Economy

State of Idaho
Flag Seal
Nickname(s): Gem State
Motto(s): Esto perpetua
Official language(s)	English
Demonym	Idahoan
Capital (and largest city)	Boise
Largest metro area	Boise metropolitan area
Area	Ranked 14th in the U.S.
- Total	83,570 sq mi (216,632 km2)
- Width	305 miles (491 km)
- Length	479 miles (771 km)
- % water	0.98
- Latitude	42° N to 49° N
- Longitude	111°03′ W to 117°15′ W
Population	Ranked 39th in the U.S.
- Total	1,584,985 (2011 est)[1]
- Density	19.2/sq mi (7.40/km2) Ranked 44th in the U.S.
Elevation
- Highest point	Borah Peak[2][3][4] 12,668 ft (3861.2 m)
- Mean	5,000 ft (1,520 m)
- Lowest point	Confluence of Snake River and Clearwater River[3][4] 713 ft (217 m)
Before statehood	Idaho Territory
Admission to Union	July 3, 1890 (43rd)
Governor	C.L. "Butch" Otter (R)
Lieutenant Governor	Brad Little (R)
Legislature	Idaho Legislature
- Upper house	Senate
- Lower house	House of Representatives
U.S. Senators	Mike Crapo (R) Jim Risch (R)
U.S. House delegation	1-Raúl Labrador (R) 2-Mike Simpson (R) (list)
Time zones
- north of Salmon River	Pacific: UTC−8/−7
- remainder	Mountain: UTC−7/−6
Abbreviations	IDUS-ID
Website	www.idaho.gov

Idaho (ⁱ/ˈaɪdəhoʊ/) is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. Idaho is the 14th most expansive, the 39th most populous, and the 7th least densely populated of the 50 United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state.

Idaho is a mountainous state with an area larger than that of all of New England. It is landlocked, surrounded by the states of Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Montana and the Canadian province of British Columbia. However, the network of dams and locks on the Columbia River and Snake River make the city of Lewiston the farthest inland seaport on the Pacific coast of the contiguous United States.

Idaho's nickname is the Gem State, because nearly every known type of gemstone has been found there.^[5] In addition, Idaho is one of only two places in the world where star garnets can be found (the other is the Himalaya Mountains, in India), and is the only place six-pointed star garnets have been found. Additionally Idaho is sometimes called the Potato State owing to its popular crop. The state motto is Esto Perpetua (Latin for "Let it be forever").