Geography and Climate of Montana
Bordered by Idaho to the west, Wyoming to the south and North and South Dakota to the east, Montana is the fourth largest state in the U.S., with a land area of 14,552 square miles. Montana also shares a border with the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan.
The Continental Divide largely defines the state’s topography, running diagonally from the northwest to the southern central region and dividing into two specific east and west areas. The northern part of the Divide is where the mountains turn dramatically into prairie. The Northern Divide turns east in Montana at Triple Divide Peak, where the Saint Mary, Belly and Waterton rivers flow into Alberta and empty into the Hudson Bay.
From the west onward, the Bitterroot Mountains cut off the state from neighboring Idaho. The Missions, Cabinet, Garnet, Pintlar, Sapphire and Flint Creek Mountains sit between the Bitterroot Mountains and the top of the Divide.
To the east, several ranges parallel each other, such as the Madison Range, Big Belt Mountains, Beartooth Mountains and Gallatin Range. Valley and rivers, such as Bitterroot Valley, Flathead Valley and Gallatin Valley, lie between these various ranges.
While Montana has breathtaking views of the northern Rocky Mountains, nearly two-thirds of the state is prairie, as part of the northern Great Plains. In the Northern Plains, the badlands and separate “Island Ranges,” which include Crazy Mountains and Sweet Grass Hills, dot the landscape. Montana’s northern central region has the Missouri Breaks, with steep bluffs, grassy plains and rock formations.
The Missouri River starts with the confluence of the Jefferson, Madison and Gallatin rivers. The Yellowstone River, the Flathead River, the Blackfoot River and the Missoula River run through the state.
Three of Yellowstone National Park’s five entrances are in Montana, along with Glacier National Park, the Lewis and Clark Cavers, Bighorn Canyon, the National Bison Range and numerous other national forests and wildlife refuges.
Montana has a continental climate, which the Continental Divide largely affects, featuring hot summers and cold winters. The western part of the state is more of a Pacific coast climate with cool summers and milder winters.
Chinook winds blast cold air during the winter, while snowstorms, blizzards, ice and sleet are common winter weather occurrences. Most cities receive 30 to 50 inches of snowfall annually. The mountain ranges can reach 300 inches of snow per year.
History of Montana
The Crow, Blackfeet, Gors Bentres, Salish, Kalispel, Kootenai, Assiniboine and Cheyenne Native American tribes inhabited the Montana area. Francois and Louis-Joseph Verendrye first explored the region in the 1740s. In 1803, the Louisiana Purchase covered land east of the Continental Divide, including Montana, where the Lewis and Clark Expedition traveled through.
Western Montana was not acquired until the Oregon Treaty of 1846 with Britain. Montana became a U.S. Territory, known as the Montana Territory and carved out of the existing Idaho Territory. In 1864, Montana officially became a state.
Many of the biggest Indian wars took place in the Montana Territory. The Battle of Little Bighorn, took place in 1876 in the Montana Territory between the U.S. Army and Lakota-Northern Cheyenne forces. In order to keep from going back to the reservations, the Lakota and their allies escaped and practically annihilated the forces led by Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer.
The battle, fought near present-day Hardin, ended in the death of 258 soldiers. However, the Lakota were forced to sign a treaty in 1877, giving away the Black Hills to the U.S. They continued fighting lesser battles until the death of Sitting Bull. Montana is also the location of the final battles of the Nez Perce wars.
Fort Shaw was established in 1867, west of Great Falls in the Sun River Valley, along with Camp Cooke on the Judith River and Fort C.F. Smith in the south central region. The Homestead Act in the early 1900s expanded the amount of land provided. The construction of railroads brought farmers from other states.
The Sun River Irrigation Project opened for settlers in 1908, allowing people to obtain 40 acres of land. Migrants came from the Midwest and Minnesota for the pristine land and the excellent hunting and fishing opportunities.
Mining continued to help sustain Montana’s economy, as the discovery of copper, silver and gold in the 1800s led to population growth. Strikes were common between miners and the dominant Amalgamated Copper Mining Company, but the demand for copper slowed significantly after World War II. Today, Montana attracts visitors with its unspoiled beauty and miles of stunning scenery.
Demographics of Montana
Montana’s estimated population as of 2006 is 997,670.
German is the largest reported ancestry group in Montana, along with some residents from Scandinavian countries such as Norway and Sweden. Irish, British, Scots-Irish and Eastern European ancestry is also prevalent.
Montana has seven Indian reservations representing various Native American tribes. The state’s Hispanic population is slowly growing, especially around the Billings area, while African-Americans are mainly concentrated in Great Falls.
The state is predominantly Christian at 82 percent of the population. Protestants make up 55 percent, with 15 percent Lutheran and another 21 percent Evangelical Protestants.
Catholics represent almost a quarter of the population, while Mormons have a substantial presence in the state at 3 percent. There is also a notable Hutterite population in Montana. Like other states in the west, Montana has a higher level of non-religious people, at 18 percent.
Economy of Montana
In 2003, the gross state product for Montana was $26 billion. Per capita income in 2005 was $29,387.
The main source of Montana’s economy is agriculture. The state produces wheat, barley, oats, rye, sugar beets, flaxseed, cherries, potatoes and honey. Cattle and sheep ranching has long been a significant part of the state’s economy, while mineral extraction of gold, silver, talc, coal and vermiculite is also an important economic contributor.
The many national parks in the state bring in millions of tourists a year. Incidentally, Montana has the third largest number of microbreweries.
Montana Law and Government
Democrat Brian Schweitzer is currently Montana’s governor. Montana’s U.S. Senators are Jon Tester and Max Baucus, both Democrats. The state has one congressional representative, Republican Denny Rehberg. Helena is the capital of the state.
Montana has been a swing state, with Democrats dominating the state legislature until the late 1980s and voting Republican and Democrats in presidential elections. However, Montana is socially conservative and has Republican tendencies.
Montana Transportation
I-15 travels through Butte, Helena and Great Fall. I-90 runs east to west through the state, while I-94 passes through Billings. U.S. Routes 2 also goes from east to west, passing by the south of Glacier National Park, while U.S. Route 12 goes through Helena. U.S. Routes 87, 89 and 93 also run from north to south.
The BNSF Railway has a transcontinental route across the state. The Montana RailLink operates using old tracks in western Montana. The Amtrak Empire Builder goes from north to south through the state.
Montana has commercial airports in Billings, Missoula and Bozeman, as well as smaller airports in Butte, Helena and Kalispell that serve regional flights.
Major Cities and Towns of Montana
Billings is the most populous city in Montana, with a small amount of cultural activities and plenty of recreational activities in the surrounding nature. The city hosts several annual festivals, including the Strawberry Festival, the Crow Fair & Rodeo and Harvest Fest and Skyfest, which features hot air ballooning.
Helena, Butte, Missoula and Great Falls are other important Montana cities.
Montana Educational System
The Montana University System has two universities with satellite campuses in other cities and three community colleges. The University of Montana is in Missoula, while Montana State University is located in Bozeman. There are also three private colleges in the state, as well as four tribal colleges.
Find out more from the Montana Office of Public Instruction.
Montana Sports Teams and Recreational Activities
Montana does not have any major sports franchises because its population is small and spread out across the state. There are a number of minor league baseball teams that play out of Missoula, Helena, Billing and Great Falls, as well as a minor league indoor football team and five minor league hockey teams.
Given the vast number of mountain ranges, Montana is an excellent place for skiing. Big Sky Resort is one of the best, along with Big Mountain, Great Divide near Helena, Bridger Bowl Ski area near Bozeman, Showdown Ski area, Turner Mountain Ski Resort and Teton Pass Ski area. Snowboarding, snowmobiling, ice hockey and ice-skating are other popular activities, along with hiking, biking, rock climbing, camping, hunting and fishing.
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