People who love the outdoors would have a wonderful time visiting Idaho, a state of rugged slopes and towering peaks. Lying in the Rocky Mountains, Idaho has a dimension of 216,413 sq km and population of 1,293,953.

Tourism is the leading industry of Idaho with Sun Valley resort as one of the nation's busiest tourist destination. Idaho's lakes including Coeur d'Alene, Lake Pend and Priest Lake are considered among the world's most enthralling. The Salmon and Clearwater rivers are for fishing enthusiasts. Idaho also offers the remarkable Hells Canyon, the deepest gorge in North America; Crater of the Moon National Monument and preserved clumps of ancient cedars at Upper Priest Lake. Idaho is also the keeper of the nation's largest forested area that occupies about two-fifths of the state.

The members of the Lewis and Clark expedition were the first to set foot in Idaho in 1805. They were followed by fur traders who initiated economic activities in the area. But it was the discovery of gold amidst several places that set Idaho towards being recognized as a territory in 1863. As mining came and went, cattle and sheep ranching became important economic agents. As agriculture progressed, so did Idaho's hydroelectric power plants.

Idaho briefly lost its economic drive during the recession of the 1980s. Now, Idaho is home to high-technology firms and a large winter sports industry, putting it among the list of the fastest-growing states.

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