Nebraska Overview

According to ebizdir, Nebraska is a state whose landscape is exactly what most visitors imagine the United States to be. Wide plains of the prairie as well as imposing farms and ranches are the picture that one gets in Nebraska again and again and gives a feeling of freedom. Most of the farms in Nebraska are very extensive, so Nebraska often looks out over endless fields.

Large livestock and other agriculture are very important sources of income for Nebraska. Agriculture is also important for tourism in Nebraska, as many visitors come to the state for this way of life.

In addition to the farms and the landscape, the three National Monuments, which also include a fossil deposit, are very worth seeing in Nebraska. In terms of culture, you can also experience a lot in Nebraska, here you will find many universities as well as various museums. The larger cities of Nebraska have some very beautiful and impressive buildings that are definitely worth checking out.

In every way, Nebraska is a beautiful region where you can experience different sides of life in the United States.

Nebraska – key data

Land area: 200,520 square kilometers (ranked 16th of all US states)

Share of water surface: 0.7%

Population: 1.78 million (2008 estimate, ranked 38th of all states in the USA)

Population density: 8.9 residents per square kilometer (43rd place of all states in the USA)

Member of the USA since: March 1, 1867 (37th state in the USA)

Capital: Lincoln (225,581 residents, 2000, metropolitan area 292,219 residents)

Largest city: Omaha (432,921 residents, 2008, metropolitan area 837,925 residents)

Highest point: 1,653 m, Panorama Point

Lowest point: 256 m, Missouri River

Governor: Dave Heinemann (Republican)

Lieut. Governor: Rick Sheehy (Republican)

Local time: CET -7 h. From the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November: CET -6 h.
The time difference to Central Europe is -7 h in both winter and summer.

Postal abbreviation: NE

Nebraska Geography and Map

Nebraska with the capital Lincoln is one of the US states of the Midwest and has a total area of ​​200,520 square kilometers. In the west of the state, the Midwest merges into the western United States. One of Nebraska’s slogans is therefore “Where the West begins”.

Once part of the Great American Desert, Nebraska is now intensively farming and stockbreeding. Divided into countless ranches and farms, the state is one of the most important producers of agricultural products in the United States.

In addition to its agricultural areas, Nebraska has numerous natural attractions and landmarks Historic sites, national parks and some forest areas. The Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, the Chimney Rock National Historic Site, the Homestead National Monument of America and the Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail are managed by the National Park Service. Major forest areas under the administration of the National Forest Service include the Nebraska National Forest and the Samuel R. McKelvie National Forest. Also worth mentioning is the Oglala National Grassland.

Nebraska got its name possibly after an Native American word meaning “shallow water”, which is on the Platte River that flows through the state. The 499-kilometer-long river, which divides the state into its north and south halves, is the most important river in Nebraska, along with the Missouri River – 4,130 kilometers. Also to be mentioned are the approximately 692 kilometers long Niobrara River in the north of the state and the approximately 679 kilometers long Republican River in the south. To the north, Nebraska borders South Dakota ; the eastern neighbors are Iowa and Missouri. In the south, Nebraska shares a border with Kansas and in the southwest with Colorado. In the west runs the border with Wyoming. Nebraska is a landlocked country in the truest sense of the word. Not only does it border exclusively on land, but also its neighboring states have no water border; Except for river boundaries, of course.
The area of ​​Nebraska is an average of 790 meters above sea level. The highest point in the state is Panorama Point at 1,653 meters. The lowest point at 256 meters above sea level is on the Missouri River.

Nebraska is located in the Great Plains – an approximately 500 km wide, dry area east of the Rocky Mountains. The Great Plains stretch from the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan,Manitoba and Alberta to South Texas. The Great Plains are bounded to the north by the Canadian Shield and to the south by the coastal plain of the Gulf of Mexico.
The Great Plains cover an area of ​​approximately 2 million square kilometers. In addition to Nebraska, they extend over nine other US states: New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Kansas, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota and North Dakota.
About a million people inhabit the Great Plains today. They are said to be among the most sparsely populated agricultural areas in the world.

Nebraska Landmarks

Nebraska’s main source of finance is agricultural construction, there are fewer sights here.

A visit to the oldest church in the state is certainly interesting. The Bellevue Church was built by missionaries in 1856. Another must-see is the Frank H. Woods Telephone Pioneer Museum in Lincoln.
The most important art museum in Nebraska is the Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha.

The Scotts Bluff National Monument is also worth seeing. The monument is an impressive hill of white-gray sedimentary rock with a height of 250 meters. In the time of the settlers, it often served as a guide. Hence the nickname “The Lighthouse of the Plains”.

If you have seen the monument, you should definitely not miss the Oregon Trail Museum to get a better picture of the time. In the museum you can visit various exhibitions from the history of the settler tracks.
A museum with a similar theme is the Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer. There are exhibitions on the pioneering story. The museum even has an original copy of the Railroad Town from 1870. Of course, the city was copied on a smaller scale.

A visit to the Nebraska State Capitol is an absolute must. It was built by the architect Betram Goodhue and is now the seat of government of the state of Nebraska.

Nature lovers don’t miss out in Nebraska either. The Fontenelle Forest Nature Center near Omaha is just too ideal because there is a fantastic flora and fauna to visit. The park is located in the floodplain of the Missouri, the soil is accordingly fertile.
Here you can go hiking because there are numerous hiking trails in the park.

Nebraska Overview