According to Countryaah, Indiana is home to some of the most beautiful cities in the country. Indianapolis is the capital city of Indiana and offers attractions such as The Indianapolis Motor Speedway and White River State Park. Fort Wayne is a vibrant city with plenty of cultural attractions including The Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory and The Embassy Theatre. Other popular cities in Indiana include Evansville, South Bend, Gary, Carmel, Fishers, and Bloomington. Each of these cities has something special to offer from outdoor activities like hiking or boating to historical sites like Tippecanoe Battlefield or George Rogers Clark National Historic Park.
Politics of Indiana in 2013
In 2013, Indiana politics were dominated by the Republican Party which held a majority in the state legislature and had control of the governor’s office. This was due to Governor Mitch Daniels’ two successful terms in office from 2005 to 2013. During this time, he implemented several controversial policies including an expansion of charter schools and cuts to public employee union benefits. Additionally, he also pushed for tax cuts for businesses and individuals which helped to create jobs but also led to budget deficits that would later need to be addressed.
The state legislature was divided on these issues and there was much debate over how best to balance the budget while still providing necessary services. In response, Governor Daniels proposed a series of tax hikes which were met with strong opposition from both Republicans and Democrats alike. Despite this opposition, the tax hikes were eventually passed by a slim margin in 2013.
Throughout this period of political turmoil, there were also several social issues at play such as same-sex marriage and abortion rights that divided both parties even further. These issues created heated debates in the state legislature but ultimately no significant changes were made during this time period as both sides remained entrenched in their positions.
Overall, Indiana politics in 2013 remained largely unchanged from previous years with Republicans holding a majority in the state legislature and controlling most policy decisions. While there were some minor successes and failures throughout the year, it was largely a status quo year for Indiana politics with little movement on either side of the aisle.
Population of Indiana in 2013
In 2013, the population of Indiana was estimated to be 6.6 million people. This represented a 0.8% increase from the previous year and placed Indiana as the 16th most populous state in the United States. The majority of Indiana’s population was located in its two largest cities, Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, which accounted for nearly half of the state’s total population. Check ehuacom for more information about the capital city of Indiana.
The racial makeup of Indiana in 2013 was 79.1% White (including Hispanic or Latino), 9.9% African American, 3.5% Asian, 0.2% Native American, and 6.4% other races or two or more races combined. The gender breakdown was 49.4% male and 50.6% female with a median age of 38 years old and a median household income of $48,255 per year at that time..
Indiana had a large number of immigrants in 2013 with an estimated foreign-born population of 4%. The majority (75%) hailed from Latin America with Mexico being the top country of origin followed by India and China respectively. Additionally, there were also sizable populations from Europe (7%), Africa (5%), Asia (3%), Oceania (2%) and other areas (<1%). Check anycountyprivateschools for business education in Indiana.
Finally, Indiana had a strong religious presence in 2013 with 70% identifying as Christian while 15% identified as non-religious or atheist/agnostic and 9%, Hinduism/Buddhism/other Eastern religions combined respectively. In addition to these religious affiliations, there were also sizeable numbers who identified as Jewish (3%) Muslim (2%), Sikh (1%) and Bahá’í (<1%).
Economy of Indiana in 2013
The economy of Indiana in 2013 was in a state of recovery following the Great Recession. The unemployment rate had dropped to 8.4%, below the national average, and the state had gained back 96% of the jobs lost during the recession. However, this growth was largely concentrated in the Indianapolis metropolitan area while other parts of the state continued to struggle with job losses and poverty rates that remained above pre-recession levels.
The largest industries in Indiana in 2013 were manufacturing (17%), health care/social assistance (14%), retail trade (12%), and accommodation/food services (10%). Manufacturing provided over 300,000 jobs while health care/social assistance and retail trade provided around 200,000 each and accommodation/food services provided around 100,000 jobs. Together these industries accounted for over half of all private sector employment in Indiana.
In addition to these industries, agriculture also played an important role in Indiana’s economy with corn being one of its most important crops followed by wheat, soybeans, tomatoes, potatoes, hay and oats respectively. Livestock production was also a major component of agriculture with beef cattle being the most common followed by dairy cows, hogs and sheep respectively.
Indiana also had a strong presence in various other sectors including finance/insurance (7%), construction (7%), professional/scientific/technical services (6%) management of companies and enterprises (4%) as well as mining/logging/oil extraction all accounting for at least 4% each respectively. Together these sectors accounted for nearly a quarter of all employment in Indiana at that time.
Overall, Indiana’s economy was slowly recovering from the Great Recession but there were still some areas where improvement could be made such as reducing poverty levels outside Indianapolis and encouraging more investment into rural areas to create more job opportunities for citizens across the state.
Events Held in Indiana in 2013
In 2013, Indiana hosted a variety of events that showcased the state’s culture and economy. The state hosted the Indianapolis 500, one of the world’s most prestigious auto races, as well as several other motorsports events throughout the year. Indiana also held numerous festivals and fairs that celebrated its agricultural heritage such as the Indiana State Fair, which is one of the oldest and largest in the country. Other notable events included the Indy Jazz Fest, which highlighted local jazz talent; Fort Wayne’s Three Rivers Festival; and South Bend’s Michiana Muster, an event dedicated to celebrating military veterans.
In addition to these cultural events, Indiana also hosted some major business conferences in 2013. The Indianapolis Business Journal held its annual “Best Places to Work” conference in June which highlighted top employers in Indiana. Also in June was “The Economic Outlook Conference: Investing for Growth” which focused on economic issues facing businesses across the state. In October, there was an energy industry conference focused on renewable energy topics such as solar power and wind energy production.
Indiana also had some unique sporting events such as the Big Ten Football Championship Game at Lucas Oil Stadium in December 2013 and golf tournaments such as The Presidents Cup at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio. Other sporting events included basketball tournaments like NCAA March Madness at Lucas Oil Stadium; soccer tournaments like FIFA World Cup qualifying matches; baseball games like Opening Day for Major League Baseball teams; hockey games like NHL All-Star Weekend; motor sports like NASCAR races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway; and football games like Super Bowl XLVI at Lucas Oil Stadium.
For music fans, there were several concerts held throughout 2013 including performances by some of music’s biggest stars such as Taylor Swift, Justin Timberlake, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Beyonce and more. Music festivals were also popular during this time with Hoosier Park hosting Country Thunder USA each year from May through August while nearby Indianapolis hosted Summerfest each summer from July through August featuring acts from many different genres of music including rock, hip hop and EDM (electronic dance music).
Overall, 2013 was a great year for Indiana with plenty of cultural activities to participate in along with business conferences to attend and exciting sporting events to watch or even take part in if you were lucky enough.