SOUTH DAKOTA

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Pierre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 533

Rapid City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 543

Sioux Falls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 555

The State in Brief

Nickname: Coyote State; Mount Rushmore State

Motto: Under God the people rule

Flower: Pasque flower

Bird: Ringnecked pheasant

Area: 77,116 square miles (2000; U.S. rank: 17th)

Elevation: 966 feet to 7,242 feet above sea level

Climate: Continental, characterized by seasonal extremes of temperature as well as persistent winds, low humidity, and scant rainfall

Admitted to Union: November 2, 1889

Capital: Pierre

Head Official: Governor Mike Rounds (R) (until 2007)

Population

1980: 691,000

1990: 696,004

2000: 754,844

2004 estimate: 770,883

Percent change, 1990–2000: 8.5%

U.S. rank in 2004: 46th

Percent of residents born in state: 68.1% (2000)

Density: 9.9 people per square mile (2000)

2002 FBI Crime Index Total: 17,342

Racial and Ethnic Characteristics (2000)

White: 669,404

Black or African American: 4,685

American Indian and Alaska Native: 62,283

Asian: 4,378

Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 261

Hispanic or Latino (may be of any race): 10,903

Other: 3,677

Age Characteristics (2000)

Population under 5 years old: 51,069

Population 5 to 19 years old: 176,412

Percent of population 65 years and over: 14.3%

Median age: 35.6 years (2000)

Vital Statistics

Total number of births (2003): 11,254

Total number of deaths (2003): 7,142 (infant deaths, 80)

AIDS cases reported through 2003: 105

Economy

Major industries: Finance, insurance, and real estate; agriculture; tourism; wholesale and retail trade; services

Unemployment rate: 3.7% (April 2005)

Per capita income: $28,299 (2003; U.S. rank: 38)

Median household income: $39,829 (3-year average, 2001-2003)

Percentage of persons below poverty level: 10.9% (3-year average, 2001-2003)

Income tax rate: None

Sales tax rate: 4.0%