April 25, 2006. Archived from the original on October 25, 2011. Retrieved July 30, 2010.
- "Idaho". Encarta. MSN. Archived from the original on October 28, 2009.
- Ellis, Erl H. (October 1951). "Idaho". Western Folklore. 10 (4): 317–9. doi:10.2307/1496073. JSTOR 1496073.
- "Origins of the Name "Idaho" and How Idaho Became a Territory in 1863", Idaho Museum of Natural History (PDF), ISU, archived (PDF) from the original on January 20, 2013, retrieved March 6, 2013.
- Barber; Martin (1956). Idaho in the Pacific Northwest. Caxton Printers; Library of Congress. 55-5192.
- "Idaho", Online Etymology Dictionary (dictionary), archived from the original on August 24, 2011, retrieved January 30, 2010.
- "Port of Lewiston". US history. Archived from the original on June 22, 2011. Retrieved July 30, 2010.
- "Sawtooth Range". Idaho climbing guide. Archived from the original on June 15, 2011. Retrieved July 30, 2010.
- "Part of Idaho in fourth zone". U.S. Code. Washington, D.C., U.S.: House of representatives. 264. Archived from the original on January 25, 2006.
- "Climate of Idaho". WRCC. DRI. February 20, 1954. Archived from the original on August 24, 2011. Retrieved July 30, 2010.
- "Climate of Idaho". Western Regional Climate Center. Archived from the original on November 20, 2017. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
- "Climate of Idaho". WRCC—DRI. February 20, 1954. Archived from the original on February 21, 2017. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
- Weather Idaho, US travel weather, archived from the original on July 5, 2007.
- "15,000-year-old Idaho archaeology site now among America's oldest". Culture & History. August 29, 2019. Archived from the original on September 5, 2019. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
- G. Davis, Loren; B. Madsen, David; Higham, Thomas Higham (2019). "Late Upper Paleolithic occupation at Cooper's Ferry, Idaho, USA, ~16,000 years ago". Science. 365 (6456): 891–897. Bibcode:2019Sci...365..891D. doi:10.1126/science.aax9830. PMID 31467216. S2CID 201672463.
- "North America's Oldest Human Artifacts Found in Idaho". www.ijpr.org. Archived from the original on September 5, 2019. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
- "Idaho artifacts show human presence in Americas 16,600 years ago". news.yahoo.com. Archived from the original on September 1, 2019. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
- "15,000-year-old Idaho archaeology site now among America's oldest". www.msn.com. Archived from the original on September 5, 2019. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
- "David Thompson's Trading Post". Idaho Forts. American Forts Network. Archived from the original on August 13, 2009. Retrieved December 7, 2009.
- Meinig, DW (1995) [1968]. The Great Columbia Plain. Weyerhaeuser Environmental Classic. University of Washington Press. pp. 36, 55. ISBN 978-0-295-97485-9.
- "Fur Trade Posts in Idaho" (PDF). Idaho State Historical Society. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 30, 2009. Retrieved December 7, 2009.
- "Donald MacKenzie's Post". Idaho Forts. American Forts Network. Archived from the original on August 13, 2009. Retrieved December 7, 2009.
- Bennett, Eldon T. "An Early History of Franklin". Franklin, ID. Archived from the original on May 13, 2008. Retrieved May 19, 2008.
- "Elias Davidson Pierce and the Founding of Pierce" (PDF). Idaho State Historical Society. August 1966. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 28, 2008. Retrieved May 19, 2008.
- "Territorial Government in Idaho, 1863–1869" (PDF). Reference. ID, US: State Historical Society. 1968. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 2, 2013. Retrieved September 29, 2013.
- Tanenhaus, David S. "Mormon" (PDF). The Encyclopedia of the Supreme Court of the United States (entry). Archived (PDF) from the original on June 28, 2010. Retrieved July 30, 2010.
- "Idaho becomes 43rd state—Jul 03, 1890—HISTORY.com". HISTORY.com. Archived from the original on June 23, 2012. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
- Schwantes, Carlos (1991). In Mountain Shadows: a History of Idaho. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
- Doyle, Randall (2004). A political dynasty in North Idaho, 1933–1967. University Press. p. 7. ISBN 978-0-7618-2842-6.
- "The Power of Idaho" (whitepaper). ID: Economic Development Association. 2004. Archived from the original on October 13, 2007. Retrieved October 7, 2007.
- Resident Population Data (January 7, 2015). "Resident Population Data—2010 Census". 2010.census.gov. Archived from the original on October 28, 2011. Retrieved January 7, 2015.
- "QuickFacts Idaho; UNITED STATES". 2018 Population Estimates. United States Census Bureau, Population Division. March 10, 2019. Archived from the original on January 21, 2019. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
- "Idaho". QuickFacts. US: Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 11, 2012. Retrieved July 30, 2010.
- "2017 American Community Survey—Demographic and Housing Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
- Historical Census Statistics on Population Totals By Race, 1790 to 1990, and By Hispanic Origin, 1970 to 1990, For The United States, Regions, Divisions, and States Archived July 25, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- "Idaho :: Census Viewer :: CensusViewer :: Powered by Moonshadow Mobile". Idaho.us.censusviewer.com. Archived from the original on April 30, 2017. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
- Center for New Media and Promotions(C2PO). "2010 Census Data". Census.gov. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
- "2016 American Community Survey—Selected Social Characteristics". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
- "Births: Final Data for 2013" (PDF). Cdc.gov. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 11, 2017. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
- "Births: Final Data for 2014" (PDF). Cdc.gov. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 14, 2017. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
- "Births: Final Data for 2015" (PDF). Cdc.gov. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 31, 2017. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
- "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on June 3, 2018. Retrieved May 4, 2018.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on February 1, 2019. Retrieved February 18, 2019.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "Data" (PDF). www.cdc.gov. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
- "Religious Landscape Study". May 11, 2015. Archived from the original on April 27, 2017. Retrieved April 13, 2017.
- "Religious Landscape Study, february 2008" (PDF). Pew Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 17, 2017. Retrieved April 12, 2017.
- "Religious Landscape Study". Pew Research Center. Archived from the original on April 27, 2017. Retrieved April 12, 2017.
- "About the Religious Landscape Study". Pew Research Center. Archived from the original on April 28, 2017. Retrieved April 12, 2017.
- "State Membership Report". Data Archives. The Arda. 2010. Archived from the original on November 12, 2013. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on November 11, 2019. Retrieved November 11, 2019.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "Gross domestic product (GDP) by state (millions of current dollars)". U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. U.S. Department of Commerce. Archived from the original on December 30, 2017. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
- "QuickFacts Idaho". United States Census Bureau. U.S. Department of Commerce. Archived from the original on April 11, 2016. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
- Zuivelzicht, April 25, 2007.
- "Today in History: March 4". Memory. Washington, D.C., US: Library of Congress. Archived from the original on July 27, 2010. Retrieved July 30, 2010.
- "About Clearwater". 2014. Archived from the original on May 19, 2014. Retrieved June 20, 2014.
- "Best and Worst States for Business Owners". Fundivo. Archived from the original on September 3, 2014. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
- "Facts at a Glance". Idaho Lottery. 2007. Archived from the original on June 13, 2007. Retrieved April 29, 2007.
- https://tax.idaho.gov/
- "Conservatism given credit by Samuelson". Spokesman-Review. Associated Press. November 10, 1966. p. 1. Archived from the original on November 21, 2015. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
- "Sales tax rate history". State of Idaho. Archived from the original on May 21, 2013. Retrieved June 11, 2013.
- "EIA—State Electricity Profiles". www.eia.gov. Archived from the original on July 19, 2019. Retrieved July 19, 2019.
- "Energy policy in Idaho". Ballotpedia. Archived from the original on November 8, 2018. Retrieved July 19, 2019.
- "2007 Idaho Energy Plan" (PDF). Idaho Legislative Council Interim Committee on Energy, Environment and Technology. 2007. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 24, 2011. Retrieved November 30, 2010.
- "Idaho Energy Profile". Energy Information Administration. 2009. Archived from the original on February 2, 2007. Retrieved June 2, 2007.
- "Idaho Strategic Energy Alliance Frequently Asked Questions" (PDF). Idaho Strategic Energy Alliance. 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 16, 2009. Retrieved June 2, 2007.
- "FAQ". Idaho Energy Complex. 2009. Retrieved June 2, 2007.
- "Renewable Energy Technical Potential", GIS, NREL, archived from the original on September 15, 2012.
- "State Wind Energy Facts | AWEA". www.awea.org. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
- US Installed Wind Capacity, Wind powering America, archived from the original on March 14, 2014.
- EIA (July 27, 2012). "Electric Power Monthly Table". United States Department of Energy. 1.17.A. Archived from the original on June 22, 2013. Retrieved August 15, 2012.
- EIA (July 27, 2012). "Electric Power Monthly Table". United States Department of Energy. 1.17.B. Archived from the original on February 6, 2018. Retrieved August 15, 2012.
- Sherwood, Lawrence 'Larry' (June 2011). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2010" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). Archived (PDF) from the original on September 4, 2011. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
- Sherwood, Lawrence 'Larry' (August 2012). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2011" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 6, 2012. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
- "FAQ". ITD. 2007. Archived from the original on April 26, 2007. Retrieved April 22, 2007.
The transportation department also oversees federal grants to 15 rural and urban public transportation systems, provides state rail planning and rail-project development and supports bicycle and pedestrian projects.
Cite journal requires|journal=
(help) - "Major Airports in Idaho". Traveltips.usatoday.com. Archived from the original on September 4, 2017. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
- "Constitution of the State of Idaho" (PDF). History.idaho.gov. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 25, 2017. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
- "Idaho District Court Websites". ID: ISC. Archived from the original on December 16, 2008. Retrieved December 17, 2008.
- "Pierce". Idaho History. July 7, 2010. Archived from the original on April 21, 2012. Retrieved July 30, 2010.
- "Voter Registration Totals as of September 3, 2019". Idaho Department of State. Archived from the original on May 14, 2018.
- "Capitol Move or Theft?—Essays—Capitol of Light (Idaho Public Television)". Idahotv.org. Archived from the original on May 25, 2017. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
- General Election Results, ID: Secretary of State Election Division, November 4, 2008, archived from the original on December 15, 2008.
- "ID", Elections 1 998 (profile), NCSL, 2006, archived from the original on May 1, 2009
- "Statewide totals", Election (results), ID: State government, 2008, archived from the original on February 20, 2015
- "Population Estimates". Retrieved July 8, 2018.
- "School Districts". idaho.gov. State of Idaho. Archived from the original on January 21, 2020. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- "Charter School List" (PDF). sde.idaho.gov. Idaho State Department of Education. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 21, 2020. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- "Enrollment-by-District-and-Charter-School". sde.idaho.gov. Idaho State Department of Education. Archived from the original on January 21, 2020. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- Richert, Kevin. "Coming Tuesday: A First-of-its-kind School Election Day". idahoednews.org. Idaho Ed News. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- Ward, Xavier. "Boise School District could align with election calendar, but opts not to". idahopress.com. Idaho Press. Archived from the original on January 23, 2019. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- Engber, Daniel. "Who Made That Ski Lift?". New York Times Magazine. New York Times. Archived from the original on July 17, 2016. Retrieved December 19, 2015.
- "United States High School Boys Rankings | Outdoor Track And Field All-Time800 Meter Run". MileSplit United States. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
- "State Symbols". ID: Secretary of State. Archived from the original on March 13, 2012. Retrieved April 2, 2012.
- "Reference" (PDF). Idaho history. July 7, 2010. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 7, 2010. Retrieved July 30, 2010.
- "Star Is Born, A (1954)—(Movie Clip) Born in a Trunk". Turner Classic Movies. Turner. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved December 18, 2015.
- "Eastwood film gives boost". Spokane Chronicle. Washington. Associated Press. November 30, 1984. p. 12. Archived from the original on April 11, 2016. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
- Metter, Alan (March 4, 1988), Moving, Richard Pryor, Beverly Todd, Stacey Dash, archived from the original on October 20, 2017, retrieved October 30, 2017
- Robb, Brian J (1995). "River Phoenix: A Short Life". Perennial.
- Greenberg, Harvey (Fall 1992). "My Own Private Idaho". Film Quarterly.
- Berg, Tyler (June 27, 2014). "A look at Preston 10 years after 'Napoleon Dynamite'". KIFI. Archived from the original on January 29, 2018. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
External links
- State of Idaho government.
- Idaho State Guide, from the Library of Congress
- Idaho at Curlie
- Energy Profile for Idaho, US: DoE, archived from the original on November 17, 2010, retrieved December 1, 2018.
- Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation.
- "Idaho Newspapers", US newspapers, archived from the original on June 20, 2012.
- Idaho State Databases, Government Documents Roundtable of the American Library Association, archived from the original (wiki) on May 15, 2008, retrieved June 12, 2008—Annotated list of searchable databases produced by Idaho state agencies.
- Idaho State Facts, USDA.
- Log Cabins in America: The Finnish Experience (teaching with Historic Places (TwHP) lesson plan), National Park Service.
- The History of Idaho, State government, archived from the original on May 9, 2008.
- "States", Quick facts, US: Census Bureau, archived from the original on June 11, 2012.
- Real-time, geographic, and other scientific resources of Idaho, USGS.
- Visit Idaho (official state tourism website).
- Idaho population of 2019.
- Geographic data related to Idaho at OpenStreetMap
Preceded by Washington |
List of U.S. states by date of statehood Admitted on July 3, 1890 (43rd) |
Succeeded by Wyoming |