Geography and Climate of South Dakota
South Dakota is in the Midwest, bordered to the east by Iowa and Minnesota, the west by Wyoming and Montana, the north by North Dakota and the south by Nebraska. The Missouri River flows through the central part of the state, dividing it into two distinct parts.
To the east of the river are low hills, fertile soil for farming and lakes formed by glaciers. The western side of the river features rolling plains and deep canyons.
The Drift Prairie region encompasses most of the eastern part of the state. The Coteau des Prairies borders the Minnesota River Valley in the east and the James River Basin in the west. In the southeast, the Dissected Till Plains have rolling hills intersected by streams.
The Great Plains cover most of the western part of the state, where the James River flows from north to south. Rugged hills, canyons and steep buttes comprise the land west of the Missouri River.
In the Badlands, the Black Hills region extends from the southwestern region of South Dakota into Wyoming. The Black Hills are rich in minerals, including gold, copper, silver and lead. Mountains range from tall hills to 4,000 feet, covering 6,000 square miles of pine.
Harney Peak, the highest point in South Dakota at 7,242 feet, is also the highest point east of the Rocky Mountains. The Cheyenne and White rivers run through this region as well.
South Dakota has a continental climate, with dry, hot spells during the summer months and below freezing temperatures in the winter. The state receives about 15 inches of rain per year, although some areas of the state are more humid. Thunderstorms with winds and hail occur frequently in the summer, while winters can sometimes result in blizzards and ice storms. The eastern half of South Dakota is susceptible to tornadoes.
History of South Dakota
Sioux tribes like the Dakota, Lakota and Nakota, along with the Omaha and Arikara, lived in the South Dakota area before French explorers started traveling through in the 1700s. In 1743, France established the site of present-day Pierre. After the Louisiana Purchase, the Lewis and Clark Expedition rode through the newly acquired territory. The first American trading post was set up in 1817 at Fort Pierre.
By 1855, Fort Randall in the southern part of the state, was growing. It subsequently attracted settlers, from westward-moving Americans to European immigrants from Scandinavia, Germany, Ireland and Russia. The Yankton Sioux signed the 1858 Treaty, which ceded most of eastern South Dakota to the U.S. Three years later, the government established the Dakota Territory, which included North Dakota, South Dakota, some of Montana and parts of Wyoming.
The discovery of gold in the Black Hills in 1874 led to a boom in population. Lt. Col. George A. Custer led a military expedition into other parts of the state. However, the western region of South Dakota was part of the Great Sioux Reservation, as deemed in 1868 in the Treaty of Fort Laramie.
As a result, the Sioux refused to allow mining or land rights in the Black Hills, ensuing in all-out warfare against the tribe. The Sioux were defeated and forced to settle on reservations within the Dakota Territory.
Due to the increasing population, the Dakota Territory called for a split. The Enabling Act of 1889 divided the territory into North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming and Montana, allowing each one admission into the Union.
In 1890, the Wounded Knee Massacre, the last significant armed conflict between the Sioux and the U.S., took place at the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The incident ended in the death of around 300 Sioux and 25 U.S. soldiers.
During the Great Depression, drought and over-cultivation of the land helped cause the Dust Bowl, which destroyed farmlands in South Dakota and other states in the plains. Topsoil blew away in heavy dust storms, effectively devastating crops. The economic situation of the times, coupled with bank foreclosures, left many South Dakotans in ruins.
Although the state grew prosperous again during World War II, a sizeable percentage of the population left the state in search of new farms in the west. Since then, South Dakota has diversified its economy with finance and tourism.
Demographics of South Carolina
As of 2005, the estimated population of South Dakota is 775,933. The state has experienced rural flight, resulting in a loss of population. Nearly 90 percent of cities in the South Dakota are home to less than 3,000 people. However, Sioux Falls and the Black Hills region have seen an increase in growth.
German is the largest ancestry group, representing 40 percent of the population. Other European ancestry groups include Norwegian, Irish and English. Native Americans, including descendants of the Dakota, Sioux and Lakota tribes, make up over eight percent of the population.
South Dakota is heavily Christian, with a quarter of the population claiming to be Catholic. Protestants compose 61 percent of the state’s religious makeup, with 27 percent Lutherans and 13 percent Methodists. While three percent of the state’s population belongs to a non-Christian faith, eight percent do not have any religious affiliation.
Economy of South Dakota
In 2006, South Dakota’s gross state product was $32.3 billion, while the state’s per capita income in 2004 was $26,894.
South Dakota’s largest industry is the service sector, including health care and finance, such as Citibank’s headquarters in Sioux Falls. The second largest employer in the state is Ellsworth Air Force Base, near Rapid City.
Agriculture has always played a key role in South Dakota’s economy, producing cattle, hogs, wheat, corn and soybeans. Manufacturing industries such as meatpacking are important, as well. South Dakota is one of the top states in ethanol production.
Tourism is another significant South Dakota industry, due largely to historic sites like Mount Rushmore National Memorial, which features the sculpture of four U.S. presidents into a mountain by Gutzon Borglum. The Black Hills, Badlands National Park, Wind Cave National Park and Jewel Cave National Monument also draw in visitors and contributed $2 billion in 2006 to the state’s economy.
South Dakota Law and Government
Republican M. Michael Rounds currently serves as South Dakota’s governor. Senators Tim Johnson and John Thune, a Democratic and Republican, respectively, represent South Dakota in the U.S. Senate. The state has one congressional representative, while South Dakota’s legislature includes 35 Senate members and 70 House members. Pierre is the state capital.
Politically, South Dakota is heavily Republican and has yet to support a Democratic presidential candidate since 1964, including the Democratic nominee in 1972, native son George McGovern. The state is socially conservative, creating recent legislation in an effort to ban abortions.
South Dakota Transportation
Sioux Falls Regional Airport and Rapid City Regional Airport are South Dakota’s biggest commercial airports. They offer connecting flights to larger airports in the Midwest.
I-90 runs east to west, traveling through both Rapid City and Sioux Falls. I-190 leads into Rapid City, while I-229 travels around Sioux Falls. I-29 goes north to south through the eastern part of the state.
Other highways in the state are U.S. Routes. There are two National Scenic Byways traveling through the Black Hills and the north-central parts of the state.
Major Cities and Towns of South Dakota
Sioux Falls, the most populous city in South Dakota, is home to LifeLight Festival, the biggest free Christian music festival in the nation. The Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science has venues for theatre productions, while the Jazz and Blues Festival is a perennial summer favorite.
Rapid City, located in the Back Hills, and Aberdeen are the second and third most populated cities in the state.
South Dakota Educational System
South Dakota has the highest number of schools per capita in the nation.
The University of South Dakota is the oldest campus and the only one with attached medical and law schools. South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in Rapid City is a renowned engineering school. South Dakota State University is the state’s largest university. There are several other public and private colleges in the state.
Find out more at the South Dakota Department of Education.
South Dakota Sports Teams and Recreational Activities
South Dakota does not have any major professional sports teams. However, there are several minor league baseball, football, indoor football, ice hockey, basketball and soccer teams, mostly based out of Sioux Falls and Rapid City.
Boating and fishing are very popular recreational activities at one of the dams created by the Missouri River or at one of the state’s numerous lakes and streams. Hunting and camping are other common activities, along with rock climbing and skiing in the Black Hills.
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