South Dakota Almanac: Facts and Figures

Quick Facts and Figures on the State

South Dakota Almanac furnishes quick facts and figures on the state, its geography, climate and weather, elevation, land area, bordering states, electoral votes, number of senators and representatives to the US Congress, and other statistical data. Use this almanac of South Dakota for information on local issues, politics, events, celebrations, people and business pertaining to the state of South Dakota that can be found online.

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South Dakota is one of the West North Central states of the US. With fertile soils and extensive grazing lands, South Dakota has always had an economy dominated by farming and ranching. In the early 1990s tourism and other services were of increasing importance to the state; visitors are attracted by the great scenic landscapes and caverns of the Black Hills..

South Dakota Almanac
Official Name	South Dakota
Capital	Pierre
Nick Name	The Mount Rushmore State (Official)
Motto	Under God, the people rule
Location & Region	44.37298 N, 100.32248 W			Great Plains
Constitution Ratified	1889
Statehood	November 02, 1889			40th state
Population	754,844	9.95 sq mi.		46th
Largest City (by population)	Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Aberdeen, Watertown, Pierre
Bordering States	North: North Dakota East: Minnesota and Iowa South: Nebraska (Missouri River forms part of the Southeastern boundary) West: Wyoming and Montana
Number of Counties	66 Counties in South Dakota
Largest County (by population)	Minnehaha County	148,281		809 sq mi.
Electoral Votes	3
US Congress	2 Senators; 1 Representative
Time Zone	Central Standard Time Mountain Standard Time
South Dakota Climate and Weather
Weather in the Great Plains usually includes broad temperature changes, light to moderate precipitation. low humidity and plenty of sunshine. January is the coldest month, with average temperatures ranging from 10 degrees in the east to 14 degrees in the west. July is the warmest month, with average temperatures ranging from 69 degrees in the east to 64 degrees in the west. South Dakota does have occasional days with high temperatures near 90 degrees, and harsh winter temperatures (way below 0 degrees) are normal. Annual precipitation amounts range from 25 inches in the east and southeast, while the west receives no more than 20 inches on average. The exception is the Black Hills, where rain can exceed 35 inches yearly.
Highest Temperature	120 degrees July 5th, 1936 - Gannvalley
Lowest Temperature	-58 degrees February 17, 1936 - McIntosh
Avg Temp: High - Low	86.5 degrees		1.9 degrees
South Dakota Highest, Lowest, and Mean Elevations (Feet)
Mean Elevation	2,200
Highest Point	Harney Peak			7,242
Lowest Point	Big Stone Lake			966
South Dakota Land Area (Square Miles)
Geographic Center	Hughes
Total Area	77,116.49			17th
Land Area	75,884.64			98.41%
Water Area	1,231.85			1.59%
Forested Land Area
Dimensions (Length - Width)	380 miles		210 miles
Source:(US Census, April 1, 2000)

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Almanac: Facts and Figures

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