For thousands of years, glaciers covered most of Indiana. These powerful glaciers ground down the landscape to make most of the state very flat. The glaciers also left behind fertile soil, and today Indiana is covered with rich farmland. However, the ancient glaciers did not reach down to Indiana's southern section, which is distinguished by rugged hills. Indiana's major rivers, like the Ohio and the Wabash, provided important routes for early exploration and migration. They helped Indiana earn its reputation as the Crossroads of America. Indiana's 36,420 square miles (94,327 sq km) make it the 13th smallest state.
Indiana relies heavily on its huge manufacturing industry. The state leads the nation in steel production. A steel mill in Gary has the largest blast furnaces (furnaces used to make steel) in the entire Western Hemisphere. Not only can Indiana produce large amounts of steel but it can also ship the steel easily because Indiana has more interstate highways per square mile than any other state. These highways take Indiana's raw materials to all parts of the country. Indiana claims many other important resources, too. The state's rich farmland makes it a leading farming state, although farming is not as important now as it was in the past. Southern Indiana holds rich limestone deposits. Limestone is used in construction and to make steel.
6,345,289
Capital:
State Abbreviation: IN
Governor: Mitch Daniels (Republican)
U.S. Senators: 2
Evan Bayh (Democrat)
Richard Lugar (Republican)
U.S. Representatives: 8
Republicans: 4
Democrats 4
State Senators: 50
State Representatives: 100
Counties: 92