Portal:Utah
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 Utah is a western state of the United States, in the Rocky Mountain region. The name Utah is derived from the Southern Ute word for "higher up." In addition to the Ute Tribe, the Paiute, Navajo, and Goshute nations also inhabit portions of the state.  Utah had a population of 2,389,039 in 2004, according to a Census Bureau estimate. About 85% of Utah's population resides in the valleys and on the western slope of the Wasatch Mountains in northern and central Utah. Residents are called Utahns. The state is generally rugged and arid, and has spectacular natural scenery. It is a popular summer and winter tourist destination. Salt Lake City, the ski resorts in the Wasatch Range, and the national parks of the south are the most popular destinations. Utah's capital is Salt Lake City, a vibrant metropolitan city, but the small community of Fillmore, in Millard County, was designated as the original state capital when the state was admitted to the union in 1896. Salt Lake City hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics, which gave a significant boost to the state's tourist industry (especially the ski resorts). Salt Lake City, Utah is also the headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, of which approximately 60% of Utah residents are members. The LDS Church has a strong cultural influence on the state, resulting in Utah being one of just two states where gambling is illegal.  Lake Powell is a man-made reservoir on the Colorado River, straddling the border between Utah and Arizona. It was created by the flooding of Glen Canyon by the controversial Glen Canyon Dam, which also led to the creation of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, a popular summer destination. The reservoir is named for explorer John Wesley Powell, a one-armed American Civil War veteran who explored the river via three wooden boats in 1869. In 1972, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area was established. It is public land managed by the National Park Service, and available to the public for recreational purposes. Lake Powell is arguably one of the most scenic lakes in America, situated in some of Southern Utah's finest red-rock desert country. It is second in size only to Lake Mead downstream. With both lakes storing about 25,000,000 acre-feet (31 km³) of water each when full, the water is a valuable resource for the western U.S. Lake Powell boasts over 1,900 miles (3100 km) of shoreline, more than the entire coast of the western U.S. and has 96 major side canyons.  Karl Malone (born July 24, 1963 in Bernice, Louisiana) is a former professional basketball player. He was nicknamed in college as the Mailman for his consistency ("the mailman always delivers"), winning the NBA Most Valuable Player award twice. Malone is generally considered one of the greatest power forwards in NBA history. Malone spent his first 18 seasons (1985–2003) as the star player for the Utah Jazz. He then played one season (2003-04) for the Los Angeles Lakers before retiring from the game. Malone's jersey was retired on March 23, 2006, when the Jazz hosted the Washington Wizards. He was also honored with the unveiling of a bronze statue outside the Delta Center next to one of teammate John Stockton, and the renaming of a portion of 100 South St. in Salt Lake City in his honor. The intersection where the Stockton and Malone statues stand is now the intersection of Stockton and Malone. 
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