The US state of Wyoming is located in the mountain area of the United States. Mountain ranges and rangelands within the Eastern Rocky Mountains foothills cover the western half of the state of Wyoming. The eastern half of the is covered by a high-elevation prairie called the High Plains. Wyoming is the least populous U.S. state, with a U.S. Census population of around 563,600 during the year 2010. This is a 14.1% increase since 2000. It is the tenth largest U.S. state by area. Cheyenne is the most crowded and capital city of the state of Wyoming with a population of approximately 60,000 inhabitants in its city proper.
The economy of Wyoming is driven mainly by the sectors of mineral extraction, travel and tourism. 6 percent of the landmass is state controlled, while the Federal government owns about 50% of its landmass. Total taxable values of mining production in Wyoming for the year 2001 was over $6.7 billion. The tourism business accounts for over $2 billion in revenue for the state.
During the year 2002, more than six million people visited Wyoming's national monuments and parks. The key tourist attractions within Wyoming comprise Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Fossil Butte National Monument, Devils Tower National Monument and Independence Rock (Wyoming). Every year Yellowstone National Park, the world's very first national park, receives three million visitors.
Agriculture has been an essential part in Wyoming's economy before, in the past. More recently, its overall importance to the economy has slowed. However, agriculture is still an important part of Wyoming's lifestyle and culture. The major agricultural commodities produced in the state of Wyoming comprise hay, livestock (beef), sugar beets, grain (wheat and barley) and wool. More than 91 percent of land within Wyoming is classified as rural.
The mineral commodities of Wyoming consist of natural gas, coal, crude oil, coalbed methane, trona and uranium.
Coal: In the year 2004, the state produced 395.5 million short tons or 358.8 million metric tons of coal. The state is the country's leading producer of coal Wyoming has a reserve of 68.7 billion tons of coal. Key coal regions consist of the Green River Basin and the Powder River Basin.
Natural gas: In the year 2007, the state produced 2,254 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, making it the 2nd leading state in the production of natural gas. A Drilling rig drills for natural gas just west of the Wind River Range within the Wyoming Rockies.
Coal Bed Methane (CBM): In the mid-1990s, there was a boom in CBM extraction. CBM is a methane gas that could be taken from coal bed seams. It is another method of natural gas production.
Crude oil: Wyoming produced 53,400,000 barrels or 8,490,000 m3 of crude oil during the year 2007. The state ranked fifth nationwide in oil production in the year 2007.
Diamonds: For several years, the Kelsey Lake Diamond Mine has produced gem quality diamonds 300 m or 1,000 feet from the Wyoming border within Colorado.
Uranium: There has been renewed interest in uranium mining after many decades of less active mining of this ore.