So what exactly is it that makes us Kansas? Quite a bit, actually. It's the amazing people. The authentic places. And just about everything in between. We think you'll have fun getting to know us.

National Parks Cimarron National Grassland; Fort Scott National Historic Site; Fort Larned National Historic Site; Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve; Nicodemus National Historic Site; Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site

Agriculture and Livestock Principal crops grown in Kansas are wheat, sorghum (milo), hay and corn. Approximately 10 million bushels of wheat are harvested each year in Kansas. At least 90 percent of the land area in Kansas (47 million acres) is devoted to agriculture production. Kansas ranks first in the number of commercial cattle processed, with 8 million head (1999).

Military Bases Fort Riley - Army; Fort Leavenworth - Army; McConnell - Air Force Base; Air National Guard

Hills/Prairies The Smoky Hills are rugged limestone formations in central Kansas. The Flint Hills, in east central Kansas, cover several million acres of undulating, virtually treeless prairie. They also happen to be the largest remaining segment of true tallgrass prairie in the United States. The Gypsum Hills in south central Kansas provide a panorama of buttes and mesas.

Geological Formations Kansas was once the bed of a huge inland sea, which is why vast deposits of limestone exist throughout the state today. Monument Rocks and Castle Rock, both chalk formations, tower over the surrounding plains in Gove County. Many historically significant fossils have been unearthed and are on display at the Sternberg Museum of Natural History in Hays. The most significant is the "fish within a fish" fossil.

Seasons All four seasons are experienced in Kansas. Statewide, the average annual temperature is 56 degrees. The average rainfall is 26.5 inches statewide; however, precipitation decreases as you travel west. The average in southeast Kansas is 45 inches annually, while the western border averages just 15 inches of rain.

Time Zones Kansas comprises two time zones the majority of the state is in the Central Time Zone, while four western counties observe Mountain Time. Interestingly enough, Kansas is geographically wide enough that the sun rises and sets on the western border 30 minutes later than on the eastern end.