Nebraska State Overview

State of Nebraska general data

  • Time zone: 7 hours less than Italy
  • Capital: Lincoln
  • Main towns: Bellevue, Fremont, Grand Island, Kearney, Omaha.
  • Area: 200.346 km²
  • Population: 1,900,000 inhabitants approximately.
  • Population density: 9,4 residents / km²
  • State abbreviation: NO
  • Entry into the United States: It joins the United States on March 1, 1867, it is the 37th state to join the union

According to thembaprograms.com, Nebraska occupies a huge plain that rises gradually from the southeast, from the Missouri River, to the southwest (on the border of Wyoming and Colorado). The average height of the state is 793 m, with the lowest point of 256 m and the highest of 1,654 m. The majority part of this region was shaped by the glaciations, which created a landscape of gentle hills covered with loess, that is, rich sediments that were dragged by the action of the ice, carried and accumulated by the winds from the north and north-west. The area north of the Platte River is characterized by a landscape of hills, crossed by the Elkhorn and Loup rivers. The Sand Hills cover the north-central and north-western area of ​​Nebraska. It is a vast region of dunes, some nearly 100m high, covered with forage, which has become the main source of its prosperous livestock business. The region south of the Platte River is a rich plain of loess, devoted mainly to agriculture, which contrasts with the westernmost part of the state, a region of highlands with some shallow canyons. The region bordering Colorado is the most rugged area in Nebraska, with mountain ranges including Wildcat Hills and Pine Ridge.

All rivers in Nebraska belong to the Missouri-Mississippi system. Most of its rivers flow from west to east, and then flow into the Missouri River which forms the natural eastern border. The most important river is the Platte which originates in the Rocky Mountains, and crosses Nebraska from one extreme to the other. Other important rivers are the tributary Loup of the Platte River, the Elkhorn River, the Niobrara River, the Republican River and the Blue River. The most important lakes in Nebraska are man-made, including Lake McConaughy, on the Platte River.

Flora– The natural vegetation of the state is mainly herbaceous, while trees (mostly deciduous broad-leaved trees) are usually found only along the main waterways.

The climate of Nebraska is continental in nature, with cold winters and hot summers, temperatures ranging from 38 ° C in summer to -32 ° C in winter, due to cold air masses coming from the Arctic, although the average temperatures are usually between 25 ° C in the summer months and -4 ° C in the winter months. Average annual rainfall is 910 mm in the southeast and 380 mm on the border with Colorado. The rains are more frequent between the months of May and July, droughts are frequent in most of the territory, where the climate is considered semi-arid, it was therefore necessary to build irrigation works. Nebraska is regularly hit by tornadoes and storms.

Lincoln: the capital of Nebraska

Capital of the state of Nebraska, Lincoln is also home to Lancaster County. After Omaha, it is the most important city in Nebraska. Named in honor of the sixteenth president of the United States.

According to countryaah.com, the city of Lincoln is located in the Salt Creek Valley in southeastern Nebraska. The city’s climate is unstable due to the effect of the winds from the east. During the summer, the climate is mild and not very humid, on some occasions, the city is hit during the short summer by very strong winds. During the winter, heavy snowfalls occur. The average annual temperature is 4 ° C, with averages in January of -7 ° C and 25 ° C in August.

History– The foundation of the city of Lincoln has its origins near the salt mines that were located in the vicinity of the present city. In 1867, with the annexation of Nebraska to the Union, the city, (which at its foundation in 1864 had the name of Lancaster), was renamed with the name of the assassinated president, and became the capital of the new state. The city of Lincoln was designed in 1867 to relocate the government of Nebraska, which had previously been in the city of Omaha.

The development of the city was slow in this initial phase, although from the beginning measures were studied to give vitality to the new city, thus, the founding of the University of Nebraska and plans for the construction of railway lines took place. During the First World War, a large part of Lincoln’s population supported Germany during the war, resulting in a climate of distrust in the rest of the country, which later translated into hostility towards intellectuals and academics at the university.

Economy – The main activities of the city of Lincoln are the trade and processing of food products, since it is located in an area of ​​great agricultural wealth. Most of the workers not employed in these activities are dedicated to public administration and work at the University of Nebraska. Since the last few decades, new industries have multiplied, such as pharmaceutical and veterinary products.

In 1986, the city government promoted a local economic development project, which included the diversification of the industrial fabric and the transformation of the University of Nebraska into a new research center.

Education and what to see– The main monument is the 120m tower of the Nebraska State Capitol. Completed in 1932, the “Tower of the Plains” has a bronze statue of a wheat harvester on top. The political history of the state is illustrated alongside the rich local Indian tradition in the Museum of Nebraska History. In the nearby historic Haymarket District, several old warehouses have become bars, restaurants and shops. According to topschoolsoflaw.com, the most important institution of higher education, and one of the foundations of the economy of the city, is the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, founded in 1869. Alongside this public institution, Wesleyan University and Union College operate in the city., employee of Loma Linda University.

Among the most important artistic and cultural institutions are the Lincoln Symphony Orchestra, the Sheldon Art Gallery, the State History Museum, the University of Nebraska Museum, the National Skating Museum and the American Historical Society.

Nebraska State Overview