State profile: Iowa

Iowa, generally Democratic, represents rural, small-town, middle America. It holds the first caucus in the presidential selection process. If it was not for this, the state would be politically notable only for its complete normality.

But it does hold the first caucus, and the 1.8 million voters in this mostly agricultural state put those interests firmly on the political map. Low turnout and the obscure organisation of the caucuses means that small groups wield a disproportionate influence.

KEY FACTS Population: 2,926,324 (ranked 30 among states) Governor: Tom Vilsack (D) Electoral College votes: 7

Federal subsidies for ethanol (a product derived from farmers' grain) are one of the big issues here.

Aspiring presidential candidates face the choice of supporting the subsidies or losing vital support in the caucuses.

It is not hard to see why agriculture is so important. The landscape here is characterised by endless fields of corn and more than 100,000 farms. It is the biggest producer of pork, beef, corn, soybean and grain in the US.

2003 CONGRESS House of Representatives: 1 Democrat, 4 Republican Senate: 1 Democrat, 1 Republican

The state resisted heavy industry for most of the 20th Century, failing to keep pace with the rest of the country and clinging to the hope of agricultural protectionism.

When farm prices fell and land values tumbled in the 1980s, 7% of the population moved away.

But the economy picked up in the 1990s, with more diversity of jobs.

VOTING RECORD 2000: Bush 48%, Gore 49% 1996: Clinton 50%, Dole 40% 1992: Clinton 43%, Bush 37%, Perot 19%

Today Iowa is experiencing growth in high-tech and bio-tech, and low unemployment rates.

In education, Iowa has had the highest SAT results in the nation for the past 20 years and its insurance industry, centred around state capital Des Moines, is the second-largest in America.