Utah is classified as a southwestern state. Located in the Rocky Mountain Region of the United States, Utah has a latitude of 39.3210° N and a longitude of 111.0937° W. Known for its emphasis on mining, abundance of nature parks, and dedication to education, Utah is a well-rounded state located in the southwestern heart of the United States.
With a length of 350 miles and a width of 270 miles, Utah’s total area is approximately 84,899 square miles. Utah ranks as the thirteenth largest state based on total area. Of Utah’s total area, roughly 82,168 miles are taken up by land. This leaves 2,731 square miles – or 3.2% – of water areas.
The Beehive State has a population of about 3,160,000 people. As the thirty-first most populated state, Utah’s population density is 36.53 per square mile. This calculation is read as approximately 36 people per square mile of land.
Utah is bordered by six other states. Idaho and Wyoming are to the north of Utah. To the east of Utah lies Colorado. In the south, Utah shares a border with Arizona. The very southeastern corner of Utah touches a point along New Mexico’s border as well. Colorado is east of Utah, while Nevada is to the west.
The most extreme points of Utah refer to the furthest points of Utah in each of the four cardinal directions. For instance, the westernmost point lies along the border between Nevada and Utah. To the east, Utah extends as far as eastern stretch of Colorado’s border. The northernmost point of Utah is located on the border that distinguishes Utah from Idaho, which also happens to be the 42nd parallel of the U.S.A. To the south, Utah stops where Arizona begins.
The most central point of an area – in this instance, a state – is called the geographic center. Utah’s geographic center is located at coordinates 111° 41.1' W and 39° 23.2' N. This point is north of Manti, a city in Sanpete County.
The average elevation of Utah is 6,100 feet above sea level. At its highest peak, Utah soars above the clouds with an elevation of 13,528 feet above sea level. The lowest point of elevation is approximately 2,000 feet above sea level, which is still incredibly tall, especially for being the lowest point.