South Dakota is a Midwestern state, named after the Lakota and Dakota (Sioux) American Indian tribes. Pierre is one of the most fully-restored state capitols in the United States. The building is adorned with marble balustrades, scagiola pillars, stained glass skylights and mosaic floors. The state slogan of “Great Faces, Great places,” was introduced in 1990, and can now be seen on most state promotional material.
      South Dakota is comprised of four major land regions: the Drift Prairie, the Dissected Till Plains, the Great Plains, and the Black Hills. The Drift Prairie covers most of eastern South Dakota. This is the land of low hills and glacial lakes. This area was called Coteau des Prairies (Prairie Hills) by early French traders. In the north, the Coteau des Prairies is bordered on the east by the Minnesota River Valley and on the west by the James River Basin. The Dissected Till Plains lie in the southeastern corner of South Dakota. This area of rolling hills is crisscrossed by many streams. The Great Plains cover most of the western two-thirds of South Dakota.

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State Nickname: The Mount Rushmore State State Capital: Pierre State Flower: Pasque Flower State Bird: Ring-necked Pheasant

Additionally, the state revenue department does not collect or use property taxes, but it does centrally assess the property of large companies. South Dakota does not assess tax on intangible personal property, and there is no inheritance tax.
      With a population of just under 800,000 residents, there are more high school graduates and a higher home ownership rate in South Dakota than the national average. The medium value of owner-occupied houses in 2000 was approximately $80,000, and medium household income was just under $40,000.
      The Coteau de Missouri hills and valleys lie between

the James River Basin of the Drift Prairie and the Missouri River. West of the Missouri River the landscape becomes more rugged and consists of rolling hills, plains, canyons, and steep flat-topped hills called buttes. In the south, east of The Black Hills, lay the South Dakota Badlands. The Black Hills, rich in minerals such as gold, silver, copper and lead, are in the southwestern part of South Dakota and extend into Wyoming. The Homestake Mine, one of the largest gold mines in the United States, is located in the Black Hills.
      According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the gross state product of South Dakota was $29.4 billion as of 2004, and the per capita personal income was $26,894, the 37th highest in the nation. The state is attractive to many people financially, as it does not collect a personal income tax and the state sales tax is four percent. South Dakota has four primary airports, Aberdeen Regional Airport, Pierre Regional Airport, Rapid City Regional Airport and Sioux Falls Regional Airport. The main highways are I-90, I-29, I-229 and I-190. There is also a well-established railroad system in South Dakota.
      Education is regarded as extremely important in South Dakota. More than 35,000 students enrolled in higher education institutions are described as, “A labor force waiting to happen.” Over the last several years, more than $14 million has been committed to the state’s four technical institutions. Some of the main public higher education institutions are Black Hills State University, Dakota State University and South Dakota School of Mines & Technology. There are also nine private universities and colleges.

      Visitors flock to the state as there are plenty of attractions to discover. The area boasts the world’s greatest mountain carving, Mount Rushmore National Memorial. The Crazy Horse memorial is another famous mountain carving, this time of the legendary Lakota leader. The world famous Black Hills National Forest, named for being so thick with pine trees it looks black from a distance, is home to the highest point in South Dakota, Harney Peak. South Dakota is home to the famous Deadwood, the site of a rich gold strike in 1875 and now the subject of a hit HBO show of the same name. Hidden beneath the Black Hills is the Jewel Cave National Monument and Wind Cave National Park, parts of the largest cave system in the world. Other state parks include Custer State Park, where, each October an annual buffalo roundup occurs.
      Recovering from the “rural flight” many Midwestern states experienced, South Dakota is now a growing state with a rich cultural heritage, including national monuments and wondrous natural beauty.