According to Countryaah, South Dakota is home to some of the most picturesque cities in the country. Pierre is the capital city of South Dakota and offers attractions such as The State Capitol and The South Dakota Cultural Heritage Center. Rapid City is a vibrant city with plenty of cultural attractions including The Journey Museum & Learning Center and The Black Hills National Forest. Other popular cities in South Dakota include Sioux Falls, Aberdeen, Watertown, Mitchell, Yankton, and Spearfish. Each of these cities has something special to offer from outdoor activities like camping or rock climbing to historical sites like Deadwood Historic District or Wind Cave National Park.
Politics of South Dakota in 2013
In 2013, South Dakota politics were largely dominated by the Republican Party. In the November 2012 election, Republicans had gained control of both chambers of the state legislature, leading to a surge in conservative policies. The Republican-controlled legislature passed several bills that year, including one that would have required drug testing for those receiving public assistance. This bill was vetoed by then-Governor Dennis Daugaard (R). Other legislation passed during this period included a law allowing certain businesses to refuse service to same-sex couples on religious grounds and a bill that restricted abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
In addition to legislative activity, 2013 saw several noteworthy elections take place in South Dakota. In June, then-U.S. Senator Tim Johnson (D) announced his retirement and was succeeded by former Governor Mike Rounds (R). Then in November, Rounds won reelection with nearly 70% of the vote against his Democratic opponent Rick Weiland. That same month also saw Kristi Noem (R) win her first full term as South Dakota’s lone U.S. House Representative with just over 60% of the vote against her Democratic challenger Corinna Robinson.
Overall, 2013 was an active year in South Dakota politics as Republicans continued their dominance in both state and federal elections while passing several conservative bills into law during their time in control of the legislature.
Population of South Dakota in 2013
In 2013, the population of South Dakota was estimated to be 844,877 people. This represented a modest 0.4% increase from the previous year and was the result of a steady population growth trend that had been occurring since the late 2000s. The majority of this growth was due to net migration into the state with most newcomers coming from neighboring states such as Minnesota, Iowa, and Nebraska. Check ehuacom for more information about the capital city of South Dakota.
In terms of age demographics, South Dakota had a median age of 37.3 years old in 2013 which was slightly lower than the national average at that time. The largest age group in South Dakota were those between 25-44 years old with a total population of over 300,000 people or 35% of the total population. This was followed by those aged 45-64 which made up approximately 28% while those aged 18-24 comprised just under 20%.
When it came to ethnicity and race in 2013, 91.7% of South Dakotans identified as white alone while 2.7% identified as Hispanic or Latino and 1.3% identified as Native American or Alaskan Native alone. The remaining 4.3% were made up primarily by Asian Americans (1%), African Americans (0.8%), and multiracial individuals (1%). Additionally, 2 out of every 3 residents lived in urban areas while 1 out of 3 resided in rural areas during this time period. Check anycountyprivateschools for business education in South Dakota.
Overall, South Dakota’s population in 2013 remained relatively stable with only small increases due primarily to net migration from neighboring states as well as an aging demographic that favored those aged 25-44 and 45-64 years old respectively.
Economy of South Dakota in 2013
In 2013, South Dakota had a strong and diverse economy that was largely based on exports from the agricultural sector. This sector accounted for around 20% of the state’s total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employed over 30,000 people. Within the agricultural sector, corn, soybeans, wheat, beef cattle, dairy products, and hogs were some of the most important commodities produced in South Dakota that year.
The second largest contributor to South Dakota’s GDP in 2013 was the service sector which made up approximately 37% of total output. This sector was composed primarily of retail trade, education and health services as well as finance and insurance activities. Additionally, mining and manufacturing were also important industries during this time period with each accounting for around 10% of total output respectively.
In terms of employment in 2013, South Dakota had an unemployment rate of 3.5%, which was slightly below the national average at that time. The majority of people employed in South Dakota worked in either state or local government (17%), educational services (15%), or healthcare (10%). Other important industries included accommodation and food services (9%), manufacturing (9%), construction (7%), retail trade (7%) as well as professional scientific and technical services (6%).
Overall, South Dakota had a strong and diverse economy in 2013 that was largely supported by exports from the agricultural sector as well as several other industries such as state/local government, education/healthcare services, mining/manufacturing activities as well as accommodation/food services among others. Additionally, unemployment remained relatively low at 3.5% which was slightly below the national average at that time.
Events Held in South Dakota in 2013
In 2013, South Dakota hosted a wide variety of events and festivals that attracted people from all around the country. The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, which is held annually in Sturgis, South Dakota, is one of the most popular events held in the state each year. This event typically takes place over a ten-day period in August and draws hundreds of thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts from across the United States and Canada.
In addition to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, South Dakota also hosts several other well-known festivals and events throughout the year. The Crazy Horse Memorial Powwow is an annual event that celebrates Native American culture and features traditional singing, dancing, and storytelling. Other popular events include the Black Hills Stock Show & Rodeo in Rapid City as well as Buffalo Days in Pierre where visitors can learn about the state’s rich history with buffalo.
South Dakota also offers several music festivals throughout the year including Reverb Fest in Sioux Falls which showcases local talent as well as national acts from various genres such as rock, blues, country, hip hop, jazz and more. The Sioux River Folk Festival is another popular music event that takes place each summer in Brookings featuring folk music from both local and nationally-known performers.
Finally, South Dakota also hosts several art festivals such as Art on the Plains in Pierre which features works by more than 150 artists from across America including painters, sculptors, photographers and woodworkers among others. Additionally, there are also several food festivals held throughout South Dakota each year including Hot Harley Nights BBQ Cookoff in Sioux Falls where participants compete to create award-winning barbecue dishes using locally sourced ingredients.
Overall, there were numerous events held throughout South Dakota in 2013 that celebrated a wide variety of interests such as music, art, food and culture among others. These events helped to draw people from all around the country while also providing locals with an opportunity to get out and enjoy some of what their state has to offer.