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Explore this Kansas Map to learn about the thirty-fourth state of the US. Learn about Kansas’s location in the United States, official seal, and flag, geography, climate, area codes, zip codes, time zones, etc. Look at the major cities, history, trails (hiking, cycling, backpacking, etc.), national parks, the capital city’s location, FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions), and many more.
About Kansas
The US State of Kansas is the 34th state in the United States. On January 29, 1861, it was admitted to the Union, and Kansas achieved statehood. The State of Kansas’ nickname is the Beaver State. Topeka is Kansas’s capital. Wichita is the largest city in Kansas. English is the official language of Kansas. In the US, Kansas is the 36th most populous state. Check Key Facts of Kansas to learn more about this US state.
Kansas Flag
The design of Kansas’s flag was adopted on March 23, 1927. At the bottom of the flag, the word “Kansas” was included in the flag in 1961 by the legislature. In 1963, the state flag’s size was reduced compared to the national flag.
- Design of the flag features:
- Dark blue background.
- At the center of the flag a crest is there, which features:
- A sunflower (which is the state flower)
- The sunflower rests on a twisted blue and gold bar, representing the Louisiana Purchase.
- Below the seal and over the dark blue background, the word “KANSAS” is written in capital letters (in yellow color)
Kansas State Symbols
Kansas’s official government emblem is the Great Seal of the State of Kansas. It was adopted on May 25, 1861. The official state seal of Kansas has a circular design. The seal features two circles: an outer ring and an inner circle.
- Design of the Outer Circle features:
- “Great Seal of the State of Kansas” is written in the upper half of the outer circle.
- January 29, 1861, is written at the bottom of the outer circular ring. On this date, Kansas attained statehood and was admitted to the Union.
- Design of the Inner Circle features:
- Sun is seen rising from the back of the mountains. The rising sun symbolizes the east direction.
- Below the mountain, a waterbody (supposedly a river) can be seen. A steamboat (with smoke coming out of its two chimneys) is seen going through the river. It symbolizes commerce.
- Before the river, a settler can be seen driving plow horses. It symbolizes agriculture, which is thought as the base on which Kansas’ future prosperity depends.
- A wagon train can be seen drawn by oxen.
- A green pasture can be seen on the left-hand side of the seal (at the left-hand side of the river), between the mountain and the ox-driven Wagon train.
- Two horseback-riding Native Americans can be seen pursuing a herd of American Buffaloes or American Bison (the state’s official animal).
- Across the sky (over the mountain range and rising sun), 34 five-pointed stars are there. These stars symbolize that Kansas is the 34th state that was admitted to the Union.
- Kansas’ state motto, “Ad Astra per Aspera” (which means “To the stars through difficulties”), is written on a banner placed at the top of the inner circle (over the 34 stars).
Kansas Location
Kansas Location Map shows the exact location of the US state of Kansas on the United States map. This map shows the US state’s boundaries, neighboring countries, and oceans.
The State of Kansas is spread across the Midwestern USA. It shares its border with:
Kansas’s precise location is 37° N to 40° N Latitude and 94° 35′ W to 102° 3′ W Longitude. Check this Kansas Latitude and Longitude Map for more info.
Kansas History
The Paleo-Indians have been living in the current land of Kansas for several thousands of years. These early inhabitants were the native Americans’ ancestors. They inhabited this part of the land before the Europeans came and colonized it. The major North American tribes who lived here before the Europeans arrived in 1541 were Kansa, Osage, Comanche, Arapaho, Kiowa, and Pawnee.
Francisco de Coronado, a Spanish explorer, led an exploration team in search of gold in this part of the world in 1541. Robert Cavelier de Las Salle, a Frenchman, arrived here in 1682 and went on to claim control of the area that is now known as Kansas. Europeans who visited Kansas during the 1700s and 1800s were mainly fur traders who traded with the native communities.
The settlers started to move to the Kansas region after Lewis and Clark, an American explorer, traveled to this land in 1804 after the Louisiana Purchase from France by the United States. Settlers mainly started traveling to the west through Kansas in the mid-1800s. The immigrants settled in Kansas later, and ultimately in 1854, the Kansas Territory was established through the Kansas-Nebraska Act.
Several significant clashes occurred between the pro-slavery (called Border Ruffians) and anti-slavery (called abolitionists). John Brown, an anti-slavery leader, later led the Harper’s Ferry raid in Virginia. In 1859, the abolitionists won the struggle against the pro-slavery groups. In the same year, Kansas went on to adopt a constitution the same year. Kansas attained statehood and joined the Union on January 29, 1861.
During the Civil War, many battles were found in Kansas. Some major ones were the Battle of Marais de Cygnes, the Battle of Baxter Springs, the Lawrence Massacre, and many more.
The flat lands in Kansas became the perfect place to raise cattle. This led to the springing up of cattle towns, ranges, and cowboys throughout the state. It became the epicenter of the Wild West, and gunfights became common. Various law enforcement officers such as Wild Bill Hickok (in Abilene) and Wyatt Earp (in Dodge City) came into existence to keep the peace.
The Dust Bowl (a massive drought and dust storm) hit Kansas in the 1930s. The segregation in schools was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in the “Brown versus Board of Education of Topeka Civil Rights case” in 1954.
Kansas Geography
The total area of Kansas is 82,278 sq mi (213,100 sq km), where 81,759 sq mi (211,754 sq km) is land area and 520 sq mi (1,346 sq km) is water area. It is the 15th largest state in the United States in terms of size.
Mount Sunflower is the highest elevation point at 4,039 feet (1,231.1 m). The state’s lowest point is the Verdigris River, at an elevation of 679 feet (207 m). Kansas River, Arkansas River, Smoky Hill River, Republican River, Missouri River, and others are the major rivers in Kansas. The major lakes in Kansas are Tuttle Creek Reservoir, Cheney Reservoir, and many more.
Kansas has three distinct landforms:
- The Dissected Till Plains: It is located in Kansas’ northeastern part (especially to the Big Blue River’s east and the Kansas River’s north). You’ll find rich soil in this landform. The streams and rivers that dissect this landscape have created high bluffs in this area.
- The Southeastern Plains are located on the southern side of the Dissected Till Plains. This landform is found in the south of the state up to the border of Oklahoma. It also extends westward towards Kansas’ center. A few hills interrupt the gently rolling landscape of the Southeastern Plains. There are two sections of this terrain, and they are:
- Osage Plains: This terrain was formed due to limestone and shale erosion.
- Flint Hills: To the Osage Plains’ west, the Flint Hills are found. The erosion-resistant limestone and flint ridges compose this section of the Southeastern Plains.
- The Great Plains: This landform is situated in Kansas’ western half. From the eastern part of the state to the western part, the land slopes up from around 1,500 feet (457.2 m) to about 4,000 feet (1,219.2 m) above sea level along the Colorado border. The highest elevation point in the state, Mount Sunflower, is situated in this terrain (especially near the Kansas border with Colorado). Check this Kansas Topographic Map to learn more.
Learn about the location of rivers, lakes, mountain peaks, the state capital, state boundary, ocean, and neighboring states from this Physical Map of Kansas.
Kansas Counties
Kansas has 105 counties. Butler County is the largest county, and Wyandotte County is the smallest county. Check the Kansas County Map to learn more about the location and boundaries of different counties in the state.
Kansas Area Codes
The area codes in the US State of Kansas are:
The Kansas Area Codes Map helps you locate a particular area code. You can also use it to learn more about the area code boundary, county and state boundaries, and state capital.
Kansas Zip Codes
There are 697 active zip codes in Kansas in 2022. The best zip codes where you can live in the state are 66223, 66213, 66209, 66210, 66221, and many more. You can locate a particular zip code’s location, boundary, state boundary, and state capital with the help of the Kansas Zip Codes Map.
Kansas Major Cities
Learn about the state’s significant places from this Kansas city map. It also helps you to know the exact location of the state capital, other cities, state boundaries, neighboring states and oceans, and many more. Kansas’s most prominent cities are Wichita, Topeka, Olathe, Kansas City, Overland Park, and many more. Check out the Kansas Cities Map for more details.
Kansas Airports
The busiest airports in Kansas are Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport, Manhattan Regional Airport, Garden City Regional Airport, etc. Check the location of different airports in the state on the Kansas Airports Map. This map also shows Kansas’s state and country boundaries, cities, the state capital, neighboring states, and oceans.
Kansas National Park and Trails
Kansas has five national parks. Around 69,882 visitors visit these national parks annually. Major national parks in the State are Brown V. Board Of Education National Historic Site, Fort Larned National Historic Site, Fort Scott National Historic Site, and others.
In Kansas, you can enjoy 456 recreational trails (hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, and other adventurous trails). Elk River Hiking Trail, Wyandotte County Lake Loop Trail, Shawnee Mission Park Orange, Violet, and Red Trail, etc., are some of Kansas’s most popular hiking routes.
Check out the National Parks in Kansas Map to get a clear idea about the locations of different national parks, monuments, preserves, etc.
Kansas Time Zones
UTC−06:00 (Central) is the time zone in most of Kansas. UTC−05:00 (CDT) is its Summer (DST) time zone. The time zone in many counties such as Wallace, Sherman, Hamilton, and Greeley is UTC−07:00 (Mountain). Its Summer (DST) time zone is UTC−06:00 (MDT).
Kansas Climate
The climatic condition in Kansas is characterized by mild winters and significantly warm summers. While January is the coldest month of the year with an average temperature of 31 °F (-0.6 °C), July is the warmest month with an average temperature of 81 °F (27.2 °C). The eastern parts of the state receive around 30-40 inches (762-1,016 mm) of precipitation annually. However, the western parts of Kansas remain drier.
FAQs on Kansas
FAQ #1: What Time Zone Is Kansas?
Ans: UTC−06:00 (Central) is the time zone in most parts of Kansas. UTC−05:00 (CDT) is its Summer (DST) time zone. The time zone in many counties such as Wallace, Sherman, Hamilton, and Greeley is UTC−07:00 (Mountain). Its Summer (DST) time zone is UTC−06:00 (MDT).
FAQ #2: What Is The Capital Of Kansas?
Ans: Topeka is the capital of Kansas.
FAQ #3: What Is Kansas Known For?
Ans: Kansas is known for its natural beauty, rolling hills, vast prairies (the largest contiguous tallgrass prairie in the world), being the largest wheat producer in the USA, wildflower trails, museums, and historical sites on the Native Indians, and many more.
FAQ #4: Does It Snow In Kansas?
Ans: Yes, snowfall takes place in Kansas. The average snowfall level in the entire state is around 19 inches (482 mm). While Parsons gets a yearly average snowfall of 11 inches (279.4 mm), Goodland receives 40 inches (1,016 mm) per year.
FAQ #5: Who Is The Governor Of Kansas?
Ans: Democratic Party’s Laura Kelly is the incumbent Governor of Kansas in 2022. She assumed the office as the 48th Governor of Kansas on January 14, 2019.
FAQ #6: What Is The Population Of Kansas?
Ans: Kansas’s population in 2022 is estimated to be 2.92 million, making it the thirty-fifth populous state in the USA.
FAQ #7: What Is The State Bird Of Kansas?
Ans: Western Meadowlark is Kansas’s state bird. This bird is also Wyoming and Nebraska’s state bird.
FAQ #8: When Did Kansas Become A State?
Ans: On January 29, 1861, Kansas became a state.
FAQ #9: How Many Counties Are In Kansas?
Ans: There are 105 counties in Kansas.
FAQ #10: What is the Largest College in Kansas?
Ans: The University of Kansas in Kansas is the largest state, with over thirty thousand students. Johnson County Community College is the largest college in Kansas.