Boise ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho. It is the county seat of Ada County and the principal city of the Boise metropolitan area. It is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon and thus serves as the primary government, economic, cultural, and transportation center for the area.

As of the 2006 Census Bureau estimates, Boise's population was 198,638Table 4: Annual Estimates of the Population for Incorporated Places in Idaho, Listed Alphabetically: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2006 (SUB-EST2006-04-16) Accessed 16 July 2007, with a metropolitan area estimated to have 635,450 inhabitants, making it the most populous metropolitan area in Idaho.

Geography

Boise is located at (43.613739, -116.237651),GR: 1 in southwestern Idaho, approximately east of the Oregon border, and north of the Nevada border. The downtown core sits at an elevation of 2,704 feet (824 m) above sea level.

Most of the metropolitan area lies on a broad, relatively flat plain. Mountains rise up to the northeast, stretching from the far southeastern tip of the Boise city limits to nearby Eagle. These mountains are known to locals as the Boise foothills and are sometimes described as the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. About southwest of Boise, and about southwest of Nampa, the Owyhee Mountains lie entirely in neighboring Owyhee County.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 64.0 mi² (165.7 km²). 63.8 mi² (165.2 km²) of it is land and 0.2 mi² (0.5 km²) of it (0.33%) is water.

Climate

Boise's climate is characterized as semi-arid with four distinct seasons. Boise experiences hot and dry summers where temperatures can often exceed , as well as cold winters with fair amounts of snowfall. Rainfall is usually infrequent and light, averaging per month. March is the wettest month with an average of . August is the driest month with of rain. Spring and fall are generally temperate.

History

Some credit a story told of Captain B.L.E. Bonneville of the U.S. Army as the source of the name. After trekking for weeks through dry and rough terrain, his exploration party reached an overlook with a view of the Boise River Valley. The place where they stood is called Bonneville Point, and is located on the Oregon Trail east of the city. According to the story, a French-speaking guide, overwhelmed by the sight of the verdant river, yelled "Les bois! Les bois!" giving the area the name.