Higher Education  

Nebraska has seventeen colleges and universities as well as nine community colleges. The University of Nebraska is the largest institution in the state, with campuses in Lincoln and Omaha. The University of Nebraska Medical Center is also located in Omaha. Other major colleges and universities in the state are Bishop Clarkson College of Nursing, College of St. Mary, and Creighton University, all in Omaha; Nebraska Wesleyan University and Union College, both in Lincoln; Bellevue College; Hastings College; Kearney State College; Peru State College; Wayne State College; Midland Lutheran College, in Fremont; and Concordia Teachers College, in Seward.

Geography

Having a total area of 200,350 square kilometers, Nebraska has been described as a series of rolling plateaus that rise from the southeast toward the west. The state can be divided into two major regions: the Great Plains and the Central Lowlands. The Great Plains cover most of Nebraska, and include the Sand Hills, the High Plains, and the Badlands regions. Covering the eastern third of the state is the land of the Central Lowlands. The Missouri River forms Nebraska's eastern boundary and part of its northern boundary. At 142 square kilometers in size, Lake McConaughy is the largest lake in the state. The state's major cities include Omaha, Lincoln (capital), Grand Island, and Bellevue. Nebraska's population is around 1.6 million.

Climate

Nebraska experiences very cold winters and very hot summers. In the eastern city of Omaha, the average July temperature is 24.7° C, and the average January temperature is -6.3° C. The city of Chadron, in the northwestern part of the state, has an average temperature of 23.4° C in July and -6.2° C in January. The highest temperature ever recorded in the state was 48° C and the coldest temperature was -44° C. Precipitation in the western part of the state is less than 46 cm of rainfall, while the eastern part of the state receives an average of 69 cm. Eastern Nebraska usually receives about 76 cm of snowfall annually; western Nebraska receives somewhat less.

Cultural Profile

Nebraska's museums include the Joslyn Art Museum and the Great Plains Black History Museum, both in Omaha; the Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery and the Christlieb Western Art Collection, both at the University of Nebraska campus at Lincoln; the Nebraska State Historical Society Museum, in Lincoln; and the Strategic Air Command Museum, near Bellevue.

Omaha is home to the Omaha Symphony Orchestra, the Omaha Opera, and the Omaha Ballet. The theatrical repertory company at Nebraska Wesleyan University is the oldest of its kind in the state. The University of Nebraska regularly stages a variety of theatrical performances in Lincoln and Omaha.

Recreation

Nebraska has six state parks and sixty-six recreation areas. Some of the state's popular attractions are the Indian Cave State Park, near Shubert; Ponca and Niobrara state parks, in the northeastern part of the state; Scotts Bluff National Monument, Rock National Historic Site, and Courthouse Rock and Jail Rock, all in western Nebraska. With more than two thousand lakes and thousands of miles and rivers and streams, Nebraska offers ample opportunities for fishing and other water sports.

Interesting Facts

Nebraska is the only state with a unicameral legislature. The state is a leading producer of beef cattle, hogs, corn, and packaged meat. People from Nebraska are known as "Cornhuskers." Some famous Cornhuskers are Grace Abbott (social reformer), Harold Lloyd (silent film actor), Fred Astaire (dancer and movie star), Marlon Brando (actor), Johnny Carson (talk show host), Henry Fonda (actor), Gerald Ford (thirty-eighth president of the United States), Malcolm X (political activist and author), Daryl Zanuck (film producer).