Idaho is one of the least densely populated states that located in the pacific northwest region. Idaho borders a small portion of Canada–United States border to the north, Montana and Wyoming to the east, Nevada and Utah to the south, and Washington and Oregon to the west. The official nickname of Idaho is the Gem State that expresses the natural beauty of Idaho. Let’s talk about 10 facts about Idaho, the Gem State, in this article.
1. Idaho is the 7th Least Densely Populated US State
Idaho is the 14th largest state in the United States. But it ranks 13th in the least populous states. So, Idaho becomes the 7th least densely populated US state behind Alaska, Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and New Mexico.
2. Idaho is Known for its Potato Crop
Although Idaho’s agricultural supplies many products, it’s best known for its potato crop. Idaho produces around one-third of the nationwide potato yield. Because of its significant potato crop yield, Idaho is also called The Potato State. The official vegetable of Idaho is also potato.
3. Boise is the Largest City and Capital City of Idaho
The capital city of Idaho is Boise. Boise is also the largest city in Idaho. Boise Metropolitan Area is also the most populous metropolitan area in Idaho. Boise is located in southwestern Idaho. It’s around 41 miles (66 km) east of the Oregon border and 110 miles (177 km) north of the Nevada border. Idaho’s second and third largest cities (Nampa and Meridian) are also located in Boise Metropolitan Area.
4. World’s Largest Barrel Cheese Factory is Located in Gooding, Idaho
Barrel cheese is the raw product for processed cheese. The largest barrel cheese factory in the world is located in Gooding, Idaho. It belongs to the Glanbia group and is able to produce 120,000 metric tons barrel cheese per year.
5. Idaho National Laboratory is the Largest US Department of Energy Facility
The largest Department of Energy facility in the country is located in Idaho. It’s named Idaho National Laboratory. Idaho National Laboratory is located in Idaho Falls and managed by Battelle Energy Alliance. Historically, Idaho National Laboratory was mainly involved in nuclear research although it also does other research related to energy.
6. The United States Forest Service Holds about 38% of Idaho’s Land
About 38% of Idaho’s land are owned by The United States Forest Service (USFS). It’s the highest proportion of any state in the United States. We can find a number of national forests such as Bitterroot National Forest, Boise National Forest and Clearwater National Forest located in Idaho.
7. Snake River is the Most Important River in Idaho
Snake river is a major tributary of Columbia River. It’s by far the most important river in Idaho. The snake river plain that is located in the south of Idaho is where the most major cities of Idaho are located as well as much of its agricultural land.
8. Idaho Has Two Time Zones
Most of Idaho is in the Mountain Time Zone while the relatively isolated Idaho Panhandle that is closely related to Eastern Washington is in the Pacific Time Zones. So, the southern Idaho area including the Boise metropolitan area, Idaho Falls, Pocatello, and Twin Falls are in the Mountain Time Zone. While areas north of the Salmon River including Coeur d’Alene, Moscow, Lewiston, and Sandpoint are in the Pacific Time Zone.
9. Syringa is the State Flower of Idaho
Syringa (Philadelphus lewisii) is the state flower of Idaho. It was designated as the state flower of Idaho in 1931. We can only find Syringa (Philadelphus lewisii) in the western states of US like Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Washington and California.
10. Mountain Bluebird is the State Bird of Idaho
The state bird of Idaho is Mountain bluebird (Sialia currucoides) that was designated in 1931. Mountain Bluebird is also the state bird of Nevada. It’s a small migratory bird that can be found in mountainous areas of western North America. Additionally, Idaho also recognizes Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) as its state raptor that was adopted in 2004.
I’m sure that there are a lot more facts about Idaho that aren’t mentioned in this article. Feel free to share more interesting facts about Idaho with us if you know one.