Wyoming Facts
Wyoming is a western state that is the least populated in the nation.
It’s also the 10th largest state in the US, so it’s a land of rugged landscapes and some of the world’s greatest wilderness areas.
Wyoming is known for its famous national parks, diverse wildlife, prairie and cowboy towns, pioneer museums, and hot springs.
Quick Facts
Capital: Cheyenne
Population: 579,000
Nickname: The Equality State
Key Cities: Cheyenne, Casper, Laramie, Gillette, Rock Springs
Postal Abbreviation: WY
Major Industries: Mining, real estate, manufacturing, agriculture, tourism
History
How did Wyoming get its name: The name Wyoming comes from the Dakota word “mscheweamiing,” which means “at the big flats” or “large plains.”
Date admitted to the Union: Thursday, July 10, 1890
Related: North and South Dakota
Geography
Size: 97,914 sq. miles
Lowest point: Belle Fourche River at 3,099 ft.
Highest point: Gannett Peak at 13,804 ft.
Counties: 23
Famous locations: Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Black Hills, Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area
Famous Wyomingites
Matthew Fox- actor
Isabel Jewell- actress
Curt Gowdy- sportscaster
Jackson Pollock- painter
Mildred Harris- actress
John Buck- baseball player
Fun Facts
Wyoming has been a pioneering state for women’s rights, which is part of the reason for its Equality State nickname.
In 1869, the Wyoming territory was the first to give women over 21 the right to vote. In 1925, Wyoming became the first state to elect a female governor.
Most of the nation’s first national park, Yellowstone, is within the borders of Wyoming.
Yellowstone is home to almost 300 species of birds, 67 species of mammals, and 16 species of fish.
Over 4 million people visit the park each year.
Old Faithful, a geyser in Yellowstone National Park, earned its name because its eruptions are so predictable. The geyser erupts almost every hour and a half.
The park service can accurately predict Old Faithful eruptions within a 10-minute window.
Wyoming is one of only six states with an official state dinosaur: the triceratops.
Cheyenne, Wyoming was the wealthiest city in the nation (and possibly the world) during the 1880’s due to its successful cattle industry and the Gold Rush.
The legendary movie Rocky IV (the fourth film in Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky series) was filmed in Wyoming.
Rocky’s training scenes were shot at a farm in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Scenes that were supposedly set in the frozen landscape of Russia were actually in Grand Teton National Park.
