KANSAS: Sunflowers and the barn of America

The state of Kansas on the map of the USA can be found in the heart of the state, and therefore it is not surprising that it is often called the heart of all America. Both large and small towns have a large number of different attractions, attracting hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the world every year. Now the region is famous all over the world for its wheat and popular children's fairy tale.

Short story

Kansas - the state, which was part of the state 34th in the account. Before the appearance of the first European settlers on its territory, there were numerous tribes of Aborigines who were engaged in hunting and farming. The first documentary mention of it dates back to 1541. It was then that the first expedition headed by a Spaniard named F. de Coronado arrived from Mexico. In the seventeenth century it was inhabited by peoples, known as pueblo and kanza. The origin of the state name is associated with the name of the last of them. At this time, the region was formally considered the property of the French colony of Louisiana, and in 1763 passed under the control of Spain. At the end of the eighteenth century, territories were returned to France, whose government sold them to the United States in 1803.

Geography

As already mentioned above, the state is located in the central part of the country. Its area is just over 213 thousand square kilometers. According to this indicator in the state, it occupies the 15th place. The population is about 2.9 million people. Thus, its average density here is more than 13 inhabitants per one square kilometer. Almost the entire territory lies on the Great Plains, in this connection it is not surprising that the relief of this region is mostly flat. Kansas is a state whose length is 645 kilometers from west to east, and 340 kilometers from north to south. Its highest point is at 1232 meters above sea level. The largest local waterways are rivers such as Missouri and Arkansas. As for the neighbors of Kansas, it borders on Oklahoma, Missouri, Nebraska and Colorado.

Climate

The territory of the state is dominated by a continental climate with cool winters and hot summers. Due to the fact that a large part of the territory falls on the plains, it is poorly protected from air cold air from Canada, as well as warm flows from the Gulf of Mexico. Because of this, a fairly frequent local phenomenon has become a strong temperature difference. The same is associated with the formation of a tornado. By their annual number in the US, the region is second only to Texas. The air temperature in July is 27 degrees above zero, while the average annual temperature is about 13 degrees Celsius. As for precipitation, a significant part of it falls in the period from April to September. In general, their number decreases from 1000 millimeters in the southeast to 400 millimeters in the western regions.

Economy

Kansas is a state that has long been the leader in the US for harvesting wheat. In general, its economy is based on such areas as industry, agriculture and mining. The most developed industry is aviation construction. Quite a large number of local residents are employed in engineering, as well as in the light, food and chemical industries. According to the area allocated for agriculture, this state ranks third in the country. In the fields, mainly wheat, barley, corn, oats and sunflower are grown. At a high level is also livestock. Among the minerals, oil production (8th in the USA), gravel, rock salt, natural gas, gypsum, limestone, lead and zinc are well established. Quite developed in recent years has become the services sector, in particular tourism, finance and trade.

Cities

Kansas, whose capital is called Topeka, does not have large cities and megacities on its territory. The administrative center of the state is located on the bank of the river of the same name. Its population is about 128 thousand inhabitants. The largest local city is Wichita. About 362 thousand people live here. It became famous all over the world thanks to a well-developed aviation industry. In particular, here in quite large volumes, the construction of aircraft is carried out. Here is the main airport in the region. Other major cities in Kansas are Dodge City, Emporia, Derby and Kansas City.

Interesting Facts

• Only 1% of the local population is indigenous.
• The most iconic local architectural building is the "Kansas City Library", actively participated in the creation of the inhabitants of the state and the city.
• Very popular in the region is its own kitchen, in particular cooking barbecue.
• The most common unofficial names that Kansas has is "sunflower staff" and "breadbasket of America." This is due to the great importance of its agriculture for the country's economy.
• A local native named Amelia Earhart became the first female pilot to overcome the Atlantic.
• Fishing with bare hands in the state is a criminal offense.