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 Forklift Masts South Dakota - The US state of South Dakota is located within the Midwestern region of the nation. The name "Dakota" comes from the Dakota and Lakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Prior to becoming a state on November 2, 1889, South Dakota were part of Dakota Territory. The state of South Dakota has a projected population of a little over 800,000 and an area of 77,116 square miles or 199,730 km2. Pierre is the state capital and Sioux Falls, with a population of just about 160,000, is the largest city within the state of South Dakota.
The state of South Dakota is bordered by the states of North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, and Montana. The state is divided by the Missouri River, separating South Dakota into two socially and geographically distinct halves, known to residents as "West River" and "East River". Eastern South Dakota is home to nearly all of South Dakota's residents, and fertile soil within this particular area is used to grow a variety of crops. West of the Missouri, ranching is the predominant agricultural activity, and the economy is more dependent on defense spending and tourism. A group of low pine-covered mountains, the Black Hills, is situated in the southwest area of the state. The Black Hills are sacred to the Sioux. A main tourist destination, Mount Rushmore, is situated there. Other attractions in the southwest include Wind Cave and Badlands national parks, Custer State Park, the Crazy Horse Memorial, and historic Deadwood. The state of South Dakota experiences a temperate continental weather, with four distinct seasons and precipitation ranging from moderate in the east to semi-arid in the west. The ecology of the state features species typical of a North American grassland biome.
The current-dollar gross state product of South Dakota was $39.8 billion as of the year 2010, the fifth smallest total state output in the country. The per capita personal income was $38,865 in the year 2010, ranked 25th within the country, and 12.5% of the inhabitants was below the poverty line during 2008.
The largest economic driver in the state of South Dakota is the service industry, including the areas of health care, retail and finance businesses. Citibank, that was the largest bank holding company in the country at one time, established national banking operations in the state of South Dakota in the year 1981 to take advantage of favorable banking regulations. Government spending is one more essential segment of the economy of the state, providing over 10 percent of the gross state product. Ellsworth Air Force Base, near Rapid City, is the second-biggest single employer in the state.
Agriculture has historically been a key element of the South Dakota economy. Even if other industries have grown rapidly during recent decades, agricultural production is still extremely vital to the economy of the state, particularly in rural areas. The five most important agricultural products in South Dakota are corn, soybeans, cattle, wheat, and hogs. Agriculture-related industries such as meat packing and ethanol production also have a significant economic effect on the state. The state of South Dakota is the sixth leading ethanol-producing state in the United States.
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