South Dakota became a member of the United States November 2, 1889.It is located in the Midwest of the country.The origin of its name is associated with the name of one of the tribes that lived in the area centuries ago.The local economy is dominated by the agro-industrial complex.
Brief History Before the advent of the colonialists lived here several warring nations.Most of them were numerical Aboriginal groups Dakota, Lakota and Arikara.The most bloody conflict between them took place in the fourteenth century.In the story, he entered as a Crow Krikskaya massacre.Europeans first came here in 1743 became French.The expedition led by brothers of La Vereda, who immediately declared the property of the French territory.After that, the region moved into the Louisiana colony.Sixty years later, South Dakota joined the list of lands that France sold the United States.In the fifties of the nineteenth century, according to the agreement signed by the representatives of the Sioux with the US authorities, the natives ceded ownership of these lands.The structure of the US State officially included 2 November 1889.
Geography
total area of the state is nearly 200 thousand square kilometers.It is bordered by Nebraska to the south, Minnesota - on the east, North Dakota - in the north, Montana - in the northwest, and Wyoming - in the southwest.The capital of South Dakota called Pierre and its largest city is Sioux Falls.The population of the state of 844,877 people (2013).In its terrain there are three key physiographic region - the Great Plains in the western lowlands - in the east, as well as covered with ancient forests mountain Black Hills.Missouri River is a natural border between the two first ones.Besides it, large local waterways considered to White River, Cheyenne and James.
Climate
Over the territory of the state is dominated by continental climate type, which is characterized by hot summers and cold long winter.Spring and autumn here are quite brief and at the same time pronounced.In January, the temperature ranges from 16 to 2 degrees below zero.In July, the thermometer shows 16 to 32 degrees Celsius.In western South Dakota is characterized by high aridity, but the average number of rainfall increases as one approaches the eastern provinces.It is impossible not to note the fact that the eastern part of the state is on the so-called tornado alley - destructive vortices can pass through its territory to thirty times a year.
Economy
The local economy is based on agriculture.The most common crops that are grown here are wheat, beans and corn.Large deposits of minerals in the region do not have.Despite this, South Dakota boasts a nice streamlined extraction of sand, coal, limestone and gravel.The industry has become a leading destination processing of agricultural products, as well as the production of ethanol.In addition, in the state produce cement, plastic products, hardware, jewelry, as well as fire fighting equipment.
Tourist attraction
most important sights of the state are in the mountains.The most famous and popular is considered a national memorial - rock Rushmore.In the thirties of the twentieth century in one of its slopes have been carved reliefs of four American presidents.It should be noted that this is one of the most visited sites throughout the country.Every year come here more than three million travelers from all over the world.Other interesting places are the national parks Bedlends and Wind Cave.If the first of them can boast of unique landscapes, the second - a cave that is longer than 220 kilometers (this is the fifth of the world average).In addition, South Dakota is famous for its annual slёtom bikers, which is held in the local town of Sturgis for more than seventy years.Participation in it usually takes several hundreds of thousands of motorcyclists.
