| Though not an extremely large state, at | | | | plant across the river in Moline, Illinois. |
| 56,000 square miles, Iowa is first in corn | | | | John Deere has become a multi-national |
| and soybean production and also is first in | | | | corporation but still produces much of its |
| hog production. It is a flat state located | | | | equipment in the United States, including in |
| between the great North American rivers, the | | | | Waterloo, Davenport and Dubuque, Iowa, and in |
| Mississippi on the east, and the Missouri | | | | Moline in Illinois. Davenport has had a |
| River on the west. The Iowa caucuses are an | | | | certain amount of problems due to its lack of |
| early political event in the quest for the | | | | levees to protect it from floods from the |
| presidency. That alone may give you an idea | | | | Mississippi River. An interesting nearby |
| for your Iowa Incorporation. After all, | | | | site is the Quad City Botanical Center, |
| billions of dollars go to political | | | | across the river in Rock Island, Illinois. |
| consultants each election year and the huge | | | | These large gardens contain both local plants |
| media impact of this event is well known. | | | | and tropical plants in large hothouses. |
| | | | |
| Iowa is a strongly agricultural state, and | | | | Many insurance companies are headquartered in |
| also has historically and still to some | | | | Des Moines, including the Principal Financial |
| extent presently, the production of farm | | | | Group, Nationwide, Aviva, and American |
| implements, washing machines, refrigerators | | | | Republic Insurance Company. Principal is a |
| and processed foods. Its industrial outputs | | | | Fortune 500 company that has its headquarters |
| are food processing, machinery, electric | | | | in Des Moines. As a center of financial and |
| equipment, chemical products, nd primary | | | | insurance services, other major corporations |
| metals. Iowa produces the nation's largest | | | | headquartered outside of Iowa have |
| amount of ethanol for gasoline. Des Moines | | | | established a presence in Des Moines such as |
| also serves as a center for the insurance | | | | Wells Fargo, ING Group, and Electronic Data |
| industry. | | | | Systems. |
| | | | |
| Council Bluffs Iowa is across the Missouri | | | | Cedar Rapids is home to several large |
| River from Omaha, Nebraska, and is part of | | | | businesses and industries, including in food |
| the Omaha metropolitan area, with a | | | | processing, General Mills, Cargill, Quaker |
| population of over 800,000 in the two states. | | | | Oats, and Archer Daniels Midland (ADM). |
| Council Bluff has become a major center of | | | | Hi-tech and computer companies have also |
| gambling casinos. Casinos in the city | | | | moved into Cedar Rapids and other towns in |
| include Harrah?s and Horseshoes. Davenport | | | | Iowa. At the center of the city is a famous |
| in the eastern part of the state is on the | | | | large modern art metal sculpture known as the |
| Mississippi River across from the city of | | | | Tree of the Five Seasons, which is a |
| Moline, Illinois and is also known for its | | | | three-dimensional form of the city?s logo. |
| casinos. It is one of the Quad Cities in | | | | Near the center of the city is the Czech |
| Iowa and Illinois. John Deere Corporation | | | | Village, and area that has maintained the |
| has for a long time made tractors, lawnmowers | | | | identity of ethnic Czech businesses. There |
| and other machinery in the area, first with a | | | | is also the National Czech and Slovak Museum |
| plant in Davenport, and more recently in a | | | | and Library in the area. |