Outline of South Dakota
South Dakota is a Midwestern state of the United States. It has many startling and beautiful contrasts. The wide Missouri River flows southward through the middle of the state. Low hills, lakes formed by ancient glaciers, and vast stretches of fertile cropland lie east of the river. West of the river are deep canyons and rolling plains. The enchanting Black Hills rise abruptly in the southwest. Southeast of the Black Hills are the weirdly beautiful Badlands. South Dakota is sometimes called the Land of Infinite Variety because of the many great differences in its landscape.
Farming plays a leading role in the South Dakota economy. Farms and ranches cover about nine-tenths of the state. Sprawling livestock ranches lie in the western part of the state. Smaller livestock farms and most of the state's crop farms lie in eastern South Dakota. Service industries also play an important role in South Dakota's economy. An increasingly large number of people are employed in such activities as education, health care, banking, and trade.
Millions of tourists visit South Dakota every year. The Black Hills are one of the most popular vacationlands in the United States. Attractions in the Black Hills include Mount Rushmore National Memorial, also called the Shrine of Democracy. Heads of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln, 60 feet (18 meters) high, have been carved out of a granite mountain. The Mount Rushmore memorial is one of the largest sculptures in the world. Nearby, an even larger statue of the Sioux chief Crazy Horse is being blasted out of a mountain.
Most of South Dakota's mineral wealth lies in the Black Hills. Gold was discovered there in 1874. In 1876, the rich Homestake lode (deposit) was discovered in the state. Until tis closure in the early 2000's, the Homestake Mine was one of the world's greatest gold producers. South Dakota remains a leading gold producing state.
The history of South Dakota reads like an adventure story. It is a tale of daring fur traders, brave Indian hunters, great herds of buffalo, and stampedes for gold. The state's history includes many colorful names, including Calamity Jane, George A. Custer, Sitting Bull, and Wild Bill Hickok. The most important figures in the development of South Dakota have been the hardworking farm families and townspeople. They have endured droughts, depressions, and blizzards to make South Dakota one of the nation's great agricultural states.
South Dakota has no great manufacturing industries to prompt the growth of large cities. Only Aberdeen, Rapid City, Sioux Falls, and Watertown have populations of more than 20,000. The largest city, Sioux Falls, has about 124,000 people. Rapid City, the second largest city, has about 60,000. Most towns in South Dakota were established to serve the agricultural regions that surround them. The majority of South Dakota towns are located east of the Missouri River, in the state's chief farming area. In addition, many of the towns have grown up in the Black Hills, where mining and the tourist industry prosper.
Millions of tourists visit South Dakota yearly. Most of them tour the famous Black Hills and Badlands areas. Visitors can see a large herd of buffaloes in Custer State Park near Custer. South Dakota offers visitors breathtaking scenery, and hiking, camping, fishing, and other recreational opportunities. Many South Dakota communities stage such events as fairs, pioneer celebrations, powwows, and rodeos. The famous Black Hills Passion Play is presented at Spearfish.
South Dakota was named for the Sioux Indians who once roamed the region. The Sioux called themselves Dakota or Lakota, meaning allies or friends. South Dakota's official nickname is the Mount Rushmore State. The coyote is the state animal of South Dakota, and the state is also known as the Coyote State.
