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{{short description|U.S. state}}{{About|the U.S. state}}{{pp-move}}{{pp|reason=Persistent addition of |small=yes}}{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2015}}{{Use American English|date=June 2019}}

factoids

Chuck Gray (R)}}| Lieutenant Governor_alt = Secretary of State| Legislature = Wyoming LegislatureWyoming Senate>SenateWyoming House of Representatives>House of Representatives| Judiciary = Wyoming Supreme CourtJohn Barrasso (R)}}{{nowrap|Cynthia Lummis (R)}}Harriet Hageman (R)}}| postal_code = WY| TradAbbreviation = Wyo.| area_rank = 10th| area_total_km2 = 253,335TITLE=MEDIAN ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOMEARCHIVE-URL=HTTPS://WEB.ARCHIVE.ORG/WEB/20161220091007/HTTP://KFF.ORG/OTHER/STATE-INDICATOR/MEDIAN-ANNUAL-INCOME/?CURRENTTIMEFRAME=0URL-STATUS=LIVE, List of U.S. states and territories by income#States and territories ranked by median household income>19th| AdmittanceOrder = 44th26|222}}. Fifty-First US Congress. Approved July 10, 1890.Mountain Time Zone>Mountain| utc_offset1 = −07:00Mountain Daylight Time>MDT| utc_offset1_DST = −06:0041st parallel north>41°N to 45°N| Longitude = 104°3’W to 111°3’W| length_mi = 371.8| length_km = 599| width_mi = 279| width_km = 451Gannett PeakOW0356 ACCESS-DATE=OCTOBER 24, 2011, HTTP://EGSC.USGS.GOV/ISB/PUBS/BOOKLETS/ELVADIST/ELVADIST.HTML >TITLE=ELEVATIONS AND DISTANCES IN THE UNITED STATES UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY >YEAR=2001 URL-STATUS=DEAD ARCHIVE-DATE=JULY 22, 2012, {{efnElevation adjusted to North American Vertical Datum of 1988.}}| elevation_max_ft = 13,809| elevation_max_m = 4209.1| elevation_ft = 6,700| elevation_m = 2040Belle Fourche River at {{nowrap>South Dakota border}}{{efn|name=NAVD88}}| elevation_min_ft = 3,101| elevation_min_m = 945| iso_code = US-WY| website = wyo.gov| Capital = | Representatives = | module =

factoids

}}Wyoming ({{IPAc-en|audio=en-us-Wyoming.ogg|w|aɪ|ˈ|oÊŠ|m|ɪ|Å‹}} {{respell|wye|OH|ming}})MERRIAM-WEBSTER, Wyoming, 2024-03-08, is a landlocked state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It borders Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the southwest, and Colorado to the south. With a population of 576,851 in 2020,WEB, April 26, 2021, 2020 Census,www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial/2020/data/apportionment/apportionment-2020-table01.pdf, live,web.archive.org/web/20210426194028/https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial/2020/data/apportionment/apportionment-2020-table01.pdf, April 26, 2021, July 12, 2021, Census Bureau, Wyoming is the least populous state despite being the 10th largest by area, with the second-lowest population density after Alaska. The state capital and most populous city is Cheyenne, which had a population of 65,132 in 2020.Wyoming’s western half consists mostly of the ranges and rangelands of the Rocky Mountains; its eastern half consists of high-elevation prairie, and is referred to as the High Plains. Wyoming’s climate is semi-arid in some parts and continental in others, making it drier and windier overall than other states, with greater temperature extremes. The federal government owns just under half of Wyoming’s land, generally protecting it for public uses. The state ranks sixth in the amount of land—and fifth in the proportion of its land—that is owned by the federal government. Its federal lands include two national parks (Grand Teton and Yellowstone), two national recreation areas, two national monuments, and several national forests, as well as historic sites, fish hatcheries, and wildlife refuges.Indigenous peoples inhabited the region for thousands of years. Historic and currently federally recognized tribes include the Arapaho, Crow, Lakota, and Shoshone. Part of the land that is now Wyoming came under American sovereignty via the Louisiana Purchase, part via the Oregon Treaty, and, lastly, via the Mexican Cession. With the opening of the Oregon Trail, the Mormon Trail, and the California Trail, vast numbers of pioneers travelled through parts of the state that had once been traversed mainly by fur trappers, and this spurred the establishment of forts, such as Fort Laramie, that today serve as population centers.WEB, Trails across Wyoming: The Oregon, Mormon Pioneer and California Routes {{!, WyoHistory.org |url=https://www.wyohistory.org/encyclopedia/trails-across-wyoming-oregon-mormon-pioneer-and-california-routes |access-date=2024-01-05 |website=www.wyohistory.org}} The Transcontinental Railroad supplanted the wagon trails in 1867 with a route through southern Wyoming,WEB, Industry, Politics and Power: the Union Pacific in Wyoming {{!, WyoHistory.org |url=https://www.wyohistory.org/encyclopedia/industry-politics-and-power-union-pacific-wyoming |access-date=2024-01-05 |website=www.wyohistory.org}} bringing new settlers and the establishment of founding towns, including the state capital of Cheyenne.WEB, Cheyenne, Magic City of the Plains {{!, WyoHistory.org |url=https://www.wyohistory.org/encyclopedia/cheyenne-magic-city-plains |access-date=2024-01-05 |website=www.wyohistory.org}} On March 27, 1890, Wyoming became the union’s 44th state.WEB,www.wyo.gov/about-wyoming/wyoming-facts-and-symbols, Wyoming Facts and Symbols, State of Wyoming, 2013,www.wyo.gov/about-wyoming/wyoming-facts-and-symbols," title="web.archive.org/web/20160920053220www.wyo.gov/about-wyoming/wyoming-facts-and-symbols,">web.archive.org/web/20160920053220www.wyo.gov/about-wyoming/wyoming-facts-and-symbols, September 20, 2016, dead, October 12, 2016, Farming and ranching, and the attendant range wars, feature prominently in the state’s history. Wyoming’s economy is largely based on tourism and the extraction of minerals such as coal, natural gas, oil, and trona. Its agricultural commodities include barley, hay, livestock, sugar beets, wheat, and wool. Wyoming does not require the beneficial owners of LLCs to be disclosed in the filing, which creates an opportunity for a tax haven. Wyoming levies no individual or corporate income tax and no tax on retirement income.Wyoming is known for having a political culture that leans towards libertarian conservatism.WEB, Cohen, Micah, 2012-10-06, Wyoming, Energy and Libertarianism,fivethirtyeight.com/features/wyoming-energy-and-libertarianism/, 2023-09-16, FiveThirtyEight, en-US, The Republican presidential nominee has carried the state in every election since 1968.WEB, Dave Leip’s Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections, November 18, 2016,uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/,web.archive.org/web/20180709214827/https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/, July 9, 2018, live, It is one of the least religious states in the country,WEB, Green, Emma, 2017-09-06, The 20 States Where Non-Religious People Make Up the Greatest Share of the Population,www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/09/no-religion-states-prri/538821/, 2023-09-16, The Atlantic, en, Wyoming was the first state to allow women the right to vote (not counting New Jersey, which had allowed it until 1807), and the right to assume elected office, as well as the first state to elect a female governor. In honor of this part of its history, its most common nickname is “The Equality State” and its official state motto is “Equal Rights”.

History

File:Alfred Jacob Miller - Fort Laramie - Walters 37194049.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|The first leftSeveral Native American groups originally inhabited the region today known as Wyoming. The Crow, Arapaho, Lakota, and Shoshone were but a few of the original inhabitants European explorers encountered when they first visited the region. What is now southwestern Wyoming was claimed by the Spanish Empire, which extended through the Southwest and Mexico. With Mexican independence in 1821, it was considered part of Alta California. U.S. expansion brought settlers who fought for control. Mexico ceded these territories after its defeat in 1848 in the Mexican–American War.From the late 18th century, French-Canadian trappers from Québec and Montréal regularly entered the area for trade with the tribes. French toponyms such as Téton and La Ramie are marks of that history.WEB, The Fur Trade in Wyoming {{!, WyoHistory.org |url=https://www.wyohistory.org/encyclopedia/fur-trade-wyoming |access-date=2024-01-05 |website=www.wyohistory.org}}American John Colter first recorded a description in English of the region in 1807. He was a member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, which was guided by French Canadian Toussaint Charbonneau and his young Shoshone wife, Sacagawea. At the time, Colter’s reports of the Yellowstone area were considered fictional.{{Gutenberg |no=42112 |name=The Yellowstone National Park |bullet=none }} On a return from Astoria, Robert Stuart and a party of five men discovered South Pass in 1812.The Oregon Trail later followed that route as emigrants moved to the west coast. In 1850, mountain man Jim Bridger first documented what is now known as Bridger Pass.WEB, A Map of the West in his Head: Jim Bridger, Guide to Plains and Mountains {{!, WyoHistory.org |url=https://www.wyohistory.org/encyclopedia/jim-bridger |access-date=2024-01-05 |website=www.wyohistory.org}} Bridger also explored Yellowstone, and filed reports on the region that, like Colter’s, were largely regarded at the time as tall tales. The Union Pacific Railroad constructed track through Bridger Pass in 1868. It was used as the route for construction of Interstate 80 through the mountains 90 years later.WEB, 2016-02-06, Jim Bridger: The man, the myth, the legend,www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/jim-bridger-the-man-the-myth-the-legend/, 2024-01-05, The Seattle Times, en-US, After the Union Pacific Railroad reached Cheyenne in 1867, population growth was stimulated. The federal government established the Wyoming Territory on July 25, 1868.State of Wyoming—General Facts About Wyoming {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927200649wyoming.gov/state/wyoming_news/general/history.asp |date=September 27, 2007 }} Lacking significant deposits of gold and silver, unlike mineral-rich Colorado, Wyoming did not have such a population boom. But South Pass City had a short-lived boom after the Carissa Mine began producing gold in 1867.WEB,wyoparks.state.wy.us/Site/Brochure/SouthPassCity.pdf, South Pass City Historic Site, Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites & Trails, dead,wyoparks.state.wy.us/Site/Brochure/SouthPassCity.pdf," title="web.archive.org/web/20090227040747wyoparks.state.wy.us/Site/Brochure/SouthPassCity.pdf,">web.archive.org/web/20090227040747wyoparks.state.wy.us/Site/Brochure/SouthPassCity.pdf, February 27, 2009, mdy-all, Copper was mined in some areas between the Sierra Madre Mountains and the Snowy Range near Grand Encampment.BOOK,books.google.com/books?id=M8pIAAAAMAAJ, Mines Register: Successor to the Mines Handbook and the Copper Handbook, Describing the Non-ferrous Metal Mining Companies in the Western Hemisphere, 1911, Stevens, Horace Jared, Weed, Walter Harvey, Neale, Walter Garfield, Rand, Lenox Hawes, Sturgis, Edward Barney, Zimmerman, Joseph, 2, Once government-sponsored expeditions to the Yellowstone country began, Colter’s and Bridger’s descriptions of the region’s landscape were confirmed. In 1872, Yellowstone National Park was created as the world’s first, to protect this area. Nearly all of the park lies within the northwestern corner of Wyoming.(File:3c Wyoming Statehood 50th anniversary, 1940 issue.jpg|thumb|upright=0.9|On July 10, 1940, the U.S. Post Office issued a postage stamp commemorating the 50th anniversary of Wyoming statehood. The engraving depicts the Wyoming state seal, which features a central figure of a woman in front of a banner reading ‘equal rights’)On December 10, 1869, territorial Governor John Allen Campbell extended the right to vote to women, making Wyoming the first territory to do so, and upon statehood became the first state to grant women’s suffrage.WEB, Women’s History Collections,www.uwyo.edu/ahc/collections/by-subject/women.html, April 14, 2023, American Heritage Center, Women first served on juries in Wyoming (Laramie in 1870). Wyoming was also a pioneer in welcoming women into electoral politics.WEB, Helton, Jennifer,www.smithsonianmag.com/history/how-american-west-led-way-women-politics-180975573/, How the American West Led the Way for Women in Politics, Smithsonian, August 14, 2020, April 14, 2023, It had the first female court bailiff (Mary Atkinson, Laramie, in 1870), and the first female justice of the peace in the country (Esther Hobart Morris, South Pass City, in 1870). In 1924, Wyoming was the first state to elect a female governor, Nellie Tayloe Ross, who took office in January 1925.BOOK, Larson, T. A., History of Wyoming,books.google.com/books?id=9zVKYtdsUDEC, 1990, University of Nebraska Press, 978-0-803-27936-0, Due to its civil-rights history, one of Wyoming’s state nicknames is “The Equality State”, and the official state motto is “Equal Rights”.Wyoming’s constitution also included a pioneering article on water rights.BOOK, Frontier Spirit: The Story of Wyoming, Sodaro, Craig, Adams, Randy, 1996, Johnson Books, 978-1-55566-163-2, 136–39, Bills for Wyoming Territory’s admission to the union were introduced in both the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives in December 1889. On March 27, 1890, the House passed the bill and President Benjamin Harrison signed Wyoming’s statehood bill; Wyoming became the 44th state in the union.Wyoming was the location of the Johnson County War of 1892, which erupted between competing groups of cattle ranchers. The passage of the Homestead Act led to an influx of small ranchers. A range war broke out when either or both of the groups chose violent conflict over commercial competition in the use of the public land.

Etymology

The region had acquired the name Wyoming by 1865, when Representative James Mitchell Ashley of Ohio introduced a bill to Congress to provide a “temporary government for the territory of Wyoming”. The territory was named after the Wyoming Valley in Pennsylvania. Thomas Campbell wrote his 1809 poem “Gertrude of Wyoming”, inspired by the Battle of Wyoming in the American Revolutionary War. The name ultimately derives from the Lenape Munsee word (“at the big river flat“).Bright, William (2004). Native American Place Names of the United States. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, pg. 576State of Wyoming—Narrative {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080515091433wyoming.gov/general/narrative.asp|date=May 15, 2008}}

Geography

Climate

{{Further|Climate change in Wyoming}}File:Köppen Climate Types Wyoming.png|thumb|Köppen climate types of Wyoming, using 1991-2020 climate normals ]](File:Autumn in the Bighorn Mountains.JPG|thumb|Autumn in the Bighorn Mountains)Wyoming’s climate is generally semi-arid and continental (Köppen climate classification BSk) and is drier and windier in comparison to most of the United States with greater temperature extremes.WEB,www.wrds.uwyo.edu/sco/wyoclimate.html, The Climate of Wyoming, Wyoming State Climate Office and Water Resources Data System, April 14, 2023, WEB,www.nps.gov/fola/planyourvisit/weather.htm?fullweb=1, Weather, U.S. National Park Service, April 14, 2023, Much of this is due to the topography of the state. Summers in Wyoming are warm with July high temperatures averaging between {{convert|80|and|90|°F|°C|abbr=on}} in most of the state. With increasing elevation, however, this average drops rapidly with locations above {{convert|9000|ft|m}} averaging around {{convert|70|°F|°C|abbr=on}}. Summer nights throughout the state are characterized by a rapid cooldown with even the hottest locations averaging in the {{convert|50|–|60|F|C}} range at night. In most of the state, most of the precipitation tends to fall in the late spring and early summer. Winters are cold, but are variable with periods of sometimes extreme cold interspersed between generally mild periods, with Chinook winds providing unusually warm temperatures in some locations.Wyoming is a dry state with much of the land receiving less than {{convert|10|in|mm}} of rainfall per year. Precipitation depends on elevation with lower areas in the Big Horn Basin averaging {{convert|5|-|8|in|mm}}, making the area nearly a true desert. The lower areas in the North and on the eastern plains typically average around {{convert|10|-|12|in|mm}}, making the climate there semi-arid. Some mountain areas do receive a good amount of precipitation, {{convert|20|in|mm}} or more, much of it as snow, sometimes {{convert|200|in|cm}} or more annually. The state’s highest recorded temperature is {{convert|114|F|C}} at Basin on July 12, 1900, and the lowest recorded temperature is {{convert|-66|F|C}} at Riverside on February 9, 1933.The number of thunderstorm days varies across the state with the southeastern plains of the state having the most days of thunderstorm activity. Thunderstorm activity in the state is highest during the late spring and early summer. The southeastern corner of the state is the most vulnerable part of the state to tornado activity. Moving away from that point and westwards, the incidence of tornadoes drops dramatically with the west part of the state showing little vulnerability. Tornadoes, where they occur, tend to be small and brief, unlike some of those that occur farther east.{| class=“wikitable collapsible” style="width:700px;“! colspan= “14” style="background: #6688AA; color: #6688AA” | {{big|Casper climate:}} Average maximum and minimum temperatures, and average rainfall. style="text-align:center;“! style="background:#dcf0f0; color:navy; height:17px;“| Month! style="background:#dcf0f0; color:navy;“| Jan! style="background:#dcf0f0; color:navy;“| Feb! style="background:#dcf0f0; color:navy;“| Mar! style="background:#dcf0f0; color:navy;“| Apr! style="background:#dcf0f0; color:navy;“| May! style="background:#dcf0f0; color:navy;“| Jun! style="background:#dcf0f0; color:navy;“| Jul! style="background:#dcf0f0; color:navy;“| Aug! style="background:#dcf0f0; color:navy;“| Sep! style="background:#dcf0f0; color:navy;“| Oct! style="background:#dcf0f0; color:navy;“| Nov! style="background:#dcf0f0; color:navy;“| Dec! style="background:#dcf0f0; color:navy; border-left:2px solid #bbb;“| Year style="text-align:center;“! style="background:#dcf0f0; color:navy; height:16px;“| Average max. temperature °F (°C) 32(0) 37(3) 56(13) 78(26) 85(29) 60(16) 34(1) 12(−11) 21(−6) 37(3) 54(12) 41(5) 32(0) 14(−10) 0.6(15.2) 1.0(25.4) 2.1(53.3) 1.3(33.0) 0.9(22.9) 0.8(20.3) 12.8(325.1) Source:HTTP://COUNTRYSTUDIES.US/UNITED-STATES/WEATHER/WYOMING/CASPER.HTM >TITLE=COUNTRYSTUDIES.US ACCESS-DATE=JULY 31, 2010 ARCHIVE-DATE=JUNE 29, 2011, live, {| class=“wikitable collapsible” style="width:700px;“! colspan= “14” style="background: #6688AA; color: #6688AA” | {{big|Jackson climate:}} Average maximum and minimum temperatures, and average rainfall. style="text-align:center;“! style="background:#dcf0f0; color:navy; height:17px;“| Month! style="background:#dcf0f0; color:navy;“| Jan! style="background:#dcf0f0; color:navy;“| Feb! style="background:#dcf0f0; color:navy;“| Mar! style="background:#dcf0f0; color:navy;“| Apr! style="background:#dcf0f0; color:navy;“| May! style="background:#dcf0f0; color:navy;“| Jun! style="background:#dcf0f0; color:navy;“| Jul! style="background:#dcf0f0; color:navy;“| Aug! style="background:#dcf0f0; color:navy;“| Sep! style="background:#dcf0f0; color:navy;“| Oct! style="background:#dcf0f0; color:navy;“| Nov! style="background:#dcf0f0; color:navy;“| Dec! style="background:#dcf0f0; color:navy; border-left:2px solid #bbb;“| Year style="text-align:center;“! style="background:#dcf0f0; color:navy; height:16px;“| Average max. temperature °F (°C) 28(−2) 37(3) 58(14) 78(26) 67(19) 37(3) 49(9) style="text-align:center;“! style="background:#dcf0f0; color:navy;“| Average min. temperature°F (°C) 2(−17) 21(−6) 36(2) 38(3) 22(−6) 0(−18) 2.6(66.0) 1.6(40.6) 1.9(48.3) 1.3(33.0) 1.5(38.1) 2.3(58.4) 21.4(543.6) Source:HTTP://COUNTRYSTUDIES.US/UNITED-STATES/WEATHER/WYOMING/JACKSON.HTM >TITLE=COUNTRYSTUDIES.US ACCESS-DATE=JULY 31, 2010 ARCHIVE-DATE=JUNE 29, 2011, live,

Location and size

As specified in the designating legislation for the Territory of Wyoming, Wyoming’s borders are lines of latitude 41°N and 45°N, and longitude 104°3’W and 111°3’W (27 and 34 west of the Washington Meridian)—a geodesic quadrangle.WEB, Willam J. Gribb, Lawrence M. Ostrech, Databases and Algorithms to Determine the Boundary of Wyoming, University of Wyoming, Department of Geography,gis.esri.com/library/userconf/proc04/docs/pap1718.pdf, December 14, 2008, dead,gis.esri.com/library/userconf/proc04/docs/pap1718.pdf," title="web.archive.org/web/20081217015637gis.esri.com/library/userconf/proc04/docs/pap1718.pdf,">web.archive.org/web/20081217015637gis.esri.com/library/userconf/proc04/docs/pap1718.pdf, December 17, 2008, mdy-all, Wyoming is one of only three states (the others being Colorado and Utah) to have borders defined by only “straight” lines. Due to surveying inaccuracies during the 19th century, Wyoming’s legal border deviates from the true latitude and longitude lines by up to {{convert|1/2|mi|km|spell=in}} in some spots, especially in the mountainous region along the 45th parallel.WEB,www.maa.org/mathtourist/mathtourist_08_30_07.html, Rectangular States and Kinky Borders, Ivars Peterson, December 14, 2008, dead,www.maa.org/mathtourist/mathtourist_08_30_07.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20080705160310www.maa.org/mathtourist/mathtourist_08_30_07.html,">web.archive.org/web/20080705160310www.maa.org/mathtourist/mathtourist_08_30_07.html, July 5, 2008, Wyoming is bordered on the north by Montana, on the east by South Dakota and Nebraska, on the south by Colorado, on the southwest by Utah, and on the west by Idaho. It is the tenth largest state in the United States in total area, containing {{convert|97814|sqmi|km2}} and is made up of 23 counties. From the north border to the south border it is {{convert|276|mi|km}}; and from the east to the west border is {{convert|365|mi|km}} at its south end and {{convert|342|mi|km}} at the north end.

Natural landforms

Mountain ranges

File:Barns grand tetons.jpg|thumb|Teton RangeTeton RangeFile:Cattle Drive near Pinedale, WY (14963962303).jpg|thumb|Green River valley]]The Great Plains meet the Rocky Mountains in Wyoming. The state is a great plateau broken by many mountain ranges. Surface elevations range from the summit of Gannett Peak in the Wind River Mountain Range, at {{convert|13804|ft|m}}, to the Belle Fourche River valley in the state’s northeast corner, at {{convert|3125|ft|m}}. In the northwest are the Absaroka, Owl Creek, Gros Ventre, Wind River, and the Teton ranges. In the north central are the Big Horn Mountains; in the northeast, the Black Hills; and in the southern region the Laramie, Snowy, and Sierra Madre ranges.The Snowy Range in the south central part of the state is an extension of the Colorado Rockies both in geology and in appearance. The Wind River Range in the west central part of the state is remote and includes more than 40 mountain peaks in excess of {{convert|13000|ft|m|abbr=on}} tall in addition to Gannett Peak, the highest peak in the state. The Bighorn Mountains in the north central portion are somewhat isolated from the bulk of the Rocky Mountains.The Teton Range in the northwest extends for {{convert|50|mi|km}}, part of which is included in Grand Teton National Park. The park includes the Grand Teton, the second-highest peak in the state.The Continental Divide spans north–south across the central portion of the state. Rivers east of the divide drain into the Missouri River Basin and eventually the Gulf of Mexico. They are the North Platte, Wind, Bighorn, and Yellowstone rivers. The Snake River in northwest Wyoming eventually drains into the Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean, as does the Green River through the Colorado River Basin.The Continental Divide forks in the south central part of the state in an area known as the Great Divide Basin where water that precipitates onto or flows into it cannot reach an ocean—it all sinks into the soil and eventually evaporates.Several rivers begin in or flow through the state, including the Yellowstone River, Bighorn River, Green River, and the Snake River.

Basins

Much of Wyoming is covered with large basins containing different eco-regions, from shrublands to smaller patches of desert.WEB,www.landscope.org/explore/natural_geographies/ecoregions/Wyoming%20Basins/, Landscope, June 26, 2012, March 11, 2021,www.landscope.org/explore/natural_geographies/ecoregions/Wyoming%20Basins/," title="web.archive.org/web/20200226072841www.landscope.org/explore/natural_geographies/ecoregions/Wyoming%20Basins/,">web.archive.org/web/20200226072841www.landscope.org/explore/natural_geographies/ecoregions/Wyoming%20Basins/, February 26, 2020, live, Wyoming Basins Ecoregion, Regions of the state classified as basins contain everything from large geologic formations to sand dunes and vast unpopulated spaces.WEB,hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/cropmap/ecoreg/descript.html#18, hort.purdue.edu, Purdue University, April 1, 2000, March 9, 2021,web.archive.org/web/20210211032359/https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/cropmap/ecoreg/descript.html, February 11, 2021, live, Level III Ecoregions of the Continental United States, Basin landscapes are typically at lower elevations and include rolling hills, valleys, mesas, terraces and other rugged terrain, but also include natural springs as well as rivers and artificial reservoirs.WEB,newftp.epa.gov/EPADataCommons/ORD/Ecoregions/wy/wy_front.pdf, EPA, Jan 1, 2004, March 9, 2021, Wyoming Eco-Regions, May 9, 2022,newftp.epa.gov/EPADataCommons/ORD/Ecoregions/wy/wy_front.pdf," title="web.archive.org/web/20220509200704newftp.epa.gov/EPADataCommons/ORD/Ecoregions/wy/wy_front.pdf,">web.archive.org/web/20220509200704newftp.epa.gov/EPADataCommons/ORD/Ecoregions/wy/wy_front.pdf, live, They have common plant species such as various subspecies of sagebrush, juniper and grasses such as wheatgrass, but basins are known for their diversity of plant and animal species.

Islands

Wyoming has 32 named islands; the majority are in Jackson Lake and Yellowstone Lake, within Yellowstone National Park in the northwest portion of the state. The Green River in the southwest also contains a number of islands.

Regions and administrative divisions

Counties

(File:Wyoming counties map.png|thumb|upright=1.75|An enlargeable map of the 23 counties of Wyoming)The state of Wyoming has 23 counties.{| class=“wikitable”! Rank! County! Population! Rank! County! PopulationLaramie County, Wyoming>Laramie 13Converse County, Wyoming>Converse 2Natrona County, Wyoming>Natrona 14Goshen County, Wyoming>Goshen 3Campbell County, Wyoming>Campbell 15Big Horn County, Wyoming>Big Horn 4Sweetwater County, Wyoming>Sweetwater 16Sublette County, Wyoming>Sublette 5Fremont County, Wyoming>Fremont 17Platte County, Wyoming>Platte 6Albany County, Wyoming>Albany 18Johnson County, Wyoming>Johnson 7Sheridan County, Wyoming>Sheridan 19Washakie County, Wyoming>Washakie 8Park County, Wyoming>Park 20Crook County, Wyoming>Crook 9Teton County, Wyoming>Teton 21Weston County, Wyoming>Weston 10Uinta County, Wyoming>Uinta 22Hot Springs County, Wyoming>Hot Springs 11Lincoln County, Wyoming>Lincoln 23Niobrara County, Wyoming>Niobrara 12Carbon County, Wyoming>Carbon Wyoming TotalSquaretop MountainSquaretop MountainWyoming license plates have a number on the left that indicates the county where the vehicle is registered, ranked by an earlier census.WEB,eadiv.state.wy.us/demog_data/cntycity_hist.htm, U.S. Census, State of Wyoming, Historical decennial census population for Wyoming counties, cities, and towns, September 24, 2012,eadiv.state.wy.us/demog_data/cntycity_hist.htm," title="web.archive.org/web/20170708181724eadiv.state.wy.us/demog_data/cntycity_hist.htm,">web.archive.org/web/20170708181724eadiv.state.wy.us/demog_data/cntycity_hist.htm, July 8, 2017, live, Specifically, the numbers are representative of the property values of the counties in 1930.WEB,www.tetonat.com/2010/07/08/interesting-wyoming-license-plate-fact/, TetonAT.com—Interesting Wyoming License Plate Fact, Tetonat.com, September 4, 2017,www.tetonat.com/2010/07/08/interesting-wyoming-license-plate-fact/," title="web.archive.org/web/20170904203501www.tetonat.com/2010/07/08/interesting-wyoming-license-plate-fact/,">web.archive.org/web/20170904203501www.tetonat.com/2010/07/08/interesting-wyoming-license-plate-fact/, September 4, 2017, live, The county license plate numbers are:{| class=“wikitable“! LicensePlatePrefix! County! LicensePlatePrefix! County! LicensePlatePrefix! County 9| Big Horn 2| Laramie 18| Crook 11| Park 4| Sweetwater 20| Washakie 13| Converse 6| Carbon 22| Teton 15| Hot Springs 8| PlatteCheyenne, WyomingCheyenne, WyomingFile:Casperskyline.jpg|thumb|upright|Casper, WyomingCasper, WyomingFile:DowntownRawlins.jpg|thumb|Rawlins, WyomingRawlins, WyomingFile:Grand Targhee Ski Resort, February 2021.jpg|thumb|Wyoming is home to 12 ski resorts, including Grand Targhee and Jackson Hole.]]The State of Wyoming has 99 incorporated municipalities.{| class=wikitablename=2020note}}! Rank! City! County! PopulationCheyenne, Wyoming>CheyenneLaramie County, Wyoming>Laramie 2Casper, Wyoming>CasperNatrona County, Wyoming>Natrona 3Gillette, Wyoming>GilletteCampbell County, Wyoming>Campbell 4Laramie, Wyoming>LaramieAlbany County, Wyoming>Albany 5Rock Springs, Wyoming>Rock SpringsSweetwater County, Wyoming>Sweetwater 6Sheridan, Wyoming>SheridanSheridan County, Wyoming>Sheridan 7Green River, Wyoming>Green RiverSweetwater County, Wyoming>Sweetwater 8Evanston, Wyoming>EvanstonUinta County, Wyoming>Uinta 9Jackson, Wyoming>JacksonTeton County, Wyoming>Teton 10Riverton, Wyoming>RivertonFremont County, Wyoming>Fremont 11Cody, Wyoming>CodyPark County, Wyoming>Park 12Rawlins, Wyoming>RawlinsCarbon County, Wyoming>Carbon 13Lander, Wyoming>LanderFremont County, Wyoming>Fremont 14Powell, Wyoming>PowellPark County, Wyoming>Park 15Douglas, Wyoming>DouglasConverse County, Wyoming>Converse 16Torrington, Wyoming>TorringtonGoshen County, Wyoming>GoshenUnited States Census Bureau has defined two metropolitan statistical areas (MSA) and eight micropolitan statistical areas (MiSA) for the state. In 2020, 31.3% of Wyomingites lived in either of the metropolitan statistical areas, and 80.4% lived in either a metropolitan or a micropolitan area.{| class=wikitable|+Metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas! Census Area! County! PopulationCheyenne, Wyoming metropolitan area>CheyenneLaramie County, Wyoming>LaramieCasper, Wyoming metropolitan area>CasperNatrona County, Wyoming>NatronaGillette, Wyoming micropolitan area>GilletteCampbell County, Wyoming>CampbellRock Springs, Wyoming micropolitan area>Rock SpringsSweetwater County, Wyoming>SweetwaterRiverton, Wyoming micropolitan area>RivertonFremont County, Wyoming>FremontLaramie, Wyoming micropolitan area>LaramieAlbany County, Wyoming>AlbanyJackson| Teton County, WyomingTeton County, Idaho Total 34,961Sheridan, Wyoming micropolitan area>SheridanSheridan County, Wyoming>SheridanCody, Wyoming micropolitan area>CodyPark County, Wyoming>ParkEvanston| Uinta County, WyomingRich County, Utah Total 22,960

Demographics

{{US Census population|1870= 9118|1880= 20789|1890= 62555|1900= 92531|1910= 145965|1920= 194402|1930= 225565|1940= 250742|1950= 290529|1960= 330066|1970= 332416|1980= 469557|1990= 453588|2000= 493782|2010= 563626|2020= 576851|estyear=2023|estimate=584057PUBLISHER=UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU, March 24, 2024, |align-fn=centerWEBSITE=CENSUS.GOV ACCESS-DATE=MAY 1, 2021 ARCHIVE-URL=HTTPS://WEB.ARCHIVE.ORG/WEB/20210429012609/HTTPS://WWW.CENSUS.GOV/DATA/TABLES/TIME-SERIES/DEC/POPCHANGE-DATA-TEXT.HTML, dead, }}

Population

File:Wyoming population map.png|thumb|upright=1.35|The largest population centers are Cheyenne (southeast) and CasperCasperThe 2020 United States census counted 576,851 people living in Wyoming. The center of population of Wyoming is in Natrona County.WEB,quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/56/56021.html, State & County QuickFacts, 2013, U.S. Census Bureau, May 6, 2013, dead,quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/56/56021.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20110703080550quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/56/56021.html,">web.archive.org/web/20110703080550quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/56/56021.html, July 3, 2011, mdy-all, WEB,www.census.gov/geo/reference/docs/cenpop2010/CenPop2010_Mean_ST.txt, Centers of Population by State, 2013, U.S. Census Bureau, May 9, 2013, dead,www.census.gov/geo/reference/docs/cenpop2010/CenPop2010_Mean_ST.txt," title="web.archive.org/web/20140103082820www.census.gov/geo/reference/docs/cenpop2010/CenPop2010_Mean_ST.txt,">web.archive.org/web/20140103082820www.census.gov/geo/reference/docs/cenpop2010/CenPop2010_Mean_ST.txt, January 3, 2014, mdy-all, Sparsely populated, Wyoming is the least populous state of the United States. Wyoming has the second-lowest population density in the country (behind Alaska) and is the sparsest-populated of the 48 contiguous states. It is one of only two states with a population smaller than that of the nation’s capital; the only other state with this distinction is Vermont.According to HUD’s 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report, there were an estimated 648 homeless people in Wyoming.WEB, 2007-2022 PIT Counts by State,view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.huduser.gov%2Fportal%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fxls%2F2007-2022-PIT-Counts-by-State.xlsx&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK, WEB, The 2022 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress,www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/pdf/2022-AHAR-Part-1.pdf, According to the 2020 census, the population’s racial composition was 84.7% white (81.4% non-Hispanic white), 2.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% Black or African American, 0.9% Asian American, and 0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 3.5% from some other race, and 7.5% from two or more races.WEB, Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2020 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Wyoming,data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDP2020.DP1?g=040XX00US56, April 19, 2024, United States Census Bureau, As of 2011, 24.9% of Wyoming’s population younger than age{{nbsp}}1 were minorities.NEWS,www.cleveland.com/datacentral/index.ssf/2012/06/americas_under_age_1_populatio.html, Americans under age 1 now mostly minorities, but not in Ohio: Statistical Snapshot, Exner, Rich, June 3, 2012, The Plain Dealer, August 16, 2012,www.cleveland.com/datacentral/index.ssf/2012/06/americas_under_age_1_populatio.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20160714084214www.cleveland.com/datacentral/index.ssf/2012/06/americas_under_age_1_populatio.html,">web.archive.org/web/20160714084214www.cleveland.com/datacentral/index.ssf/2012/06/americas_under_age_1_populatio.html, July 14, 2016, live, According to data from the American Community Survey, as of 2018, Wyoming was the only U.S. state where African Americans earn a higher median income than white workers.WEB, These Visualizations Break Down America’s Huge Racial Wealth Gap,howmuch.net/articles/racial-income-wealth-inequality-us, 2022-03-08, HowMuch, March 8, 2022,web.archive.org/web/20220308035628/https://howmuch.net/articles/racial-income-wealth-inequality-us, live, (File:Ethnic Origins in Wyoming.png|thumb|Ethnic origins in Wyoming)As of 2015, Wyoming had an estimated population of 586,107, which was an increase of 1,954, or 0.29%, from the prior year and an increase of 22,481, or 3.99%, since the 2010 census. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 12,165 (33,704 births minus 21,539 deaths) and an increase from net migration of 4,035 into the state. Immigration resulted in a net increase of 2,264 and migration within the country produced a net increase of 1,771. In 2004, the foreign-born population was 11,000 (2.2%). In 2005, total births in Wyoming were 7,231 (birth rate of 14.04 per thousand).WEB,www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2007/05/21/news/wyoming/40-growing.txt, Hispanics fastest growing ethnic group in Wyoming, May 21, 2007, Billings Gazette via AP, May 7, 2008, dead,www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2007/05/21/news/wyoming/40-growing.txt," title="archive.today/20120721020117www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2007/05/21/news/wyoming/40-growing.txt,">archive.today/20120721020117www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2007/05/21/news/wyoming/40-growing.txt, July 21, 2012, mdy-all, According to the 2000 census, the largest ancestry groups in Wyoming were: German (26.0%), English (16.0%), Irish (13.3%), Norwegian (4.3%), and Swedish (3.5%).WEB, Census 2000 Summary file 3—Wyoming,www.census.gov, United States Census Bureau, 18 March 2016, December 27, 1996,web.archive.org/web/19961227012639/https://www.census.gov/, live, {{Failed verification|date=November 2020|note=Census.gov is incomplete, need to find link to actual summary files}}In 2018, The top countries of origin for Wyoming’s immigrants were Mexico, China, Germany, England and Canada.WEB,www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/immigrants-in-wyoming, Immigrants in Wyoming, June 2015,

Birth data

(File:Wyoming counties by race.svg|thumb|166x166px|Map of counties in Wyoming by racial plurality, per the 2020 U.S. census{{Collapsible list{{col-begin}}{{col-2}}Non-Hispanic White{{legend|#a61c00|60–70%}}{{legend|#85200c|70–80%}}{{legend|#5b0f00|80–90%}}{{legend|#410b00|90%+}}{{col-end}}}})Note: Births in table do not add up, because Hispanics are counted both by their ethnicity and by their race, giving a higher overall number.{| class=“wikitable” style="font-size: 90%;“|+ Live Births by Single Race/Ethnicity of Mother! Race! 2013WEB,www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr64/nvsr64_01.pdf, Births: Final Data for 2013, Cdc.gov, 4 September 2017,web.archive.org/web/20170911162514/https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr64/nvsr64_01.pdf, September 11, 2017, live, ! 2014WEB,www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr64/nvsr64_12.pdf, Births: Final Data for 2014, Cdc.gov, 4 September 2017,web.archive.org/web/20170214040341/https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr64/nvsr64_12.pdf, February 14, 2017, live, ! 2015WEB,www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr66/nvsr66_01.pdf, Births: Final Data for 2015, Cdc.gov, 4 September 2017,web.archive.org/web/20170831155911/https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr66/nvsr66_01.pdf, August 31, 2017, live, ! 2016WEB,www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr67/nvsr67_01.pdf, data, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, May 7, 2018,web.archive.org/web/20180603002249/https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr67/nvsr67_01.pdf, June 3, 2018, live, ! 2017WEB,www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr67/nvsr67_08-508.pdf, Births: Final Data for 2017, February 22, 2019,web.archive.org/web/20190201210916/https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr67/nvsr67_08-508.pdf, February 1, 2019, live, ! 2018WEB,www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr68/nvsr68_13-508.pdf, Data, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, December 21, 2019, November 28, 2019,web.archive.org/web/20191128161211/https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr68/nvsr68_13-508.pdf, live, ! 2019WEB,www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr70/nvsr70-02-508.pdf, Data, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, April 9, 2021, June 23, 2021,web.archive.org/web/20210623200707/https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr70/nvsr70-02-508.pdf, live, ! 2020WEB,www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr70/nvsr70-17.pdf, Data, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022-02-21, February 10, 2022,web.archive.org/web/20220210175206/https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr70/NVSR70-17.pdf, live, ! 2021WEB,www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr72/nvsr72-01.pdf, Data, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022-02-03, ! 2022WEB,www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr73/nvsr73-02.pdf, Data, www.cdc.gov, 2024-04-05, White Americans>White:| 7,090 (92.7%)| 7,178 (93.2%)| 7,217 (92.9%)| ...| ...| ...| ...| ...| ...| ... Non-Hispanic whites>Non-Hispanic White| 6,136 (80.3%)| 6,258 (81.3%)| 6,196 (79.8%)| 5,763 (78.0%)| 5,426 (78.6%)| 5,078 (77.4%)| 5,158 (78.6%)| 4,762 (77.7%)| 4,882 (78.3%)| 4,622 (76.4%)Native Americans in the United States>Native American| 305 (4.0%)| 294 (3.8%)| 294 (3.8%)| 200 (2.7%)| 206 (3.0%)| 219 (3.3%)| 198 (3.0%)| 176 (2.9%)| 179 (2.9%)| 185 (3.1%)Asian Americans>Asian| 124 (1.6%)| 108 (1.4%)| 135 (1.7%)| 100 (1.3%)| 79 (1.1%)| 72 (1.1%)| 73 (1.1%)| 58 (0.9%)| 67 (1.1%)| 64 (1.1%)African Americans>Black| 125 (1.6%)| 116 (1.5%)| 119 (1.5%)| 63 (0.9%)| 45 (0.7%)| 57 (0.9%)| 61 (0.9%)| 55 (0.9%)| 48 (0.8%)| 46 (0.8%)Hispanic and Latino Americans>Hispanic (of any race)| 926 (12.1%)| 895 (11.6%)| 963 (12.4%)| 973 (13.2%)| 892 (12.9%)| 851 (13.0%)| 839 (12.8%)| 818 (13.3%)| 749 (12.0%)| 835 (13.8%)| Total Wyoming| 7,644 (100%)| 7,696 (100%)| 7,765 (100%)| 7,386 (100%)| 6,903 (100%)| 6,562 (100%)| 6,565 (100%)| 6,128 (100%)| 6,237 (100%)| 6,049 (100%)

• Since 2016, data for births of White Hispanic origin are not collected, but included in one Hispanic group; persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race.

Languages

{{See also|Native American languages of Wyoming}}In 2010, 93.39% (474,343) of Wyomingites over age 5 spoke English as their primary language; 4.47% (22,722) spoke Spanish, 0.35% (1,771) spoke German, and 0.28% (1,434) spoke French. Other common non-English languages included Algonquian (0.18%), Russian (0.10%), Tagalog, and Greek (both 0.09%).WEB, Most Spoken Languages in Wyoming in 2010,www.mla.org/cgi-shl/docstudio/docs.pl?map_data_results,www.mla.org/cgi-shl/docstudio/docs.pl?map_data_results," title="web.archive.org/web/20060619224705www.mla.org/cgi-shl/docstudio/docs.pl?map_data_results,">web.archive.org/web/20060619224705www.mla.org/cgi-shl/docstudio/docs.pl?map_data_results, dead, June 19, 2006, Modern Language Association, December 15, 2013, mdy-all, In 2007, the American Community Survey reported 6.2% (30,419) of Wyoming’s population over five spoke a language other than English at home. Of those, 68.1% were able to speak English very well, 16.0% spoke English well, 10.9% did not speak English well, and 5.0% did not speak English at all.WEB,www.census.gov/hhes/socdemo/language/data/acs/ACS-12.pdf, Language Use in the United States: 2007, Hyon B. Shin, Robert A. Kominski, April 2010, United States Census Bureau, United States Department of Commerce, May 27, 2013,www.census.gov/hhes/socdemo/language/data/acs/ACS-12.pdf," title="web.archive.org/web/20130614060228www.census.gov/hhes/socdemo/language/data/acs/ACS-12.pdf,">web.archive.org/web/20130614060228www.census.gov/hhes/socdemo/language/data/acs/ACS-12.pdf, June 14, 2013, live,

Religion

Surveys have consistently ranked Wyoming among the most irreligious states. According to the 2020 American Values Atlas survey, Wyoming was the least religious state in the country.{{Pie chart|thumb=right|caption=Religious self-identification, Public Religion Research Institute’s 2020 American Values Atlas survey.WEB, Staff, February 24, 2023, 2020 American Values Atlas: Religious Tradition,ava.prri.org/#religious/2020/States/religion/m/US-WY, April 15, 2023, Public Religion Research Institute, |label1=Unaffiliated|value1=40|color1=White|label2=Protestantism|value2=33|color2=Blue|label3=Catholicism|value3=15|color3=Purple|label4=Mormonism|value4=7|color4=Teal|color5=Pink|color6=Grey|value5=1|label5=Judaism|value6=4|label6=Other}}In 2020, the Public Religion Research Institute determined that about 55% of Wyoming’s adult population was Christian, primarily evangelical and mainline Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Mormon.WEB, PRRI – American Values Atlas,ava.prri.org/#religious/2020/States/religion/m/US-WY, 2022-09-17, ava.prri.org, The Public Religion Research Institute survey documented a decrease in religiosity from a 2014 separate Pew Research Center study;WEB,www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/state/wyoming/, Religion in America: U.S. Religious Data, Demographics and Statistics—Pew Research Center, December 3, 2017,www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/state/wyoming/," title="web.archive.org/web/20171202014402www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/state/wyoming/,">web.archive.org/web/20171202014402www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/state/wyoming/, December 2, 2017, live, according to the Public Religion Research Institute, the irreligious made up 40% of the state population by 2020. According to a 2013 Gallup poll, Wyomingites’ religious affiliations were 49% Protestant, 23% nonreligious or other, 18% Catholic, 9% Latter-day Saint (Mormons), and less than 1% Jewish.WEB,www.gallup.com/poll/167120/mississippi-alabama-protestant-states.aspx, Mississippi and Alabama Most Protestant States in U.S., February 5, 2014, Gallup, June 4, 2014,www.gallup.com/poll/167120/mississippi-alabama-protestant-states.aspx," title="web.archive.org/web/20160414171721www.gallup.com/poll/167120/mississippi-alabama-protestant-states.aspx,">web.archive.org/web/20160414171721www.gallup.com/poll/167120/mississippi-alabama-protestant-states.aspx, April 14, 2016, live, A 2010 Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA) report recognized as Wyoming’s largest denominations the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), with 62,804 (11%); the Catholic Church, with 61,222 (10.8%); and the Southern Baptist Convention, with 15,812 (2.8%). The report counted 59,247 evangelical Protestants (10.5%), 36,539 mainline Protestants (6.5%), 785 Eastern Orthodox Christians; 281 Black Protestants; 65,000 adhering to other traditions; and 340,552 claiming no religious tradition.WEB, State Membership Report: Wyoming,www.thearda.com/rcms2010/r/s/56/rcms2010_56_state_adh_2010.asp, Association of Religion Data Archives, December 15, 2013,www.thearda.com/rcms2010/r/s/56/rcms2010_56_state_adh_2010.asp," title="web.archive.org/web/20131215034424www.thearda.com/rcms2010/r/s/56/rcms2010_56_state_adh_2010.asp,">web.archive.org/web/20131215034424www.thearda.com/rcms2010/r/s/56/rcms2010_56_state_adh_2010.asp, December 15, 2013, live, In 2020, ARDA reported the state’s largest individual denominations as the following: the Catholic Church (69,500); the LDS Church (67,729); and the Southern Baptist Convention (11,082). Non-denominational Protestants were 23,410 in number.WEB, Maps and data files for 2020 {{!, U.S. Religion Census {{!}} Religious Statistics & Demographics |url=https://www.usreligioncensus.org/index.php/node/1639 |access-date=2022-12-10 |website=www.usreligioncensus.org}}Through ARDA’s 2020 report, the Roman Catholics had an adherence rate of 120.48 per 1,000 people, Mormons 117.41 per 1,000 people, and Southern Baptists 19.21 per 1,000 people. Non-denominational Protestants had an adherence rate of 40.58 per 1,000 people; these trends reflected the separate 2014 Pew study’s varying attendance at religious services. In 2014, 38% visited a religious service at least once a week, 28% once or twice a month, and 32% seldom/never. A 2018 research article by the National Christian Foundation cited non-churchgoing Christians nationwide did not attend religious services often through practicing the faith in other ways, not finding a house of worship they liked, disliking sermons and feeling unwelcomed, and logistics.WEB, Why Christians don’t go to church anymore (and why they must),www.ncfgiving.com/stories/why-christians-dont-go-to-church-and-why-they-must/, 2023-04-15, National Christian Foundation, October 18, 2018, en-US,

Economy and infrastructure

{{Further|List of Wyoming locations by per capita income|List of power stations in Wyoming}}File:Wind Power 4892597382.jpg|thumb|Wind farm in Uinta County ]]According to a 2012 United States Bureau of Economic Analysis report, Wyoming’s gross state product was $38.4 billion.WEB, GDP by State,www.bea.gov/iTable/iTable.cfm?reqid=70&step=1&isuri=1&acrdn=1#reqid=70&step=1&isuri=1, Bureau of Economic Analysis, July 14, 2013,bea.gov/iTable/iTable.cfm?ReqID=70&step=1&isuri=1&acrdn=1#reqid=70&step=1&isuri=1," title="web.archive.org/web/20130413130847bea.gov/iTable/iTable.cfm?ReqID=70&step=1&isuri=1&acrdn=1#reqid=70&step=1&isuri=1,">web.archive.org/web/20130413130847bea.gov/iTable/iTable.cfm?ReqID=70&step=1&isuri=1&acrdn=1#reqid=70&step=1&isuri=1, April 13, 2013, live, As of 2014, the population was growing slightly with the most growth in tourist-oriented areas, such as Teton County. Boom conditions in neighboring states, such as North Dakota, were drawing energy workers away. About half of Wyoming’s counties showed population loss.NEWS, Star-Tribune staff writers, Wyoming’s population growth slows,trib.com/business/wyoming-s-population-growth-slows/article_c72f35b3-9802-5498-af01-d02c63416edb.html, July 16, 2015, Casper Star-Tribune, March 29, 2015, ...{{nbsp, according to Wyoming’s Economic Analysis Division |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019003915trib.com/business/wyoming-s-population-growth-slows/article_c72f35b3-9802-5498-af01-d02c63416edb.html |archive-date=October 19, 2017 |url-status=live }} The state makes active efforts through Wyoming Grown, an internet-based recruitment program, to find jobs for young people educated in Wyoming who have emigrated but may wish to return.NEWS, Julie Turkewitz, Wyoming, Long on Pride but Short on People, Hopes to Lure Some Back,www.nytimes.com/2015/07/16/us/wyoming-long-on-pride-but-short-on-people-hopes-to-lure-some-back.html, July 16, 2015, The New York Times, July 15, 2015, This effort has taken the form of an Internet-based recruitment program called Wyoming Grown. Young Wyomingites who have left the state sign up on the program’s website, and quickly receive a call from a recruiter who helps link them to work here.,www.nytimes.com/2015/07/16/us/wyoming-long-on-pride-but-short-on-people-hopes-to-lure-some-back.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20150719054955www.nytimes.com/2015/07/16/us/wyoming-long-on-pride-but-short-on-people-hopes-to-lure-some-back.html,">web.archive.org/web/20150719054955www.nytimes.com/2015/07/16/us/wyoming-long-on-pride-but-short-on-people-hopes-to-lure-some-back.html, July 19, 2015, live, The mineral-extraction industry and travel and tourism sector are the main drivers of Wyoming’s economy.WEB,www.wyo.gov/about-wyoming, About Wyoming, wyo.gov, April 14, 2023, The federal government owns about 42.3% of its landmass, while the state controls 6%. The total taxable value of mining production in Wyoming in 2007 was over $14.5 billion. In 2018, tourism industry accounts for over $3.8 billion in revenue.In 2002, more than six million people visited Wyoming’s national parks and monuments. Wyoming’s main tourist attractions include Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Devils Tower National Monument, Independence Rock and Fossil Butte National Monument. Yellowstone, the world’s first national park, receives three million visitors each year.Historically, agriculture has been an important component of Wyoming’s economy. Its overall importance to the economy has waned, but it is still an essential part of Wyoming’s culture and lifestyle. The main agricultural commodities Wyoming produces include livestock (beef), hay, sugar beets, grain (wheat and barley), and wool. More than 91% of Wyoming’s land is classified as rural.Wyoming is the home of only a handful of companies with a regional or national presence. Taco John’s and Sierra Trading Post, both in Cheyenne, are privately held. Cloud Peak Energy in Gillette and U.S. Energy Corp. (NASDAQ: USEG) in Riverton are Wyoming’s only publicly traded companies.Various initiatives have been put in place and legislation adopted to encourage the use of blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies in the state.WEB, How Caitlin Long turned Wyoming into crypto country,fortune.com/2021/07/29/caitlin-long-wyoming-crypto/, 2023-04-25, Fortune, en, Tyler Lindholm, a former state legislator, claimed that 500 member-owned limited liability companies built on blockchain had been established and that 17,000 businesses with “crypto” in their name registered by 2023.These included the blockchain platforms Cardano and Tacen.WEB, Lindholm, Tyler, Lindholm: Wyoming is ahead of the curve on blockchain and cryptocurrencies,trib.com/opinion/columns/lindholm-wyoming-is-ahead-of-the-curve-on-blockchain-and-cryptocurrencies/article_7af2cb7a-d631-11ed-a13d-23522c8bc5ff.html, 2023-04-25, Casper Star-Tribune Online, April 9, 2023, en,

Mineral and energy production

(File:Wy-coal-prod.png|thumb|Annual aggregate coal mine production in Wyoming from 2001 to 2022.WEB,www.eia.gov/coal/data/browser/#/topic/33?agg=0,2,1&rank=g&geo=000000000008&mntp=g&linechart=COAL.PRODUCTION.TOT-WY-TOT.A&columnchart=COAL.PRODUCTION.TOT-WY-TOT.A&map=COAL.PRODUCTION.TOT-WY-TOT.A&freq=A&start=2001&end=2022&ctype=map<ype=pin&rtype=s&maptype=0&rse=0&pin=, Aggregate coal mine production, Oct 3, 2023, Oct 3, 2023,web.archive.org/web/20231002025159/https://www.eia.gov/coal/data/browser/, Oct 2, 2023, live, )File:Liebherr T282C Coal Haul Truck.png|thumb|(North Antelope Rochelle Mine]], the largest estimated coal mine reserve in the world, as of 2013Praveen Duddu (October 20, 2013). “The 10 biggest coal mines in the world” {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181031174014www.mining-technology.com/features/feature-the-10-biggest-coal-mines-in-the-world/ |date=October 31, 2018 }}. mining-technology.com. Verdict Media Limited. Retrieved October 31, 2018.)File:Rig wind river.jpg|thumb|upright|A natural gas rig west of the Wind River RangeWind River RangeWyoming’s mineral commodities include coal, natural gas, coalbed methane, crude oil, uranium, and trona.

Coal

Wyoming produced 277 million short tons (251.29 million metric tons) of coal in 2019, a 9% drop from 2018.WEB,www.wsgs.wyo.gov/energy/coal-production-mining, Coal Production & Mining, Oct 1, 2020, March 12, 2021,web.archive.org/web/20200307043910/https://www.wsgs.wyo.gov/energy/coal-production-mining, March 7, 2020, live, Wyoming’s coal production peaked in 2008, when 514 million short tons (466.3 million metric tons) were produced. Wyoming has a reserve of 68.7 billion tons (62.3 billion metric tons) of coal. Major coal areas include the Powder River Basin and the Green River Basin.CBM is methane gas extracted from coal bed seams and coalbed methane extraction(CBM) boomed in the mid-1990s.{{cn|date=May 2024}} There has been substantial CBM production in the Powder River Basin.{{cn|date=May 2024}} In 2002, the CBM production yield was 327.5 billion cubic feet (9.3 km3).{{cn|date=May 2024}} In 2016, Wyoming produced 1.77 trillion cubic feet (50.0 billion m3) of natural gas, ranking the state ranked 6th nationwide in natural gas production.US Energy Information Administration, Natural Gas Production {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170623195724www.eia.gov/dnav/ng/ng_prod_sum_a_EPG0_VGM_mmcf_a.htm |date=June 23, 2017 }}, accessed 14 June 2017.

Oil

Wyoming produced {{convert|53.4|Moilbbl}} of crude oil in 2007, ranking fifth nationwide in oil production.

Wind energy

Because of its geography and altitude, the potential for wind power in Wyoming is one of the highest of any U.S. state. The Chokecherry and Sierra Madre Wind Energy Project is the largest commercial wind generation facility under development in North America.WEB,www.powercompanyofwyoming.com/, Power Company of Wyoming: Chokecherry and Sierra Madre Wind Energy Project, Powercompanyofwyoming.com, September 4, 2017,www.powercompanyofwyoming.com/," title="web.archive.org/web/20170904200419www.powercompanyofwyoming.com/,">web.archive.org/web/20170904200419www.powercompanyofwyoming.com/, September 4, 2017, live, Carbon County is home to the largest proposed wind farm in the nation. Construction plans have been halted because of proposed new taxes on wind power energy production.WEB, Paterson, Leigh, Construction of Largest U.S. Wind Farm Is on Hold,wyomingpublicmedia.org/post/construction-largest-us-wind-farm-hold, 21 June 2016, wyomingpublicmedia.org, June 14, 2016,wyomingpublicmedia.org/post/construction-largest-us-wind-farm-hold," title="web.archive.org/web/20160618110538wyomingpublicmedia.org/post/construction-largest-us-wind-farm-hold,">web.archive.org/web/20160618110538wyomingpublicmedia.org/post/construction-largest-us-wind-farm-hold, June 18, 2016, live,

Other

The Kelsey Lake Diamond Mine in Colorado, less than {{convert|1000|ft|m}} from the Wyoming border, produced gem-quality diamonds for several years.{{cn|date=May 2024}} The Wyoming craton, which hosts the kimberlite volcanic pipes that were mined, underlies most of Wyoming.Wyoming possesses the world’s largest known reserve of trona,NEWS,www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2009/02/16/news/wyoming/4b7e9a771fe4bd868725755e00268e51.txt,www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2009/02/16/news/wyoming/4b7e9a771fe4bd868725755e00268e51.txt," title="archive.today/20130112020407www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2009/02/16/news/wyoming/4b7e9a771fe4bd868725755e00268e51.txt,">archive.today/20130112020407www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2009/02/16/news/wyoming/4b7e9a771fe4bd868725755e00268e51.txt, dead, January 12, 2013, Soda ash companies enjoy record year, Gearino, Jeff, Casper Star Tribune, February 16, 2009, a mineral used in manufacturing glass, paper, soaps, baking soda, water softeners, and pharmaceuticals. In 2008, Wyoming produced 46 million short tons (41.7 million metric tons) of trona, 25% of the world’s production.Although uranium mining in Wyoming is much less active than in previous decades, recent increases in uranium’s price have generated new interest in prospecting and mining.{{cn|date=May 2024}}Rare earth metals.WEB,oilprice.com/Metals/Commodities/Wyoming-Rare-Earth-Discovery-Could-Shake-Up-Global-Markets.html, Wyoming Rare Earth Discovery Could Shake up Global Markets,

Taxes

Unlike most other states, Wyoming levies no individual or corporate income tax. It also assesses no tax on retirement income earned and received from another state. Wyoming has a state sales tax of 4%. Counties have the option to collect an additional 1% tax for general revenue and a 1% tax for specific purposes, if approved by voters. Food for human consumption is not subject to sales tax.Votes back repeal of food tax {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060414230521www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2006/03/03/news/wyoming/32-food-tax.prt |date=April 14, 2006 }}, Billings Gazette, March 3, 2006 A county lodging tax varies from 2% to 5%. The state collects a use tax of 5% on items purchased elsewhere and brought into Wyoming. All property tax is based on the property’s assessed value; Wyoming’s Department of Revenue’s Ad Valorem Tax Division supports, trains, and guides local government agencies in the uniform assessment, valuation and taxation of locally assessed property. “Assessed value” means taxable value; “taxable value” means a percentage of the fair market value of property in a particular class. Statutes limit property tax increases. For county revenue, the property tax rate cannot exceed 12 mills (or 1.2%) of assessed value. For cities and towns, the rate is limited to eight mills (0.8%). With very few exceptions, state law limits the property tax rate for all governmental purposes.Personal property held for personal use is tax-exempt. Inventory held for resale, pollution control equipment, cash, accounts receivable, stocks and bonds are also exempt. Other exemptions include property used for religious, educational, charitable, fraternal, benevolent and government purposes and improvements for handicapped access. Mine lands, underground mining equipment, and oil and gas extraction equipment are exempt from property tax, but companies must pay a gross products tax on minerals and a severance tax on mineral production.WEB,www.wvpolicy.org/getting-the-story-right-mineral-taxation-in-wyoming-and-west-virginia,www.wvpolicy.org/getting-the-story-right-mineral-taxation-in-wyoming-and-west-virginia," title="web.archive.org/web/20130117043021www.wvpolicy.org/getting-the-story-right-mineral-taxation-in-wyoming-and-west-virginia,">web.archive.org/web/20130117043021www.wvpolicy.org/getting-the-story-right-mineral-taxation-in-wyoming-and-west-virginia, dead, January 17, 2013, Getting the Story Right; Mineral Taxation in Wyoming and West Virginia, West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy Blog, November 10, 2012, Wyoming Statutes Section 39-13-103Wyoming does not collect inheritance taxes. There is limited estate tax related to federal estate tax collection.In 2008, the Tax Foundation reported that Wyoming had the most “business-friendly” tax climate of any U.S. state.WEB,www.taxfoundation.org/research/topic/68.html, The Tax Foundation—Tax Research Areas—Wyoming, Taxfoundation.org, July 31, 2010,www.taxfoundation.org/research/topic/68.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20100130093252www.taxfoundation.org/research/topic/68.html,">web.archive.org/web/20100130093252www.taxfoundation.org/research/topic/68.html, January 30, 2010, live, Wyoming state and local governments in fiscal year 2007 collected $2.242 billion in taxes, levies, and royalties from the oil and gas industry. The state’s mineral industry, including oil, gas, trona, and coal, provided $1.3 billion in property taxes from 2006 mineral production.WEB,www.pawyo.org/facts.html, Petroleum Association of Wyoming, dead,www.pawyo.org/facts.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20080920105654www.pawyo.org/facts.html,">web.archive.org/web/20080920105654www.pawyo.org/facts.html, September 20, 2008, mdy-all, As of 2017, Wyoming receives more federal tax dollars as a percentage of state general revenue than any state except Montana.Janelle Cammenga. “Which States Rely the Most on Federal Aid? {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210312012945taxfoundation.org/state-federal-aid-reliance-2020/ |date=March 12, 2021 }}”. Tax Foundation, February 12, 2020. Accessed March 15, 2021.As of 2016, Wyoming does not require the beneficial owners of LLCs to be disclosed in the filing, which creates an opportunity for a tax haven, according to Clark Stith of Clark Stith & Associates.WEB,www.taxnotes.com/tax-notes-today/tax-havens/panama-papers-include-nevada-wyoming-among-offshore-tax-havens/2016/04/05/18448446, registration, Panama Papers Include Nevada, Wyoming Among Offshore Tax Havens, taxnotes.com, Tax Analysts, 5 April 2016, Hamilton, Amy, October 31, 2018,web.archive.org/web/20181031082639/https://www.taxnotes.com/tax-notes-today/tax-havens/panama-papers-include-nevada-wyoming-among-offshore-tax-havens/2016/04/05/18448446, October 31, 2018, live, If fact, Wyoming was the first state to enact a statute authorizing the creation of LLCs.BOOK, Maynard, Therese H., Warren, Dana M., Trevino, Shannon, Business Planning: Financing the Start-Up Business and Venture Capital Financing, 2018, Wolters Kluwer, New York, 9781454882152, 137, 3rd,books.google.com/books?id=12lODwAAQBAJ&pg=PA137, September 22, 2020,

Transportation

{{Further|List of Wyoming railroads|List of airports in Wyoming|List of state highways in Wyoming}}(File:National-atlas-wyoming.PNG|thumb|upright=2|Major highways of Wyoming)Wyoming’s largest airport is Jackson Hole Airport, with more than 500 employees.WEB,www.jacksonholeairport.com/news/improvement, Airport Improvement Projects—Jackson Hole Airport (JAC), Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Jacksonholeairport.com, September 4, 2017,www.jacksonholeairport.com/news/improvement," title="web.archive.org/web/20120113100443www.jacksonholeairport.com/news/improvement,">web.archive.org/web/20120113100443www.jacksonholeairport.com/news/improvement, January 13, 2012, dead, mdy-all, Three interstate highways and 13 U.S. highways pass through Wyoming. The Wyoming state highway system also serves the state.Interstate 25 enters Wyoming south of Cheyenne and runs north, intersecting Interstate 80 immediately west of Cheyenne. It passes through Casper and ends at Interstate 90, near Buffalo. Interstate 80 crosses the Utah border west of Evanston and runs east through the southern third of the state, passing through Cheyenne before entering Nebraska near Pine Bluffs. Interstate 90 comes into Wyoming near Parkman and cuts through the northeastern part of the state. It serves Gillette and enters South Dakota east of Sundance.U.S. Routes 14, 16, and the eastern section of U.S. 20 have their western terminus at the eastern entrance to Yellowstone National Park and pass through Cody. U.S. 14 runs eastward before joining I-90 at Gillette. U.S. 14 then follows I-90 to the South Dakota border. U.S. 16 and 20 split off of U.S. 14 at Greybull and U.S. 16 turns east at Worland while U.S. 20 continues south Shoshoni. U.S. Route 287 runs from Fort Collins, Colorado, to Laramie, Wyoming, through a pass between the Laramie Mountains and the Medicine Bow Mountains, then merges with US 30 and I-80 until it reaches Rawlins, where it continues north, passing Lander. Outside of Moran, U.S. 287 is part of a large interchange with U.S. Highways 26, 191, and 89, before continuing north to Yellowstone’s southern entrance. U.S. 287 continues north of Yellowstone, but the park separates the two sections.Other U.S. highways that pass through Wyoming are 18, 26, 30, 85, 87, 89, 189, 191, 212, and 287.Wyoming is one of only two states (the other is South Dakota) in the 48 contiguous states not served by Amtrak.WEB, Amtrak National Facts,www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=Page&pagename=am%2FLayout&cid=1246041980246, Amtrak.com, 18 March 2016, dead,web.archive.org/web/20160310001307/https://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=Page&pagename=am%2FLayout&cid=1246041980246, March 10, 2016, mdy-all, It was once served by Amtrak’s San Francisco Zephyr and Pioneer lines.NEWS, Last passenger trains rolling across Wyoming, Spokesman-Review, July 13, 1983, September 12, 2010,www.newspapers.com/clip/78899864/last-passenger-trains-rolling-across/, June 4, 2021,web.archive.org/web/20210604003221/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78899864/last-passenger-trains-rolling-across/, live, While no passenger trains roll through Wyoming today, intercity buses continue to connect residents across the state. Intercity bus carriers in the state include Express Arrow, Greyhound Lines, and Jefferson Lines.WEB, Greyhound and connecting partners map,greyhound.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=e6487220ba8340c89e8aa660d63be24a, June 29, 2022, WEB, Express Arrow Locations,expressarrow.com/locations/, June 29, 2022, WEB, Bus tickets to Wyoming,www.jeffersonlines.com/bus-stops/wyoming/, June 29, 2022, {| class=“collapsible collapsed” style="border:1px #aaa solid; width:50em; margin:0.2em auto”! Local transit mapWyoming float=center|caption=Local Transit Systems (Only systems with fixed-route services are shown)|places={{Location map~ |Wyoming |lat=42.848703|long=-106.320930|position=bottom|label=Casper Area Transit|label_size=90|mark=Icon-mode-bus-default.svg|marksize=20 }}{{Location map~ |Wyoming |lat=41.133941|long=-104.815039|position=top |label=Cheyenne Transit|label_size=90 |mark=Icon-mode-bus-default.svg|marksize=20 }}{{Location map~ |Wyoming |lat=44.796374|long=-106.955911|position=bottom |label=Goose Creek Transit|label_size=90 |mark=Icon-mode-bus-default.svg|marksize=20 }}{{Location map~ |Wyoming |lat=43.479648|long=-110.762342|position=bottom |label=START Bus|label_size=90 |mark=Icon-mode-bus-default.svg|marksize=20 }}{{Location map~ |Wyoming |lat=41.312392|long=-105.577201|position=top |label=Roundup|label_size=90 |mark=Icon-mode-bus-default.svg|marksize=20 }}{{Location map~ |Wyoming |lat=43.024676|long=-108.386353|position=bottom |label=WRTA|label_size=90 |mark=Icon-mode-bus-default.svg|marksize=20 }}}}

Major interstates

• {{jct|state=WY|I|25}} (300.5 mi) connects Denver, Cheyenne, Casper and Buffalo. Most of the highway is connected with US 87. Major junctions include Interstate 80, US 30, US 85, US 26, US Routes 18 & 20 and US 16 before its northern terminus at Interstate 90 in Buffalo.
• {{jct|state=WY|I|80}} (402.8 mi) connects Evanston, Rock Springs, Rawlins, Laramie and Cheyenne. Major junctions include US 191, US 287, I-25, and US 85 & I-180.
• {{jct|state=WY|I|90}} (208.8 mi) connects Sheridan, Buffalo and Gillette. Primarily in northeastern Wyoming. Major junctions include US 14, I-25 and US 16.

Wind River Indian Reservation

File:WindRiverCanyon.JPG|thumb|Wind River CanyonWind River CanyonThe Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes share the Wind River Indian Reservation in central western Wyoming, near Lander. The reservation is home to 2,500 Eastern Shoshone and 5,000 Northern Arapaho.WEB,www.wind-river.org/info/communities/reservation.php, Wind River Country: Wind River Indian Reservation, dead,wind-river.org/info/communities/reservation.php," title="web.archive.org/web/20090319064509wind-river.org/info/communities/reservation.php,">web.archive.org/web/20090319064509wind-river.org/info/communities/reservation.php, March 19, 2009, mdy-all, Chief Washakie established the reservation in 1868Background of Wind River Reservation {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090227071317www.easternshoshone.net/WindRiverReservation.htm |date=February 27, 2009 }} as the result of negotiations with the federal government in the Fort Bridger Treaty,WEB,www.pbs.org/independentlens/chiefs/rez.html, Chiefe: The Rez, PBS, September 18, 2017,www.pbs.org/independentlens/chiefs/rez.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20130228091722www.pbs.org/independentlens/chiefs/rez.html,">web.archive.org/web/20130228091722www.pbs.org/independentlens/chiefs/rez.html, February 28, 2013, live, PBS. Independent Lens but the federal government forced the Northern Arapaho onto the Shoshone reservation in 1876 after it failed to provide a promised separate reservation.Today the Wind River Indian Reservation is jointly owned, with each tribe having a 50% interest in the land, water, and other natural resources.WEB,www.northernarapaho.com/background, Background—Northern Arapaho Tribe, Northernarapaho.com, September 4, 2017,www.northernarapaho.com/background," title="web.archive.org/web/20170915064429www.northernarapaho.com/background,">web.archive.org/web/20170915064429www.northernarapaho.com/background, September 15, 2017, live, It is a sovereign, self-governed land with two independent governing bodies: the Eastern Shoshone Tribe and the Northern Arapaho Tribe. Until 2014, the Shoshone Business Council and Northern Arapaho Business Council met jointly as the Joint Business Council to decide matters that affect both tribes. Six elected council members from each tribe served on the joint council.

Public lands

(File:Wyoming ref 2001.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8|Wyoming terrain map)The federal government owns nearly half of Wyoming’s land (about {{convert|30099430|acre|km2}}); the state owns another {{convert|3864800|acre|km2}}.MainEnvironment.org {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170525081957www.maineenvironment.org/documents/publiclandownership.pdf |date=May 25, 2017 }} Public Land Ownership by State, 1995 Main Environment.org Most of it is administered by the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service in numerous national forests and a national grassland, not to mention vast swaths of “public” land and an air force base near Cheyenne.(File:Map Wyoming NPS sites USA.gif|thumb|upright=1.25|National Park Service sites map)There are also areas managed by the National Park Service and agencies such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

• Grand Teton National Park
• Yellowstone National Park—first designated national park in the worldWEB, Listing of National Park System Areas by State,www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/nps/nps/part2.htmdeto, National Park Service, June 30, 2011, dead,www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/nps/nps/part2.htm," title="web.archive.org/web/20110629022806www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/nps/nps/part2.htm,">web.archive.org/web/20110629022806www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/nps/nps/part2.htm, June 29, 2011,

• The John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway connects Yellowstone and Grand Teton.

• Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area
• Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area (managed by the Forest Service as part of Ashley National Forest)

• Devils Tower National Monument—first national monument in the U.S.
• Fossil Butte National Monument

• California National Historic Trail
• Fort Laramie National Historic Site
• Independence Rock National Historic Landmark
• Medicine Wheel/Medicine Mountain National Historic Landmark
• Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Wyoming
• Oregon National Historic Trail
• Pony Express National Historic Trail

• Jackson National Fish Hatchery
• Saratoga National Fish Hatchery

• National Elk Refuge
• Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge

File:Castle Geyser (3678669019).jpg|Yellowstone National ParkFile:A110, Devils Tower National Monument, Wyoming, USA, 2004.jpg|Devils Tower National MonumentFile:Thunder Basin National Grassland Douglas.jpg|Thunder Basin National GrasslandFile:Seedskadee nwr sunset.jpg|Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge{{wide image|Wide angle tetons.jpg|900px|align-cap=center|Panoramic view of the Teton Range looking west from Jackson Hole, Grand Teton National Park}}

Education

(File:Rocky Mountain Herbarium University of Wyoming.JPG|thumb|The Rocky Mountain Herbarium at the University of Wyoming)The state superintendent of public instruction, an elected state official, directs public education. The State Board of Education, a nine-member board appointed by the governor, sets educational policy. The constitution prohibits the state from establishing curriculum and textbook selections; these are the prerogative of local school boards. The Wyoming School for the Deaf was the only in-state school dedicated to supporting deaf students before it closed in the summer of 2000.NEWS,trib.com/news/local/deaf-alumni-saddened-by-school-s-fate/article_94be7523-5bc5-5031-97ee-9431a205cfe9.html, Deaf alumni saddened by school’s fate, Watt, Meghan, October 1, 2007, Casper Star-Tribune, 2017-04-08, en,trib.com/news/local/deaf-alumni-saddened-by-school-s-fate/article_94be7523-5bc5-5031-97ee-9431a205cfe9.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20171205194600trib.com/news/local/deaf-alumni-saddened-by-school-s-fate/article_94be7523-5bc5-5031-97ee-9431a205cfe9.html,">web.archive.org/web/20171205194600trib.com/news/local/deaf-alumni-saddened-by-school-s-fate/article_94be7523-5bc5-5031-97ee-9431a205cfe9.html, December 5, 2017, live,

Higher education

Wyoming has a public four-year institution, the University of Wyoming in Laramie, and a private four-year college, Wyoming Catholic College, in Lander. There are also seven two-year community colleges.Before the passing of a new law in 2006, Wyoming had hosted unaccredited institutions, many of them suspected diploma mills.Alleged “diploma mills” flocking to Wyoming {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071223021228seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/education/2002174735_diploma09.html |date=December 23, 2007 }}, by Mead Gruver, The Seattle Times, February 9, 2005 The 2006 law requires unaccredited institutions to make one of three choices: move out of Wyoming, close down, or apply for accreditation. The Oregon State Office of Degree Authorization predicted in 2007 that in a few years the problem of diploma mills in Wyoming might be resolved.Unaccredited Colleges {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070715144241www.osac.state.or.us/oda/unaccredited.aspx |date=July 15, 2007 }}, Potential problems with degree suppliers located in these states—Wyoming, Oregon State Office of Degree Authorization

Media

Wyoming’s media market consists of 16 broadcast TV stations, radio stations and dozens of small to medium-sized newspapers.WEB,www.w3newspapers.com/usa/wyoming/, Wyoming Newspapers Online, January 17, 2021, w3newspapers.com, January 17, 2021, November 13, 2020,web.archive.org/web/20201113215801/https://www.w3newspapers.com/usa/wyoming/, live, WEB,www.stationindex.com/tv/by-state/wy, Television Stations, January 17, 2021, stationindex.com, January 17, 2021, May 27, 2018,www.stationindex.com/tv/by-state/wy," title="web.archive.org/web/20180527225055www.stationindex.com/tv/by-state/wy,">web.archive.org/web/20180527225055www.stationindex.com/tv/by-state/wy, live, WEB,radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/finder?sr=Y&s=T&state=WY, Radio Stations in Wyoming, January 17, 2021, radio-locator.com, January 17, 2021, January 15, 2021,web.archive.org/web/20210115223637/https://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/finder?sr=Y&s=T&state=WY, live, There are also a few small independent news sources such as the nonprofit news site Wyofile.comWEB,www.wyofile.com/about/, About us, January 17, 2021, wyofile.com, Wyofile, January 17, 2021, December 21, 2020,web.archive.org/web/20201221001201/https://www.wyofile.com/about/, live, and Oil City News.WEB,oilcity.news/abou, About us, January 17, 2021, oilcity.news, Oil City News, January 17, 2021, January 12, 2021, https:web.archive.org/web/20210112042740oilcity.news/about/, live,

Government and politics

{{Further|Elections in Wyoming}}(File:Wyoming State Capitol.jpg|thumb|Wyoming State Capitol building, Cheyenne)

State government

Wyoming’s Constitution established three branches of government: the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The state legislature comprises a House of Representatives with 60 members and a Senate with 30 members. The executive branch is headed by the governor and includes a secretary of state, auditor, treasurer, and superintendent of public instruction. As Wyoming does not have a lieutenant governor, the secretary of state is first in the line of succession.Wyoming’s sparse population warrants the state only one at-large seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, and hence only three votes in the Electoral College.The Wyoming State Liquor Association is the state’s sole legal wholesale distributor of spirits, making it an alcoholic beverage control state. With the exception of wine, state law prohibits the purchase of alcoholic beverages for resale from any other source.WEB,wyoliquor.org/html/common_questions.htm, Common Questions, Wyoming State Liquor Association, 18 Feb 2014, dead,wyoliquor.org/html/common_questions.htm," title="web.archive.org/web/20140212185550wyoliquor.org/html/common_questions.htm,">web.archive.org/web/20140212185550wyoliquor.org/html/common_questions.htm, February 12, 2014,

Judicial system

Wyoming’s highest court is the Supreme Court of Wyoming, with five justices presiding over appeals from the state’s lower courts. Wyoming is unusual in that it does not have an intermediate appellate court, like most states. This is largely attributable to the state’s population and correspondingly lower caseload. Appeals from the state district courts go directly to the Wyoming Supreme Court. Wyoming also has state circuit courts (formerly county courts), of limited jurisdiction, which handle certain types of cases, such as civil claims with lower dollar amounts, misdemeanor criminal offenses, and felony arraignments. Circuit court judges also commonly hear small claims cases as well.Before 1972, Wyoming judges were selected by popular vote on a nonpartisan ballot. This earlier system was criticized by the state bar who called for the adoption of the Missouri Plan, a system designed to balance judiciary independence with judiciary accountability. In 1972, an amendment to Article{{nbsp}}5 of the Wyoming Constitution, which incorporated a modified version of the plan, was adopted by the voters. Since the adoption of the amendment, all state court judges in Wyoming are nominated by the Judicial Nominating Commission and appointed by the Governor. They are then subject to a retention vote by the electorate one year after appointment.BOOK, Hubble, Larry, The Equality State: Government and Politics in Wyoming, 2008, Eddie Bowers Publishing Co., Peosta, Iowa, 978-1-57879-076-0, 91–92, 6th, etal,

Political history

{{further|Political party strength in Wyoming}}(File:Party registration by Wyoming county.svg|thumb|Party registration by Wyoming county (March 2023):{{legend-col|thumb size=narrow#e27f7f|2=Republican ≥ 50%}}#d75d5d|2=Republican ≥ 60%}}#d72f30|2=Republican ≥ 70%}}#c21b18|2=Republican ≥ 80%}}#a80000|2=Republican ≥ 90%}}}}){| class=“wikitable floatright”2024|5|1|df=US}}WEB,sos.wyo.gov/Elections/VRStats.aspx, Statewide Summary: Wyoming Voter Registration, Wyoming Secretary of State, March 1, 2023, May 17, 2024, live, ! colspan = 2 | Party! Number of voters! PercentageRepublican Party (United States)}}Republican Party (United States)>Republican 178,387 81.28%Democratic Party (United States)}}Democratic Party (United States)>Democratic 23,787 10.83%Independent Party (United States)}}Independent (politician)>No party affiliation 15,875 7.23%Libertarian Party (United States)}}Libertarian Party (United States)>Libertarian 1,057 0.48%Constitution Party (United States)}}Constitution Party (United States)>Constitution 343 0.15%Other parties (US)}}List of political parties in the United States>Other 14 0.01%! colspan = 2 | Total! style="text-align:center;“| 219,476! style="text-align:center;“| 100.00%Wyoming’s political history defies easy classification. The state was the first to grant women the right to vote and to elect a woman governor.WEB,memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/dec10.html, Today in History, The Library of Congress, July 20, 2012,memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/dec10.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20120608171436memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/dec10.html,">web.archive.org/web/20120608171436memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/dec10.html, June 8, 2012, live, On December 10, 1869, John Allen Campbell, the first Governor of the Wyoming Territory, approved the first law in United States history explicitly granting women the right to vote. This day was later commemorated as Wyoming Day. On November 5, 1889, voters approved the first constitution in the world granting full voting rights to women.While the state elected notable Democrats to federal office in the 1960s and 1970s, politics have become decidedly more conservative since the 1980s as the Republican Party came to dominate the state’s congressional delegation. Today, Wyoming is represented in Washington by its two Senators, John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis, and its one member of the House of Representatives, Congresswoman Harriet Hageman. All three are Republicans; a Democrat has not represented Wyoming in the Senate since 1977 or in the House since 1978. The state has not voted for a Democrat for president since 1964, one of only eight times since statehood. In the 2004 presidential election, George W. Bush won his second-largest victory, with 69% of the vote. Former Vice President Dick Cheney is a Wyoming resident and represented the state in Congress from 1979 to 1989.The last time a Democrat won a statewide election in Wyoming was in 2006, when Democratic governor Dave Freudenthal was re-elected to a second term by a wide margin, winning every county in the state. For 19 of Wyoming’s 23 counties, 2006 marked the last time that they voted for the Democratic nominee in a statewide race. Of the remaining 4, Sweetwater County last voted Democratic in the 2008 U.S. House race and Laramie County last voted Democratic in the 2014 Superintendent of Public Instruction race, leaving Teton and Albany as the only counties that Democrats are able to win. Teton, which is composed of affluent resort communities, is reliably Democratic, except in Republican landslides like the 2022 gubernatorial election; Albany, which contains the college town of Laramie, is more competitive.Republicans are dominant at the state level. They have held a majority in the state senate continuously since 1936 and in the state house since 1964, though Democrats held the governorship for all but eight years between 1975 and 2011. Uniquely, Wyoming elected Democrat Nellie Tayloe Ross as the first woman in United States history to serve as state governor. She served from 1925 to 1927, winning a special election after her husband, William Bradford Ross, unexpectedly died a little more than a year into his term.BOOK, Teva J. Scheer, Governor lady: the life and times of Nellie Tayloe Ross,archive.org/details/governorladylife00sche_0, registration, University of Missouri Press, Columbia, 2005, 73, 978-0-8262-1626-7, Wyoming retains the death penalty. Authorized methods of execution include the gas chamber.WEB,deathpenaltyinfo.org/executions/methods-of-execution, Methods of Execution,

Culture

Sports

{{see also|List of college athletic programs in Wyoming}}Due to its sparse population, Wyoming lacks any major professional sports teams; the Gillette Mustangs, an indoor football team based in Gillette that began play in 2021 prior to their departure from the city in 2023, were previously the only professional team in the state. However, the Wyoming Cowboys and Cowgirls—particularly the football and basketball teams—are quite popular; their stadiums in Laramie are about {{convert|7,200|ft|m}} above sea level, the highest in NCAA Division{{nbsp}}I. The Wyoming High School Activities Association also sponsors twelve sports and there are three junior ice hockey teams, all of which are members of the NA3HL. Casper has hosted the College National Finals Rodeo since 2001.

State symbols

(File:Indian Paintbrush in Grand Teton NP-NPS.jpg|thumb|State flower of Wyoming: Indian paintbrush)List of all Wyoming state symbols:

• State bird: western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta)
• State coin: Sacagawea dollar
• State dinosaur: Triceratops
• State emblem: Bucking Horse and Rider
• State fish: cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki)
• State flag: Flag of the State of Wyoming
• State flower: Wyoming Indian paintbrush (Castilleja linariifolia)
• State fossil: Knightia
• State gemstone: Wyoming nephrite jade
• State grass: western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii)
• State insect: Sheridan’s green hairstreak butterfly (Callophrys sheridanii)
• State mammal: American bison (Bison bison)
• State motto: Equal Rights
• State nicknames: Equality State; Cowboy State; Big Wyoming
• State reptile: horned lizard (Phrynosoma douglassi brevirostre)
• State seal: Great Seal of the State of Wyoming
• State song: “Wyoming” by Charles E. Winter & George E. Knapp
• State sport: rodeo
• State tree: plains cottonwood (Populus sargentii)

See also

• Bibliography of Wyoming history
• Index of Wyoming-related articles
• Outline of Wyoming{{clear}}

Notes

{{Notelist}}

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

{{Sister project links|voy=Wyoming}}

• www.wyoming.gov/" title="web.archive.org/web/20120402231106www.wyoming.gov/">State of Wyoming government official website
• Official Wyoming State Travel Website
• Wyoming State Facts from USDA
• {{curlie|Regional/North_America/United_States/Wyoming}}
• {{osmrelation-inline|161991}}

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