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( "Uh-tuhm-wa") is a city in Wapello County, Iowa, United States. The population was 24,998 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Wapello County. It is located in the southeastern part of Iowa, and the city is split into northern and southern halves by the Des Moines River.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 16.5 square miles (42.7 km²), of which, 15.8 square miles (40.9 km²) of it is land and 0.7 square miles (1.7 km²) of it (4.07%) is water.
Northeastern Wapello County contains large deposits of coal, and there are also large deposits of clay in the region. These were very important in the industrial development of Ottumwa.