South Dakota Info
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Capital
City: Pierre
Economy: Agriculture,
ranching, tourism, financial services and mining.
Language Description:
English
Passport/Visa U.S.:
Citizens of Australia and the U.K. need a passport and proof
of onward passage but in most cases will not need a visa (contact
a U.S. embassy or consulate for details). Canadians need to show proof
of citizenship accompanied by a photo ID. Reconfirm travel document
requirements with your carrier prior to departure.
Population: 733,135
Religion: Christian
(Protestant, Roman Catholic)
Time Zone:
6-7 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (-6 and -7 GMT). Daylight Saving
Time is observed from the first Sunday in April to the last Sunday
in October
Voltage Requirements:
110 volts
South Dakota's
Flag: The southdakota flag features the state seal
surrounded by a golden blazing sun in a field of sky blue. Letters
reading "South".
History
of South Dakota: Exploration of this area began in
1743 when Louis-Joseph and Fran?ois Verendrye came from France in
search of a route to the Pacific. The U.S. acquired the region as
part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 and it was explored by Lewis
and Clark in 1804–06. Fort Pierre, the first permanent settlement,
was established in 1817. In 1831, the first Missouri River steamboat
reached the fort. Settlement of southdakota did not begin in earnest
until the arrival of the railroad in 1873 and the discovery of gold
in the Black Hills the following year. southdakota's economy in recent
years has benefitted from an expanding and diversifying industrial
base. Agriculture is a cultural and economic mainstay, but it no longer
leads the state in employment or share of gross state product. Durable-goods
manufacturing and private services have evolved as the drivers of
the economy. Tourism is also a booming industry in the state, generating
approximately $1 billion worth of economic activity each year. southdakota
leads the nation in the production of hay and oats, and ranks second
among the states in the production of rye, flaxseed, and sunflower
seed. southdakota is the nation's second leading producer of gold
and the Homestake Mine is the richest in the U.S. Other minerals produced
include berylium, bentonite, granite, silver, and uranium. The Black
Hills are the highest mountains east of the Rockies. Mt. Rushmore,
in this group, is famous for the likenesses of Washington, Jefferson,
Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt, which were carved in granite by Gutzon
Borglum. A memorial to Crazy Horse is also being carved in granite
near Custer. Other tourist attractions include the Badlands; the World's
Only Corn Palace, in Mitchell; and the city of Deadwood, where Wild
Bill Hickok was killed in 1876 and where gambling was recently legalized
to truly recapture the city's Old West flavor.
Other South Dakota Links:
southdakota
State Library
southdakota Department of Tourism
southdakota Department of Education and Cultural Affairs
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