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WASHINGTON (AP) -- Utah is the nation's fastest growing state, knocking Nevada from its usual top spot.

Utah's population climbed by 2.5 percent from July 2007 to July 2008, according to new population estimates from the Census Bureau.

Arizona is the second-fastest growing state, followed by Texas, North Carolina and Colorado.

Nevada, last year's fastest-growing state, fell to eighth. Nevada had been among the four fastest-growing states each of the last 23 years.

Only two states -- Michigan and Rhode Island -- lost population from 2007 to 2008.

California remained the most populous state, followed by Texas, New York, Florida and Illinois.

(Copyright ©2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)