The US state of Iowa is located in the midwestern region of the United States. It is limited to the states of Minnesota to the north, Wisconsin and Illinois to the east, Missouri to the south, and Nebraska and South Dakota to the west. Its name comes from the Native American Iowa people, who inhabited the territory before the arrival of the Europeans.
The first explorers to reach the region were the French Louis Joliet and Jacques Marquette, in 1673, who managed to enter the new lands by navigating the Mississippi River. The United States began to colonize the region from 1833 onwards; Iowa officially became the 29th US state on December 28, 1846.
The relief of the State is formed mainly by plains. Iowa has many natural lakes; the main ones are Spirit, West Okoboji and East Okoboji lakes. The average elevation in the state is 335m, with little variation between one region and another. Iowa has a humid continental climate, with very extreme temperatures in each season.
The state has great prominence in agriculture, as it is the largest producer of corn, has the largest swine herd and is one of the largest soy producers in the United States. It is also the largest ethanol producer in the country. The main products manufactured in the State are processed foods, machinery and chemical products and electrical equipment. However, Iowa's greatest source of wealth is the provision of community, personal, financial and real estate services, namely the tertiary sector.
Its capital and largest city is Des Moines.
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Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
DANTAS, James. "Iowa"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/geografia/iowa.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
