Geography and Climate of Nebraska
Bordered by Iowa and Missouri to the east, Colorado and Wyoming to the west, South Dakota to the north and Kansas to the south, Nebraska is centrally located along the Frontier Strip in the Midwest. Incidentally, Nebraska is in the middle of two time zones. The western half of the state is on Mountain Time and the east observes Central Time.
Nebraska can be broken up into two land regions, the Great Plains in western Nebraska and the Dissected Till Plains in the eastern half. The weathered look of the eastern part of Nebraska is evidence of Ice Age glaciers. The Dissected Till Plains feature gently undulating hills, the location of Lincoln and Omaha.
Within the Great Plains, there are several smaller land regions. The High Plains are semi-arid, while the Rainwater Basin has marshes and wetlands just south of the Platte River. The Sandhills have mixed-grass prairie cover, whereas the Pine Ridge and Wildcat Hills features eroded forested buttes and canyons.
The Missouri River helps define the state’s eastern border, as it runs from South Dakota southward. The Platte, Niobrara and Republican rivers all run east to west through the state, flowing through the center, north and south, respectively. Panorama Point is the highest elevation in Nebraska at 5,424 feet, although it pales in comparison next to Wyoming and Colorado.
Again, in terms of climate, Nebraska’s east and west half divide the state. The west has a semi-arid continental steppe climate, as opposed to the humid continental climate of the east. Temperature is fairly even across the state, while rainfall is higher in the east at 31 inches, unlike 13 inches in the western Panhandle.
Annual snowfall is usually between 25 to 35 inches over the entire state. Chinook winds from the Rocky Mountains moderate the temperatures in western Nebraska during the winter. Nebraska, like other Midwestern states, lies in Tornado Alley and is therefore very vulnerable to twisters.
History of Nebraska
Originally, Pawnee and Sioux Native American tribes inhabited the Nebraska area. Rene-Robert Cavelier was the first in 1682 to claim the area for France. Other attempts failed to occupy Nebraska until the late 1700s, when Jean-Baptiste Truteau set up a trading post near the Niobrara River. Scotsman John McKay also established a trade post next to the Missouri River. After the Louisiana Purchase, Nebraska became a U.S. possession incorporated in the Missouri Territory.
To protect the area's budding fur trading, Manuel Lisa and the Missouri Fur Company set up a trading post called Bellevue, Nebraska’s first town, in 1822 just north of the Platte River. In 1854, the Kansas-Nebraska Act split up the Kansas Territory, creating a separate Nebraska Territory.
Throughout the Civil War, Nebraska shared sympathies with the Union. In 1867, Nebraska officially became a state. The capital moved from Omaha to Lancaster and renamed Lincoln in honor of President Lincoln.
Homesteaders and immigrant settlers moved to Nebraska in waves during the 1860s, claiming government land grants. Railroad construction through cow towns helped the new state prosper.
Both ranchers and farmers suffered from cold winters, insect infestations, droughts and prairie fires. Many joined the Granger movement and the Farmer’s Alliances to protect their land and livelihood, supporting the Populist Party in the 1980s. William Jennings Bryan, a native Nebraskan son, ran in the 1896 Presidential election as a Populist.
As farming conditions improved, progressive legislation and highway construction became the state’s focus. After Nebraskan politician George Norris visited Australia in 1931, he campaigned and successfully changed the state constitution. The government adopted a unicameral legislative system.
Overconfidence in foot supply coupled with dust storms and droughts during the Great Depression ruined prices and left many farmers destitute. However, Nebraska’s agricultural economy picked back up in World War II. Sadly, Nebraska was the location for several prisoner of war camps during this time. Interestingly, Nebraska is the founder of Arbor Day and the National Arbor Day Foundation headquarters are still in Nebraska City.
Demographics of Nebraska
As of 2007, the estimated population of Nebraska is 1,774,571. Almost 90 percent of Nebraska’s cities have less than 3,000 people, sharing the same issue of rural flight with its neighboring Midwest states. However, both Omaha and Lincoln have experienced substantial population growth over the last decade.
German is the largest ancestry group, representing 38 percent of the population, followed by Irish, English and Swedish. Nebraska has a notable Czech-American population, comprising almost five percent of the population.
Protestants dominate Nebraska’s religious makeup, comprising 61 percent of the population. Out of those, 16 percent are Lutheran while another 21 percent are Evangelical. Catholics make up 28 percent, while nine percent of the population claim to be non-religious.
Economy of Nebraska
In 2004, Nebraska’s gross state product was $68 billion, with a per capita income of $31,339.
Agriculture reigns supreme in Nebraska, producing much of the nation’s beef, pork, soybeans and corn.
Freight transport and manufacturing are other large economic contributors, along with information technology, telecommunications and insurance. Ameritrade, Valmont Industries and Union Pacific Railroad have headquarters in Nebraska. Warren Buffet, the richest person in the world and the CEO of investment company Berkshire Hathaway, lives in Omaha.
Nebraska Law and Government
Republican Dave Heineman is Nebraska’s current governor. Chuck Hagel, a Republican, and Ben Nelson, a Democrat, are Senators for Nebraska. Lincoln is the state capital.
Nebraska is the only U.S. state that uses a unicameral legislature, which is nonpartisan and calls members “senators.” The election takes place without party affiliation next to their names on the ballot. The speaker and chairs are chosen at large.
Generally, Nebraska has been a staunch supporter of the Republican Party, especially during presidential elections. However, the state has elected centrist members from both parties to the state legislature. The major urban centers of Nebraska tend to be more liberal, while the surrounding towns are usually conservative on political and social issues. Nebraska, along with Maine, does not allow a split electoral vote.
Nebraska Transportation
Lincoln and Omaha have regional airports that serve the immediate area. There are several other private and commercial regional airports.
I-80 runs east to west from Omaha to Wyoming, whereas I-480 goes from downtown Omaha to Council bluffs, Iowa. I-129 is a short highway linking Sioux City in Iowa to South Sioux City and Dakota City, while I-180 is a major thoroughfare in downtown Lincoln. There are numerous other highways and state routes passing through the state’s other cities and towns.
Nebraska has historical ties to the railroad industry, with passenger service with Amtrak, BNSF Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway. Union Pacific Railroad has headquarters in Omaha, while the original transcontinental railroad has a route through the state.
Learn more from the Nebraska Department of Roads.
Major Cities and Towns of Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in Nebraska, next to the Missouri River. Much of Nebraska’s Czech population lives in Little Bohemia, while many of the state’s artists have close ties to the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, the largest urban artists’ colony in the nation. The renowned Henry Doorly Zoo houses exotic animals and an aquarium, while the Joslyn Castle and Christian Specht Building are Omaha landmarks.
Nebraska Educational System
The University of Nebraska system is home to four universities, with its flagship institution in Lincoln and the other three in Omaha, Kearney and Curtis. Nebraska also has three state colleges and eight community colleges, along with a slew of private universities.
Find out more at the Nebraska Department of Education.
Nebraska Sports Teams and Recreational Activities
While there are no professional sports teams in Nebraska, there are several minor league teams, such as the Lincoln Saltdogs and Omaha Royals for baseball, and the Omaha Beef for football. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Cornhuskers play NCAA Division I football. They won five national championships.
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