Higher Education  

Kansas has over twenty colleges and universities, and twenty-four community colleges. The largest state institutions are the University of Kansas at Lawrence and Kansas State University at Manhattan. Other state-run institutions include Wichita State University, in Wichita; Emporia State University, in Emporia; Fort Hays State University, in Hays; and Pittsburg State University, in Pittsburg. Private institutions include Baker University, in Baldwin City; Benedictine College, in Atchison; Bethany College, in Lindsborg; Bethel College, in North Newton; Friends University and Kansas Newman College, in Wichita; McPherson College, in McPherson; Ottawa University, in Ottawa; St. Mary College, in Leavenworth; Southwestern College, in Winfield; Sterling College, in Sterling; Tabor College, in Hillsboro; and Washburn University of Topeka, in Topeka.

Geography

Covering an area of 213,097 square kilometers, Kansas stretches 657 kilometers from east to west and 332 kilometers from north to south. Kansas can be divided into four main regions: the High Plains, Plains Border, Southeastern Plains, and Dissected Till Plains. Occupying the western part of the state, the High Plains area is a largely flat and treeless area that also contains valleys, ravines, arroyos, and canyons. Located in the middle part of the state, the Plains Border region is characterized by hills and uplands. The Southeastern Plains includes both the Flint Hills and the Osage Plains. In the northeastern part of the state are the Dissected Till Plains, a hilly, forested area containing rich soil. The Mississippi River forms a small part of Kansas' northeastern border. The state's major cities are Wichita, Kansas City, Topeka (capital), Overland Park, and Lawrence. Approximately 2.5 million people reside in Kansas.

Climate

Kansas has a relatively moderate climate, though it experiences extremes in temperature in winter and summer. January temperatures average from -5° C to 5° C in Wichita, and vary from -7° C to 4° C in Topeka. In July, average temperatures are from 21° C to 33° C in Wichita, and range from 20° C to 33° C in Topeka. Statewide, Kansas receives an average of 69 cm of precipitation annually. Kansas is known for its clear days  the sun shines on more than 275 days of the year.

Cultural Profile

Both Topeka and Wichita support symphony orchestras. Concerts, plays, and other performances are held at the Brown Grand Opera House in Concordia, the Lawrence Art Center in Lawrence, and Century II in Wichita. Kansas hosts several annual festivals, including the Messiah Festival in Lindsborg, the Walnut Valley Bluegrass Festival in Winfield, and the Kansas Folklife Festival in Manhattan.

The state's art museums include the Wichita Art Museum; the Helen F. Spencer Museum of Art, at the University of Kansas in Lawrence; the Lawrence Art Center; the Edwin A. Ulrich Museum of Art, at Wichita State University; and the Mulvane Art Museum, at Washburn University in Topeka. Among the state's other museums are the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center, in Hutchinson; the Omnisphere and Science Center, in Wichita; the Kansas Health Museum, in Halstead; and the Museum of Anthropology at the University of Kansas in Lawrence.

Recreation

Kansas has twenty-three state parks and forty state lakes. Hunting, fishing, boating, water skiing and camping are just a few of the state's popular outdoor activities. Some of the state's largest recreation areas are El Dorado Reservoir, near El Dorado; Elk City Reservoir and State Park, near Independence; Kingman State Fishing Lake, near Kingman; Lovewell, near Mankato; and Milford Lake, near Junction City.

Interesting Facts

The US Army Command and General Staff College is located in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Kansas is the USA's top producer of wheat and helium. The state is the site of the geographic center of the USA. Famous Kansans include Dwight David Eisenhower (thirty-fourth president of the US), Walter Chrysler (automobile maker), Amelia Earhart (aviatrix), Edgar Lee Masters (poet), Gwendolyn Brooks (poet), and Charlie "Bird" Parker (jazz musician).