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Located in the heart of the American breadbasket, Iowa is one of the nation’s leading producers of corn, soybeans, oats and hogs. Farm life makes up a great deal of the cultural identity of Iowa, though certainly not all. Ames and Iowa City boast major universities and lively cultural centers. Des Moines, the largest city (208,000) and capital of Iowa, is dubbed the ‘Insurance Capital of America’ with major financial service corporations based there. The cities which make up the Eastern Iowa Community Colleges are Davenport (102,000), Bettendorf (35,000), Clinton (26,000), and Muscatine (23,000). Education is given a high priority in Iowa, with a low teacher-student ratio, well-funded library services and high average test scores compared to most U.S. states. Despite its small land mass (145,741 sq. km) and population (just over 3 million), Iowa is a remarkably diverse state located in the center of the USA. Iowa is known for agriculture and education.
Education
The Eastern Iowa Community Colleges(EICC) consists of Clinton, Jackson, Muscatine, and Scott counties, and parts of Cedar and Louisa counties. EICC stretches along the Iowa side of the Mississippi River with Clinton Community College to the north, Muscatine Community College to the south, and Scott Community College in Bettendorf in the middle.
EICC boasted a fall 2013 enrollment of more than 8500 students with approximately 5100 enrolled in Associate in Arts/College Transfer programs, and 3400 enrolled in one of more than 40 career technology programs.
Climate
Iowa, like most of the Midwest, has a humid continental climate throughout the state with extremes of both heat and cold. Winter (December, January, and February) is often harsh and snowfall is common. Average winters in the state have been known to drop well below freezing, even dropping below −10 °F (−23°C). Spring (March, April, and May) ushers in the beginning of the severe weather season. Iowa averages about 50 days of thunderstorm activity per year. Summer (June, July, and August) is known for heat and humidity, with daytime temperatures often near 90 °F (32 °C) and sometimes exceeding100 °F (38 °C). Fall (September, October, and November) is when the farmers harvest their grain, and the leaves change color and fall to the ground. The weather can be hot, cold, snowy, rainy, or perfect throughout this season.
Manufacturing
Manufacturing is the largest sector of Iowa’s economy, with$20.8 billion (21%)of Iowa’s 2003 gross state product. Major manufacturing sectors include food processing, heavy machinery, and agricultural chemicals. Sixteen percent of Iowa’s workforce is dedicated to manufacturing. Food processing is the largest component of manufacturing. Its industrial outputs include processed food, machinery, electric equipment, chemical products, publishing, and primary metals. Companies with direct or indirect processing facilities in Iowa include ConAgra Foods, Wells Blue Bunny, Barilla, Heinz, Tone’s Spices, General Mills, and Quaker Oats. Meatpacker Tyson Foods has 11 locations, second only to its headquarter state Arkansas. Major non-food advanced manufacturing firms with production facilities in Iowa include 3M, ALCOA, Amana Corporation, Dexter Apache Holdings, Inc., Electrolux/Frigidaire, Emerson Process, Fisher Controls International, Hagie Manufacturing Company, HON Industries, The HON Company, IPSCO Steel, John Deere, Lennox Manufacturing, Maytag Corporation, Pella Corporation, Rockwell Collins, Vermeer Company, Procter & Gamble, and Winnebago Industries.
Crime
Iowa ranks in the top10inthe nation for its low crime rate. Like most countries, the larger cities have a higher crime rate than the rural communities. As a whole, Iowa is a safe place to live and attend school.
Daylight Savings Time
In the USA, daylight saving time is when clocks are turned forward one hour in March, and back one hour in November to maximize sunlight during the day.
Currency
The dollar (sign:$ or code: USD) is the currency of the United States. The dollar is divided into 100 cents. The currency comes in paper called bills, and coins with a variety of names. Below are the coins and bills most commonly used in the US. One may also see $.50 and $1 coins, and a $2 bill but they are not common.
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