South Dakota is known for:
- Mount Rushmore
- Agriculture
- Native American culture
- The Black Hills Gold Rush of the late 19th century
Geography & Demographics
| State Abbreviation |
SD |
| State Capital |
Pierre |
| State Size |
Total (Land + Water): 77,117 sq miles; Land Only: 75,885 sq miles |
| Number of Counties |
66 |
| Time Zone |
Central Time Zone, Mountain Time Zone |
| Bordering States |
Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Wyoming |
| Highest Point | Harney Peak, 7,244 feet |
| Tallest Building | CenturyLink Tower in Sioux Falls, 174 feet |
| Largest Stadium | Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium in Brookings, capacity 19,340 |
| National Parks | Badlands National Park
Wind Cave National Park
|
| State Population (2020) | 886,667 |
| State Population Density | 11.7 people / square mile |
| Area Codes |
605 |
| Top 5 Cities (2020 population) |
Sioux Falls (187,809)
Rapid City (78,864)
Aberdeen (28,180)
Brookings (24,804)
Watertown (22,303)
|
Government & Legislature
State Symbols
| State Animal | Coyote |
| State Bird |
Ring-necked pheasant |
| State Bread | Fry bread |
| State Colors | Blue and gold |
| State Dessert | Kuchen |
| State Fish | Walleye |
| State Flower |
American pasqueflower |
| State Fossil | Triceratops |
| State Gemstone | Fairburn agate |
| State Grass | Western wheat grass |
| State Insect | Honeybee |
| State Jewelry | Black Hills gold |
| State Mineral Stone | Rose quartz |
| State Motto |
Under God the people rule |
| State Musical Instrument | Fiddle |
| State Nickname |
Mount Rushmore State; Coyote State
| | State Soil | Houdek |
| State Song | "Hail! South Dakota" |
| State Sport | Rodeo |
| State Tree |
Black Hills spruce |
Sports Teams
Popular Tourist Attractions
- Badlands National Park: National park located in southwestern South Dakota.
- Bear Country USA: Drive-through wildlife park in Rapid City, South Dakota.
- Black Hills National Forest: National forest on the border of South Dakota and Wyoming.
- Bullock Hotel: Historic hotel in Deadwood, South Dakota.
- Crazy Horse Memorial: Monument in Crazy Horse, South Dakota.
- Corn Palace: Multi-purpose arena in Mitchell, South Dakota.
- Custer State Park: State park in Custer, South Dakota.
- Falls Park: Public park in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
- Great Plains Zoo: Zoo in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
- Harney Peak: The highest natural point in South Dakota, located in the Black Hills National Forest in southern Pennington County.
- Mount Rushmore: Massive mountainside sculpture depicting four former United States presidents, located in Keystone, South Dakota.
- Reptile Gardens: Wild animal park in Rapid City, South Dakota.
- Spearfish Canyon: Gorge in Spearfish, South Dakota.
- Sylvan Lake: Lake in East Custer, South Dakota.
- Terry Peak: Ski area in Lead, South Dakota.
- Washington Pavilion: Art gallery and science museum in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
- Wind Cave National Park: National park located in southwestern South Dakota.
Festivals and Events
Top festivals and events in South Dakota. They are listed in approximate order of when they take place during the year.
Popular Iconic South Dakota Foods
South Dakota is famous for the following foods:
- Kuchen
- Chislic
- Pheasant and Walleye
- Kolache
- Indian Tacos
- Wojapi
- Fudge
- Bierocks
Famous People Born In South Dakota
Nobel Prize Winners
Pro Football Hall Of Fame Members
- Norm Van Brocklin (Quarterback. Inducted in 1971)
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall Of Fame Players
- Becky Hammon (Guard. Inducted in 2023)
Famous Actors And Actresses
- January Jones
- Nicky Katt
- Cheryl Ladd
South Dakota Fun Facts
- Dakota is the Sioux word for "friend" or "ally." The Dakota Territory was divided into South Dakota and North Dakota on November 2, 1889.
- The most famous point of interest in South Dakota is the Mount Rushmore National Memorial, located in Pennington County. It opened on October 31, 1941.
- South Dakota is the only state whose name does not share a single letter with that of its capital (Pierre).
- Jewel Cave in Custer County, South Dakota, is the second largest cave system in the United States, and third largest in the world. This cave system contains 181.89 miles of mapped passageways.
- The largest and best-preserved Tyrannosaurus Rex fossil in the world was discovered by Sue Hendrickson near Faith, South Dakota, in 1990. The fossil was named Sue in Sue Hendrickson's honor.
- The geographical center of the United States is approximately 20 miles north of Belle Fourche, South Dakota.
- Mitchell, South Dakota, is the home of the world's only Corn Palace.
- South Dakota is the only state with an official State Jewelry: Black Hills gold.
- Lemmon, South Dakota, has the world's largest Petrified Wood Park.
This page was last updated on October 12, 2024.
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