Nebraska is a state in the Midwestern United States. It is an agricultural state and the largest producer of beef in the nation. The capital of Nebraska is Lincoln. The most populous city is Omaha followed by Lincoln and Bellevue. It is the among the twenty least populous states in the nation with a population of 1,711,263 according to the 2000 census.

The state name may have originated from the Platte River. The Omaha Indians called the river "iboapka" variously translated as "broad river" or “flat water”.

The state is in the West North Central census region. It has a surface area of 77,354 square miles, and 0.62% of the surface area is covered by water. It is among the twenty largest states in area. Nebraska has an arid steppe and hot summer continental climate. It ranks among the bottom five in the total amount of surface water among the fifty states. Nebraska has the United States' largest aquifer (underground water source), the Ogallala aquifer. The highest point in the state is Panorama Point with an elevation of 5,424 feet.

The Mandan, Pawnee, Omaha, and Ponca were some of the Native American tribes living in the area that would become Nebraska during the initial European exploration and settlement. The first documented European exploration of the area was by Étienne Veniard de Bourgmont (1714). In 1812, Manuel Lisa established a garrison at Fort Lisa on the Missouri River. American settlers founded the first permanent colony at Bellevue in 1823.

The land that would later become Nebraska was acquired from France as part of the Louisiana Purchase. Prior to entering the Union it was part of the unorganized so-called "Indian country" of old Missouri Territory. The states enabling act came in April 1864 and authorized formation of a State government and admission thereafter. President Andrew Johnson admitted Nebraska as the 37th state on March 1, 1867 by proclamation.

The University of Nebraska (the Cornhuskers) is a football powerhouse and holds numerous NCAA records including the record for the consecutive seasons with at least nine wins (32). The world's largest mammoth fossil was unearthed in Lincoln County.

The economic product (GSP or gross state product) of the state in 2003 was 65,793 million dollars. The state produces various commodities including cattle, corn, soybeans, and hogs. Farming, food products, railroad, transportation, and trucking & warehousing are notable industries. From 2000 to 2003 the GSP increased by 14.28%. Nebraska's GSP represents 0.6% percent of the combined GSP of the fifty states and the District of Columbia.

The famous dancer and actor Fred Astaire is from Omaha. A person from Nebraska is called a Nebraskan. The University of Nebraska (the Cornhuskers) is a football powerhouse and holds numerous NCAA records including the record for the consecutive seasons with at least nine wins (32). The state is nicknamed the Cornhusker State or Beef State. Its tourism slogan is “Possibilities...Endless.”

The population was 1,578,385 at the time of the 1990 census. The US Census Bureau estimated the State’s population in 2003 to be 1,739,291. The state experienced an estimated growth of 1.6% between 2000 and 2003.

Nebraska's population is largely homogenous with a substantial non-Latino white majority. According to the 2003 census, the ethnic breakdown of the state is:
White: 89.6%
Black: 4%
Indian: 0.9%
Asian: 1.3%
Pacific Islander: 0%
Other Races: 2.8%
Two or more races: 1.4%

The state's Latinos represent 5.5% of the total population. 87.3% of the population classifies itself as non-Latino white.