Wyoming

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State of Wyoming
Flag of Wyoming Seal of Wyoming Nickname(s): Equality State, Cowboy State, Motto(s): Equal rights
Official language(s)	English
Demonym	Wyomingite
Capital	Cheyenne
Largest city	Cheyenne
Area	Ranked 10th in the US
- Total	97,818 sq mi (253,348 km²)
- Width	280 miles (450 km)
- Length	360 miles (580 km)
- % water	0.7
- Latitude	41°N to 45°N
- Longitude	104°3'W to 111°3'W
Population	Ranked 50th in the US
- Total	493,782
- Density	5.1/sq mi  1.96/km² (49th in the US)
Elevation
- Highest point	Gannett Peak[1] 13,804 ft  (4,210 m)
- Mean	6,700 ft  (2,044 m)
- Lowest point	Belle Fourche River[1] 3,099 ft  (945 m)
Admission to Union	July 10, 1890 (44th)
Governor	Dave Freudenthal (D)
Lieutenant Governor	None[2]
U.S. Senators	Mike Enzi (R) John Barrasso (R)
Congressional Delegation	Barbara Cubin (R) (list)
Time zone	Mountain: UTC-7/-6
Abbreviations	WY US-WY
Website	wyoming.gov

The State of Wyoming (/waɪˈoʊmɪŋ/) is a state in the western region of the United States of America. The majority of the state is dominated by the mountain ranges and rangelands of the Rocky Mountain West, while the easternmost section of the state is a high altitude prairie region known as the High Plains. The tenth largest U.S. state by size, Wyoming is the least populous, with a U.S. Census estimated population of 522,830 in 2007, a 5.9% increase since 2000.^[3] The capital and the most populous city of Wyoming is Cheyenne.

Contents 1 Geography 1.1 Location and size 1.2 Mountain ranges 1.3 Public lands 1.3.1 Parks 1.3.2 Recreation areas 1.3.3 National monuments 1.3.4 National historic trails and sites 1.3.5 National parkways 1.3.6 Wildlife refuges and hatcheries 1.4 Climate 2 History 3 Demographics 3.1 Population 3.2 Religion 4 Economy 4.1 Mineral production 4.2 Taxes 5 Transportation 6 Law and government 6.1 Judicial system 6.2 Politics 7 Counties 8 Cities and towns 9 Metropolitan areas 10 Education 10.1 Higher education 11 Sports 12 Miscellaneous information 12.1 State symbols 13 See also 14 References 15 External links

[edit] Geography

[edit] Location and size

Wyoming is bordered on the north by Montana, on the east by South Dakota and Nebraska, on the south by Colorado, on the southwest by Utah, and on the west by Idaho. It is the tenth largest state in the United States in total area, containing 97,818 square miles (253,348 km²) and is made up of 23 counties. From the north border to the south border it is 276 miles (444 km); and from the east to the west border is 375 miles (603 km).

[edit] Mountain ranges

The Great Plains meet the Rocky Mountains in Wyoming. The state is a great plateau broken by a number of mountain ranges. Surface elevations range from the summit of Gannett Peak in the Wind River Mountain Range, at 13,804 feet (4,207 m), to the Belle Fourche River Valley in the state’s northeast corner, at 3,125 feet (952 m). In the northwest are the Absaroka, Owl Creek, Gros Ventre, Wind River and the Teton ranges. In the north central are the Big Horn Mountains; in the northeast, the Black Hills; and in the southern region the Laramie, Snowy and Sierra Madre ranges.

The Snowy Range in the south central part of the state is an extension of the Colorado Rockies in both geology and appearance. The Wind River Range in the west central part of the state is remote and includes more than 40 mountain peaks in excess of 13,000 ft (4,000 m) tall in addition to Gannett Peak, the highest peak in the state. The Big Horn Mountains in the north central portion are somewhat isolated from the bulk of the Rocky Mountains.

The Teton Range in the northwest extends for 50 miles (80 km) and represents the most impressive section of mountains in the state. It is home to Grand Teton, the second highest peak in Wyoming, and to Grand Teton National Park, which preserves the most scenic section of the Teton range.

The Continental Divide spans north-south across the central portion of the state. Rivers east of the Divide drain into the Missouri River Basin and eventually the Atlantic Ocean. They are the Platte, Wind, Big Horn and the Yellowstone rivers. The Snake River in northwest Wyoming eventually drains into the Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean, as does the Green River through the Colorado River Basin.

The Continental Divide forks in the south central part of the state in an area known as the Great Divide Basin where the waters that flow or precipitate into this area remain there and cannot flow to any ocean. Instead, because of the overall aridity of Wyoming, water in the Great Divide Basin simply sinks into the soil or evaporates.

Several rivers begin or flow through the state, including the Yellowstone River, Powder River, Green River, and the Snake River.

[edit] Public lands

Over 48% of the land in Wyoming is owned by the U.S. Government, which ranks fifth in the US in both total acres owned by the Federal Government and by percentage of a state's land owned by the Federal government.^[4] This amounts to about 30,099,430 acres (121,808.1 km²) owned and managed by the U.S. Government. The state government owns an additional 6% of all Wyoming lands, or another 3,864,800 acres (15,640 km²).^[5]

The vast majority of this government land is managed by the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service in numerous National Forests, a National Grassland, and a number of vast swaths of public land.

In addition, Wyoming contains a number of specific areas that are under the management of the National Park Service and other agencies. They include:

[edit] Parks

• Yellowstone National Park
• Grand Teton National Park

[edit] Recreation areas

• Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area
• Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area

[edit] National monuments

• Devils Tower National Monument
• Fossil Butte National Monument

[edit] National historic trails and sites

• California National Historic Trail
• Fort Laramie National Historic Site
• Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail
• Oregon National Historic Trail
• Pony Express National Historic Trail

[edit] National parkways

• John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway between Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park

[edit] Wildlife refuges and hatcheries

• Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge
• National Elk Refuge
• Jackson National Fish Hatchery
• Saratoga National Fish Hatchery

[edit] Climate

The climate in Wyoming is generally a semi-arid continental climate (Koppen climate classification BSk) which is drier and windier in comparison to most of the United States with temperature extremes. Much of this is due to the topography of the state. Summers in Wyoming are warm with July high temperatures averaging between 85 °F (29 °C) and 95 °F (35 °C) in most of the state. With increasing elevation, however, this average drops rapidly with locations above 9,000 feet (2,743 m) averaging around 70 °F (21 °C). Summer nights throughout the state are characterized by a rapid cooldown with even the hottest locations averaging in the 50-60 °F (10-14 °C) range at night. In most of the state, the late spring and early summer is when most of the precipitation tends to fall. Winters are cold, but are variable with periods of sometimes extreme cold interspersed between generally mild periods, with Chinook winds providing unusually warm temperatures in some locations. Wyoming is an arid state with much of the land receiving less than 10 inches (250 mm) of rainfall per year. Precipitation depends on elevation with lower areas in the Big Horn Basin averaging 5-8 inches (125 - 200 mm) (making the area nearly a true desert). The lower areas in the North and on the eastern plains typically average around 10-12 inches (250-300 mm), making the climate there semi-arid. Some mountain areas do receive a good amount of precipitation, 20 inches (510 mm) or more, much of it as snow, sometimes 200 inches (510 cm) or more annually.

The climate of any area in Wyoming is largely determined by its latitude, altitude and local topography. When put together, these factors have a lot to do with airflow patterns, temperature variations, precipitation and humidity brought in by the weather systems that migrate eastward. In winter, Wyoming is often beneath the jet stream, or north of it, which accounts for its frequent strong winds, blasts of Arctic air and precipitation, all the necessary ingredients for great snow conditions at Wyoming's northwestern ski areas. In summer, the jet stream retreats northward to somewhere over Canada, leaving the state's weather mild and pleasant at a time when the majority of Wyoming's visitors choose to arrive. Jackson, located at 6,230 feet (1,899 m) above sea level and surrounded by mountains, can expect a high temperature in July of 80˚ F (26.6 °C). The average is more likely to be 65˚ F (18.3 °C). The closest National Weather Station (in Riverton on the other side of the Wind River Mountains at 4,955 feet (1,510 m)) reports slightly warmer July weather.

Weather and topography in Wyoming both have more contrast than in most other states. Severe weather is not uncommon in Wyoming, with the state being one of the leading states for hail damage in the United States. The number of thunderstorm days vary across the state with the southeastern plains of the state having the most days of thunderstorm activity. Thunderstorm activity in the state is highest during the late spring and early summer. The southeastern corner of the state is the most vulnerable part of the state to tornado activity. Moving away from that point and westwards, the incidence of tornadoes drops dramatically with the west part of the state showing little vulnerability. Tornadoes, where they occur, tend to be small and brief, unlike some of those which occur a little further east.

Monthly normal high and low temperatures for various Wyoming cities [1]

City	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Casper	32/12	37/16	47/23	56/29	66/38	79/47	87/53	85/52	73/42	60/32	43/21	34/14
Cheyenne	37/15	40/17	46/22	54/29	64/38	75/48	82/53	80/52	70/43	58/32	44/22	38/16
Lander	32/9	37/14	48/24	56/31	66/40	78/49	86/55	85/54	73/44	60/33	42/19	33/10
Sheridan	33/10	39/15	48/22	58/30	66/39	76/47	85/52	85/52	73/41	60/30	43/18	34/10

[edit] History

Main article: History of Wyoming

Several Native American groups originally inhabited the region we know as Wyoming. The Crow, Arapaho, Lakota, and Shoshone were but a few of the original inhabitants encountered when white explorers first entered the region. Although French trappers may have ventured into the northern sections of the state in the late 1700s, John Colter, a member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, first described the region in 1807. His reports of the Yellowstone area were considered at the time to be fictional. Robert Stuart and a party of five men returning from Astoria discovered South Pass in 1812. The Oregon Trail later followed that route. In 1850, Jim Bridger located what is now known as Bridger Pass, which the Union Pacific Railroad used in 1868 — as did Interstate 80, ninety years later. Bridger also explored Yellowstone and filed reports on the region that, like those of Colter, were largely regarded as tall tales at the time.

The region may have acquired the name Wyoming as early as 1865, when Representative J. M. Ashley of Ohio introduced a bill to Congress to provide a "temporary government for the territory of Wyoming." The name Wyoming derives from the Munsee name xwé:wamənk, meaning "at the big river flat," originally applied to the Wyoming Valley in Pennsylvania, made famous by the 1809 poem Gertrude of Wyoming by Thomas Campbell.^[6][7]

After the Union Pacific Railroad reached the town of Cheyenne in 1867, the region's population began to grow steadily, and the Federal government established the Wyoming Territory on July 25, 1868.^[8] Unlike Colorado to the south, Wyoming enjoyed no significant discovery of such celebrated minerals as gold and silver — nor Colorado's consequent boom in population — although some areas of Wyoming produced copper.

Once government sponsored expeditions to the Yellowstone country were undertaken, the previous reports by men like Colter and Bridger were found to be true. This led to the creation of Yellowstone National Park, which became the world's first National Park in 1872. Nearly all of Yellowstone National Park lies within the far northwestern borders of Wyoming.

In 1869, Wyoming extended much suffrage to women, at least partially in an attempt to garner the votes to be admitted as a state. In addition to being the first U.S. state to extend suffrage to women, Wyoming was also the home of many other firsts for U.S. women in politics. For the first time, women served on a jury in Wyoming (Laramie in 1870). Wyoming had the first female court bailiff (Mary Atkinson, Laramie, in 1870) and the first female justice of the peace in the country (Esther Hobart Morris, South Pass City, in 1870). Wyoming became the first state in the Union to elect a female governor, Nellie Tayloe Ross, who was elected in 1924 and took office in January 1925.

The United States admitted Wyoming into the Union on July 10, 1890.

Wyoming was the location of the Johnson County War of 1892, which erupted between competing groups of cattle ranchers. The passage of the federal Homestead Act led to an influx of small ranchers. A range war broke out when either or both of the groups chose violent conflict over commercial competition in the use of the public land.

See: List of Wyoming counties

[edit] Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1870	9,118		—
1880	20,789		128.0%
1890	62,555		200.9%
1900	92,531		47.9%
1910	145,965		57.7%
1920	194,402		33.2%
1930	225,565		16.0%
1940	250,742		11.2%
1950	290,529		15.9%
1960	330,066		13.6%
1970	332,416		0.7%
1980	469,557		41.3%
1990	453,588		-3.4%
2000	493,782		8.9%

[edit] Population

The center of population of Wyoming is located in Natrona County. [2]

As of 2005, Wyoming has an estimated population of 509,294, which is an increase of 3,407, or 0.7%, from the prior year and an increase of 15,512, or 3.1%, since the 2000 census. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 12,165 people (that is 33,704 births minus 21,539 deaths) and an increase from net migration of 4,035 people into the state. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 2,264 people, and migration within the country produced a net increase of 1,771 people. In 2004, the foreign-born population was 11,000 (2.2%). In 2005, total births in Wyoming numbered 7,231 (Birth Rate of 14.04). [3]

Sparsely populated, Wyoming is the least populous state of the United States (including the District of Columbia), and has the second lowest population density, behind Alaska.

Demographics of Wyoming (csv)
By race	White	Black	AIAN	Asian	NHPI
AIAN is American Indian or Alaskan Native — NHPI is Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
2000 (total population)	96.19%	1.01%	3.06%	0.84%	0.13%
2000 (Hispanic only)	6.05%	0.11%	0.32%	0.06%	0.02%
2005 (total population)	96.01%	1.15%	3.06%	0.90%	0.12%
2005 (Hispanic only)	6.38%	0.15%	0.27%	0.05%	0.01%
Growth 2000–2005 (total population)	2.95%	17.26%	3.16%	10.32%	-3.47%
Growth 2000–2005 (non-Hispanic only)	2.57%	14.20%	4.95%	12.17%	0.18%
Growth 2000–2005 (Hispanic only)	8.66%	42.08%	-12.31%	-14.09%	-28.40%

The largest ancestry groups in Wyoming are: German (25.9%), English (15.9%), Irish (13.3%), American (6.5%), Norwegian (4.3%), and Swedish (3.5%).

[edit] Religion

The religious affiliations of the people of Wyoming are shown in the table below:

• Christian – 78%
  • Protestant – 53%
    • Lutheran – 8%
    • Baptist – 8%
    • Methodist – 6%
    • Presbyterian – 4%
    • Episcopal – 4%
    • Other Protestant or general Protestant – 21%
  • Roman Catholic – 16%
  • LDS (Mormon) – 11%
• Other Religions – 1%
• Jewish – 0.1%
• Non-Religious – 20.9%

[edit] Economy

According to the 2005 U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis report, Wyoming’s gross state product was $27.4 billion. Wyoming’s unemployment rate for 2006 was approximately 3.3%, which is lower than the national average of 4.6%. Components of Wyoming's economy differ significantly from those of other states. The mineral extraction industry and the travel and tourism sector are the main drivers behind Wyoming’s economy. The Federal government owns about 50% of its landmass, while 6% is controlled by the state. Total taxable values of mining production in Wyoming for 2001 was over $6.7 billion. The tourism industry accounts for over $2 billion in revenue for the state.

In 2002, over six million people visited Wyoming’s national parks and monuments. The key tourist attractions in Wyoming include Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Devils Tower National Monument and Fossil Butte National Monument. Each year Yellowstone National Park receives three million visitors.

Historically, agriculture has been an important component of Wyoming’s economic identity. Its overall importance to the performance of Wyoming’s economy has waned. However, it is still an essential part of Wyoming’s culture and lifestyle. The main agricultural commodities produced in Wyoming include livestock (beef), hay, sugar beets, grain (wheat and barley), and wool. Over 91% of land in Wyoming is classified as rural.

[edit] Mineral production

Wyoming’s mineral commodities include coal, natural gas, coalbed methane, crude oil, uranium, and trona. Wyoming ranks highest in mining employment in the U.S. In fiscal year 2002, Wyoming collected over $48 million in sales taxes from the mining industry.

• Coal: Wyoming produced 395.5 million short tons (358.8 million metric tons) of coal in 2004. The state is the number one producer of coal in the U.S.^[9] Wyoming possesses a reserve of 68.7 billion tons (62.3 billion metric tons) of coal. Major coal areas include the Powder River Basin and the Green River Basin
• Natural gas: In 2004, natural gas production was 1,929 billion cubic feet (54.6 km³). Wyoming ranks 5th nationwide for natural gas production. The major markets for natural gas include industrial, commercial, and domestic heating.

*Coal Bed Methane (CBM): The boom for CBM began in the mid-1990s. CBM is characterized as methane gas that is extracted from Wyoming’s coal bed seams. It is another means of natural gas production. There has been substantial CBM production the Powder River Basin. In 2002, the CBM production yield was 327.5 billion cubic feet (9.3 km³).

• Crude oil: Production of Wyoming crude oil in 2004 was 51.7 million barrels (8.22 million cubic meters). The state is ranked 7th among producers of oil in the U.S. Petroleum is most often used as a motor fuel, but it is also utilized in the manufacture of plastics, paints, and synthetic rubber.
• Trona: Wyoming possesses the largest known reserve of trona in the world. Trona is used for manufacturing glass, paper, soaps, baking soda, water softeners, and pharmaceuticals. In 2002 Wyoming produced 17.3 million short tons (15.7 million metric tons) of trona.
• Uranium: Although uranium mining in Wyoming is much less active than it was in previous decades, recent increases in the price of uranium have generated new interest in uranium prospecting and mining.

[edit] Taxes

Unlike most other states, Wyoming does not levy an individual or corporate income tax. In addition, Wyoming does not assess any tax on retirement income earned and received from another state. Wyoming has a state sales tax of 4%. Counties have the option of collecting an additional 1% tax for general revenue and a 2% tax for specific purposes, if approved by voters. Food for human consumption is not subject to sales tax^[10]. There also is a county lodging tax that varies from 2% to 5%. The state collects a use tax of 5% on items purchased elsewhere and brought into Wyoming. All property tax is based on the assessed value of the property and Wyoming's Department of Revenue's Ad Valorem Tax Division supports, trains, and guides local government agencies in the uniform assessment, valuation and taxation of locally assessed property. "Assessed value" means taxable value; "taxable value" means a percent of the fair market value of property in a particular class. Statutes limit property tax increases. For county revenue, the property tax rate cannot exceed 12 mills (or 1.2%) of assessed value. For cities and towns, the rate is limited to 8 mills (0.8%). With very few exceptions, state law limits the property tax rate for all governmental purposes.

Personal property held for personal use is tax-exempt. Inventory if held for resale, pollution control equipment, cash, accounts receivable, stocks and bonds are also exempt. Other exemptions include property used for religious, educational, charitable, fraternal, benevolent and government purposes and improvements for handicapped access. Minerals are exempt from property tax but companies must pay a gross products tax and a severance tax when produced. Underground mining equipment is tax exempt.

Wyoming does not collect inheritance taxes. Because of the phase-out of the federal estate tax credit, Wyoming's estate tax is not imposed on estates of persons who died in 2005. There is limited estate tax related to federal estate tax collection.

In 2008 the Tax Foundation ranked Wyoming as having the single most "business friendly" tax climate of all 50 states.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Transportation

Three interstate highways and seven U.S. highways pass through Wyoming. In addition, the state is served by the Wyoming state highway system.

Interstate 25 enters the state south of Cheyenne and runs north, crossing Interstate 80 in Cheyenne. It passes through Casper and ends at Interstate 90 near Buffalo. Interstate 80 crosses the Utah border west of Evanston and runs east through the southern half of the state, passing through Cheyenne before entering Nebraska near Pine Bluffs. Interstate 90 comes into Wyoming near Parkman and cuts through the northern part of the state. It serves Gillette and enters South Dakota east of Sundance.

The U.S. highways that pass through the state are U.S. Routes 14, 16, 20, 26, 30, 89, 191, and 287.

See also: List of Wyoming railroads and State highways in Wyoming

[edit] Law and government

Wyoming's Constitution established three branches of government: the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The Wyoming state legislature comprises a House of Representatives with 60 members and a Senate with 30 members.

Wyoming's sparse population warrants it only a solitary Congressman, and hence only three votes in the electoral college. Its low population renders Wyoming voters effectively more powerful in presidential elections than those in more populous states. For example, while Montana had a 2000 census population of 902,195 to Wyoming's 493,782, they both have the same number of electoral votes.

Wyoming is an alcoholic beverage control state.

[edit] Judicial system

Wyoming's highest court is the Supreme Court of Wyoming, with five justices presiding over appeals from the state's lower courts. Wyoming is unusual in that it does not have an intermediate appellate court, like most states. This is largely attributable to the state's size and correspondingly lower caseload. Appeals from the state district courts go directly to the Wyoming Supreme Court. Wyoming also has state circuit courts (formerly county courts), of limited jurisdiction, which handle certain types of cases, such as civil claims with lower dollar amounts, misdemeanor criminal offenses, and felony arraignments. Circuit court judges also commonly hear small claims cases as well. All state court judges in Wyoming are nominated by the Judicial Nominating Commission and appointed by the Governor. They are then subject to a retention vote by the electorate.

[edit] Politics

Wyoming is predominantly conservative and politically Republican. Its congressional delegation in Washington comprises its two Senators, Mike Enzi and John Barrasso, and its one member of the House of Representatives, Congresswoman Barbara Cubin. All three are Republicans. The state has not voted for a Democrat for president since 1964, and there are only two reliably Democratic counties. In the 2004 presidential election, George W. Bush won his second-largest victory, with 69% of the vote. Current Vice President Dick Cheney is a Wyoming resident and represented the state in Congress from 1979 to 1989. However, after his term, he resided primarily in Texas, a fact that drew mild criticism from his political opponents when he changed his voter registration back to Wyoming prior to joining George W. Bush's ticket in the 2000 Presidential election.

Despite Wyoming's clear preference for Republicans in national offices, Democrats have held the governorship for all but eight years since 1975. Democrat Dave Freudenthal was elected in 2002 and has one of the highest approval ratings of any governor in the USA. Wyoming in 2006 reelected incumbent Republican Congresswoman Barbara Cubin by just over 1,200 votes.

[edit] Counties

The State of Wyoming has 23 counties.

Wyoming Counties Ranked By 2005 Population^[11]

Rank	County	Population
1	Laramie County	85,163	13	Converse County	12,766
2	Natrona County	69,799	14	Goshen County	12,243
3	Sweetwater County	37,975	15	Big Horn County	11,333
4	Campbell County	37,405	16	Platte County	8,619
5	Fremont County	36,491	17	Washakie County	7,933
6	Albany County	30,890	18	Johnson County	7,721
7	Sheridan County	27,389	19	Sublette County	6,926
8	Park County	26,664	20	Weston County	6,671
9	Uinta County	19,939	21	Crook County	6,182
10	Teton County	19,032	22	Hot Springs County	4,537
11	Lincoln County	15,999	23	Niobrara County	2,286
12	Carbon County	15,331	Wyoming Total		509,294

In 2005, 52.4% of Wyomingites lived in one of the 5 most populous Wyoming counties.

Wyoming license plates contain a number on the left that indicates which county the vehicle is from. The county license plate numbers are as follows:

# on License Plate	County
1	Natrona
2	Laramie
3	Sheridan
4	Sweetwater
5	Albany
6	Carbon
7	Goshen
8	Platte
9	Big Horn
10	Fremont
11	Park
12	Lincoln
13	Converse
14	Niobrara
15	Hot Springs
16	Johnson
17	Campbell
18	Crook
19	Uinta
20	Washakie
21	Weston
22	Teton
23	Sublette

[edit] Cities and towns

The State of Wyoming has 98 incorporated municipalities.

The 20 Most Populous Wyoming Cities and Towns^[12]

Rank	City	County	Population
1	City of Cheyenne	Laramie County	55,731
2	City of Casper	Natrona County	51,738
3	City of Laramie	Albany County	26,050
4	City of Gillette	Campbell County	22,685
5	City of Rock Springs	Sweetwater County	18,772
6	City of Sheridan	Sheridan County	16,333
7	City of Green River	Sweetwater County	11,787
8	City of Evanston	Uinta County	11,459
9	City of Riverton	Fremont County	9,430
10	City of Cody	Park County	9,100
11	Town of Jackson	Teton County	9,038
12	City of Rawlins	Carbon County	8,658
13	City of Lander	Fremont County	6,898
14	City of Douglas	Converse County	5,581
15	City of Torrington	Goshen County	5,533
16	City of Powell	Park County	5,288
17	City of Worland	Washakie County	4,967
18	City of Buffalo	Johnson County	4,290
19	Town of Wheatland	Platte County	3,464
20	City of Newcastle	Weston County	3,221

In 2005, 50.6% of Wyomingites lived in one of the 13 most populous Wyoming municipalities.

[edit] Metropolitan areas

The United States Census Bureau has defined two Metropolitan Statistical Areas and seven Micropolitan Statistical Areas for the State of Wyoming.

U.S. Census Bureau Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas of Wyoming^[13]

Census Area	County	Population
Cheyenne, WY, Metropolitan Statistical Area	Laramie County, Wyoming	85,163
Casper, WY, Metropolitan Statistical Area	Natrona County, Wyoming	69,799
Rock Springs, WY, Micropolitan Statistical Area	Sweetwater County, Wyoming	37,975
Gillette, WY, Micropolitan Statistical Area	Campbell County, Wyoming	37,405
Riverton, WY, Micropolitan Statistical Area	Fremont County, Wyoming	36,491
Laramie, WY, Micropolitan Statistical Area	Albany County, Wyoming	30,890
Sheridan, WY, Micropolitan Statistical Area	Sheridan County, Wyoming	27,389
Jackson, WY-ID, Micropolitan Statistical Area	Teton County, Wyoming	19,032
	Teton County, Idaho	7,467
	Total	26,499
Evanston, WY, Micropolitan Statistical Area	Uinta County, Wyoming	19,939

In 2005, 30.4% of Wyomingites lived in either of the Metropolitan Statistical Areas, and 73% lived in either a Metropolitan Statistical Area or a Micropolitan Statistical Area.

[edit] Education

Main article: List of high schools in Wyoming

Public education is directed by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, an elected state official. Educational policies are set by the State Board of Education, a nine-member board appointed by the governor. The constitution prohibits the state from establishing curriculum and text book selections; these are the prerogatives of local school boards. The Wyoming School for the Deaf was the only in-state school dedicated to supporting deaf students in Wyoming, but it closed in summer of 2000.

[edit] Higher education

Main article: List of colleges and universities in Wyoming

Wyoming has one public four-year institution, the University of Wyoming in Laramie. In addition, there are seven two-year community colleges spread through the state.

Prior to the passing of a new law in 2006, Wyoming had become a haven for alleged diploma mills.^[14] Among the state's distance education unaccredited institutions that remain in Wyoming today is Warren National University at Cheyenne. The 2006 law is forcing unaccredited institutions to make one of three choices, move out of Wyoming, close down, or like Warren National University apply for accreditation. The Oregon State Office of Degree Authorization predicts that perhaps in a couple years the problem will be resolved.^[15]

[edit] Sports

• Casper Ghosts, minor league baseball
• Wyoming Cavalry, American Indoor Football Association
• University of Wyoming, Football, Basketball, Soccer, Golf

[edit] Miscellaneous information

• USS Wyoming was named in honor of this state.

[edit] State symbols

Nickname: Big Wonderful Wyoming, Equality State, Cowboy State

State motto: "Equal Rights"

State flower: Indian Paintbrush

State mammal: Bison

State bird: Western Meadowlark

State tree: Plains Cottonwood

State gemstone: Jade

State fish: Cutthroat Trout

State reptile: Horned Toad

State Fossil: Knightia

State dinosaur: Triceratops

State coin: Golden Dollar

State Song: Wyoming by Charles E. Winter & George E. Knapp

State Mythical Creature: Jackalope

State Grass: Western Wheatgrass

State Soil: Forkwood

[edit] See also

• List of law enforcement agencies in Wyoming
• List of people from Wyoming
• Mountain peaks of the Rocky Mountains
• Scouting in Wyoming
• Rocky Mountains
• Territory of Wyoming
• Wyoming census statistical areas

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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	Quotations
	Source texts
	Images and media
	News stories
	Learning resources

• State of Wyoming government website
  • State information and symbols
• Wyoming's portal to knowledge and learning
• Wyoming State Law Library
• USGS real-time, geographic, and other scientific resources of Wyoming
• U.S. Census Bureau
• Photos of Wyoming - Terra Galleria
• Wyoming State Facts
• Wyoming Ski and Snowboard Areas on SnowGuide.org
• Gertrude of Wyoming by Thomas Campbell

	v • d • e State of Wyoming Cheyenne (capital)
Topics	Governors | Geography | Government | Economy | History | People
Regions	Black Hills | Grand Teton | Great Basin | Powder River Country | Yellowstone
Cities	Casper | Cheyenne | Cody | Douglas | Evanston | Gillette | Green River | Jackson | Laramie | Rawlins | Riverton | Rock Springs | Sheridan | Worland
Counties	Albany | Big Horn | Campbell | Carbon | Converse | Crook | Fremont | Goshen | Hot Springs | Johnson | Laramie | Lincoln | Natrona | Niobrara | Park | Platte | Sheridan | Sublette | Sweetwater | Teton | Uinta | Washakie | Weston

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Federal district	Washington, D.C. (District of Columbia)
Insular areas	American Samoa · Guam · Northern Mariana Islands · Puerto Rico · U.S. Virgin Islands
Outlying islands	Bajo Nuevo Bank · Baker Island · Howland Island · Jarvis Island · Johnston Atoll · Kingman Reef · Midway Atoll · Navassa Island · Palmyra Atoll · Serranilla Bank · Wake Island

Coordinates: 43° N 107.5° W