one of the United States of North America, lies between N. Lat. 40° 40' and 43° 30', and W. Long. 90° 12' and 96° 53'. It is bounded N. by the Minnesota territory, E. by the Mississippi River, which separates it from the states of Illinois and Wisconsin, S. by Missouri, and W. by the Missouri and the Great Sioux River, the former of which separates it from the Indian Territory, and the latter from Minnesota. Greatest length from E. to W., 307 miles; greatest breadth, 196 miles; area, 50,914 square miles.

The surface of Iowa is somewhat elevated and generally undulating. It has no mountains, nor even hills, of any great height. Table Mound, a conical elevation with a flat summit, 3 or 4 miles from Dubuque, is perhaps 500 feet high. On the borders of the rivers there are frequent "Bluffs," which are generally from 40 to 120 feet high. The highest ground in the state is a plateau in the N.W. called Coteau des Prairies, which enters it from Minnesota. The southern part of the state abounds with grassy lawns and verdant plains, intersected by numerous rivers, the chief of which are the Des Moines, the Skunk, the Iowa, and the Red Cedar (a branch of the Iowa), rivers which flow in a S.E. direction into the Mississippi. The banks of almost all these rivers are skirted with belts of wood. The distinguishing feature, however, of Iowa is its unique and admirably diversified prairies, sometimes spreading out into vast plains. The entire state is named a "rolling prairie" by the settlers, from the resemblance its surface bears to the rolling swell of the ocean. From the absence of wood, the scenery becomes wearisome and tame.

The soil of Iowa is in general fertile. Near the confines of the Coteau des Prairies the country is hilly and desolate; the high lands being covered with gravel, support but a scanty vegetation, while the low grounds are marshy. It appears, however, from the surveys which have been made, that no state in the Union has a smaller proportion of inferior land. Dr Owen, in his geological report, remarks that "the soil of Iowa is generally excellent, and of easy cultivation." "The valleys—especially of the Red Cedar, Iowa, and Des Moines—present a body of arable land, which, taken as a whole, for richness in organic elements, for amount of saline matter, and due admixture of earthy silicates, affords a combination which belongs only to the most fertile upland plains." The climate is generally more healthful than most of the new states. The openness of the country renders it less liable than is usual to the influence of malaria; the air on the upland prairies is buoyant, and rendered free from all pernicious influences by the refreshing breezes that blow periodically over them. The rapid flow of its rivers also carries off in the valleys those miasmatic influences which otherwise tend to the production of disease. The winter is occasionally severe, but the severity is not so great as is usual in the same latitudes. The summer also is less oppressively hot.

Iowa is strictly an agricultural country. Its fine prairies and rich natural pastures afford peculiar facilities for rearing cattle and sheep. Wool-growing has accordingly become one of the staple employments of the settlers. The raising of hogs is an occupation, equally common and profitable. The value of live stock in 1850 was estimated at L737,855, and slaughtered animals at L164,233. The amount of wool produced was 373,898 lbs. Considerable progress has recently been made in agriculture, as shown by the increase of the various productions of the state. For instance, in 1840 there were only 154,693 bushels of wheat grown; in 1850 there were 1,530,581; in 1840, 216,385 bushels oats; in 1850, 1,524,845; in 1840, 1,406,241 bushels maize; in 1850, 8,656,799. The value of orchard products in 1840 was 50 dollars; in 1850, 8,434 dollars. All the other productions common to similar latitudes are grown in Iowa, and have increased in an equal or greater proportion.

Manufactures have as yet made little progress in the state. Having only existed for little more than ten years as an independent state, time has not been afforded to develop its manufacturing resources. Possessing within Iowa.

itself abundance of the two grand elements for manufactures—coal and water-power—there can be no doubt that Iowa will yet be distinguished as a manufacturing state. In 1850 the number of manufacturing establishments, producing each to the value of $500 annually and upwards, was 482. Of these there were three for the manufacture of cast iron, fourteen tanneries, and one woollen factory. The others were chiefly employed in the manufacture of articles for ordinary and domestic purposes and agricultural implements. The home-made manufactures in the year ending 1st June 1850 were valued at L44,238.

The minerals of Iowa are not of great variety. The vast bituminous coal-field of the state occupies most of its central and southern portions. For upwards of 200 miles the River Des Moines passes through this great deposit, the area of which has been estimated at about 20,000 square miles, embracing a country equal in extent to more than one-half of the state of Indiana. The beds of coal, which are 100 feet in thickness, lie near the surface, and may be worked at small expense. The lead mines of Iowa are a continuation of those of Illinois and Wisconsin. The workings are old and have been very productive. They occur in the N.E. of the state, Dubuque, one of the oldest settlements in N. America, being the chief town of the lead-mining district. Dr Owen, in his Geological Survey, remarks that the lead-mines of Iowa produce as much of that metal as the whole of Europe, except Great Britain, and that their capabilities are unbounded. Zinc is found chiefly in the form of electric calamine, in cellular masses in connection with the lead. This mineral occurs in some "diggings" also in a state of carbonate and in others as a sulphuret. Copper is found in the same localities as zinc. It has also recently been discovered in Cedar county in considerable quantities. Iron-ore is abundantly distributed, but as yet only a small quantity of it has been converted into metal. In the geological survey of the state above referred to, it is affirmed that its resources and capabilities are such that 10,000 labourers and miners might be profitably employed within its boundaries. Iowa has no direct foreign commerce, but its trade with the ports of the Atlantic and the Mexican Gulf is very considerable and rapidly increasing. The exports consist of agricultural and mining products. The home traffic of this state is also very considerable. The facilities which it possesses both for internal trade and foreign commerce are very abundant, and in a short time will be greatly increased. A railroad 180 miles in length has been projected between Dubuque, the capital of the lead-mining district, and Keokuk, the chief port of the state for foreign trade. Keokuk, Davenport, Lyons, and Dubuque will also shortly be connected by railroads with the interior. The system of railroads which has been projected are to converge in the city Iowa. Besides these, which will radiate through the state in various directions, the grand trunk line is proposed to be carried from this city westward to Council Bluffs on the Missouri, and will form a part of the great Pacific line which is to terminate at San Francisco in California. Through Iowa will also pass a branch of the great chain of north and south railroads connecting St Louis with the extreme settlements of Minnesota territory. When these are completed, both the home and foreign commerce of the state will be indefinitely increased. The valley of the Des Moines River contains at present half the population, as well as half the agricultural wealth of the state, and its prosperity may for some time depend as much upon the improvement of navigation on this river as upon the execution of these projected railroads. The Des Moines rises in the Coteau des Prairies, in the S.W. of Minnesota, and flowing through the state, in general in a S.S.E. direction, divides it into two nearly equal sections, and after a course of 400 miles, falls into the Mississippi at the S.E. extremity of the state, about 4 miles below Keokuk. Iowa has many other interior rivers which are navigable for various—some of them for considerable—distances. The Skunk is more than 200 miles in length, and flows through a fertile country. It pursues a course of 150 miles in a S.E. direction nearly parallel to Des Moines. The Iowa, from which the state takes its name, has in general a S.S.E. direction, and after a course of upwards of 300 miles, discharges itself into the Mississippi by two mouths, forming a delta, the sides of which are about 6 miles long. It is navigable by steamboats at all seasons to Iowa city, 80 miles from its mouth, and for boats of light draught much farther up. The Red Cedar (a branch of the Iowa) is navigable for 60 miles. The Wapsipinicon, the Mokouqua, Turkey, and Upper Iowa Rivers have courses varying in length from 100 to 200 miles, and are navigable for distances of 20 to 60 miles. They flow in an E. or S.E. direction into the Mississippi. The Great Sioux, an important tributary of the Missouri, forms the N.W. boundary of the state; its length is estimated at 300 miles. The tributaries of the Missouri in this state are of minor importance.

Iowa is divided into 49 counties. In 1840 the population of the state was 43,112, including 172 free coloured persons and 16 slaves. In 1850 it had increased to 192,214, including 333 free coloured persons. Iowa sends two representatives to congress and two members to the senate. Iowa city is the capital of the state. Pop. in 1850 was 11,831. Burlington, the most populous town, had, in 1850, 4082 inhabitants. Dubuque and Keokuk are next in importance.

The present constitution of Iowa was adopted in 1846. It gives the right of suffrage to every white male citizen who has resided in the state six months, and thirty days in the county in which he claims to vote.

The legislature consists of a senate of 30 members elected for four years, and a house of representatives of 69 members for two years. The number of representatives must not exceed 72, and the senators must not be less than one-third, nor more than one-half of that number. The governor, who is chosen for four years, receives 1000 dollars per annum. The members of the legislature receive each 2 dollars a-day for the first 50 days of the session, and 1 dollar a-day afterwards. The judiciary consists of a supreme court, circuit or district courts, and courts of local jurisdiction. The supreme court consists of a chief and two associate justices elected by the joint vote of the legislature for six years. They receive each 1000 dollars per annum. There are 10 district courts, each of which is presided over by a judge chosen by the people of the district for five years, and receiving a salary of 1000 dollars a-year. Justices of the peace preside in the courts of local jurisdiction, and have power to decide in all civil cases where the amount in dispute does not exceed 100 dollars, or by consent of parties, 500 dollars.

On 1st November 1854 the funded debt of the state was L15,959, the interest of which is about L1,520.

There were in Iowa, in 1850, 148 churches, of which 50 were Methodist, 24 Presbyterian, 17 Roman Catholic, 16 Baptist, 14 Congregational, 8 Christian, 5 Quaker, and 14 minor sects. The average number of persons to each church was 1298. The value of church property amounted to 177,400 dollars.

A superintendent of public instruction is chosen by the people for three years, under provision of government. The constitution provides also for a state university, and the establishment of three normal schools. In 1850 this state possessed 3 colleges, having 8 teachers and 75 pupils. In 1854 there were 1520 district schools, attended by 44,115 scholars, taught by 961 male teachers, and 772 female.

The first white settlement in Iowa was made at Dubuque. Iphicrates, as early as 1686 by French Canadians. The state originally formed a part of the province of Louisiana, and was purchased in 1803 from the French, by the United States. The territory now comprising the state of Iowa, was a part of the Missouri territory from 1804 to 1821; and after that it was placed successively under the jurisdiction of Michigan and Wisconsin territories. It was erected in June 1838 into a separate government, with the title of the Territory of Iowa, and including within its limits the whole Minnesota territory west of the Mississippi. In 1846 it was circumscribed within its present boundaries, and admitted into the Union as an independent state.