Omaha (population 408,958) is a city within the Midwestern state of Nebraska. It serves as the county seat of Douglas County. The city of Omaha is located on the Missouri River, roughly 30 km north of the mouth of the Platte River. The city of Omaha is the biggest city in the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area (population 865,350) and the biggest in the state. There are over 1.2 million inhabitants within a 80-km radius of the city's center, forming the Greater Omaha area, the 60th-largest metropolitan area in the nation.
The area was initially the home of the Omaha Indians. The city was established during 1854 during the settling of America. It was an essential supply stop for people heading west. With the arrival of the Union Pacific transcontinental railroad during the year 1869, Omaha became a transportation center for the area, which developed as a main center for agricultural products like for example grains and livestock.
The city of Omaha presently has a diversified economic base. Though retaining its core agricultural sector, the city has attracted such diverse industries as banking, insurance, and high-technology including telecommunications. Omaha is the home of numerous company headquarters, like for instance Ameritrade, ConAgra Foods, Berkshire Hathaway, Mutual of Omaha, Union Pacific Railroad, West Teleservices and Sitel Corporation. The American military is one more major employer. Offutt Air Force Base is home of the US Strategic Command.
The city of Omaha offers a lot of attractions related to the arts. The city of Omaha has its own opera, symphony and many theaters. The Joslyn Art Museum has amassed a fine selection of western and Native American art. The Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts supports the creativeness of artists through artist residencies. There are numerous museums within Omaha, like El Museo Latino, Durham Western Heritage Museum and Great Plains Black History Museum.
Omaha maintains well developed trail systems all around the city. Residents and visitors could traverse 130 km of paved trails. The most popular section utilized for walking, jogging, cycling and rollerblading is the Keystone Trail/Bellevue Loop Trail. To experience nature outside of Omaha, the neighboring Desoto Bend National Wildlife Refuge has geese, ducks and bald eagles. Fishing and water sports facilities are offered on lake Manawa, Carter Lake and the Missouri River.
The city's attractions for visitors date back to its early history, when individuals such as famed British writer Rudyard Kipling visited here. In 1883, Omaha was the site of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, drawing 8,000 spectators. Omaha has numerous tourist attractions now. Downtown Omaha is the site of The Old Market, a flourishing retail center and a major attraction. Tourists could go to the Henry Doorly Zoo and attend the College World Series.