*** Welcome to piglix ***

Des Moines

Des Moines, Iowa
State Capital
City of Des Moines
Clockwise from top: Skyline, Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, Kruidenier Trail bridge, and the Iowa State Capitol, 801 Grand (Principal Financial Group)
Clockwise from top: Skyline, Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, Kruidenier Trail bridge, and the Iowa State Capitol, 801 Grand (Principal Financial Group)
Flag of Des Moines, Iowa
Flag
Official logo of Des Moines, Iowa
Logo
Nickname(s): "Hartford of the West"
Location in Polk County and in the State of Iowa
Location in Polk County and in the State of Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa is located in the US
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa
Location in United States
Coordinates: 41°35′27″N 93°37′15″W / 41.59083°N 93.62083°W / 41.59083; -93.62083
Country United States
State Iowa
Counties Polk, Warren
Founded 1843
Incorporated September 22, 1851
Government
 • Type Council–manager government
 • Mayor Frank Cownie (D)
 • Senate
 • House
 • U.S. Congress David Young (R)
Area
 • State Capital 90.65 sq mi (213.93 km2)
 • Land 88.92 sq mi (233.3 km2)
 • Water 1.73 sq mi (4.48 km2)
Elevation 955 ft (291 m)
Population (2010)
 • State Capital 203,433
 • Estimate (2015) 210,330 (US: 104th)
 • Rank 1st in Iowa
 • Density 2,532.9/sq mi (978.0/km2)
 • Metro 622,899 (91st)
Time zone CST (UTC-6)
 • Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP codes 50301-50340-50310
Area code(s) 515
FIPS code 19-21000
GNIS feature ID 0465961
Website www.dmgov.org

Des Moines Listeni/dˈmɔɪn/ is the capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines, which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857. It is located on and named after the Des Moines River, which likely was adapted from the French colonial name, Rivière des Moines, meaning "River of the Monks." The city's population was 203,433 as of the 2010 census. The five-county metropolitan area is ranked 91st in terms of population in the United States with 599,789 residents according to the 2013 estimate by the United States Census Bureau.

Des Moines is a major center of the U.S. insurance industry and has a sizable financial services and publishing business base. The city was credited as the "number one spot for U.S. insurance companies" in a Business Wire article and named the third-largest "insurance capital" of the world. The city is the headquarters for the Principal Financial Group, the Meredith Corporation, Ruan Transportation, EMC Insurance Companies, and Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield. Other major corporations such as Wells Fargo, Voya Financial, Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, ACE Limited, Marsh, Monsanto and Pioneer Hi-Bred have large operations in or near the metro area. In recent years Microsoft, Hewlett Packard and Facebook have established data processing and logistical facilities in the Des Moines metro. Forbes magazine ranked Des Moines as the "Best Place for Business" in both 2010 and 2013. In 2014, NBC ranked Des Moines as the "Wealthiest City in America," according to its criteria.


...
Wikipedia

...