Utah derives its name from ‘Ute’ the nomadic tribe who lived in the Great Basin desert more than 8000 years ago along with the Paiute and Shoshone. Utah is a popular tourist destination where visitors can indulge in a lot of activities like hiking, biking and skiing. Utah became the 45th state to be incorporated covering a total area of 84,899 sq mi (219,899 sq km), of which land comprises 82,073 sq mi (212,569 sq km) and inland water 2,826 sq mi (7,320 sq km). It is located in the Rocky Mountain region of the western US, Utah ranks 11th in size among the 50 states.

Utah is bordered on the North by Idaho; on the North East by Wyoming; on the East by Colorado; and on the South by Arizona; and on the West by Nevada. The total boundary length of Utah is 1,226 mi (1,973 km). The state's geographic center is in Sanpete County, 3 mi (5 km) N of Manti.