Utah

From Metapedia

The State of Utah is a western state of the United States. It was the 45th state admitted to the Union on January 4, 1896. Approximately 51 percent of Utah's 2,645,330 people, live along the Wasatch Front with Salt Lake City as the center. In contrast, vast expanses of the state are nearly uninhabited, making the population the sixth most urbanized in the U.S.^[1] The name "Utah" is derived from the Ute Indian language, meaning "people of the mountains".^[2]

Utah is known for being one of the most religiously homogeneous states in the Union, with approximately 58 percent^[3] of its adult inhabitants claiming membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also known as the Mormon Church or the LDS Church), which greatly influences Utah culture and daily life. It is also known for geological diversity ranging from snowcapped mountains to well-watered river valleys to rugged, stony deserts and open plains.

The state is a center of transportation, information technology and research, government services and mining as well as a major tourist destination for outdoor recreation. St. George, Utah was the fastest growing metropolitan area in the United States from 2000-2005^[4] with Utah being the sixth fastest growing state overall in 2006.^[5]