TOPOGRAPHY & ELEVATION

Located in the Great Plains region of the United States, Nebraska is bordered by South Dakota to the north, Iowa and Missouri to the east, Kansas to the south, and Colorado and Wyoming to the west. Eastern Nebraska is covered with rugged bluffs, rolling hills and picturesque valleys. The Great Plains stretch westward across 75 percent of the state, featuring rock formations, eroded hills and deep canyons. The Sandhills, the largest grass-stabilized sand dune formation in the western hemisphere, cover sections of western and central Nebraska and include the Nebraska National Forest, the world’s largest hand-planted forest. 

The High Plains are to the west of the Sandhills. Within this 12,000 square mile (31,080 sq. km) area, you’ll find the Wildcat Hills, the Pine Ridge and the North Platte River Valley. A small portion of South Dakota’s Badlands also extends into northwest Nebraska. At an elevation of 5,424 ft. (1,653 m), Nebraska’s highest point is Panorama Point in Kimball County in western Nebraska while its lowest point is 840 ft. (256 m) in southeast Nebraska along the Missouri River. 

LAND AREA

Nebraska is 77,358 sq. mi. (200,356 sq. km) in area and the 16th largest state in the U.S. It measures 459 miles (739 kilometers) across at its widest point, following a diagonal from southeast to northwest. 

TIME ZONES

Nebraska spans two time zones. The eastern two-thirds of the state is in the Central Time Zone and the western third is in the Mountain Time Zone. When traveling on Interstate 80, the time change occurs between the Sutherland and Paxton exits.

POPULATION & FIVE LARGEST CITIES

In 2023, Nebraska had a population of 1.96 million residents, making it the 37th largest state in the U.S, by population. Nebraska is predominantly a rural state, with a majority of its communities having populations less than 5,000. The state’s smallest incorporated town is Monowi (pop.1) in north central Nebraska. The five largest cities by population are: Omaha (pop: 483,335), Lincoln (294,757), Bellevue (pop: 63,922), Grand Island (pop. 52,622) and Kearney (pop. 34,362).

NEBRASKA STATEHOOD & STATE CAPITAL

Nebraska became the 37th U.S. state on March 1, 1867. Founded in 1856 as the village of Lancaster, Lincoln became the state capital upon Nebraska’s admission to the Union.

SEASONS

Nebraska offers a full four-season climate. The normal average daily temperatures range from -20˚F (-7˚C) in the winter to more than 75˚F (24˚C) in the summer. Annual precipitation ranges from more than 30" (762 mm) in the southeast to less than 17" (432 mm) in western Nebraska.

LOCATION

Nebraska’s central location positions it within a 3- to 8-hour drive from surrounding cities, including Denver, Chicago, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Des Moines, Salt Lake City, Oklahoma City, St. Louis, Sioux Falls, Branson, Cheyenne, Rapid City, and Kansas City.