Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state admitted to the Union, on the 4th of January, the year 1896. Roughly 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people reside along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of Utah practically uninhabited, making the population the sixth most urbanized within the nation. The name "Utah" came from the name of the Ute tribe and translates to "people of the mountains" in the Ute language. The state of Utah is bounded by the state of Colorado on the east, the state of Arizona on the south, Wyoming on the northeast, the state of Idaho on the north and the state of Nevada on the west. It likewise touches a corner of New Mexico.
Utah is the most religiously homogeneous state within the Union. Around 60 percent of Utahns are reported to be members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or LDS Church, that really influences Utah culture and every day life.
Much of the states economy is dependent upon the sectors of information technology and research, transportation, government services, mining, and tourism. The state is actually a major tourist spot meant for outdoor recreation. As of 2008, Utah was the fastest growing US state, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimates. St. George, Utah, was the fastest growing metropolitan area within the country from the years 2000 to 2005.
In the year 2010, the gross state product of the state of Utah was about $114.5 billion, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. This equals roughly 0.78% of the nation's $14.55 trillion GDP during that same year. During 2005, the per capita personal income was $24,977. Utah's main industries comprise: mining, cattle ranching, government services and salt production. According to the 2007 State New Economy Index, the state of Utah is ranked the top state in the nation for Economic Dynamism, determined by "the degree to which state economies are knowledge-based, globalized, entrepreneurial, information technology-driven and innovation-based".
During the month of October the year 2010, the state of Utah was ranked number one in Forbes' list of "Best States For Business". A November 2010 article in Newsweek featured Utah and especially the Salt Lake City area's economic outlook, naming it "the new economic Zion", and examined how the area has been able to bring in high-paying jobs and attract high-tech companies to the area during a recession.
Petroleum is a main trade in the eastern area of Utah. Petroleum refining is done by several oil businesses operating near the city of Salt Lake. Coal production within central Utah accounts for much of the mining activity.