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{{morefootnotes}} {{Otheruses1|the U.S. State of Idaho}}
{{US state |
Name = Idaho |
Fullname = State of Idaho |
Flag = Flag of Idaho.svg |
Flaglink = [[Flag of Idaho]] |
Seal = Seal of Idaho.svg |
Map = Map_of_USA_ID.svg |
Nickname = Gem State |
Motto = [[Esto perpetua]] |
MottoEnglish = Let it be forever |
Demonym = Idahoan |
Capital = [[Boise, Idaho|Boise]] |
OfficialLang = [[English language|English]]|
LargestCity = Boise |
LargestMetro= [[Boise metropolitan area]]|
[[Demonym]]= Idahoan|
Governor = [[Butch Otter]] (R)|
Lieutenant Governor = [[Brad Little (politician)|Brad Little]] (R) |
Senators = [[Mike Crapo]] (R)<br />[[Jim Risch]] (R) |
Representative = [[Idaho's 1st congressional district|1]]-[[Walt Minnick]] (D)<br />[[Idaho's 2nd congressional district|2]]-[[Mike Simpson]] (R) |
PostalAbbreviation = ID |
AreaRank = 14<sup>th</sup> |
TotalAreaUS = 83,642 |
TotalArea = 216,632 |
LandAreaUS = 82,819 |
LandArea = 214,499 |
WaterAreaUS = 824 |
WaterArea = 2,133 |
PCWater = 0.98 |
PopRank = 39<sup>th</sup> |
2000Pop = 1,523,816 (2008 est.)<ref name=08CenEst>{{cite web | title = Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for the United States, Regions, States, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2008 | publisher = United States Census Bureau | accessdate = 2009-02-05 | url = http://www.census.gov/popest/states/tables/NST-EST2008-01.csv}}</ref> <br> 1,293,953 (2000)|
DensityRank = 44<sup>th</sup> |
2000DensityUS = 15.64 |
2000Density = 6.04 |
AdmittanceOrder = 43<sup>rd</sup> |
AdmittanceDate = July 3, 1890 |
TimeZone = [[Pacific Time Zone|Pacific]]: [[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]]−8/[[Daylight saving time|−7]] |
TZ1Where = north of [[Salmon River (Idaho)|Salmon River]] |
TimeZone2 = [[Mountain Time Zone|Mountain]]: UTC−7/[[Daylight saving time|−6]] |
TZ2Where = remainder |
Latitude = 42° N to [[49th parallel north|49° N]] |
Longitude = 111°03′ W to 117°15′ W |
WidthUS = 305 |
Width = 491 |
LengthUS = 479 |
Length = 771 |
State Horse = Appaloosa |
HighestPoint = [[Borah Peak]]<ref name=usgs>{{cite web| date =29 April 2005 | url =http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/elvadist/elvadist.html#Highest| title =Elevations and Distances in the United States| publisher =U.S Geological Survey| dateformat = mdy | accessdate = November 6 2006}}</ref> |
HighestElevUS = 12,662|
HighestElev = 3,862 |
MeanElevUS = 5,000|
MeanElev = 1,524 |
LowestPoint = [[Snake River]]<ref name=usgs/> |
LowestElevUS = 710 |
LowestElev = 217 |
ISOCode = US-ID |
Website = www.idaho.gov/
}}
{{Infobox U.S. state symbols|left
|Name = Idaho
|Amphibian = [[Tiger Salamander|Eastern Tiger Salamander]]
|Bird = [[Mountain Bluebird]]
|Fish = [[Cutthroat trout]]
|Flower = [[Syringa]]
|Insect = [[Monarch Butterfly]]
|Horse = [[Appaloosa|Appaloosa horse]]
|Tree = [[Western White Pine]]
|Dance = [[Square Dance]]
|Food = [[Potato]], [[Huckleberry]]
|Fossil = [[Hagerman horse]]
|Gemstone = [[Star garnet]]
|Slogan = ''Great Potatoes. Tasty Destinations.''
|Soil = [[Threebear (soil)|Threebear]]
|Song = ''[[Here We Have Idaho]]''
|Route Marker = ID-41.svg
|Quarter = 2007 ID Proof Rev.png
|QuarterReleaseDate = 2007
}}

The '''State of Idaho''' ({{Audio-IPA|en-us-Idaho.ogg|/ˈaɪdəhoʊ/}}) is a [[U.S. state|state]] in the [[Pacific Northwest]] region of the [[United States of America]]. The state's largest city and [[Capital (political)|capital]] is [[Boise, Idaho|Boise]]. Residents are called "[[List of U.S. state residents names|Idahoans]]." Idaho was admitted to the [[United States|Union]] on 3 July 1890 as the 43rd state.

According to the United States Census Bureau, in 2008 the population for Idaho was estimated to be 1,523,816.<ref name=08CenEst/> The state's postal abbreviation is '''ID'''. Idaho's nickname is the '''Gem State''' because it is one of only two places in the world where [[star garnet]]s can be found (the other is the [[Himalaya Mountains]], in [[India]]), and is the only place six pointed star garnets have been found. The state motto is '''Esto Perpetua''' ([[Latin]] for "Let it be forever").

==Geography==
[[Image:Idahogeography.jpg|190px|thumb|Digitally colored elevation map of Idaho.]]
[[Image:Idaho population map.png|thumb|Idaho Population Density Map]]
[[Image:Public-Lands-Western-US.png|thumb|right|Sixty percent of Idaho's land is held by the National Forest Service or the Bureau of Land Management, and it leads the nation in forest service land as a percentage of total area.<ref>[http://www.wildlandfire.com/docs/2007/western-states-data-public-land.htm Western States Data Public Land Acreage<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>http://www.fs.fed.us/land/staff/lar/2007/Table_4.htm</ref>]]
[[Image:Owyhee Mountains.jpg|thumb|Reynolds Creek Experimental Watershed in the Owyhee Mountains about {{convert|50|mi|km|0}} southwest of [[Boise]], Idaho.]]
[[Image:Crooked Creek in Gospel Hump Wilderness.jpg|thumb|Crooked Creek in Gospel Hump Wilderness, Idaho]]
[[Image:Idaho USA12.jpg|thumb|The [[Palouse]] region of North Idaho.]]
[[Image:Snakeriveridahofalls.jpg|thumb|right|A scenic part of the Snake River in Idaho Falls.]]
[[Image:Sunsetsnakeriverplain.jpg|thumb|right|Sunset over the [[Snake River Plain]] near Chubbuck.]]
{{see|List of Idaho counties}}
Idaho borders six states and one [[Canada|Canadian]] province. The states of [[Washington]] and [[Oregon]] are to the west, [[Nevada]] and [[Utah]] are to the south, and [[Montana]] and [[Wyoming]] are to the east. Idaho also shares a short border ({{convert|48|mi|km|0}}) with the Canadian province of [[British Columbia]] to the north. The landscape is rugged with some of the largest unspoiled natural areas in the United States. It is a [[Rocky Mountains|Rocky Mountain]] state with abundant natural resources and scenic areas. The state has snow-capped mountain ranges, rapids, vast lakes and steep canyons. The waters of [[Snake River]] rush through [[Hells Canyon]], the deepest canyon in the United States.

[[Shoshone Falls]] plunges down rugged cliffs from a height greater than that of [[Niagara Falls]].
The major rivers in Idaho are the [[Snake River]], the [[Clark Fork (river)|Clark Fork]]/[[Pend Oreille River]], the [[Clearwater River (Idaho)|Clearwater River]] and the [[Salmon River (Idaho)|Salmon River]]. Other significant rivers include the [[Coeur d'Alene River|Coeur d'Alene]]/[[Spokane River]], the [[Boise River]] and the [[Payette River]]. The Port of [[Lewiston, Idaho|Lewiston]], at the confluence of the [[Clearwater River (Idaho)|Clearwater]] and the [[Snake River|Snake]] Rivers is the farthest inland seaport in the Pacific Northwest.

Idaho's highest point is [[Borah Peak]], {{convert|12662|ft|m|0|abbr=on}}, in the [[Lost River Range]] north of [[Mackay, Idaho|Mackay]]. Idaho's lowest point, {{convert|710|ft|m|0|abbr=on}}, is in [[Lewiston, Idaho|Lewiston]], where the [[Clearwater River]] joins the [[Snake River]] and continues into [[Washington]]. The [[Sawtooth Range (Idaho)|Sawtooth Range]] is often considered Idaho's most famous mountain range.{{Fact|date=October 2008}}

[[Image:National-atlas-idaho.PNG|left|thumb|Map of Idaho]]Southern Idaho, including the [[Boise metropolitan area]], [[Idaho Falls, Idaho|Idaho Falls]], [[Pocatello, Idaho|Pocatello]], and [[Twin Falls, Idaho|Twin Falls]] are in the [[Mountain Time Zone]]. (A legislative oddity ({{usctc|15|6}} § 264) theoretically places this region in the [[Pacific Time Zone]], but this error is not widely known and is universally ignored.) Areas north of the [[Salmon River (Idaho)|Salmon River]], including [[Coeur d'Alene, Idaho|Coeur d'Alene]], [[Moscow, Idaho|Moscow]], [[Lewiston, Idaho|Lewiston]], and [[Sandpoint, Idaho|Sandpoint]] are in the [[Pacific Time Zone]] and revolve commercially and culturally around [[Spokane, Washington]]

===Climate===
Idaho has much variation in its climate. Although the state's western border is located about {{convert|350|mi|km|-1}} from the [[Pacific Ocean]], the maritime influence is still felt in Idaho, especially in the winter when cloud cover, [[humidity]], and [[precipitation (meteorology)|precipitation]] are at their highest points. This influence has a moderating effect in the winter where temperatures are not as low as would otherwise be expected for a northern state with a mostly elevated altitude. The maritime influence is lowest in the southeastern part of the state where the precipitation patterns are often reversed, with wetter summers and drier winters, and seasonal temperature differences more extreme, showing a more continental climate.

[[Climate]] in Idaho can be hot, although extended periods over {{convert|100|°F|°C|abbr=on}} for the maximum temperature are rare. Hot summer days are tempered by the low relative humidity and cooler evenings during summer months since, for most of the state, the highest [[Day|diurnal]] difference in temperature is often in the summer. Winters can be cold, although extended periods of bitter cold weather below zero are unusual.

{| class="wikitable" "text-align:center;font-size:90%;"|
| colspan="13" style="text-align:center;font-size:120%;background:#E8EAFA;"|Monthly Normal High and Low Temperatures For Various Idaho Cities.
|-
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color: #000000" height="17" | City
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Jan
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Feb
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Mar
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Apr
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | May
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Jun
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Jul
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Aug
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Sep
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Oct
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Nov
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Dec
|-
! style="background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Boise
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 37/24
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 44/29
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 54/34
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 62/39
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 71/47
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 80/54
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 89/60
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 88/60
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 77/51
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 64/41
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 48/32
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 37/24
|-
! style="background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Lewiston
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 39/28
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 46/31
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 54/36
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 62/41
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 70/47
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 78/54
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 88/59
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 88/59
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 77/51
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 62/41
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 47/34
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 39/28
|-
! style="background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Pocatello
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 32/16
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 39/21
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 48/27
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 58/33
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 68/39
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 78/46
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 88/51
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 87/50
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 76/42
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 62/33
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 44/25
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 34/17
|-
| colspan="13" style="text-align:center;font-size:90%;background:#E8EAFA;"|''[http://www.ustravelweather.com/weather-idaho/]''
|}

===Lakes===
*[[Alturas Lake]]
*[[Bear Lake (Idaho-Utah)]]
*[[Hayden Lake]]
*[[Henry's Lake]]
*[[Lake Cascade]]
*[[Lake Coeur d'Alene]]
*[[Lake Lowell]]
*[[Lake Walcott]]
*[[Payette Lake (McCall)]]
*[[Lake Pend Oreille|Pend Oreille]]
*[[Little Redfish Lake]]
*[[Pettit Lake]]
*[[Priest Lake]]
*[[Redfish Lake]]
*[[Sawtooth Lake]]
*[[Stanley Lake]]
*[[Warm Lake]]

==History==
{{main|History of Idaho}}

Humans may have been present in the Idaho area as long as 14,500 years ago. Excavations at [[Wilson Butte Cave]] near [[Twin Falls, Idaho|Twin Falls]] in 1959 revealed evidence of human activity, including arrowheads, that rank among the oldest dated artifacts in [[North America]]. [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] tribes predominant in the area included the [[Nez Perce]] in the north and the Northern and Western [[Shoshone]] in the south.

Idaho, as part of the [[Oregon Country]], was claimed by both the United States and [[Great Britain]] until the United States gained undisputed jurisdiction in 1846. Between then and the creation of the [[Idaho Territory]] in 1863, parts of the present-day state were included in the [[Oregon Territory|Oregon]], [[Washington Territory|Washington]], and [[Dakota Territory|Dakota]] Territories. The new territory included most of present-day Idaho, [[Montana]], and [[Wyoming]]. The first organized communities, within the present borders of Idaho, were established in 1860.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.franklinidaho.org/History2.htm|title=An Early History of Franklin|last=Bennett|first=Eldon T.|publisher=Franklin, Idaho|accessdate=2008-05-19}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.idahohistory.net/Reference%20Series/0008.pdf|title=Elias Davidson Pierce and the Founding of Pierce|month=August | year=1966|publisher=Idaho State Historical Society|accessdate=2008-05-19|format=PDF}}</ref>
After some tribulation as a territory, including the chaotic transfer of the territorial capital from [[Lewiston, Idaho|Lewiston]] to [[Boise, Idaho|Boise]], [[disenfranchisement]] of [[Mormon]] [[polygamist]] <ref>
[http://nboman.people.wm.edu/MormonsEUSC.pdf "Mormon" Entry for The Encyclopedia of the Supreme Court of the United States, David S.Tanenhaus]</ref> and a federal attempt to split the territory between Washington Territory and the state of [[Nevada]], Idaho achieved statehood in 1890. The economy of the state, which had been primarily supported by metal mining, shifted towards [[agriculture]] and [[tourism]].

In recent years, Idaho has expanded its commercial base as a tourism and agricultural state to include science and technology industries. Science and technology have become the largest single economic center (over 25% of the state's total revenue) within the state and are greater than agriculture, forestry and mining combined.<ref> {{cite web|url=http://ieda.biz/white.html |title=The Power of Idaho |accessdate=2007-10-07 |year=2004 |publisher=Idaho Economic Development Association }}</ref>

The [[Idaho State Historical Society]] preserves and promotes Idaho’s cultural heritage.

==Origin of name==
[[Image:Lakecoeurdalenebig.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Lake Coeur d'Alene in North Idaho.]]Idaho is the only state that was possibly named as the result of a [[hoax]] (the so-called "Idahoax") although this is disputed. The exact origin of the name remains a mystery.<ref>[http://www.archive.org/details/idahoitsmeaningo00reesrich]</ref> In the early 1860s, when the [[United States Congress]] was considering organizing a new territory in the [[Rocky Mountains]], eccentric lobbyist [[George M. Willing]] suggested the name "Idaho," which he claimed was derived from a [[Shoshone language]] term meaning "the sun comes from the mountains" or "gem of the mountains." Willing later claimed that he had made up the name himself<ref>[http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761565515/Idaho.html]</ref><ref>[http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/weblog/permalink/did_idaho_get_its_name_as_a_result_of_a_hoax/]</ref>. Congress ultimately decided to name the area [[Colorado Territory]] when it was created in February 1861.

However, the name "Idaho" did not go away. The same year Congress created Colorado Territory, a county called [[Idaho County, Idaho|Idaho County]] was created in eastern [[Washington Territory]]. The county was named after a [[Steamboat|steamship]] named ''Idaho'', which was launched on the [[Columbia River]] in 1860. It is unclear whether the steamship was named before or after Willing's claim was revealed. Regardless, a portion of Washington Territory, including Idaho County, was used to create Idaho Territory in 1863.

Despite this lack of evidence for the origin of the name, many textbooks well into the 20th century repeated as fact Willing's account that the name "Idaho" derived from the Shoshone term "ee-da-how".

:An excerpt from an Idaho History Textbook:
:"Idaho" is a Shoshoni Indian exclamation. The word consists of three parts. The first is "Ee", which in English conveys the idea of "coming down". The second is "dah" which is the Shoshoni stem or root for both "sun" and "mountain". The third syllable, "how", denotes the exclamation and stands for just the same thing in Indian that the exclamation mark (!) does in the English language. The Shoshoni word is "Ee-dah-how", and the Indian thought thus conveyed when translated into English means, "Behold! the sun coming down the mountain".
::"IDAHO in the Pacific Northwest". Barber -Martin. 1956. Caxton Printers Ltd. Library of Congress 55-5192.

Chief Joseph Seltice, of the [[Coeur d'Alene Tribe|Coeur d'Alene Tribal Nation]], posits another possible origin of the name. In his history of the tribe, ''Saga of the Coeur d'Alene Indians'', he writes:
<blockquote>
Some sources claim that the name "Idaho" comes from an Indian word, "Ee-dah-how," meaning "Gem of the Mountains." This expression may have come from some other Tribe, and it would have a different meaning for them than it would for the Coeur d'Alenes.
<br />As the Coeur d'Alenes understood the word "Idaho," it would be more correctly pronounced "Ah-d'Hoo." It means "greetings by surprise," indicating friendship, but surprise.
<br />The first syllable conveys to the mind, "All are welcome, from wherever you come; but keep the friendly peace. We welcome you with out-stretched arms, and this entitles us to permanent friendship."
<br />The last syllable is a surprise and exclamation point. The expression means that all are welcome, "though we are surprised to see so many different strangers. The first dawn of day welcomes you as the sun rises." This expression was used by many of the Coeur d'Alenes on the Bitterroot Mountains to greet all who come.
<br />So to all who read these words: "Welcome, with open arms! We're just surprised that there are so many of you!"
</blockquote>

== Demographics ==
{{USCensusPop
|1870 = 14999
|1880 = 32610
|1890 = 88548
|1900 = 161772
|1910 = 325594
|1920 = 431866
|1930 = 445032
|1940 = 524873
|1950 = 588637
|1960 = 667191
|1970 = 712567
|1980 = 943935
|1990 = 1006749
|2000 = 1293953
|estyear = 2008<ref name=08CenEst/>
|estimate = 1523816
}}
As of 2005, Idaho has an estimated population of 1,429,096, which is an increase of 33,956, or 2.4%, from the prior year and an increase of 135,140, or 10.4%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 58,884 people (that is 111,131 births minus 52,247 deaths) and an increase due to net [[Human migration|migration]] of 75,795 people into the state. [[Immigration to the United States|Immigration]] from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 14,522 people, and migration within the country produced a net increase of 61,273 people.

This made Idaho the sixth [[List of U.S. states by population growth rate|fastest-growing state]] after [[Arizona]], [[Nevada]], [[Florida]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], and [[Utah]]. From 2004 to 2005, Idaho grew the third-fastest, surpassed only by Nevada and Arizona.

[[Nampa, Idaho|Nampa]], the state's second largest city, has experienced particularly strong growth in recent years. According to census estimates Nampa has grown 22.1% to nearly 65,000 residents between 2000 and 2003. As of 2007, the population in [[Nampa, Idaho|Nampa]] was estimated at 84,000. Growth of 5% or more over the same period has also been observed in [[Caldwell, Idaho|Caldwell]], [[Coeur d'Alene, Idaho|Coeur d'Alene]], [[Meridian, Idaho|Meridian]], [[Post Falls, Idaho|Post Falls]] and [[Twin Falls, Idaho|Twin Falls]].[http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/16000.html]

Since 1990, Idaho's population has increased by 386,000 (38%).

The [[Boise metropolitan area|Boise Metropolitan Area]] (officially known as the Boise City-Nampa, ID Metropolitan Statistical Area) is Idaho's largest metropolitan area. Other metropolitan areas in order of size are [[Coeur d'Alene, Idaho|Coeur d'Alene]], [[Idaho Falls, Idaho|Idaho Falls]], [[Pocatello, Idaho|Pocatello]] and [[Lewiston, Idaho|Lewiston]].

As of 2006, six official [[United States micropolitan area|micropolitan statistical areas]] are based in Idaho. Twin Falls is the largest of these.

The [[center of population]] of Idaho is located in [[Custer County, Idaho|Custer County]], in the town of [[Stanley, Idaho|Stanley]].<ref>{{cite web | title = Population and Population Centers by State - 2000 | publisher = United States Census Bureau | accessdate = 2008-12-04 | url = http://www.census.gov/geo/www/cenpop/statecenters.txt}}</ref>
{{US Demographics}}
The largest reported ancestries in the state are: [[German-American|German]] (18.9%), [[English American|English]] (18.1%), [[Irish American|Irish]] (10%), [[American ancestry|American]] (8.4%), [[Norwegian American|Norwegian]] (3.6%), [[Swedish American|Swedish]] (3.5%).

===Religion===
[[Image:IdahoCity.jpg|thumb|left |A church in [[Idaho City]].]]
[[Image:Idaho Falls Temple.jpg|thumb|The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Idaho Falls Temple.]]

According to the 15th annual Idaho Public Policy study ([http://sspa.boisestate.edu/ssrc/archive/2004-annualsurvey15.pdf], 2004) by the Social Science Research Center at BSU, the [[ambiguous]] religious affiliations of Idahoans break down roughly as follows.

*[[Protestantism|Protestant]] &ndash; 29.3%
*[[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints|LDS]] (Mormon) &ndash; 22.8%
*[[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic]] &ndash; 14.3%
*Non-Denominational Christian &ndash; 13.6%
*None &ndash; 12.7%
*Other &ndash; 7.2%

The largest denominations by number of adherents in 2000 were the [[Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] with 311,425; the [[Roman Catholic Church]] with 130,847; the [[Assemblies of God]] with 18,745; and the [[United Methodist Church]] with 17,683.<ref>http://www.thearda.com/mapsReports/reports/state/16_2000.asp</ref>
{{clear}}

==Economy==
[[Image:2007 ID Proof Rev.png|thumb|left|100px|Idaho [[50 state quarters|State Quarter]]]]
[[Image:US ID AmericanFalls.jpg|thumb|right|200px|American Falls Dam]]
[[Gross state product]] for 2004 was US$43.6 billion. The per capital income for 2004 was US$26,881.
Idaho is an important agricultural state, producing nearly one third of the [[potato]]es grown in the United States.

Important industries in Idaho are food processing, lumber and wood products, machinery, chemical products, paper products, electronics manufacturing, silver and other mining, and tourism. The world's largest factory for barrel cheese, the raw product for [[processed cheese]] is located in [[Gooding, Idaho]]. It has a capacity of 120,000 metric tons per year of barrel cheese and belongs to the [[Glanbia]] group.<ref> "Zuivelzicht" April 25, 2007 </ref> The [[Idaho National Laboratory]] (INL), a government lab for nuclear energy research, is also an important part of the eastern Idaho economy. Idaho also is home to three facilities of Anheuser-Busch which provide a large part of the malt for breweries located across the nation.

Today, the largest industry in Idaho is the science and technology sector. It accounts for over 25% of the State's total revenue and 70%+ of the State's exports (in dollars). Idaho's industrial economy is growing, with high-tech products leading the way. Since the late 1970s, [[Boise]] has emerged as a center for [[semiconductor manufacturing]]. Boise is the home of [[Micron Technology|Micron Technology Inc.]], the only U.S. manufacturer of [[dynamic random access memory]] (DRAM) chips. [[Hewlett-Packard]] has operated a large plant in Boise since the 1970s, which is devoted primarily to [[HP LaserJet|LaserJet printers]] production.[http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/mar04.html] [[Dell, Inc.]] operates a major customer support call center in Twin Falls. [[AMI Semiconductor]], whose worldwide headquarter locates in [[Pocatello, Idaho|Pocatello]], is a widely recognized innovator in state-of-the-art integrated mixed-signal semiconductor products, mixed-signal foundry services, and structured digital products. [[Coldwater Creek]], a women's clothing retailer, is headquartered in [[Sandpoint, Idaho|Sandpoint]]. Fortune 500 [[SUN Microsystems]] has two offices in Boise and a parts depot in Pocatello. SUN brings $4M in annual salaries and over $300M of revenue to the state each year.

The state personal [[income tax]] ranges from 1.6% to 7.8% in eight income brackets. Idahoans may apply for state [[tax credit]]s for taxes paid to other states, as well as for donations to Idaho state educational entities and some nonprofit youth and rehabilitation facilities.

The state [[sales tax]] is 6%. Sales tax applies to the sale, rental or lease of tangible personal property and some services. Food is taxed, but [[prescription drug]]s are not. [[Hotel]], [[motel]], and [[campground]] accommodations are taxed at a higher rate (7% to 11%). Some jurisdictions impose local option sales tax.

Idaho has a [[Idaho Lottery|state gambling lottery]] which contributed $333.5 million in payments to all Idaho [[School district|public schools]] and [[List of colleges and universities in Idaho|Idaho higher education]] from 1990 - 2006.<ref>{{cite web
| title = Facts At a Glance
| publisher = Idaho Lottery
| year = 2007
| url = http://idaholottery.com/facts.asp
| accessdate = 2007-04-29}}</ref>

==Transportation==
{{main|List of Idaho State Highways}}
'''Major highways'''
[[Image:I-15.svg|thumb|100px|[[Interstate 15]].]]
[[Image:US 95.svg|thumb|100px|[[US Highway 95]].]]
Idaho is among the few states in the nation without a major freeway linking the two largest metropolitan areas of [[Boise, Idaho|Boise]] in the south and [[Coeur d'Alene, Idaho|Coeur d'Alene]] in the north. [[U.S. Highway 95 (Idaho)|US-95]] links the two ends of the state, but like many other highways in Idaho, it is badly in need of repair and upgrade. In 2007, the Idaho Transportation Department stated that the state's highway infrastructure faces a $200 million per year shortfall in maintenance and upgrades. [[Interstate 84 (Idaho)|Interstate 84]] is the main highway linking the Southeast and Southwest portions of the state, along with [[Interstate 86 (west)|Interstate 86]] and [[Interstate 15 (Idaho)|Interstate 15]].

===Air Travel===
Major airports include the [[Boise International Airport]] serving the southwest region of Idaho, and the [[Spokane International Airport]] (actually located in [[Spokane, Washington]]), which serves northern Idaho. Other airports with scheduled service are the [[Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport]] serving the [[Palouse]]; the [[Lewiston-Nez Perce County Airport]], serving the Lewis-Clark Valley and north central Idaho; The [[Magic Valley Regional Airport]] in Twin Falls; the [[Idaho Falls Regional Airport]]; and the [[Pocatello Regional Airport]].

===Rail Travel===
Idaho is served by two transcontinental railroads. The [[Burlington Northern Santa Fe| Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF)]] connects North Idaho with [[Seattle, Washington|Seattle]], [[Portland, Oregon|Portland]] and [[Spokane, Washington|Spokane]] to the west, and [[Minneapolis]] and [[Chicago]] to the east. The [[BNSF]] travels through [[Kootenai County, Idaho|Kootenai]], [[Bonner County, Idaho|Bonner]] and [[Boundary County, Idaho|Boundary]] Counties. The [[Union Pacific Railroad]] crosses southern Idaho traveling between Portland, Green River, WY, and [[Ogden, Utah]] and serves [[Boise, Idaho|Boise]], [[Nampa, Idaho|Nampa]], [[Twin Falls, Idaho|Twin Falls]], and [[Pocatello, Idaho|Pocatello]]. [[Amtrak]]'s Empire Builder crosses northern Idaho, with its only stop being in [[Sandpoint, Idaho|Sandpoint]]. There has been a push recently to return Amtrak service to southern Idaho as well.

===Ports===
The Port of [[Lewiston, Idaho|Lewiston]] is the furthest inland Pacific port on the west coast. A series of dams and locks on the [[Snake River]] and [[Columbia River]] facilitate barge travel from here to [[Portland, Oregon|Portland]], where goods are loaded on ocean-going vessels.

<table><tr><td valign=top>
'''North'''
*[[Image:US 2.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Highway 2 (Idaho)|U.S. Highway 2]]
*[[Image:US 12.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Highway 12 (Idaho)|U.S. Highway 12]]
</td>
<td valign=top>
'''North/South'''
*[[Image:US 95.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Highway 95 (Idaho)|U.S. Highway 95]]
*[[Image:US 93.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Highway 93 (Idaho)|U.S. Highway 93]]
*[[Image:I-15.svg|20px]] [[Interstate 15 (Idaho)|Interstate 15]]
</td>
<td valign=top>
'''West/East'''
*[[Image:US 20.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Highway 20 (Idaho)|U.S. Highway 20]]
*[[Image:US 26.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Highway 26 (Idaho)|U.S. Highway 26]]
*[[Image:US 30.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Highway 30 (Idaho)|U.S. Highway 30]]
*[[Image:I-84.svg|20px]] [[Interstate 84 (Idaho)|Interstate 84]]
*[[Image:I-86.svg|20px]] [[Interstate 86 (west)|Interstate 86]]
*[[Image:I-90.svg|20px]] [[Interstate 90 (Idaho)|Interstate 90]]
</td><td valign=top>
<b> </td>
<td valign=top>'''Southwest'''
*[[Image:I-184 (ID).svg|25px]] [[Interstate 184 (Idaho)|Interstate 184]]
</td>
</tr></table>

== Law and government ==
[[Image:Boise Idaho.jpg|thumb|State capitol building in Boise]]
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:StateQuarterFinal.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Proposed Idaho Quarter]] -->

===State government===
The constitution of Idaho provides for three branches of government: the executive, legislative and judicial branches. Idaho has a [[bicameral]] legislature, elected from 35 legislative districts, each represented by one senator and two representatives. Idaho still operates under its original (1889) state constitution.

Since 1946, statewide elected constitutional officers have been elected to four-year terms. They include: [[List of Governors of Idaho|Governor]], [[Lieutenant Governor of Idaho|Lieutenant Governor]], [[Secretary of State of Idaho|Secretary of State]], Controller (Auditor before 1994), Treasurer, Attorney General, and Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Last contested in 1966, Inspector of Mines was an original elected constitutional office. Afterward it was an appointed position and ultimately done away with entirely in 1974.

Idaho's government has an [[Alcoholic beverage control state|alcohol monopoly]].

====Executive Branch====
{{see|List of Idaho Governors}}
{{see|Lieutenant Governor of Idaho}}
{{see|Secretary of State of Idaho}}
The governor of Idaho serves a four-year term, and is elected during what is nationally referred to as midterm elections. As such, the governor is not elected in the same election year as the president of the United States. The current governor is [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] [[C. L. Otter|C. L. "Butch" Otter]], who was elected in 2006.

====Legislative Branch====
{{main|Idaho Legislature}}

Idaho's [[State legislature (United States)|legislature]] is part-time. However, the session may be extended if necessary, and often is. Because of this, Idaho's legislators are considered "citizen legislators", meaning that their position as a legislator is not their main occupation.

Terms for both the [[Idaho Senate|Senate]] and [[Idaho House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] are two years. Legislative elections occur every even numbered year.

The Idaho Legislature has been continuously controlled by the Republican Party since the late 1950s, although Democratic legislators are routinely elected from [[Boise, Idaho|Boise]], [[Pocatello, Idaho|Pocatello]], [[Blaine County, Idaho|Blaine County]] and the northern Panhandle.

''See also [[List of Idaho senators and representatives]]''

====Judicial Branch====
{{main|Courts of Idaho}}

The highest court in Idaho is the [[Idaho Supreme Court]]. There is also an intermediate [[appellate court]], the [[Idaho Court of Appeals]], which hears cases assigned to it from the Supreme Court. The state's District Courts serve as trial-level courts, and are divided up among seven judicial districts.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.isc.idaho.gov/district.htm |title=Idaho District Court Websites |publisher=Isc.idaho.gov |date= |accessdate=2008-12-17}}</ref>

====Counties====
[[File:Idaho map counties.svg|300px|right|Map of all Idaho's counties]]
Idaho is divided into political jurisdictions designated as ''[[County (United States)|counties]]''. As of 1919 there were 44 counties in the state, ranging in size from 410 to 8,502 square miles (1,062 to 22,020 square kilometers).
{|class="wikitable collapsible" align="full" style="margin: lem; margin-top; 0"
!colspan="7" style="white-space: nowrap;" | IDAHO COUNTIES
|-
|County name||County seat||Year founded||Population||Percent||Area (sq. m.)||Percent
|-
|[[Ada County, Idaho|Ada]]||[[Boise, Idaho|Boise]]||1864||300,904||23.25 %||1,060||1.21 %
|-
|[[Adams County, Idaho|Adams]]||[[Council, Idaho|Council]]||1911||3,476||0.27 %||1,370||1.57 %
|-
|[[Bannock County, Idaho|Bannock]]||[[Pocatello, Idaho|Pocatello]]||1893||75,565||5.84 %||1,147||1.31 %
|-
|[[Bear Lake County, Idaho|Bear Lake]]||[[Paris, Idaho|Paris]]||1893||6,411||0.50 %||1,049||1.20 %
|-
|[[Benewah County, Idaho|Benewah]]||[[St. Maries, Idaho|St. Maries]]||1915||9,171||0.71 %||784||0.90 %
|-
|[[Bingham County, Idaho|Bingham]]||[[Blackfoot, Idaho|Blackfoot]]||1885||41,735||3.23 %||2,120||2.42 %
|-
|[[Blaine County, Idaho|Blaine]]||[[Hailey, Idaho|Hailey]]||1895||18,991||1.47 %||2,661||3.04 %
|-
|[[Boise County, Idaho|Boise]]||[[Idaho City, Idaho|Idaho City]]||1864||6,670||0.52 %||1,907||2.18 %
|-
|[[Bonner County, Idaho|Bonner]]||[[Sandpoint, Idaho|Sandpoint]]||1907||36,835||2.85 %||1,920||2.19 %
|-
|[[Bonneville County, Idaho|Bonneville]]||[[Idaho Falls, Idaho|Idaho Falls]]||1911||82,522||6.38 %||1,901||2.17 %
|-
|[[Boundary County, Idaho|Boundary]]||[[Bonners Ferry, Idaho|Bonners Ferry]]||1915||9,871||0.76 %||1,278||1.46 %
|-
|[[Butte County, Idaho|Butte]]||[[Arco, Idaho|Arco]]||1917||2,899||0.22 %||2,234||2.55 %
|-
|[[Camas County, Idaho|Camas]]||[[Fairfield, Idaho|Fairfield]]||1917||991||0.08 %||1,079||1.23 %
|-
|[[Canyon County, Idaho|Canyon]]||[[Caldwell, Idaho|Caldwell]]||1891||131,441||10.16 %||604||0.69 %
|-
|[[Caribou County, Idaho|Caribou]]||[[Soda Springs, Idaho|Soda Springs]]||1919||7,304||0.56 %||1,799||2.06 %
|-
|[[Cassia County, Idaho|Cassia]]||[[Burley, Idaho|Burley]]||1879||21,416||1.66 %||2,580||2.95 %
|-
|[[Clark County, Idaho|Clark]]||[[Dubois, Idaho|Dubois]]||1919||1,022||0.08 %||1,765||2.02 %
|-
|[[Clearwater County, Idaho|Clearwater]]||[[Orofino, Idaho|Orofino]]||1911||8,930||0.69 %||6,444||7.36 %
|-
|[[Custer County, Idaho|Custer]]||[[Challis, Idaho|Challis]]||1881||4,342||0.34 %||4,937||5.64 %
|-
|[[Elmore County, Idaho|Elmore]]||[[Mountain Home, Idaho|Mountain Home]]||1889||29,130||2.25 %||3,101||3.54 %
|-
|[[Franklin County, Idaho|Franklin]]||[[Preston, Idaho|Preston]]||1913||11,329||0.88 %||668||0.76 %
|-
|[[Fremont County, Idaho|Fremont]]||[[St. Anthony, Idaho|St. Anthony]]||1893||11,819||0.91 %||1,896||2.17 %
|-
|[[Gem County, Idaho|Gem]]||[[Emmett, Idaho|Emmett]]||1915||15,181||1.17 %||566||0.65 %
|-
|[[Gooding County, Idaho]]||[[Gooding, Idaho|Gooding]]||1913||14,155||1.09 %||734||0.84 %
|-
|[[Idaho County, Idaho|Idaho]]||[[Grangeville, Idaho|Grangeville]]||1861/1864||15,511||1.20 %||8,502||9.71 %
|-
|[[Jefferson County, Idaho|Jefferson]]||[[Rigby, Idaho|Rigby]]||1913||19,155||1.48 %||1,106||1.26 %
|-
|[[Jerome County, Idaho|Jerome]]||[[Jerome, Idaho|Jerome]]||1919||18,342||1.42 %||602||0.69 %
|-
|[[Kootenai County, Idaho|Kootenai]]||[[Coeur d'Alene, Idaho|Coeur d'Alene]]||1864||108,685||8.40 %||1,316||1.50 %
|-
|[[Latah County, Idaho|Latah]]||[[Moscow, Idaho|Moscow]]||1886||34,935||2.70 %||1,077||1.23 %
|-
|[[Lemhi County, Idaho|Lemhi]]||[[Salmon, Idaho|Salmon]]||1869||7,806||0.60 %||4,570||5.22 %
|-
|[[Lewis County, Idaho|Lewis]]||[[Nezperce, Idaho|Nezperce]]||1911||3,747||0.29 %||480||0.55 %
|-
|[[Lincoln County, Idaho|Lincoln]]||[[Shoshone, Idaho|Shoshone]]||1895||4,044||0.31 %||1,206||1.38 %
|-
|[[Madison County, Idaho|Madison]]||[[Rexburg, Idaho|Rexburg]]||1914||27,467||2.12 %||473||0.54 %
|-
|[[Minidoka County, Idaho|Minidoka]]||[[Rupert, Idaho|Rupert]]||1913||20,174||1.56 %||763||0.87 %
|-
|[[Nez Perce County, Idaho|Nez Perce]]||[[Lewiston, Idaho|Lewiston]]||1861/1864||37,410||2.89 %||856||0.98 %
|-
|[[Oneida County, Idaho|Oneida]]||[[Malad City, Idaho|Malad City]]||1864||4,125||0.32 %||1,202||1.37 %
|-
|[[Owyhee County, Idaho|Owyhee]]||[[Murphy, Idaho|Murphy]]||1863||10,644||0.82 %||7,697||8.79 %
|-
|[[Payette County, Idaho|Payette]]||[[Payette, Idaho|Payette]]||1917||20,578||1.59 %||410||0.47 %
|-
|[[Power County, Idaho|Power]]||[[American Falls, Idaho|American Falls]]||1913||7,538||0.58 %||1,443||1.65 %
|-
|[[Shoshone County, Idaho|Shoshone]]||[[Wallace, Idaho|Wallace]]||1864||13,771||1.06 %||2,636||3.01 %
|-
|[[Teton County, Idaho|Teton]]||[[Driggs, Idaho|Driggs]]||1915||5,999||0.46 %||451||0.52 %
|-
|[[Twin Falls County, Idaho|Twin Falls]]||[[Twin Falls, Idaho|Twin Falls]]||1907||64,284||4.97 %||1,928||2.20 %
|-
|[[Valley County, Idaho|Valley]]||[[Cascade, Idaho|Cascade]]||1917||7,651||0.59 %||3,734||4.27 %
|-
|[[Washington County, Idaho|Washington]]||[[Weiser, Idaho|Weiser]]||1879||9,977||0.77 %||1,474||1.68 %
|-
|Total Counties: 44|| || ||Total 2000 Population: 1,293,953|| ||Total Area: 87,530 square miles
|}
*Two counties were first designated as such by the Washington Territorial Legislature in 1861; they were subsequently re-designated as Idaho counties in 1864

====Politics====
{| align="right" border="2" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;"
|+ '''Presidential elections results'''
|- bgcolor=lightgrey
! Year
! [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
! [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[U.S. presidential election, 2008|2008]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''61.5%''' ''403,012
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|36.1% ''236,440
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[U.S. presidential election, 2004|2004]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''68.38%''' ''409,235
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|30.26% ''181,098
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[U.S. presidential election, 2000|2000]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''67.17%''' ''336,937
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|27.64% ''138,637
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1996|1996]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''52.18%''' ''256,595
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|33.65% ''165,443
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1992|1992]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''42.03%''' ''202,645
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|28.42% ''137,013
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1988|1988]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''62.08%''' ''253,881
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|36.01% ''147,272
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1984|1984]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''72.36%''' ''297,523
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|26.39% ''108,510
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1980|1980]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''66.46%''' ''290,699
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|25.19% ''110,192
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1976|1976]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''59.88%''' ''204,151
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|37.12% ''126,549
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1972|1972]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''64.24%''' ''199,384
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|26.04% ''80,826
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1968|1968]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''56.79%''' ''165,369
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|30.66% ''89,273
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1964|1964]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|49.08% ''143,557
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''50.92%''' ''148,920
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1960|1960]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''53.78%''' ''161,597
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|46.22% ''138,853
|}

After the [[American Civil War|Civil War]], many Southern [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]] moved to Idaho Territory. As a result, the early territorial legislatures were solidly Democrat-controlled. In contrast, most of the territorial governors were appointed by [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] Presidents and were Republicans themselves. This led to sometimes bitter clashes between the two parties. In the 1880s, Republicans became more prominent in local politics.

Since statehood, the Republican Party has usually been the dominant party in Idaho, as there was a polar shift in social and political stance between the two parties, when the Democrats became more liberal and the Republicans more conservative. In the 1890s and early 1900s, the [[Populist Party (United States)|Populist Party]] enjoyed prominence while the Democratic Party maintained a brief dominance in the 1930s during the [[Great Depression]]. Since [[World War II]], most statewide elected officials have been Republicans.

Idaho Congressional delegations have also been generally Republican since statehood. Several Idaho Democrats have had electoral success in the [[United States House of Representatives|House]] over the years, but the [[United States Senate|Senate]] delegation has been a Republican stronghold for decades. Several Idaho Republicans, including current Senator [[Mike Crapo]], have won reelection to the Senate, but only [[Frank Church]] has won reelection as a Democrat. Church was the last Idaho Democrat to win a U.S. Senate race, in 1974. [[Walt Minnick]]'s 2008 win in the [[Idaho's 1st congressional district|First Congressional District]] was the state's first Democratic Congressional victory in 16 years.

In modern times, Idaho has been a reliably Republican state in presidential politics as well. It has not supported a Democrat for [[president of the United States|president]] since 1964. Even in that election, [[Lyndon Johnson]] defeated [[Barry Goldwater]] by less than two percentage points. In 2004, Republican [[George W. Bush]] carried Idaho by a margin of 38 percentage points and with 68.4% of the vote, winning in 43 of 44 counties. Only [[Blaine County, Idaho|Blaine County]], which contains the [[Sun Valley, Idaho|Sun Valley]] ski resort, supported [[John Kerry]], who owns a home in the area. In 2008 [[Barack Obama]]'s 36.1 percent<ref>[http://www.idsos.state.id.us/elect/RESULTS/2008/general/tot_stwd.htm Idaho Secretary of State Election Division, "November 4, 2008 General Election Results"]</ref> showing was the best for a Democratic presidential candidate in Idaho since 1976.

In the 2006 elections, Republicans, led by gubernatorial candidate [[C. L. Otter|C. L. "Butch" Otter]], won all of the state's constitutional offices and retained both of the state's seats in the [[United States House of Representatives]]. However, Democrats picked up several seats in the Idaho Legislature, notably in the Boise area.<ref>[http://www.ncsl.org/ncsldb/elect98/profile.cfm?yearsel=2006&statesel=ID]</ref>

Republicans lost one of the House seats in 2008 to Minnick, but Republican [[Jim Risch]] retained Larry Craig's Senate seat for the GOP by a comfortable margin.<ref>[http://www.sos.idaho.gov/ELECT/results/ENR/statewide_total.html 2008 statewide totals]</ref>

{{Further|[[Political party strength in Idaho]]}}
{{clear}}

==Important cities and towns==
<table><tr><td valign=top>
'''Population > 50,000 (urbanized area)'''
*[[Boise, Idaho|Boise]] (state capital) - Home of [[Boise State University]]
*[[Idaho Falls, Idaho|Idaho Falls]] - Location of the main offices of the [[Idaho National Laboratory]]
*[[Nampa, Idaho|Nampa]] - Home of [[Northwest Nazarene University]]
*[[Pocatello, Idaho|Pocatello]] - Home of [[Idaho State University]]
*[[Meridian, Idaho|Meridian]] - Suburb of Boise
'''Population > 30,000 (urbanized area)'''
*[[Caldwell, Idaho|Caldwell]] - Home of the [[Albertson College of Idaho]]
*[[Coeur d'Alene, Idaho|Coeur d'Alene]] - Home of [[North Idaho College]], major tourist hub
*[[Lewiston, Idaho|Lewiston]] - Home of [[Lewis-Clark State College]]
*[[Twin Falls, Idaho|Twin Falls]] - Home of [[College of Southern Idaho]], [[BASE jumping]]
'''Population > 10,000 (urbanized area)'''
*[[Ammon, Idaho|Ammon]] - Suburb of Idaho Falls
*[[Blackfoot, Idaho|Blackfoot]] - Home of Idaho Potato Museum
*[[Burley, Idaho|Burley]]
*[[Eagle, Idaho|Eagle]] - Suburb of Boise
*[[Garden City, Idaho|Garden City]]
*[[Hayden, Idaho|Hayden]] -Suburb of Coeur d'Alene
*[[Kellogg, Idaho|Kellogg]] - skiing ( [[Silver Mountain Resort|Silver Mountain Ski Resort]])
*[[Kuna, Idaho|Kuna]] - Suburb of Boise
*[[Moscow, Idaho|Moscow]] - Home of the [[University of Idaho]]
*[[Mountain Home, Idaho|Mountain Home]]
*[[Post Falls, Idaho|Post Falls]]- One of Idaho's fastest-growing cities doubling in size from 1993-2008.
*[[Rexburg, Idaho|Rexburg]] - Home of [[Brigham Young University-Idaho]]
</td><td valign=top>
'''Smaller Towns and Cities'''
*[[American Falls, Idaho|American Falls]] - historical town, first town to be entirely relocated
*[[Arco, Idaho|Arco]] - first city to be lit by electricity generated from a nuclear power plant
*[[Bonners Ferry, Idaho|Bonners Ferry]] - Northernmost major town in Idaho
*[[Buhl, Idaho]] - Trout Capitol of the World.
*[[City of Rocks National Reserve|City of Rocks]] - First rockclimbing station in Idaho
*[[Driggs, Idaho|Driggs]] - skiing (Grand Targhee)
*[[Eden, Idaho|Eden]]
*[[Emmett, Idaho|Emmett]]
*[[Greenleaf, Idaho|Greenleaf]] - passed a law recommending that residents own a [[firearm]]
*[[Fruitland, Idaho|Fruitland]]
*[[Hazelton, Idaho|Hazelton]]
*[[Island Park, Idaho|Island Park]] - snowmobiling, world-class fishing
*[[Jerome, Idaho|Jerome]]
*[[Malad City, Idaho|Malad City]]
*[[McCall, Idaho|McCall]] - major tourist hub
*[[Middleton, Idaho|Middleton]]
*[[Montpelier, Idaho|Montpelier]]
*[[Mullan, Idaho|Mullan]]
*[[New Plymouth, Idaho|New Plymouth]] - first planned community in Idaho, third west of the Rocky Mountains
*[[Notus, Idaho|Notus]]
*[[Orofino, Idaho|Orofino]] - County seat of Clearwater County
*[[Paris, Idaho]] - County seat of Bear Lake County
*[[Payette, Idaho|Payette]] - county seat of Payette County
*[[Plummer, Idaho|Plummer]]
*[[Rupert, Idaho|Rupert]]- County Seat of Minidoka County
*[[Rigby, Idaho|Rigby]] - television birthplace
*[[Salmon, Idaho]]
*[[Sandpoint, Idaho|Sandpoint]] - Major year round tourist town with [[Schweitzer Mountain|Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort]] and [[Lake Pend Oreille]].
*[[Soda Springs, Idaho|Soda Springs]] - US's only captive geyser
*[[St. Anthony, Idaho|St. Anthony]] - sand dunes and several [[lava tube]]s
*[[St. Maries, Idaho|St. Maries]]
*[[Stanley, Idaho]]
*[[Sun Valley, Idaho|Sun Valley]] - major year-round resort with world-class skiing
*[[Wallace, Idaho|Wallace]] - birthplace of [[Lana Turner]]
*[[Wilder, Idaho|Wilder]] - home of former governor, [[Phil Batt]]
*[[Worley, Idaho|Worley]]
*[[Firth, Idaho|Firth]] - Home of Idaho Supreme
</td><td valign=top>
[[Image:Cot sky.jpg|thumb|[[Boise, Idaho|Boise]], capital and largest city in Idaho.]]
[[Image:CdA.jpg|thumb|[[Coeur d'Alene, Idaho|Coeur d'Alene]]]]
[[Image:DSCN6296 pocatellodowntown e.jpg|thumb|[[Pocatello, Idaho|Pocatello]]]]
[[Image:downtownPostfalls.jpg|thumb|[[Post Falls, Idaho|Post Falls]]]]
[[Image:Idaho Falls Bonneville Hotel.jpg|thumb|[[Idaho Falls, Idaho|Idaho Falls]]]]
</td></tr></table>

==National Parks==
<gallery align="right" heights="100px">
Image:City of rocks view NPS.jpg|City of Rocks National Reserve
Image:Scoria field at Craters of the Moon NM-750px.JPG|Craters of the Moon National Monument
</gallery>
*[[California National Historic Trail]]
*[[City of Rocks National Reserve]]
*[[Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve|Craters of the Moon National Monument]]
*[[Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument]]
*[[Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail]]
*[[Minidoka National Historic Site]]
*[[Nez Perce National Historical Park]]
*[[Oregon National Historic Trail]]
*[[Yellowstone National Park]]

==National Recreation Areas==
[[File:Boise2008 065.JPG|thumb |250px |Hells Canyon National Recreation Area.]]
*[[Hells Canyon National Recreation Area]]
*[[Sawtooth National Recreation Area]]

==National Wildlife Refuges==
*[[Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge]]
*[[Camas National Wildlife Refuge]]
*[[Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge]]
*[[Grays Lake National Wildlife Refuge]]
*[[Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge]]
*[[Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge]]

==National Conservation Areas==
*[[Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area]]

=== State Parks ===
{{see also |List of Idaho state parks}}
<table><tr><td valign=top>
*[[Bear Lake State Park (Idaho)|Bear Lake State Park]]
*[[Box Canyon State Park]]
*[[Bruneau Dunes State Park]]
*[[Castle Rocks State Park]]
*[[City of Rocks State Park]]
*[[Coeur d'Alene Parkway]]
*[[Dworshak State Park]]
*[[Eagle Island State Park]]
*[[Farragut State Park]]
*[[Harriman State Park, Idaho|Harriman State Park]]
*[[Hells Canyon]]
*[[Hells Gate State Park]]
*[[Henrys Lake State Park]]
*[[Heyburn State Park]]
</td><td valign=top>
*[[Lake Cascade State Park]]
*[[Lake Walcott State Park]]
*[[Lucky Peak State Park]]
*[[Malad Gorge State Park]]
*[[Massacre Rocks State Park]]
*[[Mary Minerva McCroskey State Park]]
*[[Niagara Springs State Park]]
*[[Old Mission State Park]]
*[[Ponderosa State Park]]
*[[Priest Lake State Park]]
*[[Round Lake State Park]]
*[[Three Island Crossing State Park]]
*[[Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes]]
*[[Winchester Lake State Park]]
*[[Yankee Fork State Park]]</td>
<td>[[Image:DSCN6179 bearlake e.jpg|200px|thumb|Bear Lake State Park]]
[[Image:Hells Canyon Oregon.JPG|200px|thumb|Hells Canyon]]
</td></tr></table>
{{clear}}

==Education==
===Colleges and universities===
[[Image:Idahostateuniversity.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Idaho State University in Pocatello.]]
[[Image:UI-arboretum-spring-moscow-id-us.png|thumb|200px|right|University of Idaho in Moscow.]]
[[File:Boise2008 084.JPG|thumb|200px|right|thumb|200px|right|Boise State University in Boise.]]
The Idaho State Board of Education oversees three comprehensive universities. The [[University of Idaho]] in [[Moscow, Idaho|Moscow]] was the first university in the state (founded in 1889). A [[Land-grant university|land-grant institution]], the [[University of Idaho|UI]] is the state's flagship university. [[Idaho State University]] in [[Pocatello, Idaho|Pocatello]] opened in 1901 as the Academy of Idaho and was granted university status in 1963. [[Boise State University]] is the most recent school to attain university status in Idaho, and is primarily geared toward being a commuter school for part-time undergraduate students. The school opened in 1932 as Boise Junior College and became Boise State University in 1974. [[Lewis-Clark State College]] in [[Lewiston, Idaho|Lewiston]] is the only public, non-university 4 year college in Idaho.

Idaho has three regional community colleges: [[North Idaho College]] in [[Coeur d'Alene, Idaho|Coeur d'Alene]]; [[College of Southern Idaho]] in [[Twin Falls, Idaho|Twin Falls]]; and The [[College of Western Idaho]] in [[Nampa, Idaho|Nampa]], which is set to open in 2009.

Private institutions in Idaho are [[Brigham Young University-Idaho]] in [[Rexburg, Idaho|Rexburg]], which is affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; The [[College of Idaho]] in [[Caldwell, Idaho|Caldwell]], which still maintains a loose affiliation with the Presbyterian Church; [[Northwest Nazarene University]] in [[Nampa, Idaho|Nampa]]; and [[New Saint Andrews College]] in [[Moscow, Idaho|Moscow]], of reformed Christian theological background.

<table><tr><td valign=top>
*[[Boise State University]]
*[[Brigham Young University-Idaho]]
*The [[College of Idaho]]
*[[College of Southern Idaho]]
*[[Idaho State University]]
</td><td valign=top>
*[[Lewis-Clark State College]]
*[[New Saint Andrews College]]
*[[North Idaho College]]
*[[Northwest Nazarene University]]
*[[University of Idaho]]
</td></tr></table>

==Sports==
{| class="wikitable"
!Club
!Sport
!League
|-
|[[Boise Hawks]]
|[[Baseball]]
|[[Minor League Baseball]]
|-
|[[Boise State Broncos]]
|[[NCAA]]
|[[Division 1 College Sports]]
|-
|[[Idaho Vandals]]
|[[NCAA]]
|[[Division 1 College Sports]]
|-
|[[Idaho State Bengals]]
|[[NCAA]]
|[[Division 1 College Sports]]
|-
|[[Idaho Falls Chukars]]
|[[Baseball]]
|[[Minor League Baseball]]
|-
|[[Idaho Stampede]]
|[[Basketball]]
|[[NBA Development League]]
|-
|[[Boise Burn]]
|[[Arena football]]
|[[af2]]
|-
|[[Idaho Steelheads]]
|[[Ice hockey]]
|[[East Coast Hockey League]]
|-
|}

Boise is the host to the largest 5 K run for women, the St. Luke's Women's Fitness Celebration.

==Official State Emblems==
[[Image:Nezperceindians1895ish.jpg|right|thumb|150px]]
[[Image:Philadelphus shrub.jpg|right|thumb|150px]]
*State Bird: [[Mountain Bluebird]]
*State Dance: [[Square Dance]]
*State Fish: [[Cutthroat Trout]]
*State Flower: [[Syringa]] (''Syringa vulgaris'')
*State Fossil: [[Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument|Hagerman Horse]] (''Equus simplicidens'')
*State Fruit: [[Huckleberry]]
*State Gem: Idaho [[star garnet]]
*State Horse: [[Appaloosa]]
*State Motto: ''Esto perpetua'' ("Let it be perpetual")<ref>[http://idahohistory.net/Reference%20Series/0134.pdf Idaho history homepage]</ref>
*State Insect: [[Monarch butterfly]]
*State Raptor: [[Peregrine falcon]]
*State Song: [[Here We Have Idaho]]
*State Tree: [[Western White Pine]]
*State Soil: [[Threebear (soil)]]
{{clear}}

==Notable Idahoans==
{{main|List of people from Idaho}}

==See also==
{{portal|Idaho|Blueid.png}}
*'''[[List of Idaho-related topics]]'''
{{clear}}
<!-- Please place links to all topics directly related to the State of Idaho in the [[List of Idaho-related topics]] -->

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{sisterlinks|Idaho}}
*[http://www.idaho.gov/ State of Idaho government website]
*[http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/state/state_energy_profiles.cfm?sid=ID Energy Profile for Idaho]
*[http://www.parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/ Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation]
*[http://www.usnewspapers.org/state/idaho Idaho Newspapers]
*[http://wikis.ala.org/godort/index.php/Idaho Idaho State Databases] - Annotated list of searchable databases produced by Idaho state agencies and compiled by the Government Documents Roundtable of the American Library Association.
*[http://www.ers.usda.gov/StateFacts/ID.htm Idaho State Facts]
*[http://www.nps.gov/history/NR/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/4logcabins/4logcabins.htm Log Cabins in America: The Finnish Experience, a National Park Service Teaching with Historic Places (TwHP) lesson plan]
*[http://gov.idaho.gov/fyi/history/history_index.html The History of Idaho]
*[http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/16000.html U.S. Census Bureau]
*[http://www.usgs.gov/state/state.asp?State=ID USGS real-time, geographic, and other scientific resources of Idaho]
*[http://www.visitid.org/ Visit Idaho site]
{{-}}
{{Idaho|expand}}
{{United States}}
{{US West}}

{{succession
| preceded = [[Washington]]
| office = [[List of U.S. states by date of statehood]]
| years = Admitted on July 3, 1890 (43rd)
| succeeded = [[Wyoming]]
}}

{{coord|display=title|45|N|114|W|region:US-ID_type:adm1st_scale:3000000}}

[[Category:Idaho|*]]
[[Category:States of the United States]]
[[Category:1890 establishments]]

[[af:Idaho]]
[[ang:Idaho]]
[[ar:أيداهو]]
[[an:Idaho]]
[[arc:ܐܝܕܐܗܘ]]
[[frp:Idaho]]
[[ast:Idaho]]
[[az:Aydaho]]
[[bn:আইডাহো]]
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[[be:Штат Айдаха]]
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[[bg:Айдахо]]
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[[hak:Oi-tha̍t-hòt]]
[[ko:아이다호 주]]
[[haw:‘Ikahō]]
[[hy:Այդահո]]
[[hr:Idaho]]
[[io:Idaho]]
[[ig:Idaho]]
[[bpy:আইডাহো]]
[[id:Idaho]]
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[[os:Айдахо]]
[[is:Idaho]]
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[[he:איידהו]]
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[[ka:აიდაჰო]]
[[ks:ऐडहो]]
[[kw:Idaho]]
[[ht:Aydawo]]
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[[la:Idahum]]
[[lv:Aidaho]]
[[lt:Aidahas]]
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[[ml:ഐഡഹോ]]
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[[mr:आयडाहो]]
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[[mn:Айдахо]]
[[nl:Idaho]]
[[ja:アイダホ州]]
[[no:Idaho]]
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[[ug:Aydaxo Shitati]]
[[uz:Aydaho]]
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[[pt:Idaho]]
[[ro:Idaho (stat SUA)]]
[[ru:Айдахо]]
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[[sk:Idaho]]
[[sl:Idaho]]
[[sr:Ајдахо]]
[[fi:Idaho]]
[[sv:Idaho]]
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[[ta:ஐடஹோ]]
[[th:รัฐไอดาโฮ]]
[[vi:Idaho]]
[[tr:İdaho]]
[[uk:Айдахо]]
[[ur:ایڈاہو]]
[[vo:Idaho]]
[[yi:איידעהא]]
[[diq:İdaho]]
[[bat-smg:Aidahs]]
[[zh:爱达荷州]]

Revision as of 17:25, 26 February 2009

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