Nebraska lies in the heart of the country, in the heart of the Great Plains region. Its name is derived from a Chiwere Indian word meaning "flat water," in reference to the Platte River which runs through the center of the state.

Unlike most agricultural states in the Great Plains region, Kansas’ has experienced a slight population increase in the last few years. As of 2000, Nebraska has an estimated population of about 1.7 million "Cornhuskers"-as Nebraskans are sometimes called. Even so, almost 90% of Kansas cities and towns have fewer than 3,000 residents. Its largest city, Omaha, has about 420,000 residents, though the Omaha metro area, which spills over into Iowa, has about twice that. Like many of its Great Plains neighbors, Nebraska is experiencing rural flight, the phenomenon wherein young people leave rural areas in high numbers to seek better education and employment opportunities. That said, Nebraska’s slight population increase means that its population is probably holding steady rather than increasing. Though German is the largest ancestry group in Nebraska, it also has the largest population (as a percentage of total population) of Czech Americans in the country. Nebraska has a notable Native American population as the state is home to the Omaha and Winnebago tribes.

Nebraska is a leading agricultural state, its farmers having long and successfully practiced "scientific farming" to turn the more arid, prairie regions of the state into fertile farmlands in the wake of the Great Dustbowl. Nebraska ranks with Kansas and Texas for its production of beef, but it also produces pork. It’s major crop is, as you might have guessed, corn, and the state produces soybeans, too. Though Nebraska’s economy is primarily agricultural, it does boast several other vibrant economic sectors including insurance, manufacturing, telecommunications, information technology and freight transport. Union Pacific Railroad is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, and several other rail lines, including Amtrak, have operations in the state. Besides Union Pacific, Omaha is headquarters to several other major corporations including Berkshire Hathaway, Mutual of Omaha, The Gallup Organization and ConAgra Foods. The average per capita income in Nebraska is about $31,000, 25^th in the nation.

Omaha is not just the population and industrial center of Kansas, it is also the cultural center. The Joslyn Art Museum, with its large and impressive collection of Native American art, and the Durham Western Heritage Museum are located there. Omaha is also home to the Omaha Community Playhouse. The playhouse is the largest and one of the most respected in the country-Marlon Brando grew up in Omaha and got his start there.