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