Geography and Climate of North Dakota
North Dakota borders Montana to the west, the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north, Minnesota to the east and South Dakota to the south. Located in the Upper Midwest, the state shares its eastern border with the Red River of the North. The Missouri River flows through the middle of the state, forming Lake Sakakawea, the third-largest manmade lake in the country.
The western region of the state lies in the Great Plains, consisting of low hills and rugged valleys, as well as the northern part of the Badlands west of the Missouri River. Fossil fuels such as crude oil and lignite coal are abundant in the Badlands.
White Butte, the highest point in North Dakota at 3,506 feet, is in the Badlands region. Minerals such as stone and clay have eroded into stunningly colorful formations in buttes, domes and pyramids.
To the east is the Red River Valley, a flat yet fertile part of which is used for farming at the bottom of Lake Agassiz. Devil’s Lake, also in the east, is the largest natural lake in North Dakota. The center of the state separates into the Missouri Plateau and the Drift Prairie. The Turtle Mountains line up along the Manitoba border.
North Dakota has a continental climate featuring hot summers and cold winters. Temperature extremes are common, ranging from summer record-highs up to 120 degrees to winter record-lows below 60 degrees.
Snow, hail, sleet, blizzards and polar fronts occur frequently during winter. North Dakota experiences rain, thunderstorms, tornadoes and high-velocity straight-line winds throughout the rest of the year. Springtime runoff can cause flooding in the Red River Valley region.
History of North Dakota
Native Americans, such as the Mandan, Arikara, Sioux and Chippewa, inhabited the North Dakota area for thousands of years before European arrival. In 1738, French-Canadian trader La Verendrye led an expedition, but traders and tribes pretty much left one another alone.
In 1804, the Lewis and Clark expedition traveled through North Dakota. Native Americans knew of the French and Spanish staking claim to certain areas.
In 1818, upon fixing the international border with Canada, most of North Dakota as it is today was bought in the Louisiana Purchase. The Hudson’s Bay Company and North West Company set up trading posts in the Red River valley, which dominated the region’s economy.
Population growth was slow, as fur traders used the Missouri River strictly for travel to ports along the way. During the mid-1800s, smallpox nearly wiped out the native population, thus forcing the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara to band together as the Three Affiliated Tribes. In 1851, Pembina became the first permanent settlement.
In 1861, the Dakota Territory formed, consisting of itself and its southerly neighbor, as well as parts of Montana and Wyoming. After railroads started construction in the 1870s and 80s, the Dakota Territory gained settlers, especially immigrants from Sweden, Norway, Germany and Czechoslovakia.
Despite multiple treaties, settlers moved into the Black Hills searching for gold, which led to all-out war between the Sioux tribe and the U.S. By 1889, North Dakota was officially a state, with specific areas designated reservations.
Government corruption and agrarian discontent in North Dakota’s early days led to the growth of populism, led by the Non Partisan League. The political party’s platform included social reforms during the early 1900s, such as state-run agricultural businesses like the North Dakota Mill and Elevator and worker’s compensation.
In the 1950s, Garrison Damn, Minot and Grand Forks Air Force bases started construction. In the 1980s, a boom in oil exploration took place, attracting more people to the state. However, prior 2000, North Dakota had the slowest population growth in the nation.
Demographics of North Dakota
North Dakota’s estimated population as of 2006 is 635,867. After growing from 3,000 to 680,000 from 1870 to 1930, the state’s growth rate has slowed and declined.
Native Americans comprise five percent of the population, making it the largest minority group. German ancestry is by far the largest at 43.9 percent, followed by 30 percent Norwegian. There is also a number of people from Irish and Swedish backgrounds.
One of the most religious states, North Dakota has the highest number of churches per capita and the lowest non-religious population, at three percent. Christianity dominates at a whopping 86 percent.
Over a third of the population is Lutheran, while another 30 percent is Catholic. Methodists, Baptists, Assembly of God, Jehovah’s Witnesses and mainline Protestants round out the rest. Non-Christian religious such as Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and Judaism represent four percent of the total population.
Economy of North Dakota
In 2005, North Dakota’s gross state product was $24 billion, while its per capita income in 2006 was $33,034.
Agriculture is the North Dakota's biggest industry, producing wheat, barley, sunflower seeds, sugarbeets and maize, along with livestock and farm-raised turkeys. The North Dakota Mill and Elevator is the largest flourmill in the country.
Petroleum from natural resources in the western region near Tioga and Minot-Burlington is another major industry, along with food processing. Coal mines generate over 90 percent of North Dakota’s electricity. However, wind energy is being explored as an alternative energy. North Dakota winds produce 1.2 billion kilowatt hours of energy -- enough to power a quarter of the state.
North Dakota Law and Government
Republican John Hoeven is the current governor of North Dakota. Democrats Byron Dorgan and Kent Conrad serve in the U.S. Senate, while Democrat Earl Pomeroy is the state congressional representative. Bismarck is the capital of the North Dakota.
There are five reservations in North Dakota, with one Three Affiliated Tribes, one Ojibwa and three Sioux acting as self-governing communities.
North Dakota largely aligns with the Republican Party. The state has voted Republican in every presidential election since 1892, with only four exceptions. On the other side, the Democratic Party and the Non Partisan League joined and usually have strong showings at the Senate and Congressional level.
North Dakota Transportation
I-29 runs north to south along the eastern edge, while I-94 cuts through east to west between Montana and Minnesota.
Amtrak has stops at Minot, Grand Forks and Fargo, while the Canadian Pacific Railway and BNSF operate several rail systems.
Hector International Airport in Fargo, Grand Forks International Airport, Minot International Airport and Bismarck Municipal Airport offer regional flights on a few commercial carriers.
Learn more at the North Dakota Department of Transportation.
Major Cities and Towns of North Dakota
Fargo is North Dakota’s most populated city. Fargo is home to the Fargo Theatre, the Plains Art Museum and the Fargo-Moorhead Symphony Orchestra.
Bismarck, Grand Forks and Minot are other urban centers for North Dakota, accounting for over 30,000 people. On Indian reservations, Native American traditions are still practiced, including pow-wows and dancing.
North Dakota Educational System
North Dakota has 11 universities and colleges, as well as four private institutions and five tribal community colleges. The University of North Dakota and North Dakota State University are the largest schools.
Learn more at the North Dakota Education Department.
North Dakota Sports Teams and Recreational Activities
North Dakota does not have a professional sports team. The University of North Dakota has a NCAA Division I ice hockey team that has won several national championships.
Recreationally, outdoor activities like fishing and hunting are popular amongst North Dakotans. During the winter, many participate in ice fishing and snowmobiling or rent a cabin to fish for perch and northern pike.
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