Wyoming is located in the Western United States and, with around 600 thousand inhabitants, is the least populous state. While the west of Wyoming is dominated by the Rocky Mountains, the east comprises the High Plains, which are part of the Great Plains. Devils Tower rock in the Bear Lodge Mountains near Hulett and Sundance is 867 feet (265 m) high and became the first national monument in the U.S. in 1906.

Wyoming is home to the largest part of Yellowstone National Park, which is probably the only place where the American bison has not been completely extirpated. Established in 1872, Yellowstone is considered the oldest national park in the world. The bison herd living there is the largest in the United States, with approximately 4,800 animals.

The capital of Wyoming was named after the indigenous Cheyenne people. Other Native American tribes living in the area when European settlers arrived include the Crow, Arapaho, Lakota and Shoshone. Since the late 18^th century, French-Canadian fur trappers traded with the native tribes. When Mexico gained its independence in 1821, the area became part of the province of Alta California, and as a result of the Mexican-American War, it was ceded to the U.S. in 1848. The population grew during the 19^th century due to migration along the Oregon, Mormon, and California trails and, after 1867, the Transcontinental Railroad.

Both the nickname, "The Equality State," and the motto, "Equal Rights," refer to Wyoming‘s historically significant women's suffrage. It was granted in 1869, earlier than any other U.S. territory, and in 1925 Nellie Tayloe Ross became the first female governor. Wyoming was admitted to the Union as the the 44^th state in 1890.

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