World Country Guide

General Information

Nickname
Gem State

State bird
Mountain Bluebird

State flower
Syringa

Capital
Boise

Date of admission to the Union
July 3 1890

Population
1,393,262 (official estimate 2004)

Population density
6.3 per sq km

2003 total overseas arrivals
Under 38,000

Time
Mountain (GMT - 7) in the greater part of the State; Pacific (GMT - 8) in the north. Daylight Saving Time is observed.

The State
The contrasting terrain of Idaho includes Hell’s Canyon National Recreational Area, the deepest river gorge in North America and home to the Snake, Salmon and Rapid rivers; Clearwater National Forest; and two of the finest big-game hunting areas in the USA – Chamberlain Basin and Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. The State capital, Boise, comes to life during the summer months with a lively festival and the Western Idaho Fair in August. It is also home to the World Center for Birds of Prey; the Basque Museum & Cultural Center and the Boise Art Museum. Attractions to the southeast include the massive Shoshone Falls; the Shoshone Indian Ice Caves; and historic Fort Hall.
The upmarket Sun Valley resort area in the centre of the State offers skiing and wintersports, as well as a range of summer activities. In the nearby hills is a wide choice of hot springs, including the Warfield Hot Spring and Russian John Hot Spring. The Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve is a huge lava field with a maze of tunnels and caves. There are plenty of campsites available nearby. Sawtooth National Recreation Area is home to the Sawtooth and White Cloud mountains and the Smokey and Boulder ranges. Further north, the Lewis and Clark Scenic Byway offers travellers a chance to trace the ‘Corps of Discovery’ expedition route along the Clearwater and Lochsa rivers, in the land of the Nez Perce Indians, who are recalled by the Nez Perce National Historical Park.
In the north of the State, the resort town of Coeur d’Alene is home to the world’s only floating golf green, which is situated on a lake where visitors can also hire canoes or take a boat cruise. The Wallace District Mining Museum is situated to the east of Coeur d’Alene. Also on offer in this area is the Sierra Silver Mine Tour and the Oasis Bordello Museum. Visitors can also ride up Silver Mountain on the world’s longest single-stage gondola.