Indiana is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th state on December 11, 1816. Abbreviation: IN Capital: Indianapolis Temperature: 54 degrees, sunny Time: 2:00pm (EST) As of April 2, 2006, most of Indiana is in the Eastern time zone, except 18 counties* in northwest and southwest Indiana that have remained or changed to the  Central time zone . Nickname: The Hoosier State Population: 6.8 million (PA 12.8) Size: 36,418 sq mi (PA 46,000) Cost of Living: $42,697 (PA $49,040) Minimum Wage: $7.25 (PA $7.25) Statehood: December 11, 1816 State Flag:  The torch stands for liberty and enlightenment; the rays represent their far-reaching influence. The thirteen stars in a circle represent the original thirteen states; the five stars in the circle represent the next five states; the large star is ...