Kansas State Overview

Kansas state general data

  • Time zone: 7 hours less than Italy
  • Capital: Topeka
  • Main towns: Overland Park, Kansas City, Lawrence, Wichita.
  • Area: 213.096 km²
  • Population: 2,900,000 inhabitants approximately.
  • Population density: 13,6 residents / km²
  • State abbreviation: KS
  • Entry into the United States: It joins the United States on January 29, 1861, it is the 34th state to join the union.

According to thembaprograms.com, the Kansas Territory occupies part of two major physical regions of the United States: the Central Plains (much of the eastern region of the state) and the Great Plains. The highest point is in the southeast, in Mount Sunflower, 1,231 m above sea level, and the lowest in the Vendigris river bed, 207 m. The average height of the state is 610 m. The main subdivisions of the territory are: the Ozark Plateau, in the south-eastern area, the hills of Chautauqua, in the north-west region, shaped by the effects of the glaciation, the Flint Hills, a region with stony soil extending from the north to the south without trees, and rich in pastures. The High Plains that occupy the western part of the state, the dune region near the Cimarron and Arkansas rivers, the Castle Rock area, near the Smoky Hill River.

The rivers of Kansas are part of the Mississippi-Missouri Basin. The Kansas and Marais des Cygnes rivers flow into the Missouri River, its main tributaries being the Big Blue, the Republican, the Solomon, the Saline and the Smoky Hill. The Arkansas River pours its waters into Mississippi, coming from the state of Colorado, and then continues its course in the states of Oklahoma and Arkansas. Its major tributaries are Cimarron, Verdigris and Neosho. Most of the lakes in Kansas are man-made, built mostly after World War II, for flood control, and for use in agriculture. The most important reservoir is Turtle Creek Lake. Other lakes are the Waconda, the Cheney, and the Milford.

Flora and fauna– The dominant feature of flora in Kansas is grassland vegetation, with various types of grazing grass, as well as lumber trees. Walnuts, elms, oaks, and other plant species are the most common trees in the state.

The fauna is diverse and includes species typical of both grasslands and forests. Among other things, pheasants abound, the subject of extensive sport hunting, antelopes, squirrels, deer and raccoons.

The climate –  Kansas is temperate continental, with temperatures occasionally high in the summer, or very low in the winter months. The average annual temperature is 13 ° C; close to 0 in January, and 27 ° C in July. Precipitation varies between 890 mm in the east and 450 mm in the western region. Most rainfall occurs during the warm season, especially in late spring and early summer.

Topeka

According to countryaah.com, Topeka is a city located in northeastern Kansas, the state capital and the seat of Shawnee County. It is a commercial and manufacturing center located in a fertile area, on the banks of the Kansas River (Kaw), dedicated to the cultivation of wheat and the breeding of livestock. The main products are: processed foods, printed materials, metal and rubber products. Other important sectors of the city economy are tourism and insurance.

The city of Topeka is characterized by wide avenues and open spaces, here are the headquarters of Washburn University (1865) and the Menninger Clinic, one of the main psychiatric centers in the world, has advanced research and teaching means, and a museum. Other points of interest in Topeka are the Kansas History Museum, the Air Combat Museum which exhibits an interesting collection of military aircraft, the Mulvane Art Center, the State House, designed after the United States Capitol and built between 1866 and 1903, the Zoological Park, the Reinisch Memorial Rose and the Rock Gardens, the latter two in Gage Park.

The city was founded in 1854 near the point where the Oregon Trail and the Santa Fe Trail separated, the two pioneer trails that connected the central regions of the United States with the far west of the country in the nineteenth century.

The city developed as a junction point in the railroad from Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe. For years it was the center of conflicts that arose between supporters and detractors of slavery in the then Kansas Territory. In 1861, it was designated as the permanent capital, the year in which Kansas became a state of the Union. According to topschoolsoflaw.com, in 1903, the Kansas River flooded the city, causing severe damage and forcing the construction of several dams. The name of the city is believed to come from a Siouan language term meaning ‘good place to grow potatoes.

Useful numbers in Topeka

Emergency number 911 Topeka

Police

Dept

1800 SW Wanamaker Rd

Topeka, KS 66604 tel. (785) 228-0145

City data

Inhabitants – about 126,000

Area – 147 sq km

Prefix 785

Kansas State Overview