Indiana became the 19th US state in Dec 11 1816. Indian is often called the Hoosier state after a poem, "The Hosiers Nest".

Origin of state's name: The name Indiana means "Land of the Indians"

Capital City: The state capital is Indianapolis and the state is surrounded by Lake Michigan to the north and several other states including Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan and Ohio.

Population: The state population is in excess of 6 million people based on the last census in 2000.

Driving

Driver's license information, applications, testing requirements, driver's manuals and testing locations can all be found on Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles website

http://www.state.in.us/bmv/

Economy: The states agriculture is based on corn, some wheat and soybeans, poultry and eggs, cattle and dairy products. The state is really an industrial state with petroleum and coal, chemical production, steel and heavy machinery production. 

State Motto: The state motto is "Cross Roads of America"

State Bird: The state bird is the Cardinal known for its robustness and distinctly colored plumage. The Cardinal is also the state bird for Illinois, North Carolina, Kentucky, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia.

State Flower: The state flower is the Peony which can have red, white or pink flowers and grows widely throughout the state.