States from A-Z: Montana and Nebraska

Montana is the Treasure State

This state is located in the Northwestern part of the United States of America. Its name is probably derived from the Spanish word montaña, or maybe from the Latin montanus (both: mountain, mountainous). With an area of 380,838 square kilometers (147042 square miles), Montana is the fourth largest state in the US and slightly bigger than Germany. Population density, however, is lower with roughly 944.632 in 2006. Montana is one of the so-called Mountain States, all of which have a part of the Rocky Mountains within their borders. Montana’s capital is Helena. Montana’s nickname “Treasure State” comes from its various natural resources (natural gas, coal, copper, silver and gold). With an estimated population of 101,876, Billings is the biggest city in Montana. The Glacier National Park and a small part of the Yellowstone National Park are located in Montana. The four largest rivers are the Missouri River, Milk River, Flathead River and Yellowstone River. Montana is also home to the world’s shortest river, the Roe River.

The territory of Montana was established between 1864 and 1889. Before then, the area had been part of the larger Idaho territory. During its first year as a separate territory, Bannack was the capital. In 1865 it was moved to Virginia City. In 1875 Helena became the capital of Montana, and it still is today. In the year of 1889 Montana became part of the US – it was the 41^st state to join the United states of America.

The biggest attractions are the two national parks, Glacier National Park in the north and Yellowstone National Park in the south. Other tourist attractions include the Little Big Horn Battlefield National Museum, Montana’s former capital Virginia City, the ghost town of Nevada City (Montana), the Grant-Kohr's Ranch National Historic Sites and the museum for the history of the Plains Indian in Browning. Montana has rich natural resources. The most important include copper, gold, silver, precious stones, vermiculite, talc, clay, antimony, limestone, phosphate, gypsum, rocks, sand and gravel. Just as important are the large crude oil, natural gas, and coal deposits. A major part of all industrial production in the state is based on the processing of those natural resources (oil and coal products, smelting, chemical products, metal products). Most important for the economy, however, is agriculture. In the Northeast and in the center of Montana, wheat, corn and barley is being grown, while in the South you can find ranches with cattle and livestock. Wine also grows in Montana. Forestry is a flourishing economic branch in the Northwest of the state, even though large parts of the forests are state owned. Real GDP per capita was $27,942 in 2006, putting Montana on 47^th place in the national ranking.

Nebraska: the Cornhusker State

Nebraska is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. The name is derived from a Native American word meaning “flat water,” after the Platte River that flows through the state. Originally a part of the Great American Desert, Nebraska is now one of the biggest producers of agricultural products in the US. That is also how it got its nickname, the “Cornhusker State.” With the help of modern agricultural means, the Nebraskan people turned the prairie lands into a state full of ranches and farms. Accordingly, the history of Nebraska is also a history of agriculture. Agriculture makes up for 11 percent of the annual GNP. More than 95 percent of the states total area is used for agricultural purposes. Apart from cattle, further important agricultural products are pork and poultry. In addition, the most important farming products are corn, sorghum, soy beans, oats, rye, barley, millet, sugar beets, beans and potatoes. Industry makes up for 13 percent of the GNP. The most important sectors of industry include the food industry, especially the production of meat products. Apart from that, engineering and electrical engineering play an important role. Among the most important cities are the capital Lincoln, as well as Omaha, Grand Island and North Platte.

In 1541, the Spanish explorer Francisco Vasquez was the first European to come to the area that is today Nebraska. Back then, numerous Native American tribes lived in the area, among them the Omaha, Pawnee and Ute in the East and the center, and the Oglala Sioux, Araphoe, Comanche and Cheyenne in the West. Between 1700 and 1763 the French controlled the area, after that it went to the Spanish. In the year of 1803 it fell to the US as part of the Louisiana Purchase. Between 1804 and 1806, members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition explored part of the area. In 1807 the Spaniard Manuel Lisa built a trading post and became the first white settler in present day Nebraska. In 1810 the American Fur Company set up a trading post in the present day Bellevue area. Fort Atkinson was built in 1819 in the same place where Fort Calhoun is located today.

The Oregon Trail and the California Trail brought more and more people into the region. Growing numbers of settlers started to make it their home, even though Nebraska had been declared Indian territory in 1834 and white settlers were not allowed to settle there. After belonging to the territories of Indiana, Louisiana and Missouri, it finally became an independent territory on May 30, 1854.

During the 1860s the Homestead Act brought the first real wave of settlers to Nebraska, who wanted to claim part of the land the government had granted. On May 1, 1867, Nebraska became the 37^th state of the US, shortly after the War of Secession was over. Real GNP per capita was $36,441 in 2006, making Nebraska number 21 in the national ranking.