Idaho

= ﻿Idaho, The Gem State = = Period 3: February 1, 2011 = = By: Eileen Wang & Stella Chen =

Capital: Boise, Idaho
====** Boise, the state capital of Idaho, is the largest city within Idaho, with an area of about 64 square miles. Having the population of nearly 200,000 residents, Boise is also the most heavily populated city within Idaho. Sitting at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, the terrain around this capital is varied and includes mountainous areas In addition those that contain lakes, rivers, and deserts. Generally speaking though, the terrain around this city is rocky and dry. **====

** Origin: **
====** The word "Idaho" was originally thought to be Indian, that is, back in the 1800's. In the late 1850's to the early 1860's, Idaho was a word that meant "gem of the mountain", which was later realized that this meaning was invented not by Indians, but a territorial supporter. "Idaho" simply meant nothing. The word "Idaho" supposedly derived from the Indian "E Dah Hoe" but was an artificial word that really did not belong to any language. **====



** Location: **

 * Idaho i﻿s located in the Rocky Mountain region and has no coasts. This state borders Montana and Wyoming on the east side, Washington and Oregon on the west side, Canada on the north side, and Utah and Nevada on the south side. The Rocky Mountains are partly located in Idaho but slightly to the east. **

** ﻿Physical Geography: **
====** ﻿Idaho has a wide variety of different physical features. A big one is the Rocky Mountains which run through the northern, central, and eastern parts of Idaho. One of the rivers within the Gem State is the Snake River, which drains Idaho's mountainous terrain. Hells Canyon, one of the deepest chasms in the world, is carved by the Snake River and sits on the border of Idaho and Oregon. **** Central Idaho reveals rugged land, and the more highly elevated areas are in the bitterroot, Salmon River, Seven Devils Sawtooth, Lost River, and Lemhi Mountains. **==== ====** The highest elevation, because of the mountain ranges, stands at an impressive height of 12, 662 feet: The Borah Peak. **** The elevation in Idaho is varied. Most of the state sits at about 2,000 feet above sea level, but the average elevation within Idaho is 5, 000 feet above sea level. The lowest point in Idaho is n Nez Perce County, which is about 710 feet above sea level. **====

** ﻿﻿Climate: **
====** Idaho is located mainly located in the steppe **** region. The average climate in the summer is hot and dry and in the winter, it's chilly and much colder. It's not usually very humid in this state though more so in the winter rather than the summer. Boise, Idaho experiences around 11.3 inches of rain yearly which isn't much. In July, the highest monthly average high temperature is 33 degrees Celsius or 91 degrees Fahrenheit. In January, the lowest monthly average low temperature is -6 degrees Celsius or 21 degrees Fahrenheit. Idaho receives about 19 inches of precipitation yearly and is the 42nd wettest state in the U.S.A. Idaho receives a small amount of rain and some snow. Tornadoes are uncommon but possible. **====

** ﻿Economy: **
====** Idaho is a state filled with several natural resources. For one, Idaho has many valleys which, if irrigated would make excellent farmland. In addition, there is also very much cattle and sheep because of the grazing lands. In terms of manufacturing, Idaho has a waterpower source in the Snake River which furnishes water for the nations irrigated areas. **==== ==== **In relations to the jobs available, Idaho is a state big in manufacturing. ** ** One of the huge industries within ** **Idaho** ** involves manufacturing electronic equipment and computer parts as well as industrial machinery and products made of wood. Aside from manufacturing, ﻿ **** Idaho also depends on farming and mining as a big job-provider. Agriculture and mining provides five percent of the entire state’s jobs. Because of its vast number of valleys that are perfect for growing crops, much of **﻿ ﻿**Idaho's** ** land is irrigated to be used for agricultural purposes. **====

** People: **
====** Idaho has many large cities but this state contains only some major cities. Huge major cities would have to be Boise, Nampa, and Meridian. Boise's population is up high; about 205,707 people live there. Boise is also the state capital. About 1,293,953 people live in Idaho and about 15.6 people reside per square mile. **==== ====** There are so many activities available in Idaho. Whether you visit for a long time or a short time, going fishing or visiting local museums. Both are relaxing and fun to do. Fishing is good for feeding the family if you go to places where you could keep fish. Museums are great if you want to experience things you probably wouldn't be able to do in any other place in the world. **==== ====** If you're planning to go to Idaho, there are some great places that you should visit. One good place to visit is 100 Acre Wood Resort. Here you'll be able to horseback ride, gold pan, fish, or hike. Another great place to visit is the Balanced Rock. This astounding monument is more than 48 feet tall and over 40 tons. This rock is balancing on a 3 foot by 17 inch pedestal and is an astounding sight to see. **====

** Works Cited: **

 * " Natural Attratctions." //Oficial Idaho Vacation and Travel Planning Guide.// N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Feb. 2011. [] **
 * " Things To Do." //Official Idaho Vacation and Travel Planning Guide.// N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Feb. 2011. . **
 * "Annual Idaho rainfall." //United States climate averages and extremes.// N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Feb. 2011. []. **
 * "Boise County Profile." //http://www.idl.idaho.gov/nat_fire_plan/county_wui_plans/boise/2-boise_co_profile.pdf.// N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Feb. 2011. . **
 * "Boise Weather - Boise, Idaho Forecast - TripAdvisor." //Reviews of Hotels, Flights and Vacation Rentals - TripAdvisor.// N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Feb. 2011. . **
 * "Boise, Idaho Climate, Temperature, Average Weather History, Rainfall/ Precipitation, Sunshine." //World Weather and Climate graphs, average climate charts, guide to precipitation, temperatures, best, friendly, holiday climate.// N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Feb. 2011. . **
 * "Gold Panning." //Official Idaho Vacation and Travel Planning Guide.// N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Feb. 2011. . **
 * "HowStuffWorks "Geography of Idaho - Physical Geography"//." Howstuffworks "Geography".// N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Feb. 2011. . **
 * "Idaho (USA): State & Major Cities - Statistics & Maps on City Population." //City Population - Statistics & Maps of the Major Cities, Agglomerations & Administrative Divisions for all Countries of the World.// N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Feb. 2011. . **
 * "Idaho :: Natural Resources --Â Kids Encyclopedia | Online Encyclopedia | Kids Online Dictionary | Britannica." //Kids Encyclopedia | Online Encyclopedia | Kids Online Dictionary | Britannica.// N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Feb. 2011. . **
 * "Idaho Base and Elevation Maps." //50 States - Capitals, Maps, Geography, State Symbols, State Facts, Songs, History, Famous People from NETSTATE.COM.// N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Feb. 2011. . **
 * "Idaho Base and Elevation Maps." //50 States - Capitals, Maps, Geography, State Symbols, State Facts, Songs, History, Famous People from NETSTATE.COM.// N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Feb. 2011. . **
 * "http://www.idahohomesandliving.com/images/idaho-physical-map.gif." //http://www.idahohomesandliving.com/images/idaho-physical-map.gif.// N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Feb. 2011. . **
 * "http://www.zcareer.com/collegesuniversities/flags/Idaho.png." //http://www.zcareer.com/collegesuniversities/flags/Idaho.png.// N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Feb. 2011. . **