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22 Table 1. - Population and Employment Characteristics for 1975,1985 and 2000, Missouri River .Basin Populatlonl Percent Change Employment 1975 1985 2000 1975.2000 Population 9,068,000 10,063,500 11,805,300 +30 Urban 5,942,900 6,974,300 8,810,300 +48 Rurai 3,125,100 3,089,200 2,995,000 - 4 Employment 3,912,000 4,981,200 5,596,800 +43 Agricultural 414,200 388,100 338,500 -18 Nonagricultural 3,497,800 4,593,100 5,258,300 +50 Source: 1975 National Water Assessment, Missouri Region State - Regional Future As shown in Table 1, Basin population is projected to increase by 11 percent over the 10-year period 1975-1985, and by 30 percent over the 25- year period 1975-2000. Changes in the spatial distribution of the population will accompany in- creases in the population's aggregate size. Most notable is an expected 48 percent growth in urban population by the year 2000. Correspondingly, rural population is projected to de- crease by 4 percent during the period. EMPLOYMENT The Missouri River Basin is one of the Nation's most economically diverse areas. While agriculture has historically dominated the economy, the region also has produced metallic and precious minerals, timber products, energy fuels, and elec- tric power. More recently, substantial increases in the mining, manufacturing, and recreation-tourism industries have served to further diversify the economic activities. Historical and projected employment characteristics of the Basin generally correlate with those of the Nation. From 1940 to 1960, the region experienced a 35 percent decline in agricultural employment while realizing a 116 percent increase in the manufacturing sector and a 64 percent increase in the other employment sectors. Projected employment trends for the 25-year period 1975-2000 show a continuation of the histor- ical employment distribution pattern, but at a slower rate of change. By 1985, manufacturing employment is projected to stabilize at about 14 percent of the Basin's employed popula- tion. Agricultural employment will continue to decline through 2000 and should achieve stability at about 6 percent of the Ba- sin's employed population around the turn of the century. ECONOMY Since the opening of land in the Missouri River Basin to agriculture by the Federal Homestead Act of 1862, it has de- veloped as an extremely important producer of the Nation's, as well as the worid's, food supply. By the early 1970's, farmers and ranchers within the Basin were annually producing close to 33 percent of the U.S. wheat crop, 25 percent of the Nation's sorghum, 25 percent of the Nation's hay, and 22 percent of all corn grown for grain. In addition, the region was producing in excess of 20 percent of the Nation's livestock and poultry. From a broader agricultural perspective, regional production accounts for 10 to 12 percent of the world's corn harvest and 4 to 6 percent of the world's wheat crop annually. Despite the decline in the number of workers engaged in agriculture, this sector is expected to continue as the dominant economic activ- ity. SmaUlll'lln halVesf In South Dakot. The Basin possesses significant hardwood and soltwood timber resources, primarily concentrated in the Rocky Mountains, the Black Hills, and the Ozark Plateau. Harvesting trends have shown increasing timber volume production since 1961. A large percentage of the forests and woodlands is also grazed, thereby providing a second valuable agricultural use. Metallic and non-metallic minerals and energy fuel re- sources development is an important factor in the Basin's economic growth. Deposits of metallic ores in the Rocky Moun- tains area contribute to the Nation's production of gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, taconite, uranium, land molybdenum,' In addition to metallic minerals extraction, large quantities of non-metallics such as fluorspar, feldspar, phosphate, lime, mica, bentonite, and construction aggregate are mined in the Basin.