Utah: State Flag, Bird and Facts
Utah's state bird is the California gull, and the sego lily is its state flower.
- Capital
- Salt Lake City
- Nickname
- Beehive State
- State bird
- California gull
- State flower
- Sego lily
- State tree
- Quaking aspen
- Admitted
- January 4, 1896
- Population
- 3,271,616 (2020 census)
- Motto
- Industry
- Region
- West
- Area
- 219,653 km² (84,808 sq mi)
- Highest point
- Kings Peak (13,534 ft)
About Utah
About two-thirds of Utahns live along the Wasatch Front, the stretch of the north-central state that includes Salt Lake City, the capital. Washington County in the southwest is another population center, with about 180,000 people. Much of the western half sits in the Great Basin. Utah meets Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico at the Four Corners.
The Navajo, the Ute and ancient Puebloans lived here for thousands of years. Mormon settlers arrived by the Mormon Trail while the land was still part of Mexico, and the United States annexed the area in 1848. The newest flag, adopted in 2024, has bands of blue, white and red. In the white band, a gold beehive sits above a white star inside a blue hexagon outlined in gold.
Did you know?
- Kings Peak is the highest point in Utah, at 13,534 feet.
- The golden spike joining the first transcontinental railroad was driven in Utah, earning it the name Crossroads of the West.
- Utah's 1913 flag still counts as an official Historic State Flag.
Questions about Utah
What is Utah's nickname?
Utah is the Beehive State, and a gold beehive sits at the center of its 2024 flag.
When did Utah become a state?
Utah was admitted on January 4, 1896.
Sources
- Wikidata Q829, checked October 8, 2026
- Wikipedia: Utah, checked October 8, 2026
- Wikipedia: Flag of Utah, checked October 8, 2026
Facts are compiled from these open sources and rewritten in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.