Idaho ( (listen)) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It borders the state of Montana to the east and northeast, Wyoming to the east, Nevada and Utah to the south, and Washington and Oregon to the west. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canadian border with the province of British Columbia. With a population of approximately 1.8 million and an area of 83,570 square miles (216,400 km2), Idaho is the 14th largest, the 13th least populous and the 7th least densely populated of the 50 U.S. states. The state's capital and largest city is Boise. For thousands of years Idaho has been inhabited by Native American peoples. In the early 19th century, Idaho was considered part of the Oregon Country, an area disputed between the United States and the British Empire. It officially became U.S. territory with the signing of the Oregon Treaty of 1846, but a separate Idaho Territory was not organized until 1863, instead being included for periods in Oregon Territory and Washington Territory. Idaho was eventually admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, becoming the 43rd state. Forming part of the Pacific Northwest (and the associated Cascadia bioregion), Idaho is divided into several distinct geographic and climatic regions. The state's north, the relatively isolated Idaho Panhandle, is closely linked with Eastern Washington with which it shares the Pacific Time Zone—the rest of the state uses the Mountain Time Zone. The state's south includes the Snake River Plain (which has most of the population and agricultural land). The state's southeast incorporates part of the Great Basin. Idaho is quite mountainous, and contains several stretches of the Rocky Mountains. The United States Forest Service holds about 38% of Idaho's land, the highest proportion of any state.Industries significant for the state economy include manufacturing, agriculture, mining, forestry, and tourism. A number of science and technology firms are either headquartered in Idaho or have factories there, and the state also contains the Idaho National Laboratory, which is the country's largest Department of Energy facility. Idaho's agricultural sector supplies many products, but the state is best known for its potato crop, which comprises around one-third of the nationwide yield. The official state nickname is the "Gem State", which references Idaho's natural beauty.

Jerome is a city in and county seat of Jerome County, Idaho, United States. The population was 10,890 at the 2010 census, up from 7,780 in 2000. The city is the county seat of Jerome County, and is part of the Twin Falls Micropolitan Statistical Area. It is the second largest city in Idaho's Magic Valley region, second only to Twin Falls which is located 10 miles (16 km) southeast. Jerome's economy is largely agrarian, with dairy farming being one of the main revenue sources for the local economy.

Elko (Shoshoni: Natakkoa, "Rocks Piled on One Another") is the largest city in and county seat of Elko County, Nevada, United States. With a 2020 population of 20,467, Elko is currently growing at a rate of 0.31% annually and its population has increased by 11.86% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 18,297 in 2010. Elko serves as the economic hub of the Ruby Valley, a region with a population of over 55,000. Elko is 21 miles (34 km) from Lamoille Canyon and the Ruby Mountains famously dubbed the Swiss Alps of Nevada, providing year round access to recreation including hiking, skiing and hunting with access to over twenty alpine lakes. The city straddles the Humboldt River. Most of the residents in Elko live within the Tree Streets, houses lined with trees and greenery. Spring Creek, Nevada, serves as a bedroom community 6 miles (9.7 km) from the city with a population of 13,805. Elko is the principal city of the Elko Micropolitan Statistical Area, a micropolitan area that covers Elko and Eureka counties. It is the largest city for over 130 miles (210 km) in all directions, making it, as its city motto states, "The Heart of Northeast Nevada". It is home to Great Basin College, as well as to the National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office serving most of northern and central Nevada.

Carlin is a small city located near the western border of Elko County in northeast Nevada, 23 miles (37 km) west of the city of Elko. It is part of the Elko Micropolitan Statistical Area. Carlin sits along Interstate 80 at an elevation of approximately 4,900 feet (1,500 m). As of the 2010 census, its population was 2,368, up from 2,161 at the 2000 census. The city was named for Civil War general William Passmore Carlin. Its slogan is "Where the Train Stops...And the Gold Rush Begins".