# Just how big is Utah?



## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

I'm writing a report that includes general geographic information about Utah. So I figured to include how big Utah is - in square miles, and where that puts it in relation to the rest of the lovely states in our great nation. According to the State of Utah, we are both the 11th and 13th largest states.

http://www.utah.gov/about/quickfacts.html

Does anyone know REALLY, how big is Utah?


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## Fishrmn (Sep 14, 2007)

> Area Size: 84,899 sq mi (13th in US)
> Median household Income: $50,614 (11th)


Looks like 11th in income, not size.


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

From the above listed website:



> Area Size: 84,899 sq mi (13th in US)


Then below that int he text:


> Utah is 84,900 square miles and ranked the 11th largest state (in terms of square miles) in the U.S.


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## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

Maybe use this site:
http://www.theus50.com/area.php


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## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

As a side thought, are you including the square miles of water?


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

I might do that BB. I've checked several websites now. The range of rankings is anywhere from 11th to 13th. The numbers on Utah are pretty consistent - between 84,898 and 84,904. But numbers for other states - mostly Minnesota - vary greatly - up to 4,000 square miles. Which is what changes the ranking from list to list.

And per your suggestion on the water, I've been checking that too. Its pretty consistent with total area rankings - with variations from being ranked 11th to 13th.


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## Steveb (Sep 11, 2007)

What about checking the US Geological Survey? I would think that would be reliable.


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## Petersen (Sep 7, 2007)

This discussion reminds me of a bit of trivia that I ran into while looking at some Utah state boundary maps, then doing a little digging.

There's a small piece of land in the Malad Range immediately east of where I-15 crosses into Utah that's claimed by by both Utah and Idaho as being part of their respective states.

Just as background information, several small kinks exist in Utah's boundaries; the biggest one being along the southern part of the border with Colorado where a surveying error resulted in a jog of over a mile that's easily visible on most maps. Several other smaller kinks occur along the Arizona, Wyoming and Idaho borders - all from old surveying errors.

These little jogs of a few feet here and there are pretty much agreed upon by all the states in question as being the actual boundaries, despite them being the result of errors.

The exception to this being the small oddity in the Utah-Idaho boundary that occurs just east of I-15.

[attachment=0:1yvax9f9]boundary_dispute.jpg[/attachment:1yvax9f9]
The whole length of the boundary with Idaho is riddled with multiple surveying errors, but the one in question was never resolved. It results from two separate surveys: the Hanson survey done in 1896 and the Sonnenkalb survey done in 1898. Utah recognizes the Hanson survey, but Idaho recognizes the Sonnenkalb survey, leaving the mile-long by 1,500-foot-wide-or-so piece ground in the Malad Range apparently in dispute.

As far as I can tell, being federal property, there's been no compelling reason to resolve the issue, but I'm unsure how Utah and Idaho would determine jurisdiction if a serious crime was committed there.


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

So this being a wildlife site Peterson, if a person holding a Utah hunting license were to shoot a deer in this no-man's land, could an Idaho game warden cite them for poaching?


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