Iowa

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The eastern goldfinch is the state bird of Iowa.

Iowa's state flower is the wild rose.

Corn harvesting in Iowa

The difference between a primary and caucus, explained

For Students

Corn harvesting in Iowa

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Iowa: Facts & Stats

Written and fact-checked by The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

News •

Surprise open governor's seat in Iowa signals competitive GOP primary, glimmer of hope for Democrats • Apr. 18, 2025, 7:09 AM ET (AP)

DOGE targets a community service program in its latest cost-cutting effort • Apr. 17, 2025, 12:02 AM ET (AP)

AmeriCorps members who respond to disasters and help nonprofits are let go in DOGE cuts • Apr. 16, 2025, 7:34 PM ET (AP)

Iowa relies on exports and its senior senator opposes tariffs. Trump is pressuring both • Apr. 15, 2025, 5:07 PM ET (AP)

Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds announces she won't seek reelection in 2026 • Apr. 11, 2025, 5:54 PM ET (AP)

Facts

Also Known As	Hawkeye State
Capital	Des Moines
Population¹	(2020) 3,190,369; (2024 est.) 3,241,488
Governor	Kim Reynolds (Republican)
Date Of Admission	Dec. 28, 1846
U.S. Senators	Joni Ernst (Republican) • Chuck Grassley (Republican)
State Nickname	Hawkeye State • Corn State
State Motto	“Our Liberties We Prize and Our Rights We Will Maintain”
State Bird	eastern goldfinch
State Flower	wild prairie rose
State Song	“The Song of Iowa”
Seats In U.S. House Of Representatives	4 (of 435)
Time Zone	Central (GMT − 6 hours)
Total Area (Sq Km)	145,745
Total Area (Sq Mi)	56,273
¹Excluding military abroad.

Photos and Videos

The eastern goldfinch is the state bird of Iowa.

Iowa's state flower is the wild rose.

Corn harvesting in Iowa

Iowa: severe flooding, 1993

The difference between a primary and caucus, explained

Understanding the impact of bioethanol on food prices

Monarch butterfly migration explained

See All Videos and Images →

Topics

Chuck Grassley Albert Baird Cummins United States U.S. state list of U.S. states’ dates of admission to the union List of nicknames of U.S. states current U.S. governors list of cities and towns in the United States Des Moines Amana Colonies California New York Hawaii Texas Washington Alaska Florida Massachusetts New Jersey Virginia

Grassley, Chuck

Chuck Grassley

United States senator

Cummins, Albert Baird

Albert Baird Cummins

United States politician

United States

Des Moines

Des Moines

Iowa, United States

Amana Colonies

settlement, Iowa, United States

Julien Dubuque Monument

Dubuque

Iowa, United States

Sioux City, Iowa

Sioux City

Iowa, United States

Keokuk, Iowa

Keokuk

Iowa, United States

Burlington, Iowa

Burlington

Iowa, United States

Davenport

Davenport

city, Iowa, United States

Civic building, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Cedar Rapids

Iowa, United States

Council Bluffs

Council Bluffs

Iowa, United States

Iowa: gypsum-processing plant

Fort Dodge

Iowa, United States

Mount Pleasant: Old Threshers Reunion

Mount Pleasant

Iowa, United States

Iowa River

Iowa City

Iowa, United States

Clinton: George M. Curtis House

Clinton

Iowa, United States

Newton

Newton

Iowa, United States

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