Nebraska, population 1,713,235 (2001), is bordered by the states of South Dakota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado and Wyoming.

The Great Plains state, with an area of 77,358 square miles, is famed for seemingly endless fields of corn, oats and wheat, huge cattle raising operations, idyllic small towns and farms and of course, legendary football teams from the University of Nebraska.

Nebraska is a leading grain producer with crops of sorghum, corn and wheat. More varieties of grass, valuable for forage, grow in this state than in any other in the nation. The state's sizable cattle and hog industries place Dakota City and Lexington among the nation's largest meat-packing centers.

The fertile Great Plains of central and eastern Nebraska are mostly flat, cultivated farmland. Miles of cornfields stretch in all directions. In the west the land rises into the Sand Hills, a large area of grass-covered sand dunes, while the southern edge of the South Dakota Badlands extends into the far northwestern corner. The eastern edge of the Rockies stretches into the southwestern corner of Nebraska, where some peaks are in the 5,000-foot range. Chimney Rock, at 470 feet one of America's most famous historical sites, served as a landmark for pioneers traveling west along the Oregon Trail.

Nebraska also is divided into seven regions: The Lewis and Clark, Metro Corridor, Panhandle, Pioneer, Prairie, Sandhills and the Trails of the Frontier.

The Missouri River forms Nebraska's entire eastern border. The fabled Platte River, "Highway to the West," runs through the heart of the state and eventually branches into Colorado and Wyoming. The Niobrara River flows across the northern plains.

Nebraska enjoys warm summers, generally dry winters, moderate humidity and plenty of sunshine. Early evening thunderstorms are common in summer, especially throughout the central and eastern regions. Tornados strike the state on a regular basis, averaging 39 tornados annually -- Nebraska lies in America's Tornado Alley. January is the coldest month, with average high temperatures near 20 degrees. July is the warmest month, with average high temperatures near 80 degrees. Much hotter summers and harsh, cold winters are frequent. Nebraska's annual precipitation ranges from 20 to 30 inches in the east and central sections, while the west experiences much drier conditions.

Lincoln, the state capital, has a population of 225,000 and is the home to the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. The university is the city's cultural nucleus as well as the state's football mecca, where every Cornhusker game since 1962 has been a sellout. On game day, Memorial Stadium becomes the third most-populated area in the state.

Other important Nebraska cities:

Omaha is located in Douglas County and is the county =seat. Since its beginnings in the 1850s, the city has been an important agricultural, trade and transportation center, called the Gateway to the West. Omaha enjoys a diversified economy. Among its largest employers are First Data Card Services Group and Mutual of Omaha Companies. Eleven colleges and universities call Omaha home. The city maintains more than 8,000 acres of parks and 13 neighborhood recreation centers.

Grand Island is located in Hall County on the banks of the Platte River near Crane Meadows Nature Center and Cheyenne State Recreation Area. Grand Island is a manufacturing giant. It also is a railroad center with the major lines, Union Pacific and Burlington Northern, crossing the city.

Bellevue is located in Sarpy County south of Omaha along Interstate 29 near Schramm's Peak State Recreation Area and Platte River State Park. The home of Offutt Air Force Base, Bellevue is part of the Omaha, Nebraska-Iowa metro area.

Kearney, the seat of Buffalo County, is 45 miles southwest of Grand Island near Fort Kearney State Recreation Area and Cottonmill Park. Nature enthusiasts from around the world enjoy the annual sandhill crane migration that takes place each spring. It is a spectacle to behold as nearly 500,000 cranes gather along the Platte River for rest and rejuvenation. A branch of the University of Nebraska is located at Kearney.

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