The cities of Cheyenne, Casper, Laramie, and Gillette are all in Wyoming. Wyoming is a sparsely populated state in the Mountain West, known for wide-open plains, mountain ranges, national parks, and a major role in the American frontier story.
Cheyenne is Wyoming’s capital and largest city, located in the southeastern corner of the state. Casper, in central Wyoming, grew around energy production and transportation. Laramie is home to the University of Wyoming, the state’s public flagship university. Gillette, in northeastern Wyoming, is strongly associated with coal, oil, and natural-gas production and is often nicknamed the “Energy Capital of the Nation.”
A common mix-up is confusing Wyoming with neighboring Montana, Colorado, or South Dakota because all four states are part of the broader Rocky Mountain and Great Plains region. Wyoming is also famous for Yellowstone National Park, much of Grand Teton National Park, and its distinctive rectangular state outline. Its state abbreviation is WY, and its capital, Cheyenne, is near the Colorado border.