General Utah Information
Utah is known for its natural diversity and is home to features ranging from arid deserts with sand dunes to thriving pine forests in mountain valleys, most of it high in elevation. The population of Utah is just over 2 million people based on the 2000 census, and it is 3rd in percentage of population growth, behind Arizona. Utah is nicknamed the Beehive State, although most people think of it by its other moniker, the Mormon State. Utah is also one of only two states in the United States to outlaw all forms of gambling (the other is Hawaii), and it is considered one of the most sought-after destinations to ski.
The site of the nations first department store, Utah is the only state whose capital’s name is made of three words. The population is 70% white and in high concentrations of closed communities. Utah is also the most urban state in the West, and today it is estimated that approximately 20% of the population is of Welsh descent. A majority of the land in central Utah is administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and the capital city is Salt Lake City. The name Utah is derived from the name of a local Native American tribe, the Utes. The Great Salt Lake in northern Utah is five times saltier than the ocean.