Synopsis of Wyoming
Wyoming, state in the western United States. It is bordered by Montana on the north, South Dakota and Nebraska on the east, Colorado and Utah on the south, and Utah, Idaho and Montana on the west. The land within these borders was first called Wyoming in 1865, when a member of the Congress of the United States from Ohio suggested that a new territory be carved from Dakota, Utah, and Idaho territories. Wyoming ranks ninth in size among the states of the Union, covering 253,350 sq km (97,819 sq mi), including 1849 sq km (714 sq mi) of inland water. The state has a maximum extent from east to west of 586 km (364 mi) and from north to south of 444 km (276 mi). About one-third of the state is mountainous. Elevations range from 945 m (3099 ft) along the Belle Fourche River in the northeastern corner of the state to 4207 m (13,804 ft) atop Gannett Peak in the Wind River Range, part of the Rocky Mountains.
Wyoming became a territory in 1868 and entered the Union on July 10, 1890, as the 44th state. It has a wealth of mineral and agricultural resources, and in the mid-1990s mining and agriculture still played major roles in the state's economy. In the early 1990's the state ranked 50th among the 50 states in population and 50th in manufacturing. Wyoming is a state of great natural beauty, and each year increasing numbers of tourists are attracted by the state's unspoiled scenic wonders.
Wyoming's income from tourists grows steadily each year. Its national parks, Yellowstone and Grand Teton, annually attract millions of visitors, who also come to ski in winter, to hunt in fall, and to sample cowboy-style living on dude ranches. Many others come to enjoy fishing, camping, and hiking in the national forests and on other easily accessible federal lands. Competition for tourists among the states within the Rocky Mountain region is keen. Each year countless visitors to Wyoming enjoy its magnificent forests and parks, use its excellent facilities for camping, climbing, and hunting, or fish along its crystal-clear streams. Wyoming's Wild-West past heightens its color and interest. The state is one of the most popular vacationlands in the United States and a mecca for all Americans who relish the outdoor life.
The name Wyoming is a contraction of the Delaware Indian word mecheweamiing (''at the big plains''), and was first used as a name for the Wyoming Valley in northeastern Pennsylvania. Wyoming is known as the Cowboy State and the Equality State. The latter recognizes Wyoming as the first to specifically give women the right to vote, which it did as a territory in 1869 and retained upon entering the Union. Cheyenne is Wyoming's capital and largest city.
