Idaho

Idaho is a state in the Pacific Northwest and Mountain West areas of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana and Wyoming to the east, Nevada and Utah to the south, and Washington and Oregon to the west. Idaho also shares a small part of its northern border with the Canadian province of British Columbia. The capital and largest city is Boise. With an area of 83,569 square miles, Idaho is the 14th-largest state by land area.

For thousands of years before Europeans arrived, Idaho was home to many native peoples. In the early 1800s, the area was known as the Oregon Country, a region disputed between the U.S. and the British Empire. Idaho became a U.S. territory in 1846 and was organized as its own territory in 1863. It joined the United States as the 43rd state on July 3, 1890.

Idaho has many different landscapes, from the mountainous north, called the Idaho Panhandle, to the flat Snake River Plain in the south. About 38% of the land is managed by the United States Forest Service. The state is famous for its potatoes, which grow very well there. Other important industries include farming, mining, and tourism.

Etymology

In the early 1860s, people in the U.S. Congress thought about naming a new area "Idaho." They liked the name because they thought it came from a Shoshone word meaning "gem of the mountains." But later, they realized the name might not have actually come from that language. Instead, they named the area Colorado Territory.

Even so, the name "Idaho" stuck. In 1863, a new area called the Territory of Idaho was created. Some people said the name came from a little girl named Ida. Others said it came from a steamship named Idaho that sailed on the Columbia River. Today, Idaho is a state in the United States.

History

Main article: History of Idaho

People may have lived in Idaho a very long time ago. Old tools found near Twin Falls show humans were there very early. The Nez Percé and Shoshone were among the Native American groups who lived there.

Idaho was part of a land both the United States and Great Britain claimed until 1846. It became a state in 1890. During a tough time called the Great Depression, Idaho had hard times with farming. Later, Idaho grew by adding science and technology jobs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals in Idaho had many patients and used special plans to care for everyone.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Idaho

Idaho touches six U.S. states and one Canadian province. To the west are Washington and Oregon. To the south are Nevada and Utah. To the east are Montana and Wyoming. In the north, Idaho has a small border with the Canadian province of British Columbia.

Idaho has rugged landscapes with large natural areas. The Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness Area is the largest protected wilderness in the continental United States. Idaho is part of the Rocky Mountains and has many natural wonders, including snow-capped mountains, fast rivers, big lakes, and deep canyons. The Snake River runs through Hells Canyon, the deepest gorge in the United States, and Shoshone Falls is higher than Niagara Falls.

Idaho's highest point is Borah Peak, and its lowest point is in Lewiston. The Sawtooth Range is one of Idaho's most famous mountain ranges. Idaho has two time zones: most of the state uses Mountain Time, while areas north of the Salmon River use Pacific Time.

Climate

Idaho has a varied climate. Even though it is far from the Pacific Ocean, Idaho feels the ocean's influence, especially in winter. In the north, moist air from the ocean brings rain and snow to the forests. In eastern Idaho, summers can be dry and winters cold.

Idaho can get quite hot, but very high temperatures are rare except in low-lying areas like Lewiston. Summers are usually dry with cool nights, and winters can be cold but rarely extremely bitter.

Lakes and rivers

See also: List of rivers of Idaho

• Clark Fork River
• Alturas Lake
• Bear River
• Bear Lake (Idaho–Utah)
• Boise River
• Clearwater River
• Hayden Lake
• Henry's Lake
• Kootenai River
• Lake Cascade
• Lake Cleveland
• Lake Coeur d'Alene
• Lake Lowell
• Lake Walcott
• Pend Oreille - Largest in Idaho
• Little Redfish Lake
• Lucky Peak Lake
• Moyie River
• North Fork Clearwater River
• Pack River
• Payette Lake, (McCall)
• Pettit Lake
• Priest Lake
• Perkins Lake
• Portneuf River
• Redfish Lake
• Salmon River
• Sawtooth Lake
• Snake River - Longest
• Stanley Lake
• St. Joe River
• Warm Lake

Protected areas

See also: National Parks in Idaho

As of 2018:

National parks, reserves, monuments and historic sites

• Salmon-Challis National Forest
• California National Historic Trail
• City of Rocks National Reserve
• Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve
• Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument
• Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail
• Minidoka National Historic Site
• Nez Perce National Historical Park
• Oregon National Historic Trail
• Yellowstone National Park
• Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail

National recreation areas

• Hells Canyon National Recreation Area
• Sawtooth National Recreation Area

National wildlife refuges and Wilderness Areas

• Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge
• Camas National Wildlife Refuge
• Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge
• Frank Church—River of No Return Wilderness Area
• Grays Lake National Wildlife Refuge
• Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge
• Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge

National conservation areas

• Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area

State parks

See also: List of Idaho state parks

• Bear Lake State Park
• Bruneau Dunes State Park
• Castle Rocks State Park
• City of Rocks National Reserve
• Coeur d'Alene Parkway State Park
• Dworshak State Park
• Eagle Island State Park
• Farragut State Park
• Harriman State Park
• Hells Gate State Park
• Henrys Lake State Park
• Heyburn State Park
• Lake Cascade State Park
• Lake Walcott State Park
• Land of the Yankee Fork State Park
• Lucky Peak State Park
• Massacre Rocks State Park
• McCroskey State Park
• Old Mission State Park
• Ponderosa State Park
• Priest Lake State Park
• Round Lake State Park
• Thousand Springs State Park
• Three Island Crossing State Park
• Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes
• Winchester Lake State Park

Demographics

The United States Census Bureau counted Idaho's population as 1,900,923 in July 2021. This was a 21% increase since the 2010 US census.

Idaho's population kept growing each year. In 2018, there were about 1,754,208 people. Many new people moved to Idaho from other places. There are large numbers of Americans whose ancestors came from England and Germany. People also moved to Idaho from Mexico, Canada, the Philippines, China, and Germany.

Nampa, a city near Boise, became Idaho's second-largest city in the late 1990s. It grew from fewer than 29,000 people in 1990 to over 81,000 by 2010. Meridian, another fast-growing city near Boise, now has more than 75,000 people.

About 12% of Idaho's people are of Hispanic or Latino origin. The largest ancestry groups are German, English, Irish, American, and Scottish.

Most people in Idaho have European ancestors. There are also small groups of Native Americans, Asians, and African Americans.

In 2018, the top countries where Idaho's immigrants came from were Mexico, Canada, the Philippines, China, and Germany.

Idaho has been home to several Native American tribes, such as the Nez Perce, the Skitswish (Coeur d'Alene), the Kootenai, and others. Today, there are five tribes recognized by the federal government.

Most people in Idaho identify with a religion. The largest groups are Protestantism, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Catholicism. Some people are not affiliated with any religion.

English is the most common language in Idaho. Other languages spoken include Spanish and some Native American languages.

Economy

See also: Economy of Idaho and Idaho locations by per capita income

In 2025, Idaho's economy was worth $135.5 billion. People in Idaho earned about $64,846 each on average. Small businesses were very important and made up most of the workplaces.

Idaho is famous for growing potatoes. It grows almost a third of all potatoes in the United States. Other important jobs include food processing, making things from wood, machines, chemicals, paper, electronics, mining, and tourism. The state is also known for its many types of precious and semi-precious stones.

Taxation

Tax is collected by the Idaho State Tax Commission.

The state income tax rate is a flat 5.8%. Sales tax is 6% and can be a little higher in some places. Some items like prescription drugs are not taxed, but food is. Hotels and motels have higher tax rates. The sales tax started at 3% in 1965 and was later increased.

Energy

See also: List of power stations in Idaho

Idaho has rules for its electricity, managed by the Idaho Public Utilities Commission for big companies like Avista Utilities, Idaho Power, and Rocky Mountain Power.

The state uses more energy than it makes. In 2022, most of Idaho’s electricity—75%—came from clean energy sources. Half of the state’s big electricity comes from water power, with wind providing 17%, natural gas 25%, solar 4%, and a small amount from earth’s heat. Most of the natural gas comes from Washington through special pipelines.

Idaho has great potential for more wind and solar power in the future.

Transportation

The Idaho Transportation Department takes care of Idaho's roads, bridges, and other ways to travel. This group plans for future needs and helps manage money from the government for these projects.

Highways

Main article: List of state highways in Idaho

Important roads in Idaho go north to south and east to west. Some of the main roads are US 89, US 91, US 93, US 95, US 2, US 12, US 20, US 26, US 30, I-15, I-84, I-86, I-90, and I-184.

Airports

Big airports in Idaho include the Boise Airport for the southwest part of the state and the Spokane International Airport in Spokane, Washington for northern Idaho. Other airports with regular flights are the Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport for the Palouse; the Lewiston-Nez Perce County Airport for the Lewis-Clark Valley and central Idaho; the Magic Valley Regional Airport in Twin Falls; Friedman Memorial Airport in Hailey; the Idaho Falls Regional Airport; and the Pocatello Regional Airport.

Railroads

Three big railroads go through Idaho. The Burlington Northern Santa Fe connects the Idaho Panhandle to places like Seattle, Portland, and Minneapolis. The Union Pacific Railroad goes across North Idaho from Canada to Spokane and also serves southern Idaho, going through Boise, Nampa, Twin Falls, and Pocatello. The Canadian Pacific Railway uses some of these tracks to carry goods from Alberta to Portland, Oregon. Amtrak has a train called the Empire Builder that goes through northern Idaho, stopping in Sandpoint. The Montana Rail Link also runs between Billings, Montana and Sandpoint, Idaho.

Ports

The Port of Lewiston is special because it is the farthest inland port on the west coast. Dams and locks on the Snake River and Columbia River help boats travel from Lewiston to Portland, where goods can be put on ships going to the ocean.

Law and government

The Constitution of Idaho is like the national Constitution but has some extra parts. It explains how the state government works and can be changed by voting. The constitution says the government must keep its budget balanced.

All of Idaho's laws are in the Idaho Code and Statutes. These laws are changed by the legislature with the governor's approval. Idaho still uses its original constitution from 1889.

Idaho's government has three parts: the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The legislature has two groups, with 35 districts each having one senator and two representatives.

The governor of Idaho serves a four-year term and is elected in years when the president is not elected. The current governor is a Republican, Brad Little, who was first elected in 2018.

Idaho's legislature meets part-time, so legislators are not full-time jobs. Elections for the legislature happen every two years.

The highest court in Idaho is the Idaho Supreme Court. There is also a court below it called the Idaho Court of Appeals. The state has District Courts in seven areas.

Since Idaho became a state, the Republican Party has usually been the stronger party. In recent years, Idaho has voted Republican in presidential elections.

Education

See also: List of school districts in Idaho, List of high schools in Idaho, and List of colleges and universities in Idaho

Idaho has many schools for children and adults. There are school districts and special schools called charter schools. These schools have different numbers of students.

The state has several universities and colleges. The University of Idaho in Moscow was the first. Other universities include Idaho State University and Boise State University. There are also community colleges in places like Coeur d'Alene and Twin Falls.

Health

In October 2024, a health department in Idaho decided not to give out COVID-19 vaccines in six counties. Many health experts asked them not to stop. Over 290 people shared their thoughts, and many said they did not want rules about vaccines or for taxes to pay for them.

Sports

Central Idaho has one of North America’s oldest ski resorts, Sun Valley. The world’s first chairlift was put there in 1936. People also like to visit Hells Canyon, the Salmon River, and the town of Riggins.

The Boise Open golf tournament happens every year at Hillcrest Country Club. It is part of the Korn Ferry Tour. High school sports in Idaho are managed by the Idaho High School Activities Association.

In popular culture

Some famous movies were filmed in Idaho or set there. The movie Bronco Billy was filmed in Boise. Pale Rider was mainly shot in the Boulder Mountains and the Sawtooth National Recreation Area near Sun Valley. River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves starred in My Own Private Idaho, which is partly set in Idaho. The film Dante's Peak was filmed in Wallace. The popular movie Napoleon Dynamite takes place in Preston. Another film, The To Do List, is set in Boise.