 South
Dakota Information
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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