Nebraska

Nebraska is a Great Plains state in the Midwestern United States, a leading agricultural producer of corn, beef and grain. Its capital is Lincoln, while Omaha is the largest city. Nicknamed the Cornhusker State, it embodies the open prairie heartland of America.

Nebraska rises gradually from the lower eastern farmland to the high, dry plains and the unique Sand Hills, a vast region of grass-stabilized dunes, in the west. The Platte River runs across the state. The climate is continental, with hot summers and cold winters.

Nebraska culture is rooted in farming, ranching and small-town community life, with fierce devotion to Cornhuskers college football. The state fair, rodeos and a strong work ethic define its character.

Home to the Pawnee, Omaha and other peoples, Nebraska was crossed by westward pioneers on the Oregon and Mormon trails and became the 37th state in 1867. Agriculture and the railroad shaped its growth.