Utah has been inhabited for thousands of years by variousindigenous groups, such as theancient Puebloans, the Navajo, and the Ute. The first Europeans to arrive – in the mid-16th century – were the Spanish. Because of the region's challenging geography and harsh climate, it only became a peripheral part ofNew Spain (and later of Mexico). Even while it was Mexican territory, many of the Utah region's earliest European settlers were from the United States; notable among these were Mormons who were fleeing marginalization and persecution in the United States and arrived via the so-calledMormon Trail. In 1848, after theMexican–American War, the region wasannexed by the U.S., becoming part of theUtah Territory, which included what later became Colorado and Nevada. Disputes between the dominant Mormon community and the federal government delayed Utah's admission as a state: in 1896, after it agreed to outlaw polygamy, it was admitted as the45th state.
People from Utah are known as Utahns.[6] Slightly over half of all Utahns areMormons, the vast majority of whom are members ofthe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), which hasits world headquarters in Salt Lake City;[12] Utah is the only state where a majority of the population belongs to a single church.[13] The LDS Church greatly influences Utah's culture, politics, and daily life,[14] though since the 1990s the state has become more religiously diverse as well as secular.
The nameUtah derives from the name of theUte tribe, meaning 'people of the mountains'.[20] However, no such word exists in the Utes' language, and the Utes refer to themselves asNoochee. The meaning ofUtes as 'the mountain people' has been attributed to the neighboringPueblo Indians,[21] as well as to theApache wordYuttahih, which means 'one that is higher up' or 'those that are higher up'.[20] InSpanish, it was pronouncedYuta; subsequently, English-speaking people may have adapted the word asUtah.[22]
Map showing Utah in 1838 when it was part of Mexico,Britannica 7th edition
Thousands of years before the arrival of Europeans, theAncestral Puebloans and theFremont people lived in what is now known as Utah, some of which spoke languages of theUto-Aztecan group. Ancestral Pueblo peoples built their homes throughexcavations in mountains, and the Fremont people built houses of straw before disappearing from the region around the 15th century.
Another group of Native Americans, theNavajo, settled in the region around the 18th century. In the mid-18th century, other Uto-Aztecan tribes, including theGoshute, thePaiute, theShoshone, and the Ute people, also settled in the region. These five groups were present when the first European explorers arrived.[23][24]
The southern Utah region was explored by the Spanish in 1540, led byFrancisco Vázquez de Coronado while looking for the legendaryCíbola. A group led by two Catholic priests—sometimes called theDomínguez–Escalante expedition—leftSanta Fe in 1776, hoping to find a route to the coast of California. The expedition traveled as far north asUtah Lake and encountered the native residents. The Spanish made further explorations in the region but were not interested in colonizing the area because of its desert nature. In 1821, the year Mexico achieved its independence from Spain, the region became known as part of its territory ofAlta California.
European trappers andfur traders explored some areas of Utah in the early 19th century from Canada and the United States. The city ofProvo, Utah, was named for oneÉtienne Provost, who visited the area in 1825. The city ofOgden, Utah, was named afterPeter Skene Ogden, a Canadian explorer who traded furs in the Weber Valley.
In late 1824,Jim Bridger became the first known English-speaking person to sight theGreat Salt Lake. Due to the highsalinity of its waters, he thought he had found the Pacific Ocean; he subsequently learned this body of water was a giantsalt lake. After the discovery of the lake, hundreds of American and Canadian traders and trappers established trading posts in the region. In the 1830s, thousands of migrants traveling from the Eastern United States to the American West began to make stops in the region of the Great Salt Lake, then known as Lake Youta.[25]
Young and the first group of Mormon pioneers reached theSalt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847. Over the next 22 years, more than 70,000 pioneers crossed the plains and settled in Utah.[28] For the first few years, Brigham Young and the thousands of early settlers of Salt Lake City struggled to survive. The arid desert land was deemed desirable by the Mormons as a place where they could practice their religion without harassment.
Settlers buried thirty-six Native Americans in one grave after an outbreak of measles occurred during the winter of 1847.[29]
The first group of settlers brought three African slaves with them, making Utah the only place in the western United States to have African slavery.[30] The three slaves, Green Flake, Hark Lay, and Oscar Crosby, came west with the first group of settlers in 1847.[31]
Utah was a Mexican territory when the first pioneers arrived in 1847. Early in theMexican–American War in late 1846, the United States had taken control ofNew Mexico and California. The entire Southwestbecame U.S. territory upon the signing of theTreaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, February 2, 1848. The treaty was ratified by theUnited States Senate on March 11. Learning that California and New Mexico were applying for statehood, the settlers of the Utah area (originally having planned to petition for territorial status) applied for statehood with an ambitious plan for aState of Deseret.
The Mormon settlements provided pioneers for other settlements in the West. Salt Lake City became the hub of a "far-flung commonwealth"[32] of Mormon settlements. With new church converts coming from the East and around the world, Church leaders often assigned groups of church members as missionaries to establish other settlements throughout the West. They developed irrigation to support fairly large pioneer populations along Utah's Wasatch front (Salt Lake City, Bountiful and Weber Valley, and Provo and Utah Valley).[33] Throughout the remainder of the 19th century, Mormon pioneers established hundreds of other settlements in Utah,Idaho,Nevada,Arizona,Wyoming,California,Canada, andMexico—including inLas Vegas, Nevada;Franklin, Idaho (the first European settlement in Idaho);San Bernardino, California;Mesa, Arizona;Star Valley, Wyoming; andCarson Valley, Nevada.
Prominent settlements in Utah includedSt. George,Logan, andManti (where settlers completed the LDS Church's first threetemples in Utah, each started after but finished many years before the larger and better-known temple built in Salt Lake City was completed in 1893), as well as Parowan, Cedar City, Bluff, Moab, Vernal, Fillmore (which served as the territorial capital between 1850 and 1856), Nephi, Levan, Spanish Fork, Springville, Provo Bench (nowOrem), Pleasant Grove, American Fork, Lehi, Sandy, Murray, Jordan, Centerville, Farmington, Huntsville, Kaysville, Grantsville, Tooele, Roy, Brigham City, and many other smaller towns and settlements. Young had an expansionist view of the territory that he and the Mormon pioneers were settling, calling it Deseret—which according to theBook of Mormon was an ancient word for "honeybee". This is symbolized by the beehive on the Utah flag, and the state's motto, "Industry".[34]
The Utah Territory was much smaller than the proposed state of Deseret, but it still contained all of the present states of Nevada and Utah as well as pieces of modern Wyoming andColorado.[35] It was created with theCompromise of 1850, andFillmore, named after PresidentMillard Fillmore, was designated the capital. The territory was given the name Utah after the Ute tribe of Native Americans. Salt Lake City replaced Fillmore as the territorial capital in 1856.
By 1850, there were around 100 black people in the territory, the majority of whom were slaves.[36] In Salt Lake County, 26 slaves were counted.[29] In 1852, the territorial legislature passed theAct in Relation to Service and theAct for the relief of Indian Slaves and Prisoners formally legalizing slavery in the territory. Slavery was abolished in the territory during the Civil War.
Disputes between the Mormon inhabitants and theU.S. government intensified due to the practice ofplural marriage, orpolygamy, among members of the LDS Church. The Mormons were still pushing for the establishment of a State of Deseret with the new borders of the Utah Territory. Most, if not all, of the members of the U.S. government opposed the polygamous practices of the Mormons.
Members of the LDS Church were viewed as un-American and rebellious when news of their polygamous practices spread. In 1857, particularly heinous accusations of abdication of government and general immorality were leveled by former associate justice William W. Drummond, among others. The detailed reports of life in Utah caused the administration ofJames Buchanan to send a secret military "expedition" to Utah. When the supposed rebellion should be quelled,Alfred Cumming would take the place of Brigham Young as territorial governor. The resulting conflict is known as theUtah War, nicknamed "Buchanan's Blunder" by the Mormon leaders.
Before troops led byAlbert Sidney Johnston entered the territory, Brigham Young ordered all residents of Salt Lake City to evacuate southward toUtah Valley and sent out the Nauvoo Legion to delay the government's advance. Although wagons and supplies were burned, eventually the troops arrived in 1858, and Young surrendered official control to Cumming, although most subsequent commentators claim that Young retained true power in the territory. A steady stream of governors appointed by the president quit the position, often citing the traditions of their supposed territorial government. By agreement with Young, Johnston establishedCamp Floyd, 40 miles (60 km) away from Salt Lake City to the southwest.
Salt Lake City was the last link of theFirst Transcontinental Telegraph, completed in October 1861. Brigham Young was among the first to send a message, along withAbraham Lincoln and other officials.
Because of theAmerican Civil War, federal troops were pulled out of Utah Territory in 1861. This was a boon to the local economy as the army sold everything in camp for pennies on the dollar before marching back east to join the war. The territory was then left in LDS hands untilPatrick E. Connor arrived with a regiment of California volunteers in 1862. Connor establishedFort Douglas just 3 miles (4.8 km) east of Salt Lake City and encouraged his people to discover mineral deposits to bring more non-Mormons into the territory. Minerals were discovered inTooele County and miners began to flock to the territory.
Beginning in 1865,Utah's Black Hawk War developed into the deadliest conflict in the territory's history. ChiefAntonga Black Hawk died in 1870, but fights continued to break out until additional federal troops were sent in to suppress theGhost Dance of 1872. The war is unique amongIndian Wars because it was a three-way conflict, with mounted TimpanogosUtes led by Antonga Black Hawk fighting federal and LDS authorities.
On May 10, 1869, theFirst transcontinental railroad was completed atPromontory Summit, north of the Great Salt Lake.[39] The railroad brought increasing numbers of people into the territory and several influential businesspeople made fortunes there.
During the 1870s and 1880s laws were passed to punish polygamists due, in part, to stories from Utah. Notably,Ann Eliza Young—tenth wife to divorce Brigham Young, women's advocate, national lecturer, and author ofWife No.19 or My Life of Bondage—and Fanny Stenhouse, author ofTell It All: My Life in Mormonism, testified to the happiness of the very early Church members before polygamy. They independently published their books in 1875. These books and the lectures of Ann Eliza Young have been credited with the United States Congress's passage of anti-polygamy laws by newspapers throughout the United States, as recorded in "The Ann Eliza Young Vindicator", a pamphlet which detailed Ms. Young's travels and warm reception throughout her lecture tour.
T. B. H. Stenhouse, former Utah Mormon polygamist, a Mormon missionary for thirteen years, and a Salt Lake City newspaper owner, finally left Utah and wroteThe Rocky Mountain Saints. His book gives a witnessed account of life in Utah, both the good and the bad. He finally left Utah and Mormonism after financial ruin occurred when Brigham Young sent Stenhouse to relocate to Ogden, Utah, according to Stenhouse, to take over his thriving pro-MormonSalt Lake Telegraph newspaper. In addition to these testimonies,The Confessions of John D. Lee, written by John D. Lee—alleged "Scapegoat" for theMountain Meadow Massacre—also came out in 1877. The corroborative testimonies coming out of Utah from Mormons and former Mormons influenced Congress and the people of the United States.
In the1890 Manifesto, the LDS Church banned polygamy. When Utahapplied for statehood again, it was accepted. One of the conditions for granting Utah statehood was that a ban on polygamy be written into the state constitution. This was a condition required of other western states that were admitted into the Union later. Statehood was officially granted on January 4, 1896.
Beginning in the early 20th century, with the establishment of such national parks asBryce Canyon National Park andZion National Park, Utah became known for its natural beauty. Southern Utah became a popular filming spot for arid, rugged scenes featured in the popular mid-century western film genre. From such films, most US residents recognize such natural landmarks asDelicate Arch and "the Mittens" ofMonument Valley.[40] During the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, with the construction of theInterstate highway system, accessibility to the southern scenic areas was made easier.
Since the establishment ofAlta Ski Area in 1939 and the subsequentdevelopment of several ski resorts in the state's mountains, Utah's skiing has become world-renowned. The dry, powdery snow of theWasatch Range is considered some of the best skiing in the world (the state license plate once claimed "the Greatest Snow on Earth").[41][42] Salt Lake City won the bid for the2002 Winter Olympic Games, and this served as a great boost to the economy. The ski resorts have increased in popularity, and many of the Olympic venues built along theWasatch Front continue to be used for sporting events. Preparation for the Olympics spurred the development of the light-rail system in theSalt Lake Valley, known asTRAX, and the reconstruction of the freeway system around the city.
In 1957, Utah created the Utah State Parks Commission with four parks. Today,Utah State Parks manages 43 parks and several undeveloped areas totaling over 95,000 acres (380 km2) of land and more than 1,000,000 acres (4,000 km2) of water. Utah's state parks are scattered throughout Utah, fromBear Lake State Park at the Utah/Idaho border toEdge of the Cedars State Park Museum deep in theFour Corners region and everywhere in between. Utah State Parks is also home to the state'soff highway vehicle office, state boating office, and the trails program.[43]
Flag of the Utah Territory
During the late 20th century, the state grew quickly. In the 1970s growth was phenomenal in the suburbs of the Wasatch Front.Sandy was one of the fastest-growing cities in the country at that time. Today, many areas of Utah continue to see boom-time growth. NorthernDavis, southern and westernSalt Lake,Summit, easternTooele,Utah,Wasatch, andWashington counties are all growing very quickly. Management of transportation and urbanization are major issues in politics, as development consumes agricultural land and wilderness areas and transportation is a major reason for poorair quality in Utah.
Utah is known for its natural diversity and is home to features ranging from arid deserts withdunes to thrivingpine forests in mountain valleys. It is a rugged and geographically diverse state at the convergence of three distinct geological regions: theRocky Mountains, theGreat Basin, and theColorado Plateau.
Utah covers an area of 84,899 sq mi (219,890 km2). It is one of theFour Corners states and is bordered by Idaho in the north, Wyoming in the north and east, Colorado in the east, at a single point byNew Mexico to the southeast, by Arizona in the south, and by Nevada in the west. Only three U.S. states (Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming) have exclusively latitude and longitude lines as boundaries.
One of Utah's defining characteristics is the variety of itsterrain. Running down the middle of the state's northern third is theWasatch Range, which rises to heights of almost 12,000 ft (3,700 m) above sea level. Utah is home to world-renownedski resorts made popular by light, fluffy snow and winter storms that regularly dump up to three feet of it overnight. In the state's northeastern section, running east to west, are theUinta Mountains, which rise to heights of over 13,000 feet (4,000 m). The highest point in the state,Kings Peak, at 13,528 feet (4,123 m),[45] lies within the Uinta Mountains.
At the western base of the Wasatch Range is theWasatch Front, a series of valleys and basins that are home to the most populous parts of the state. It stretches approximately fromBrigham City at the north end toNephi at the south end. Approximately 75 percent of the state's population lives in this corridor, and population growth is rapid.
Western Utah is a mostly arid desert with abasin and range topography. Small mountain ranges and rugged terrain punctuate the landscape. TheBonneville Salt Flats are an exception, being comparatively flat as a result of once forming the bed of ancientLake Bonneville. Great Salt Lake,Utah Lake,Sevier Lake, andRush Lake are all remnants of this ancient freshwater lake,[46] which once covered most of the eastern Great Basin. West of theGreat Salt Lake, stretching to the Nevada border, lies the aridGreat Salt Lake Desert. One exception to this aridity isSnake Valley, which is (relatively) lush due to large springs and wetlands fed fromgroundwater derived from snow melt in theSnake Range,Deep Creek Range, and other tall mountains to the west of Snake Valley.Great Basin National Park is just over the Nevada state line in the southern Snake Range. One of western Utah's most impressive, but least visited attractions isNotch Peak, the tallest limestone cliff in North America, located west ofDelta.
Much of the scenic southern and southeastern landscape (specifically theColorado Plateau region) issandstone, specificallyKayenta sandstone andNavajo sandstone. TheColorado River and its tributaries wind their way through the sandstone, creating some of the world's most striking and wild terrain (the area around the confluence of the Colorado and Green Rivers was the last to be mapped in the lower 48 United States). Wind and rain have also sculpted the soft sandstone over millions of years. Canyons, gullies, arches, pinnacles, buttes, bluffs, and mesas are common sights throughout south-central and southeast Utah.
Eastern (northern quarter) Utah is a high-elevation area covered mostly by plateaus and basins, particularly the Tavaputs Plateau andSan Rafael Swell, which remain mostly inaccessible, and theUinta Basin, where the majority of eastern Utah's population lives. Economies are dominated by mining,oil shale,oil, and natural gas-drilling,ranching, andrecreation. Much of eastern Utah is part of theUintah and Ouray Indian Reservation. The most popular destination within northeastern Utah isDinosaur National Monument nearVernal.
Southwestern Utah is the lowest and hottest spot in Utah. It is known as Utah'sDixie because early settlers were able to grow some cotton there.Beaverdam Wash in far southwestern Utah is the lowest point in the state, at 2,000 feet (610 m).[45] The northernmost portion of theMojave Desert is also located in this area. Dixie is quickly becoming a popular recreational and retirement destination, and the population is growing rapidly. Although the Wasatch Mountains end atMount Nebo nearNephi, a complex series of mountain ranges extends south from the southern end of the range down the spine of Utah. Just north of Dixie and east ofCedar City is the state's highest ski resort,Brian Head.
Utah features a dry,semi-arid todesert climate,[49] although its many mountains feature a large variety of climates, with the highest points in theUinta Mountains being above thetimberline. The dry weather is a result of the state's location in therain shadow of theSierra Nevada in California. The eastern half of the state lies in the rain shadow of theWasatch Mountains. The primary source of precipitation for the state is the Pacific Ocean, with the state usually lying in the path of large Pacific storms from October to May. In summer, the state, especially southern and eastern Utah, lies in the path ofmonsoon moisture from theGulf of California.
Most of the lowland areas receive less than 12 inches (305 mm) of precipitation annually, although theI-15 corridor, including the densely populatedWasatch Front, receives approximately 15 inches (381 mm). The Great Salt Lake Desert is the driest area of the state, with less than 5 inches (127 mm). Snowfall is common in all but the far southern valleys. Although St. George receives only about 3 inches (76 mm) per year, Salt Lake City sees about 60 inches (1,524 mm), enhanced by thelake-effect snow from the Great Salt Lake, which increases snowfall totals to the south, southeast, and east of the lake.
Some areas of theWasatch Range in the path of the lake effect receive up to 500 inches (1,270 cm) per year. This micro climate of enhanced snowfall from the Great Salt Lake spans the entire proximity of the lake. The cottonwood canyons adjacent to Salt Lake City are located in the right position to receive more precipitation from the lake.[50] The consistently deep powder snow led Utah's ski industry to adopt the slogan "the Greatest Snow on Earth" in the 1980s. In the winter,temperature inversions are a common phenomenon across Utah's low basins and valleys, leading to thick haze and fog that can last for weeks at a time, especially in theUintah Basin. Although at other times of year, its air quality is good, winter inversions give Salt Lake City some of the worst wintertime pollution in the country.
Previous studies have indicated a widespread decline in snowpack over Utah accompanied by a decline in the snow–snow-precipitation ratio while anecdotal evidence claims have been put forward that measured changes in Utah's snowpack are spurious and do not reflect actual change. A 2012 study[51] found that the proportion of winter (January–March) precipitation falling as snow has decreased by nine percent during the last half century, a combined result of a significant increase in rainfall and a minor decrease in snowfall. Meanwhile, observed snow depth across Utah has decreased and is accompanied by consistent decreases in snow cover and surface albedo. Weather systems with the potential to produce precipitation in Utah have decreased in number with those producing snowfall decreasing at a considerably greater rate.[52]
Utah's temperatures are extreme, with cold temperatures in winter due to its elevation, and very hot summers statewide (except mountain areas and high mountain valleys). Utah is usually protected from major blasts of cold air by mountains lying north and east of the state, although major Arctic blasts can occasionally reach the state. Average January high temperatures range from around 30 °F (−1 °C) in some northern valleys to almost 55 °F (13 °C) in St. George.
Temperatures dropping below 0 °F (−18 °C) should be expected on occasion in most areas of the state most years, although some areas see it often (for example, the town ofRandolph averages about fifty days per year with temperatures that low). In July, average highs range from about 85 to 100 °F (29 to 38 °C). However, the low humidity and high elevation typically lead to large temperature variations, leading to cool nights on most summer days. The record high temperature in Utah was 118 °F (48 °C), recorded south of St. George on July 4, 2007,[53] and the record low was −69 °F (−56 °C), recorded atPeter Sinks in theBear River Mountains of northern Utah on February 1, 1985.[54] However, the record low for an inhabited location is −49 °F (−45 °C) atWoodruff on December 12, 1932.[55]
Utah, like most of the western United States, has few days of thunderstorms. On average, there are fewer than 40 days of thunderstorm activity during the year, although these storms can be briefly intense when they do occur. They are most likely to occur duringmonsoon season from about mid-July through mid-September, especially in southern and eastern Utah. Dry lightning strikes and the generally dry weather often spark wildfires in summer, while intense thunderstorms can lead toflash flooding, especially in the rugged terrain of southern Utah. Although spring is the wettest season in northern Utah, late summer is the wettest period for much of the south and east of the state. Tornadoes are uncommon in Utah, with an average of two striking the state yearly, rarely higher than EF1 intensity.[56]
One exception of note, however, was the unprecedentedSalt Lake City Tornado that moved directly across downtown Salt Lake City on August 11, 1999. TheF2 tornado killed one person, injured 60 others, and caused approximately $170 million in damage;[57] it was the second strongest tornado in the state behind an F3 on August 11, 1993, in the Uinta Mountains.[57][58] The only other reported tornado fatality in Utah's history was a 7-year-old girl who was killed while camping inSummit County on July 6, 1884.[57]
Thebrown bear was formerly found within Utah, but has since beenextirpated.[73] There are no confirmed mating pairs ofgray wolves in Utah, although there have been sightings in northeastern Utah along theWyoming border.[74][75]
As of January 2020, there were 466 species included in the official list managed by the Utah Bird Records Committee (UBRC).[76][77] Of these, 119 are classed asaccidental, 29 are classed as occasional, 57 are classed as rare, and 10 have beenintroduced to Utah or North America. Eleven of the accidental species are also classed as provisional.
Several thousand plants are native to Utah,[122] including a variety of trees, shrubs, cacti, herbaceous plants, and grasses. As of 2018[update], there are 3,930 species of plants in Utah, with 3,128 of those being indigenous and 792 being introduced through various means.[123]
At the2020 U.S. census, Utah had a population of 3,271,616. TheU.S. Census Bureau estimated that the population of Utah was 3,205,958 on July 1, 2019, a 16.00% increase since the2010 U.S. census.[126] Thecenter of population of Utah is located inUtah County in the city ofLehi.[127] Much of the population lives in cities and towns along theWasatch Front, a metropolitan region that runs north–south with theWasatch Mountains rising on the eastern side. Growth outside the Wasatch Front is also increasing. The St. George metropolitan area is currently the second fastest-growing in the country after theLas Vegas metropolitan area, while the Heber micropolitan area is also the second fastest-growing in the country (behindPalm Coast, Florida).[128]
Utah ranks among the highest in total fertility rate, 47th inteenage pregnancy, lowest in percentage ofbirths out of wedlock, lowest in number of abortions per capita, and lowest in percentage of teen pregnancies terminated in abortion. However, statistics relating to pregnancies and abortions may also be artificially low from teenagers going out of state for abortions because ofparental notification requirements.[133][134] Utah has the lowestchild poverty rate in the country, despite its young demographics.[135] According to the Gallup-Healthways Global Well-Being Index as of 2012[update], Utahns ranked fourth in overall well-being in the United States.[136] A 2002 national prescription drug study determined that antidepressant drugs were "prescribed in Utah more often than in any other state, at a rate nearly twice the national average".[137] The data shows that depression rates in Utah are no higher than the national average.[138] In 2022, Utah had the lowest percent of births to unmarried women of any US state, at 20.3 percent.[139]
In 2011, 28.6% of Utah's population younger than the age of one were ethnic minorities, meaning they had at least one parent who was of a race other than non-Hispanic white.[146]
Mormons are the largest religious group in Utah. However, the percentage of Mormons in the overall population has been decreasing. In 2017, 62.8% of Utahns were members of the LDS Church.[148][149] This declined to 61.2% in 2018[150] and to 60.7% in 2019.[151] Members of the LDS Church are 34%–41% of the people of Salt Lake City. Many of the other major population centers, such as Provo, Logan, Tooele, and St. George, are each mostly LDS, as are many suburban and rural areas. The LDS Church has the largest number of congregations, numbering 4,815wards.[152] According to results from the 2010 U.S. census, combined with official LDS Church membership statistics, church members represented 62.1% of Utah's total population. The Utah county with the lowest percentage of church members wasGrand County, at 26.5%, while the county with the highest percentage wasMorgan County, at 86.1%. In addition, the result for the most populated county,Salt Lake County, was 51.4%.[14]
According to aGallup poll, Utah had the third-highest number of people reporting as "Very Religious" in 2015, at 55% (trailing onlyMississippi andAlabama). However, it was near the national average of people reporting as "Nonreligious" (31%), and featured the smallest percentage of people reporting as "Moderately Religious" (15%) of any state, being eight points lower than second-lowest stateVermont.[158] In addition, it had the highest average weekly church attendance of any state, at 51%.[159]
A 2023 paper challenged this perception (claiming only 42% of Utahns are Mormons) however most statistics still show a majority of Utah residents belong to the LDS church; estimates from the LDS church suggests 60.68% of Utah's population belongs to the church whilst some sources put the number as high as 68%.[160] The paper replied that membership count done by the LDS Church is too high for several reasons.[160]
Theofficial language in the state of Utah isEnglish.[161]Utah English is primarily a merger of Northern and Midland American dialects carried west by LDS Church members, whose originalNew York dialect later incorporated features fromnortheastOhio andcentralIllinois. Conspicuous in the speech of some in the central valley, although less frequent now in Salt Lake City, is acord-card merger, so that the vowels /ɑ/ an /ɔ/ are pronounced the same before an /ɹ/, such as in the wordscord andcard.[162]
In 2000, 87.5% of all state residents five years of age or older spoke only English at home, a decrease from 92.2% in 1990. In 2011, one-third of Utah's workforce was reported to be bilingual, developed through a program of acquisition of second languages beginning in elementary school, and related to Mormonism's missionary goals for its young people.[163]
Utah has the highest total birth rate[155] and accordingly, the youngest population of any U.S. state. In 2010, the state's population was 50.2% male and 49.8% female. The life expectancy is 79.3 years.
TheWasatch Front region has seen large growth and development despite the economic downturn. Shown is theCity Creek Center project, a development in downtown Salt Lake City with a price tag of $1.5–2.5 billion.One out of every 14 flash memory chips in the world is produced inLehi, Utah.[165]Zion National Park in southern Utah is one of five national parks in the state.Farms and ranches
According to theBureau of Economic Analysis, the gross state product of Utah in 2012 wasUS$130.5 billion, or 0.87% of the total United States GDP ofUS$14.991 trillion for the same year.[166] Theper capita personal income was $45,700 in 2012. Major industries of Utah include mining, cattle ranching, salt production, and government services.
According to the 2007 State New Economy Index, Utah has 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". In 2014, Utah was ranked number one inForbes' list of "Best States For Business".[167] A November 2010 article inNewsweek magazine highlighted Utah and particularly the Salt Lake City area's economic outlook, calling it "the new economic Zion", and examined how the area has been able to bring in high-paying jobs and attract high-tech corporations to the area during a recession.[168] As of September 2014[update], the state's unemployment rate was 3.5%.[169] In terms of "small business friendliness", in 2014 Utah emerged as number one, based on a study drawing upon data from more than 12,000 small business owners.[170]
In eastern Utah petroleum production is a major industry.[171] Near Salt Lake City, petroleum refining is done by several oil companies. In central Utah, coal production accounts for much of the mining activity.
According toInternal Revenue Service tax returns, Utahns rank first among all U.S. states in the proportion ofincome given to charity by the wealthy. This is due to the standardten percent of all earnings that Mormons give to the LDS Church.[135] According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, Utah had an average of 884,000 volunteers between 2008 and 2010, each of whom contributed 89.2 hours per volunteer. This figure equates to $3.8 billion of service contributed, ranking Utah number one for volunteerism in the nation.[172]
Taxation
Utah collects personalincome tax; since 2008 the tax has been a flat five percent for all taxpayers.[173] The statesales tax has a base rate of 6.45 percent,[174] with cities and counties levying additional local sales taxes that vary among the municipalities.Property taxes are assessed and collected locally. Utah does not chargeintangible property taxes and does not impose aninheritance tax.
TheMoab area, in the southeastern part of the state, is known for its challenging mountain biking trails, includingSlickrock. Moab also hosts the famousMoab Jeep Safari semiannually.
Utah has seen an increase in tourism since the2002 Winter Olympics.Park City is home to theUnited States Ski Team. Utah's ski resorts are primarily located in northern Utah near Salt Lake City, Park City, Ogden, andProvo. Between 2007 and 2011Deer Valley Park City, has been ranked the top ski resort in North America in a survey organized bySki Magazine.[175]
Utah has many significant ski resorts. The 2009 Ski Magazine reader survey concluded that six of the top ten resorts deemed most "accessible", and six of the top ten with the best snow conditions, were located in Utah.[176] In Southern Utah,Brian Head Ski Resort is located in the mountains nearCedar City. Former Olympic venues includingUtah Olympic Park andUtah Olympic Oval are still in operation for training and competition and allow the public to participate in numerous activities includingski jumping,bobsleigh, andspeed skating.
The state of Utah relies heavily on income from tourists and travelers visiting the state's parks and ski resorts, and thus the need to "brand" Utah and create an impression of the state throughout the world has led to several state slogans, the most famous of which is "The Greatest Snow on Earth", which has been in use in Utah officially since 1975 (although the slogan was in unofficial use as early as 1962) and now adorns nearly 50 percent of the state's license plates. In 2001, Utah GovernorMike Leavitt approved a new state slogan, "Utah! Where Ideas Connect", which lasted until March 10, 2006, when the Utah Travel Council and the office ofGovernor Jon Huntsman announced that "Life Elevated" would be the new state slogan.[178]
Mining
Mining has been a large industry in Utah since it was first settled. TheBingham Canyon Mine in Salt Lake County is one of the largest open pit mines in the world.
Beginning in the late 19th century with the state's mining boom (including theBingham Canyon Mine, among the world's largest open pit mines), companies attracted large numbers ofimmigrants with job opportunities. Since the days of the Utah Territory mining has played a major role in Utah's economy. Historical mining towns includeMercur in Tooele County,Silver Reef in Washington County,Eureka in Juab County,Park City in Summit County and numerous coal mining camps throughout Carbon County such as Castle Gate, Spring Canyon, and Hiawatha.[179]
These settlements were characteristic of the boom and bust cycle that dominated mining towns of the American West. Park City, Utah, and Alta, Utah were boom towns in the early twentieth century. Rich silver mines in the mountains adjacent to the towns led to many people flocking to the towns in search of wealth. During the early part of theCold War era, uranium was mined in eastern Utah. Today mining activity still plays a major role in the state's economy. Minerals mined in Utah include copper, gold, silver, molybdenum, zinc, lead, and beryllium. Fossil fuels including coal, petroleum, and natural gas continue to play a large role in Utah's economy, especially in the eastern part of the state in counties such as Carbon, Emery, Grand, and Uintah.[179]
Utah extracts more coal and generates more electricity than it consumes.[180] The state has the potential to generate 31.6 TWh/year from 13.1 GW of wind power, and 10,290 TWh/year fromsolar power using 4,048 GW of photovoltaic (PV), including 5.6 GW of rooftop photovoltaic, and 1,638 GW ofconcentrated solar power.[181] TheBlue Castle Project is working toward building the state's first nuclear power plant nearGreen River, Utah, originally projected to be completed in 2030.[182]
I-15 andI-80 are the maininterstate highways in the state, where they intersect and briefly merge neardowntown Salt Lake City. I-15 traverses the state north-to-south, entering from Arizona near St. George, paralleling theWasatch Front, and crossing into Idaho nearPortage. I-80 spans northern Utah east-to-west, entering from Nevada atWendover, crossing theWasatch Mountains east of Salt Lake City, and entering Wyoming nearEvanston.I-84 West enters from Idaho nearSnowville (fromBoise) and merges with I-15 fromTremonton to Ogden, then heads southeast through the Wasatch Mountains before terminating at I-80 nearEcho Junction.
I-70 splits from I-15 atCove Fort in central Utah and heads east through mountains and rugged desert terrain, providing quick access to the many national parks and national monuments of southern Utah, and has been noted for its beauty. The 103 mi (166 km) stretch fromSalina toGreen River is the country's longest stretch of interstate without services and, when completed in 1970, was the longest stretch of entirely new highway constructed in the U.S. since theAlaska Highway was completed in 1943.
The UTA's bus system stretches from theSalt Lake Valley west toGrantsville and east toPark City. Beyond UTA, the cities ofCedar City,Logan, Park City, andSt. George are served by local bus operators. In the winter, the UTA and several private bus companies operate shuttle routes to Utah's ski resorts.
Utah government is divided into three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. Thegovernor is the chief executive of the state and elected for a four-year term; alieutenant governor is concurrently elected on ajoint ticket with the governor.[185][186] The current governor of Utah isSpencer Cox,[187] who was sworn in on January 4, 2021. In addition to the governor and lieutenant governor, Utah has three other independently elected executive officers: astate auditor, astate treasurer, and anattorney general.[188][189][190]
TheUtah State Legislature consists of aSenate and aHouse of Representatives. State senators serve four-year terms and representatives two-year terms. The Utah Legislature meets each year in January for an annual 45-day session.
TheUtah Supreme Court is the court of last resort in Utah. It consists of five justices, who are appointed by the governor, and then subject to retention election. TheUtah Court of Appeals handles cases from the trial courts.[191] Trial level courts are the district courts and justice courts. All justices and judges, like those on the Utah Supreme Court, are subject toretention election after appointment.
In a 2020 study, Utah was ranked as the 3rd easiest state for citizens to vote in.[192]
Utah is divided into political jurisdictions designated ascounties. Since 1918 there have been 29 counties in the state, ranging from 298 to 7,819 square miles (772 to 20,300 km2).
Utah granted fullvoting rights to women in 1870, 26 years before becoming a state. Among all U.S. states, only Wyoming grantedsuffrage to women earlier.[194] However, in 1887 the initialEdmunds-Tucker Act was passed by Congress to curtail Mormon influence in the territorial government. One of the provisions of the Act was the repeal of women's suffrage; full suffrage was not returned until Utah was admitted to the Union in 1896.
In March 2018, Utah passed the United States' first "free-range parenting" bill. The bill was signed into law byRepublicanGovernorGary Herbert and states that parents who allow their children to engage in certain activities without supervision are not considered neglectful.[197][198]
The constitution of Utah was enacted on May 8, 1895.[199] Notably, the constitution outlawedpolygamy, as requested by Congress when Utah had applied for statehood, and reestablished the territorial practice of women'ssuffrage. Utah's Constitution has beenamended many times since its inception.[200]
Under Utah law, aggravated murder is the only crime subject to the penalty of death.[201] Utah was the first state to resume executions after the 1972–1976 national moratorium on capital punishment ended withGregg v. Georgia, whenGary Gilmore was executed byfiring squad in 1977.[202] Utah is one of only two states to have ever carried out executions by firing squad, and the only one to do so after the moratorium ended.[203]
Utah's laws regardingalcohol, tobacco and gambling are strict. Utah is analcoholic beverage control state. TheUtah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control regulates the sale of alcohol; wine and spirituous liquors may be purchased only at state liquor stores, and local laws may prohibit the sale of beer and other alcoholic beverages on Sundays. The state bans the sale of fruity alcoholic drinks at grocery stores and convenience stores. The law states that such drinks must now have new state-approved labels on the front of the products that contain capitalized letters in bold type telling consumers the drinks contain alcohol and at what percentage. Utah is the only state that imposes a maximumblood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.05% for drivers, as opposed to the 0.08% limit in other states.[204] The Utah Indoor Clean Air Act is a statewidesmoking ban that prohibits it in many public places.[205] Utah and Hawaii are the only two states in the United States to outlaw all forms of gambling.
Same-sex marriage became legal in Utah on December 20, 2013, whenU.S. District Court JudgeRobert J. Shelby issued a ruling inKitchen v. Herbert.[206][207] As of close of business December 26, more than 1,225 marriage licenses were issued, with at least 74 percent, or 905 licenses, issued to gay and lesbian couples.[208] The Utah Attorney General's office was granted a stay of the ruling by theU.S. Supreme Court on January 6, 2014, while theTenth Circuit Court of Appeals considered the case.[209] On October 6, 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court declined awrit ofcertiorari, and the 10th Circuit Court issued their mandate later that day, lifting their stay. Same-sex marriages commenced again in Utah that day.[210]
The rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in theU.S. state of Utah have significantly evolved in the21st century. Protective laws have become increasingly enacted since 2014, despite the state's reputation as socially conservative and highly religious. Utah's anti-sodomy law was invalidated in 2003 byLawrence v. Texas, and fully repealed by the state legislature in 2019.Same-sex marriage has been legal since the state's ban was ruled unconstitutional byfederal courts in 2014. In addition, statewide anti-discrimination laws now coversexual orientation andgender identity in employment and housing, and the use ofconversion therapy on minors is prohibited. In spite of this, there are still a few differences between the treatment of LGBTQ people and the rest of the population, and the rights of transgender youth are restricted.[211][212]
Opinion polling has shown an increase in support for LGBT rights in the state. A 2017Public Religion Research Institute poll showed that 44% of Utah residents supported same-sex marriage, a significant increase from the early 2000s. A 2019 survey by the same pollster showed that 74% of Utahns supported anti-discrimination legislation protecting LGBTQ people.[213]Salt Lake City, the largest city in the state, has one of the largest LGBTQ populations in the country.[214]
TheUtah State Capitol, Salt Lake CityThe Scott Matheson Courthouse is the seat of the Utah Supreme Court.
In the late 19th century, the federal government took issue with polygamy in the LDS Church. The LDS Church discontinued plural marriage in 1890, and in 1896 Utah gained admission to the Union. Many new people settled in the area soon after the Mormon pioneers. Relations have often been strained between the LDS population and the non-LDS population.[216] These tensions have played a large part in Utah's history (Liberal Party vs.People's Party).
Utah votes predominantly Republican. Self-identified Latter-day Saints are more likely to vote for the Republican ticket than non-Mormons. Utah is one of the most Republican states in the nation.[217][218] Utah was the single mostRepublican-leaning state in the country in every presidential election from1976 to2004, measured by the percentage point margin between the Republican andDemocratic candidates. In2008 Utah was only the third-most Republican state (afterWyoming andOklahoma), but in2012, with MormonMitt Romney atop the Republican ticket, Utah returned to its position as the most Republican state. However, the2016 presidential election result saw RepublicanDonald Trump carry the state (marking the thirteenth consecutive win by the Republican presidential candidate) with only a plurality, the first time this happened since1992.
Both of Utah'sU.S. Senators,John Curtis andMike Lee, are Republican, as are all four of itsU.S. Representatives.Ben McAdams is the most recent Democrat to represent Utah in Congress, representing the4th congressional district, based inSalt Lake City, from 2019 to 2021. He lost re-election toBurgess Owens, a Republican, in 2020. After Jon Huntsman Jr. resigned to serve as U.S. Ambassador to China in 2009,Gary Herbert was sworn in as governor on August 11, 2009. Herbert was elected to serve out the remainder of the term in a special election in 2010, defeating Democratic nominee Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon with 64% of the vote. He won election to a full four-year term in 2012, defeating the Democrat Peter Cooke with 68% of the vote.
The LDS Church maintains an official policy of neutrality about political parties and candidates.[153]
In the 1970s, then-ApostleEzra Taft Benson was quoted by theAssociated Press that it would be difficult for a faithful Latter-day Saint to be a liberal Democrat.[219] Although the LDS Church has officially repudiated such statements on many occasions, Democratic candidates—including LDS Democrats—believe Republicans capitalize on the perception that the Republican Party is doctrinally superior.[220] Political scientist and pollster Dan Jones explains this disparity by noting that the national Democratic Party is associated with liberal positions on gay marriage and abortion, both of which the LDS Church is against.[221] The Republican Party in heavily Mormon Utah County presents itself as the superior choice for Latter-day Saints. Even though Utah Democratic candidates are predominantly LDS, socially conservative, and pro-life, no Democrat has won in Utah County since 1994.[222]
David Magleby, dean of Social and Behavioral Sciences atBrigham Young University, a lifelong Democrat and a political analyst, asserts that the Republican Party has more conservative positions than the LDS Church. Magleby argues that the locally conservative Democrats are in better accord with LDS doctrine.[223] For example, the Republican Party of Utah opposes almost all abortions while Utah Democrats take a more liberal approach, although more conservative than their national counterparts. OnSecond Amendment issues, the state GOP has been at odds with the LDS Church's position opposing concealed firearms in places of worship and public spaces.
In 1998, the church expressed concern that Utahns perceived the Republican Party as an LDS institution and authorized lifelong Democrat andSeventyMarlin Jensen to promote LDS bipartisanship.[219]
Utah is much more conservative than the United States as a whole, primarily onsocial issues. Compared to other Republican-dominated states in the Mountain West such asIdaho andWyoming, Utah politics have a more moralistic and lesslibertarian character, according to David Magleby.[224]
About 80% of Utah's Legislature are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,[225] while members account for 61 percent of the population.[226] Since becoming a state in 1896, Utah has had only two non-Mormon governors.[227]
In 2006, the legislature passed legislation aimed at banning joint custody for a non-biological parent of a child. The custody measure passed the legislature and was vetoed by the governor, a reciprocal benefits supporter.
Carbon County's Democrats are generally made up of members of the largeGreek,Italian, andSoutheastern European communities, whose ancestors migrated in the early 20th century to work in the extensive mining industry. The views common amongst this group are heavily influenced bylabor politics, particularly of theNew Deal Era.[228]
The state's most Republican areas tend to be Utah County, which is the home toBrigham Young University (BYU) in the city of Provo, and nearly all the rural counties.[229][230] These areas generally hold socially conservative views in line with that of the nationalReligious Right. The most Democratic areas of the state lie currently in and around Salt Lake City proper.
The state has not voted for a Democrat for president since1964. Historically, Republican presidential nominees score one of their best margins of victory here. Utah was the Republicans' best state in the1976,[231]1980,[232]1984,[233]1988,[234]1996,[235]2000,[236]2004[237] and2012 elections. In1992, Utah was the only state in the nation where Democratic candidate Bill Clinton finished behind both Republican candidate George HW Bush and Independent candidateRoss Perot.[238] In 2004, Republican George W. Bush won every county in the state and Utah gave him his largest margin of victory of any state. He won the state's five electoral votes by a margin of 46 percentage points with 71.5% of the vote. In the 1996 Presidential elections the Republican candidate received a smaller 54% of the vote while the Democrat earned 34%.[239]
In 2020, theAssociated Press wrote a piece profiling Utah's political culture duringthat year's presidential election. The article noted a more bipartisan and cooperative environment, along with conservative support of liberal causes such as LGBT rights and marijuana use, despite the Republican dominance in the state and the political polarization seen in other parts of the U.S. at the time.[240]
Utah's population is concentrated in two areas, theWasatch Front in the north-central part of the state, with over 2.6 million residents; andWashington County, in southwestern Utah, locally known as "Dixie", with more than 175,000 residents in the metropolitan area.
According to the 2010 census, Utah was the second fastest-growing state (at 23.8 percent) in the United States between 2000 and 2010 (behind Nevada).St. George, in the southwest, is the second fastest-growing metropolitan area in the United States, trailingGreeley, Colorado.
Salt Lake City-Ogden-Clearfield comprises: Salt Lake City andOgden-Clearfield Metropolitan Areas and Brigham City andHeber Micropolitan Areas (as listed below)
In 2024, theUtah Hockey Club was established, beginning play during the2024–25 National Hockey League season. The team was established using the existing roster, staff and draft picks of theArizona Coyotes, which were purchased by businessman andJazz ownerRyan Smith. The Utah Hockey Club plays their home games at the Delta Center, sharing the facility with the Jazz.[244] Utah also has one minor leaguehockey team, theUtah Grizzlies, who play at the Maverik Center and compete in theECHL.
Real Salt Lake ofMajor League Soccer was founded in 2005 and plays their home matches atAmerica First Field inSandy. RSL remains the only Utah major league sports team to have won a national championship, having won the MLS Cup in 2009.[245] RSL currently operates two adult teams in addition to the MLS side.Real Monarchs, competing in the third-tierMLS Next Pro, is the official reserve side for RSL. The team began to play in the 2015 season at Rio Tinto Stadium, remaining there until moving toZions Bank Stadium, located at RSL's training center inHerriman, for the 2018 season and beyond.[246][247] TheUtah Royals returned to theNational Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the top level of U.S. women's soccer, in 2024.[248] The original team of that name, which shared ownership with RSL and also played at America First Field, started NWSL play in 2018.[249] Due to fallout from controversies surrounding RSL's ownership, leading to the club's eventual sale, RSL shuttered the Royals after the 2020 season, selling its player-related assets to anew Kansas City franchise.[250] Before the creation of the Royals, RSL's main women's side had beenReal Salt Lake Women, which began play in theWomen's Premier Soccer League in 2008 and moved toUnited Women's Soccer in 2016, before folding in 2019.
Salt Lake City hosted the2002 Winter Olympics. After early financial struggles and scandals, the 2002 Olympics eventually became among the most successful Winter Olympics in history from a marketing and financial standpoint. Watched by more than two billion viewers, the Games ended up with a profit of $100 million.[251]
Rugby has been growing quickly in the state of Utah, growing from 17 teams in 2009 to 70 as of 2013[update] with more than 3,000 players, and more than 55 high school varsity teams.[252][253] The growth has been inspired in part by the 2008 movieForever Strong.[253] Utah fields two of the most competitive teams in the nation incollege rugby—BYU and Utah.[252] BYU has won the National Championship in 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015. Formed in 2017, theUtah Warriors are aMajor League Rugby team based in Salt Lake City.[254]
TheSundance Film Festival was founded in 1978, and takes place every January inPark City. It is considered one of the "big five"film festivals, and is the largest independent film festival in the United States.[257]
^"Introduction: Urban Growth in Utah",QGET Databook, Quality Growth Efficiency Tools (QGET) Technical Committee, Governor's Office of Management & Budget, State of Utah, 1997, archived fromthe original on November 4, 2014, retrievedNovember 4, 2014; see also:"Figures: Population Growth, 1940–2020 (slide 3)",QGET Databook, 1997, archived fromthe original on November 4, 2014, retrievedNovember 4, 2014
^"Appendix E.—Ranking Tables"(PDF).State and Metropolitan Area Data Book: 2006. U.S. Census Bureau. December 22, 2008.Archived(PDF) from the original on March 25, 2009. RetrievedApril 29, 2009.
^"Murder Hornet Madness"(PDF).Utah State University Extension Office. 2020. p. 7.Archived(PDF) from the original on January 15, 2021. RetrievedMarch 15, 2021.And finally, false reports of brown recluse spiders incite fear in Utah residents (only the desert recluse spider, found in Washington County, exists in Utah).
^Harrie, Dan (December 6, 2002). "Mormon, GOP Link Doomed Democrats: Religion statistics paint a bleak picture for party".The Salt Lake Tribune.NewsBank Archive Article ID: 100DFA0561F7801E.
^abHarrie, Dan (May 3, 1998). "GOP Dominance Troubles Church; It hurts Utah, says general authority, disavowing any perceived Republican-LDS Link; LDS Official Calls for More Political Diversity".Salt Lake Tribune.
^Whitson, James R."Presidential Election 1996".The Unofficial Homepage of the Electoral College. Archived fromthe original on March 19, 2008. RetrievedMarch 20, 2008.
Brown, Adam R.Utah politics and government: American democracy among a unique electorate (U of Nebraska Press, 2018).
Ching, Jacqueline.Utah: Past and Present (Rosen, 2010).
May, Dean L.Utah: A people's history (U of Utah Press, 1987).
Peterson, Charles S. and Brian Q. Cannon.The Awkward State of Utah: Coming of Age in the Nation, 1896–1945. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 2015.ISBN978-1-60781-421-4
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