Wyoming

When the first French settlers arrived in the region that is now Wyoming in the late 1700s, the land had been inhabited by Native American tribes for centuries. With the start of the Oregon Trail, settlers moved into the region, and it was admitted to the Union in 1890. It now has a population of 532,668 (2008 estimate), and 49.3 percent of the current population are female, one of the lowest in the United States, compared to 50.7 of the nation as a whole.

The overall population of the state is growing; the birth rate in Wyoming, at 14.9, is significantly higher than the national average, as is the fertility rate of 2.24 children per women (compared to the national average of 2.1). There are 2.48 ...