North Dakota
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What is North Dakota?
North Dakota, the 39th state, was admitted to the union on November 2, 1889. Bordered by Canada to the north and the states of Minnesota, South Dakota, and Montana to the east, south, and west, respectively, North Dakota's town of Rugby marks the geographic center of North America. Bismarck is the state's capital.
The state derives its name from the Dakota division of the Sioux peoples. Once home to Native American hunters and farmers, it evolved into a hub for fur trading and settlements along the Missouri River. Today, it is known for its vast farms and ranches.
North Dakota's economy relies on agriculture and fossil fuels, but services now dominate. The state's cultural life reflects self-reliance and cooperation, with Native American and European traditions.
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Where is North Dakota located in the United States?
North Dakota is a north-central state in the United States, admitted to the union on November 2, 1889, as the 39th state. It is bounded by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south, and Montana to the west. The town of Rugby is considered the geographic center of North America, and Bismarck, which is located in the center of the state, is its capital.
The eastern half of North Dakota is part of the Central Lowland region, while the western half belongs to the Great Plains region. The state's topography consists of three steps rising westward: the Red River valley, the Drift Prairie, and the Missouri Plateau. North Dakota's north-central location gives it a continental climate characterized by extreme temperatures.
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What is the capital city of North Dakota?
The capital of North Dakota is Bismarck. Founded as Edwinton in 1872, it was renamed Bismarck in 1873 to attract German investment for the railway. The city became the capital of the Dakota Territory in 1883, and when North Dakota joined the Union in 1889, Bismarck became its capital.
Bismarck has since developed into a hub for business, trade, transportation, education, and healthcare in the region. Its economy is significantly influenced by oil, gas, and coal production, along with government services and agriculture. The 19-story state capitol building is located here, as well as the North Dakota Heritage Center.
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What natural resources are important in North Dakota?
North Dakota has a variety of natural resources, but its two most valuable have been lignite coal and petroleum. Other resources include sand, gravel, cement rock, clay, salt, uranium, and volcanic ash. The state produces small grains, such as wheat, soybeans, and corn, and raises livestock, including hogs, sheep, and bison. Recreational fishing, especially for perch and walleye, is also common.
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What is North Dakota’s climate like?
North Dakota's climate is characterized by its continental location, resulting in extreme temperatures. Summer temperatures can exceed 120 °F (about 49 °C), while winter temperatures can drop to -60 °F (about -51 °C). The western region of the state generally has lower humidity, less precipitation, and milder winters compared to the rest of the state. Average January temperatures range from near 0 °F (about -18 °C) in the northeast to the low 20s °F (about -6 °C) in the southwest. In July, average temperatures range from the lower 80s °F (about 28 °C) in the northeast to the upper 80s °F (about 31 °C) in the southwest. The statewide average annual precipitation is approximately 17 inches (430 mm), varying from 13 inches (330 mm) in the northwest to slightly over 20 inches (510 mm) in the southeast.
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How have Native Americans and settlers influenced North Dakota's history and culture?
In the mid-1700s, several Native American tribes inhabited the area of present-day North Dakota, including the Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara, Ojibwa, Cree, and various Sioux groups. The arrival of European settlers, including French, Scots, English, Canadians, and Americans, significantly influenced the region through the fur trade and subsequent interactions.
The traditional spirit of self-reliance and cooperation is reflected in the state's cultural life. Native American cultural traditions, such as beadwork and pottery, have been widely preserved, and powwows are major cultural events. North Dakota also celebrates its European heritage, especially Scandinavian traditions, with events like the annual H\u00f8stfest in Minot.
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News •
North Dakota, constituent state of the United States of America. North Dakota was admitted to the union as the 39th state on November 2, 1889. A north-central state, it is bounded by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north and by the U.S. states of Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south, and Montana to the west. The North Dakota town of Rugby is considered to be the geographic center of the North American continent. Bismarck, located in the center of the state, is the capital.
The state’s name derives from the Dakota division of the Sioux peoples who inhabited the plains before the arrival of the Europeans in the 18th century. Indeed, present-day North Dakota was first inhabited by various Native American groups who were hunters and farmers. It later became the site of fur-trading posts and settlements for those who arrived on steamboats on the upper Missouri River from St. Louis. Still later, the area became a rich farmland for Anglo settlers (meaning those of European heritage rather those of Anglo-Saxon descent specifically), and it has continued to be a land of large farms and ranches.
- Capital:
- Bismarck
- Population1:
- (2020) 779,094; (2024 est.) 796,568
- Governor:
- Kelly Armstrong (Republican)
- Date Of Admission:
- November 2, 1889
- U.S. Senators:
- Kevin Cramer (Republican)
- John Hoeven (Republican)
- State Nickname:
- Flickertail State
- Sioux State
- Peace Garden State
- State Motto:
- "Liberty and Union, Now and Forever, One and Inseparable"
- State Bird:
- western meadowlark
- State Flower:
- wild prairie rose
- State Song:
- “North Dakota Hymn”
- Seats In U.S. House Of Representatives:
- 1 (of 435)
- Time Zone:
- Mountain (GMT − 7 hours)
- Central (GMT − 6 hours)
- Total Area (Sq Km):
- 183,108
North Dakota is one of the least-populated states in the country. Seen from above, it appears as endless flat or rolling prairie, bearing the black earth of the plowed land, the green blanket of a new crop, or the yellow cover of ripened grain. Although North Dakota’s climate is ideal for agricultural production, the state is vulnerable to major natural disasters (drought, floods, tornadoes, and blizzards) and has remained heavily dependent on government aid. North Dakotans have generally been resilient, balancing realism with long-range optimism and seeking new methods of economic development while preserving their love of the land and what it can produce. Area 70,698 square miles (183,108 square km). Population (2020) 779,094; (2024 est.) 796,568.
Land
Relief
The eastern half of North Dakota is part of the Central Lowland region of the United States. Both the Red River valley, a flat, glacier-formed lake bed extending from 10 to 40 miles (15 to 65 km) on either side of the Red River of the North, and the Drift Prairie, a rolling plain covered with glacial drift, lie in North Dakota’s portion of the Central Lowland. The western half of the state is part of the Great Plains region of the United States. The Missouri Escarpment separates the Drift Prairie from the Great Plains. In essence, the state’s topography consists of three broad steps rising westward: the Red River valley (800 to 1,000 feet [250 to 300 meters] above sea level), the Drift Prairie (1,300 to 1,600 feet [400 to 500 meters]), and the Missouri Plateau (the North Dakota portion of the Great Plains, 1,800 to 2,500 feet [550 to 760 meters]).
The Missouri riverbed is covered with a thick layer of glacial drift to the north and east. The Missouri Plateau has numerous potholes, lakes, and sloughs. West of the Missouri River the landscape has been shaped by water and wind erosion, and along the Little Missouri River (a branch of the Missouri) are spectacular cliffs, buttes, and valleys that form the North Dakota Badlands, in the far western part of the state. The highest point in North Dakota is White Butte (3,506 feet [1,069 meters]), near the southwest corner of the state in the Badlands area.
Drainage and soils
About two-fifths of the state is drained by the systems of the Red and Souris rivers, with roughly another two-fifths—the Missouri Plateau and the James River system—drained by the Missouri River. Devils Lake, in northeastern North Dakota, is the largest natural body of water in the state. It has fluctuated widely in depth and area over time. Throughout the 1990s, water levels began to rise dramatically because of increased rainfall and decreased evaporation. By the turn of the 21st century, the water had risen some 25 feet (7.5 meters), causing extensive flooding and destroying hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland in its surrounding area. Efforts to lower the water level of the lake by connecting it to the Sheyenne River have been controversial because of the high levels of sulfate found in the river.
Chernozem soils are found in the Red River valley and the Drift Prairie. Lighter, thinner, dark brown soils are common on the Missouri Plateau.
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How big is North Dakota?
Climate
North Dakota’s north-central location gives the state a continental climate that is noted for its extreme temperatures. Temperatures have surged above 120 °F (about 49 °C) in summer and have plunged into the −60s F (about −51 °C) in winter. The western part of the state experiences lower humidity, less precipitation, and milder winters. In general, average temperatures in January range from near 0 °F (about −18 °C) in the northeast to the low 20s F (about −6 °C) in the southwest. In July the average temperatures range from the lower 80s F (about 28 °C) in the northeast to the upper 80s F (about 31 °C) in the southwest. Statewide average annual precipitation is about 17 inches (430 mm), but it ranges from 13 inches (330 mm) in the northwest to slightly more than 20 inches (510 mm) in the southeast. The farming season in North Dakota varies considerably, from 134 days at Williston, in the northwest, to 104 days at Langdon, in the northeast.
Plant and animal life
Most of the state is covered by grasses, which generally protect the soil from erosion and provide pasture. Perennial grasses grow early in spring and are usually dormant by summer. Drought and fires have inhibited tree growth; in fact, less than 1 percent of North Dakota’s land is forested, though rows of trees are commonly planted around farms to reduce wind erosion. Sections of relict virgin prairie are protected; however, in arable regions, croplands have replaced the prairie.
The grasslands still serve as a natural habitat for herds of buffalo and antelope, though many of the buffalo are protected in state parks. Belts of timber and brush along the rivers are home for white-tailed deer, elk, and bears. The Missouri Plateau is a principal flyway for wildfowl.