city, seat (1859) of Saline county, central Kansas, U.S. It lies on the Smoky Hill River. Founded in 1858 by an antislavery group headed by William A. Phillips, it was named for the Saline River, which enters the Smoky Hill just to the east. The town's growth was slow until the arrival of the Union (later Kansas) Pacific Railroad in 1867. The city was rebuilt after having been largely destroyed by floods in 1903.

Salina is a trading centre for a large wheat-growing area, and grain milling is the chief industry. Kansas Wesleyan University (founded 1886) and Kansas State University College of Technology and Aviation (created 1991 by a merger with Kansas College of Technology) are located in the city. Rolling Hills Zoo is about 6 miles (10 km) west of the city. Ottawa and Saline state fishing lakes are located north of the city. Inc. 1870. Pop. (1990) 42,303; (2000) 45,679.