Utah

People. Population (2003 est.): 2,351,457; rank: 34; net change (2002-2003); 1.4%. Pop. density: 28.6 per sq mi. Racial distribution (2000): 89.2% white; 0.8% black; 1.7% Asian; 1.3% Native Americani/Nat. AK; 0.7% Hawaiian/Pacific Islander; 4.2% other race; 2 or more races. 2.1%. Hispanic pop. (any race): 9.0%.

Geography. Total area: 84,899 so mi; rank: 13. Land area: 82,144 sq mi; rank: 12. Acres forested: 15.7 mil. Locatlon: Middle Rocky Mountain state; its southe astern corner touches Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona, and is the only spot in the U.S. where 4 states join. Climate: arid; ranging from warm desert in SW to alpine in NE. Topography: high Colorado plateau is cut by brilliantly colored canyons of the SE; broad, flat, desert-like Great Basin of the W; the Great Salt Lake and Bonneville Salt Flats tothe NW; Middle Rockies in the NE run E-W; valleys and plateaus of the Wasatch Front. Capital: Salt Lake City.

Economy. Chief Industries: services, trade, manufacturing, government, transportation, utilities. Chiet manuf. goods: medical instruments, electronic components, food products, fabricated metals, transportation equipment, steel and copper. Chief crops: hay, corn, wheat, barley, apples, potatoes, cherries, onions, peaches, pears. Livestock (Jan. 2004) 860,000 cattle/calves; 265,000 sheep/lambs; (Jan. 2003): 660,000 hogs/pigs; (Dec. 2003): 3.9 mil. chickens (excl. broilers). Timber/lumber (est. 2002): 53 mil bd. ft.; aspen, spruce, pine. Nonfuel minerals (est. 2003): $1.3 bil.; copper, cement {portland}, salt gold, sand and gravel (construction}. Commercial fishing (2002}: $60.2 mil. Principal internat. airport at: Salt Lake City. New private housing (2003): 22,226 units/$2.9 bil. Gross state product (2001): 70.4 bil. Employment distrib. (May 2004): 18.5% govt.; 19.9% trade./trans./util.; 10.4% mfg.; 10.9% ed./hea|th serv.; 12.5% prof./bus serv.; 9.2% leisure/hosp.; 5.9% finance; 5.4% constr.; 2.7% info. Per cap. pers. income (2003): $24,977. Sales tax (2004): 4.75%. Unemployment (2003): 5.6%. Tourism expends. (2002): $4.1 bil.

Finance. FDIC-insured commercial banks (2003): 60. Deposits: $107.8 bil. FDIC-insured savings institutions (2003): 4. Assets: $1.6 bil.

Federal govt. Fed. civ. employees (Mar. 2003): 27,422. Avg. salary: $47,871. Notable fed. facilities: Hill AFB; Tooele Army Depot; Army Dugway Proving Ground.

Energy. Electricity production (est. 2003, kWh by source); Coal: 35.6 bil; Gas: 1.3 bil; Hydroelectric: 475 mil; Other: 198 mil.

State data. Motto: lndustry. Flower: Sego lily. Bird: Seagull. Tree: Blue spruce. Song: Utah. We Love Thee. Entered union Jan. 4, 1896; rank, 45th. State fair at Salt Lake City; Sept.

History. Ute, Gosiute. Southern Paiute. and Navajo peoples lived in the region at the time of European contact. Spanish Franciscans visited the area. !776; American fur traders followed. Permanent settlement began with the arrival of the Mormons, 1847; they made the arid land bloom and created a prosperous economy. The State of Desert was organized in 1849, and asked admission to the Union. ln 1850, Congress established the region as the territory of Utah, and Brigham Young was appointed governor. The Union Pacific and Central Pacific