Indiana is a U.S. state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region, and with 6,483,802 residents, is ranked 15th in population and 18th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area, and is the smallest state in the continental US west of the Appalachian Mountains. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis, the second largest of any state capital.Indianapolis is home to several major sports teams and athletic events including the NFL's Indianapolis Colts, the NBA's Indiana Pacers, and the Indianapolis 500 and Brickyard 400 motorsports races. Indiana has several metropolitan areas with populations greater than 100,000 and a number of smaller industrial cities and towns. The state has several well-known colleges including Purdue University, University of Notre Dame, Butler University and Indiana University. Indiana has a diverse economy with a gross state product of $214 billion in 2005.

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