South Dakota is a state situated within the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state of South Dakota has an area of 77,116 square miles or 199,730 km2 and an estimated population of just over 800,000. The state capital is Pierre and Sioux Falls, with a population of just about 160,000, is the biggest city within South Dakota.
South Dakota is bounded by the states of North Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa, Wyoming, and Montana. The state of South Dakota is bisected by the Missouri River, dividing South Dakota into two geographically and socially distinct halves, known to inhabitants as "West River" and "East River". Eastern South Dakota is home to the majority of South Dakota's people, and fertile soil within this particular area is utilized to grow a variety of crops. West of the Missouri, the predominant agricultural activity is ranching, and the economy is more dependent on tourism and defense spending. A group of low pine-covered mountains, the Black Hills, is situated within the southwest region of South Dakota. The Black Hills are sacred to the Sioux. A main tourist destination, Mount Rushmore, is situated there. Other attractions within the southwest comprise Badlands and Wind Cave national parks, Custer State Park, the Crazy Horse Memorial, and historic Deadwood. South Dakota experiences a temperate continental weather, with four distinct seasons and precipitation ranging from moderate in the east to semi-arid in the west. The ecology of South Dakota features species typical of a North American grassland biome.
The current-dollar gross state product of South Dakota was $39.8 billion as of 2010, the fifth smallest total state output in the country. The per capita personal income was $38,865 during 2010, ranked 25th within the United States, and 12.5% of the residents was below the poverty line in 2008.
The largest economic driver in the state of South Dakota is the service industry, consisting of the areas of health care, retail and finance industries. Citibank, which was the largest bank holding company in the United States at one time, established national banking operations in the state of South Dakota in 1981 to take advantage of favorable banking regulations. Government spending is another vital segment of the economy of the state, providing over 10% of the gross state product. Ellsworth Air Force Base, near Rapid City, is the second-largest single employer within the state.
Agriculture has historically been a key component of the economy of South Dakota. Even if other businesses have grown rapidly in recent decades, agricultural production is still extremely vital to the state's economy, particularly in rural regions. The five most important agricultural products in South Dakota are corn, soybeans, cattle, hogs and wheat. Agriculture-related industries like for example ethanol production and meat packing also have a considerable economic impact on South Dakota. South Dakota is the sixth leading state that produces ethanol within the country.