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Iowa (/ ˈ aɪ. ə w ə / ⓘ EYE-ə-wə) is a landlocked state in the upper Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the east and southeast, Missouri to the south, Nebraska to the west, South Dakota to the ...
- Overview
- Relief
- Drainage
- Soils
Iowa, constituent state of the United States of America. It was admitted to the union as the 29th state on December 28, 1846. As a Midwestern state, Iowa forms a bridge between the forests of the east and the grasslands of the high prairie plains to the west. Its gently rolling landscape rises slowly as it extends westward from the Mississippi River, which forms its entire eastern border. The Missouri River and its tributary, the Big Sioux, form the western border, making Iowa the only U.S. state that has two parallel rivers defining its borders. Iowa is bounded by the states of Minnesota to the north, Wisconsin and Illinois to the east, Missouri to the south, and Nebraska and South Dakota to the west. Des Moines, in the south-central part of the state, is the capital. The state name is derived from the Iowa Native American people who once inhabited the area.
Iowa is one of the leading U.S. states in number of farms. More than nine-tenths of its land is devoted to agriculture, making it one of the top states in agricultural production. With rich soils, gently rolling hills, and ample precipitation, the state is particularly suitable for mechanized agriculture and has become a national leader in agribusiness. Traditionally most of Iowa’s industrial enterprises were tied to agricultural production; however, economic downswings and the collapse of land values in the 1980s made it essential for the state to diversify its economy as well as its workforce. By the end of the 20th century, more emphasis had been placed on banking, insurance, biotechnology, and research and development.
Most of Iowa’s landscape is gently rolling hills or flat plains. The state’s elevation generally increases from east-southeast to west-northwest. The lowest point is within the city of Keokuk, in extreme southeastern Iowa where the Des Moines River enters the Mississippi, at just 480 feet (146 metres) above sea level. The highest spot, Hawkeye Point, is in northwest Iowa at 1,677 feet (511 metres) in elevation.
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The state’s terrain and rich soils are the products of the continental ice sheets that periodically covered the state during the Pleistocene Epoch (about 2,600,000 to 11,700 years ago). The Illinoian ice sheet covered a small area of southeastern and extreme eastern Iowa, and in so doing it diverted the Mississippi and created a valley along its western front that can still be seen. Some 20,000 to 25,000 years ago the Wisconsin ice sheet moved southward in a lobe that ended at about the site of the present city of Des Moines. The Des Moines lobe began its final retreat about 13,000 to 14,000 years ago. Accompanying the last two stages of glaciation were extensive deposits of windblown silt, or loess. Over the millennia, the prevailing west winds carried the loess from the western plains into Iowa as the glaciers retreated. In extreme western Iowa the loess deposits accumulated to form what are known today as the Loess Hills, a line of bluffs 100 to 200 feet (30 to 60 metres) above the Missouri River valley. Across much of the rest of the state, lesser amounts of loess amassed. The combination of loess and prairie grasses generated an unusually fertile soil across most of Iowa.
The most varied relief anywhere in Iowa is the Driftless Area, a dry upland that was bypassed by glaciers, near the Mississippi River in northeastern Iowa. There tributaries of the Mississippi cut deeply into the underlying bedrock. The Mississippi bluffs stand 300 to 400 feet (90 to 120 metres) above the valley, and the network of tributaries creates a scenic and hilly landscape.
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Most of the state is drained by the Mississippi River; only the extreme western and south-central areas are drained by the Missouri. Both of these rivers flow quite gently, while the upper Iowa and Turkey rivers in the Driftless Area generally have more rapids. Most of the state is underlain by pre-Illinoian drift, which has been eroded for at leas...
Most of the soils of Iowa, formed under prairie vegetation, are thick, dark in colour, and rich in organic matter and minerals. Only in the Driftless Area and along the dissected river valleys of the south and southeast are there lighter-coloured and less-fertile forest soils.
Jan 18, 2024 · Learn about Iowa's geography, counties, rivers, lakes, and more with maps and facts. Iowa is a Midwestern state in the U.S. with two parallel rivers (Mississippi and Missouri) defining its borders.
- Field of Dreams. “If you build it, he will come” – a movie quote that, to this day, speaks to dreamers around the world. At the Field of Dreams Movie Site in Dyersville, you’ll recognize the film’s farmhouse (guided tours available), baseball diamond and corn fields.
- Bridges of Madison County. Madison County is indeed known for its collection of picture-perfect covered bridges that served as the idyllic backdrop for the bestselling novel and popular movie.
- Iowa State Fair. This is not your standard fair. With 11 days of unique foods, quirky contests, vendors, agricultural shows and thrill rides for all ages, the Iowa State Fair is considered one of the best in the USA.
- Great River Road. The Mississippi River: It’s possibly the most definitive geographical feature in the USA. To follow its path is to touch the heart of U.S. history and culture.
- Des Moines. With less than a quarter million people, Des Moines barely cracks the top 20 biggest cities in the Midwestern USA. But what Iowa’s capital lacks in size, it more than makes up for in historic and natural charms.
- Cedar Rapids. Huddled along the Cedar River, Iowa’s second-biggest city, Cedar Rapids, promises a fantastic Midwest urban experience fused with small-town friendliness.
- Dubuque. Billed as “Where Iowa Started,” Dubuque is a worthwhile destination for any travelers keen on exploring Iowa’s early history. The small city sits on the western banks of the Mississippi River, just over the river from where Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois all meet.
- Iowa City. Home to the University of Iowa, Iowa City is a must-see for any Iowa itinerary. The lively university town was once the capital of the Hawkeye State.
Nov 9, 2009 · Learn about Iowa, the 29th state admitted to the union in 1846, and its geography, culture, and history. Find out interesting facts, such as its role in the Lewis and Clark expedition, the first presidential caucus, and corn production.
Iowa is in the Midwestern United States. To the north of Iowa is Minnesota; to the west are Nebraska and South Dakota; to the south is Missouri; and to the east are Illinois and Wisconsin. The eastern border of the state is marked by the Mississippi River which runs between Iowa and Illinois.
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