South Dakota is a state in the Midwestern United States. While in area it is more of an average state, in population it is one of the less populous states. South Dakota’s landmark and its most famous tourist attraction is Mount Rushmore, a rock into which the portraits of four former presidents of the United States are carved.
Table of Contents
Basic Information About South Dakota
- State Name: South Dakota
- State Abbreviation: SD
- Capital: Pierre
- Largest City: Sioux Falls
- Area: 199,905 km2 (17th largest U.S. state)
- Population: 884,659 (47th highest in the U.S.)
- Time Zone: eastern half of the state CST (UTC-6) and summer CDT (UTC-5), western half of the state MST (UTC-7) and summer MDT (UTC-6)
- More Information: Speed Limits in South Dakota, Current Time in South Dakota, Minimum Wage in South Dakota
What to See in the state of South Dakota
- Mount Rushmore National Monument
- Badlands National Park
- Wind Cave National Park
- Custer State Park
- Lake Sylvan Lake
- Needles Eye Rock Formation
- Black Hill National Forest
- Spearfish Canyon
- Rapid City Downtown
- Jewel Cave
For tips on other sights and places of interest in South Dakota, post them in the discussion.
South Dakota
Fun Facts about South Dakota
Date of South Dakota’s Entry into the Union
November 2, 1889 (40th in order)
South Dakota State Nickname
The Mount Rushmore State
The Highest Mountain in South Dakota
Harney Peak (2,208 metres)
South Dakota Rivers
- Missouri River (3,770 km)
- James River (1,140 km)
- White River (930 km)
- Little Missouri River (900 km)
- Big Sioux River (674 km)
Airports in South Dakota
- Sioux Falls Regional Airport
- Rapid City Regional Airport
- Aberdeen Regional Airport
- Pierre Regional Airport
- Watertown Regional Airport
South Dakota 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 South Dakota
- South Dakota State University
- University of South Dakota
- Black Hills State University
ZIP Codes
57001-57799
South Dakota Weather
South Dakota has four seasons, similar to ours. Winters tend to be cool and dry, and summers are hot and humid.
The average temperature in South Dakota in summer is 32 °C, although it is common to cool down to 15 °C at night. Over the winter, temperatures drop as low as -15 °C. Parts of eastern South Dakota are occasionally plagued by destructive tornadoes.
Current Forecasts:
Largest Cities in South Dakota
| # | City | Population | Map |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sioux Falls | 183,793 | Show on Map |
| 2 | Rapid City | 77,503 | Show on Map |
| 3 | Aberdeen | 28,257 | Show on Map |
| 4 | Brookings | 24,415 | Show on Map |
| 5 | Watertown | 22,174 | Show on Map |
| 6 | Mitchell | 15,679 | Show on Map |
| 7 | Yankton | 14,687 | Show on Map |
| 8 | Pierre | 13,867 | Show on Map |
| 9 | Huron | 13,380 | Show on Map |
| 10 | Spearfish | 11,756 | Show on Map |
South Dakota Food Prices
- McDonalds Restaurant McMeal prices: $7.50
- Restaurant draft beer (0.5L): $3.88
- Cappuccino in restaurant: $4.00
- Coca-Cola in restaurant (0.33 l): $1.94
- Milk (1 l): $0.58
- Bread (500 g): $2.12
- Rice (1 kg): $2.94
- Egg (12 pcs): $1.19
- Cheese (1 kg): $10.26
- Boneless chicken breast (1 kg): $5.17
- Beef Loin (1 kg): $8.04
- Apple (1 kg): $4.32
- Bananas (1 kg): $1.73
- Oranges (1 kg): $4.90
- Tomatoes (1 kg): $3.30
- Potatoes (1 kg): $2.88
- Water (1.5 l bottle): $1.53
- Bottle beer (0.5 l bottle): $2.72
- Pack of Marlboro cigarettes: $7.00
Grocery prices in Sioux Falls effective January 2021. Take these as a guide, they vary widely from store to store. Tax is included in the price.
State Symbols of South Dakota
- Gemstone: Fairburn tile
- Fossil: triceratops
- Insects: honey bee
- Flower: conifer
- Mineral: rose quartz
- Drink: milk
- Song: Hail, South Dakota!
- Bird: bassback pheasant
- Fish: North American scad
- Sport: rodeo
- Tree: spruce
- Animal: prairie coyote
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