Population: 568.158 thousand people (2011)
Area: 253348.0 sq. km
According to citypopulationreview.com, Wyoming, the State of Equality, belongs to the group of so-called Mountain States. On the map, it looks like a regular rectangle, the boundaries of which are strictly limited by latitudes and meridians. In the language of the local tribes, “Wyoming” means “changeable mountains and valleys.”
In the east of Wyoming lies a small section of the Great Plains, which passes into the Bighorn and Front Range mountain ranges. Then they descend to the Wyoming Plateau. Gannet Peak (4202 meters) is the highest point in the state. Average heights exceed 2,000 meters. Because of this, the sharply continental climate characteristic of this part of North America has some features. In particular, even in summer, despite the high daytime temperatures, it is cool at night. And in winter, winters are snowy and cold. The state of Wyoming is a major watershed area. Here are the origins of the basins of the three great rivers of America – the Mississippi (in Wyoming, its largest tributary, the Missouri, as well as the Yellowstone River originates), the Colorado (Green River) and Columbia(Snake River). Of the lakes, only Yellowstone can be distinguished. The landscapes of Wyoming are very diverse: there are coniferous, mixed forests, and semi-deserts are characteristic of the southern regions. In the bowels of the state lie coal, gas, oil, uranium, natural soda.
The Shoshone, Crow, Arapaho, Sioux, and Sheyenne were the original population of Wyoming before the advent of Europeans. Only in 1743 did the first European explorers arrive here – the Frenchmen Louis Verendry and Frans Francois. Wyoming later belonged to the French Louisiana colony. In 1803, the state in the Rocky Mountains was among the territories purchased by the United States from France. When the South Pass was opened in 1827, opening the way to the Pacific Ocean, the Union Pacific strategic railroad ran through Wyoming. In 1869, Wyoming granted women the right to vote, earning the state its nickname. In 1890 it became the 44th US state.
Tourism plays an important role in Wyoming’s economy. The level of urbanization of the state is low, so the main tourist sites are associated with the natural resources of the region. Yellowstone, famous for its geological, landscape and biological diversity, is the most popular national park in the United States. It attracts both ordinary tourists and rock climbers, climbers, and extreme sportsmen. A well-known natural monument is the Devil’s Tower – a 368-meter rock of a bizarre shape. Grand Teton National Park, located in the heart of the mountains, is characterized by unusually picturesque places and a large number of climbers.
CHEYENNE
Population: 59.466 thousand people (2010)
Area: 63.8 sq. km
Founded: 1867
Time zone: UTC-7, summer UTC-6
Altitude: 1848 m
Wyoming ‘s capital Cheyenne is located in the southeast of the state, located on the banks of the Crow Creek. Despite its metropolitan status, Cheyenne is a small city, where 80% of the population is represented by descendants of Europeans. See Wyoming counties.
The history of Cheyenne is not rich in events. It is known that the city appeared in 1867 during the construction of the railway. At first it was a workers’ camp, named by General Dodge in honor of the Cheyenne Indian tribe. Then it grew into a “full-fledged” city. The rapid development of the city gave rise to its nickname: “Magic City of the Plains”. There is another nickname: the city of the Frontier. For a certain time, Cheyenne was the largest settlement in this section of the Wild West (the so-called Frontier). Cheyenne has a US Air Force base, wind power is developed, and the majority of the population is employed in the public sector.
Every year at the end of July, up to 200,000 vacationers come to Cheyenne. Their goal is the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo Festival, which lasts 10 days and is considered one of the largest such events in the United States. Attractions in Cheyenne are represented by the State Capitol building, the Wyoming Governor’s Mansion, a botanical garden and several museums, including the Frontier Museum.
