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South Dakota, USA

South Dakota, a state in the north-central United States, spans an area of 77,116 square miles (199,729 square kilometers). As of 2022, it is estimated to have a population of 909,824. The capital of South Dakota is Pierre.

This midwestern state is bordered by North Dakota to the north, Minnesota and Iowa to the east, Nebraska to the south, and Wyoming and Montana to the west. It has three distinct geographical regions: the eastern prairie, the central Great Plains featuring the Badlands, and the Black Hills region in the west. The Missouri River divides South Dakota from north to south.

On November 2, 1889, South Dakota became the 40th U.S. state. Its economy is based largely on farming and related industries, and it is a major producer of cattle and hogs as well as grains. Tourism is also an important industry, with attractions such as Mount Rushmore, Wind Cave National Park, Badlands National Park, and Jewel Cave National Monument.

The official nickname for South Dakota is "The Mount Rushmore State," in recognition of this iconic monument where the faces of four former U.S. presidents are carved into the mountainside. The state motto is "Under God the People Rule" and the state bird is the ring-necked pheasant. The state flower is the American pasqueflower and its state song is “Hail, South Dakota". South Dakota has one seat in the U.S. House of Representatives out of 435 members. The time zone is either Mountain (GMT − 7 hours) or Central (GMT − 6 hours).