Welcome to Utah
"The Beehive State" Iconic movie images of John Wayne riding through the windswept deserts of Monument Valley only give a small piece of the picture of Utah. True, the state is well known for its geographic beauty and recreation—besides Monument Valley, its mountains are home to the Sundance Film Festival and some of the best skiing in the country. But Utah also claims the sixth largest urban population in the U.S., and as of 2008 it’s the fasting-growing state. While traditional industries like mining, cattle ranching, and salt production (courtesy of its famous Great Salt Lake) still thrive, city dwellers contribute to an IT and research boom. More than 95 percent Caucasian, Utah is also the most religiously homogeneous state—at least 58 percent of residents identify with the Mormon Church. But it may be surprising to note that Utah granted women’s suffrage as long ago as 1870, and the once-common practice of polygamy has been outlawed since 1895. Still, Utah is one of only two states to prohibit all forms of gambling (the other being Hawaii), and strictly regulates alcoholic beverages, perhaps reflecting ties to a culturally conservative past in this increasingly modernized state. State Name: Utah State Nickname: "The Beehive State"  State Motto: "Industry" Name for Residents: Utahn or Utahan  Abbreviation: UT Time Zone: Mountain, GMT/UTC -7 / -6 (Daylight Savings Time) Capital City: Salt Lake City  Date of Statehood: January 4, 1896 Statehood Rank: 45th State Area: 84,889 square miles (219,887 km²) Area Rank: 13 of 50 Number of Counties: 29 State Population: 2,736,424 (2008 estimate) Largest Cities:     Salt Lake City - 181,698 (2008)     West Valley City - 123,447 (2008)     Provo - 118,581 (2008) Major Rivers:     Colorado River - Length: 2,330 mi (1,450 km)     Green River - Length: 730 mi (1,170 km)     Bear River - Length: 350 mi (560 km) Highest Point: Kings Peak, 13,528 ft (4,126 m) Lowest Point: Beaver Dam Wash, 2,000 ft (664 m) Bordering States and Countries:     Idaho (North)     Wyoming (Northeast)     Colorado (East)     New Mexico (Southeast)     Arizona (South)     Nevada (West) Record High Temperature:     117°F (47°C)     July 5, 1895 at Saint George  Record Low Temperature:     -69°F (-56°C)     February 1, 1985 at Peter's Sink
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	Author: World Trade Press