Iowa is a state in the American Midwest, often referred to as the Heart of America due to its location. Iowa was once part of a colonized territory called New France. It did not break away from French rule until 1763. Agriculture and manufacturing are the largest contributors to its GDP, with food, heavy and chemical industries being important.
Table of Contents
Basic Information About Iowa
- State Name: Iowa
- State Abbreviation:IA
- Capital: Des Moines
- Largest City: Des Moines
- Area: 145,743 km2 (26th largest U.S. state)
- Population: 3,155,070 (32nd highest in the U.S.)
- Time Zone: CST (UTC-6), CDT (UTC-5) in the summer
- Other Information:Speed Limits in Iowa, Current Time in Iowa, Minimum Wage in Iowa
What to See in the State of Iowa
- Czech and Slovak Museum and Library in Cedar Rapids
- Des Moines Capitol Building
- Mississippi River Aquarium and Museum in Dubuque
- Iowa 80 Trucking Museum in Walcott
- The Des Moines Railroad
- Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines
- Union Pacific Railroad Museum in Council Bluffs
- Adventureland Amusement Park in Altoona
- Buffalo Bill Museum in Le Claire
- Ledges State Park
For tips on other sights and places of interest in Iowa, post them in the discussion.
Iowa
Fun Facts about Iowa
Date of Iowa’s Entry into the Union
December 28, 1846 (29th in order)
Iowa State Nickname
The Hawkeye State
Iowa’s tallest mountain
Hawkeye Point (509 metres)
Rivers in Iowa
- Missouri River (3,770 km)
- Mississippi River (3,730 km)
- Des Moines River (845 km)
- Big Sioux River (674 km)
- Cedar River (544 km)
Airports in Iowa
- Des Moines International Airport
- Cedar Rapids – Eastern Iowa Airport
- Dubuque Regional Airport
- Sioux Gateway Airport
- Waterloo Regional Airport
Iowa Sports Teams
- NFL (American football): no team
- MLB (baseball): no team
- MLS (football): no team
- NHL (ice hockey): no team
- NBA (basketball): no team
Universities in Iowa
- University of Iowa
- Iowa State University
ZIP Codes
50001-52809, 68119-68120
Iowa Weather
Like most states in the American Midwest, Iowa has a continental climate characterized by frequent precipitation and variations in weather across the seasons. Winters in Iowa tend to be freezing, with the average temperature in January being -10 °C, however, temperatures in the Mason City area, for example, can drop to -15 °C.
Summer temperatures usually hover around 24 °C, with an upper limit of around 31 °C in the shade. Typical of summer is muggy and frequent thunderstorms, with tornadoes hitting the state several times a year.
Current Forecasts:
Largest Cities in Iowa
| # | City | Population | Map |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Des Moines | 203,433 | Show on Map |
| 2 | Cedar Rapids | 126,326 | Show on Map |
| 3 | Davenport | 99,685 | Show on Map |
| 4 | Sioux City | 82,684 | Show on Map |
| 5 | Waterloo | 68,406 | Show on Map |
| 6 | Iowa City | 67,862 | Show on Map |
| 7 | Council Bluffs | 62,230 | Show on Map |
| 8 | Ames | 58,965 | Show on Map |
| 9 | Dubuque | 57,637 | Show on Map |
| 10 | West Des Moines | 56,609 | Show on Map |
Food Prices in Iowa
- McDonalds Restaurant McMeal prices: $7.50
- Restaurant draft beer (0.5L): $4.12
- Cappuccino in restaurant: $3.98
- Coca-Cola in restaurant (0.33 l): $1.88
- Milk (1 l): $0.97
- Bread (500 g): $2.80
- Rice (1 kg): $3.26
- Egg (12 pcs): $2.29
- Cheese (1 kg): $12.65
- Boneless chicken breast (1 kg): $9.50
- Beef Loin (1 kg): $10.74
- Apples (1 kg): $4.79
- Bananas (1 kg): $1.10
- Oranges (1 kg): $3.79
- Tomatoes (1 kg): $5.54
- Potatoes (1 kg): $1.59
- Water (1.5 l bottle): $1.75
- Bottle beer (0.5 l bottle): $1.93
- Pack of Marlboro cigarettes: $7.00
Food prices in the city of Des Moines valid in January 2021. Take these as a guide, they vary widely from store to store. Tax is included in the price.
Iowa State Symbols
- Stone: geode
- Flower: Arkansas rose
- Bird: yellow finch
- Tree: oak
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