Overview
South Dakota, one of the north-central prairie states of the United States, has an abundance of pristine nature, vast fertile farmlands and historic pioneer cities. Near the eastern border with Minnesota is Sioux Falls, the region’s largest city and home to the waterfall of the same name. At the other end of South Dakota lies Rapid City, the gateway to the Black Hills with their mountains, caves, forests and lakes. South Dakota’s most famous attraction is Mount Rushmore National Memorial in the Southwest, which consists of four 18 m high rock-cut heads of former US Presidents (George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln). The world’s largest rock sculpture is currently being built in the Black Hills, the Crazy Horse Memorial, which will be many times larger than Mount Rushmore. The horse’s head alone is as tall as all four of Mount Rushmore’s presidential heads put together. When completed, this monumental sculpture honoring Crazy Horse will be 171m high and 195m long.
- Travelationary: Covers basic information about South Dakota geography and economy.
Getting there
Arriving by plane
Rapid City Airport (website: www.rcgov.org) offers connections to all major US cities.
Arrival by car
Greyhound buses run from Aberdeen and Sioux Falls to Minneapolis. More information from Greyhound (website: www.greyhound.com).
Passport and visa regulations
Entry with children
Since June 27, 2012, children need their own travel document (passport / children’s passport) for trips abroad (also within the EU). Entries of children in the parental passport are no longer possible.
Contact addresses
The Great American West
c/o Lieb Management
(also responsible for Austria and Switzerland).
Bavariaring 38
D-80336 Munich
Germany
(089) 689 06 38 41.
http://greatamericanwest.de
http://greatamericanwest.de South Dakota Department of Tourism
711 East Wells Avenue, c/o 500 East Capitol Avenue
US-57501 Pierre, South Dakota
United States
(605) 773.33.01 or (800) 732.56.82 (toll free within the US).
http://www.travelsd.com
http://www.travelsd.com Sioux Falls Convention & Visitors Bureau
200 North Phillips Avenue
US-57101 Sioux Falls, South Dakota
United States
(605) 275.60 60 or (800) 333.20 72 (toll free within the US).
http://visitsiouxfalls.com
http://visitsiouxfalls.com
Country data
- Usaers: Provides a full list of major rivers and mountains in South Dakota.
Area (sq km)
199730
Population
884,659
Population density (per square km)
4
Population statistics year
2019
