UTAH STATE FLAG

Utah (/ˈjuːtɔː/ YOO-taw, /-tɑː/ -tah listen) is a state in the western United States. It became the 45th state admitted to the U.S. on January 4, 1896. Utah is the 13th-largest by area, 31st-most-populous, and 10th-least-densely populated of the 50 United States. Utah has a population of more than 3 million according to the Census estimate for July 1, 2016. Urban development is mostly concentrated in two areas: the Wasatch Front in the north-central part of the state, which contains approximately 2.5 million people; and Washington County in Southern Utah, with over 160,000 residents.^[8] Utah is bordered by Colorado to the east, Wyoming to the northeast, Idaho to the north, Arizona to the south, and Nevada to the west. It also touches a corner of New Mexico in the southeast.

Approximately 62% of Utahns are reported to be members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), making Utah the only state with a majority population belonging to a single church.^[9] This greatly influences Utahn culture and daily life.^[10] The LDS Church's world headquarters is located in Salt Lake City.^[11][12]

The state is a center of transportation, education, information technology and research, government services, mining, and a major tourist destination for outdoor recreation. In 2013, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that Utah had the second fastest-growing population of any state.^[13] St. George was the fastest-growing metropolitan area in the United States from 2000 to 2005.^[14] Utah also has the 14th highest median average income and the least income inequality of any U.S. state. A 2012 Gallup national survey found Utah overall to be the "best state to live in" based on 13 forward-looking measurements including various economic, lifestyle, and health-related outlook metrics.^[15]

^{Wikipedia contributors. (2018, December 10). Utah. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 15:14, December 14, 2018, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Utah&oldid=872996210}