Geography

North Dakota is considered to be in the U.S. regions known as the Upper Midwest and the Great Plains. The state shares the Red River of the North with Minnesota on the east; South Dakota is to the south, Montana is to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba are north. With 70,762 square miles (183,273 km²), North Dakota is the 19th largest state.

The western half of the state consists of the hilly Great Plains, and the northern part of the Badlands to the west of the Missouri River. The state's high point, White Butte at 3,506 feet (1,069 m), and Theodore Roosevelt National Park[4] are located in the Badlands. The region is abundant in fossil fuels including crude oil and lignite coal. The Missouri River forms Lake Sakakawea, the third largest man-made lake in the United States, behind the Garrison Dam.

The central region of the state is divided into the Drift Prairie and the Missouri Plateau. This area is covered in lakes, slough, and rolling hills. The Turtle Mountains are located along the Manitoba border. The geographic center of the North American continent is located near the city of Rugby.

The eastern part of the state consists of the flat Red River Valley, the bottom of glacial Lake Agassiz. Its fertile soil, drained by the meandering Red River flowing northward into Lake Winnipeg, supports a large agriculture industry. Devil's Lake, the largest natural lake in the state, is also found in the east.

Climate

North Dakota endures temperature extremes characteristic of its continental climate; with cold winters and hot summers, the record low and high temperatures are −60 °F (−51.1 °C) and 121 °F (49 °C) respectively.Meteorological events include rain, snow, hail, blizzards, polar fronts, tornadoes, thunderstorms, and high-velocity straight-line winds. Depending on location, average annual precipitation ranges from 14 in (35.6 cm) to 22 in (55.9 cm).

Springtime flooding is a relatively common event in the Red River Valley, due to the river flowing north into Canada. The spring melt and the eventual runoff typically begins earlier in the southern part of the valley than in the northern part. The most destructive flooding in eastern North Dakota occurred in 1997, which caused extensive damage to Fargo and Grand Forks.

History

Prior to European contact, Native Americans inhabited North Dakota for thousands of years. The first European to reach the area was the French-Canadian trader La Vérendrye, who led an exploration party to Mandan villages in 1738. The trading arrangement between tribes was such that North Dakota tribes rarely dealt directly with Europeans. However, the native tribes were in sufficient contact that by the time that Lewis and Clark entered North Dakota in 1804, they were aware of the French and then Spanish claims to their territory.

Much of present-day North Dakota was included in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. Much of acquired land was organized into Minnesota and Nebraska Territories. Dakota Territory, making up present-day North and South Dakota, along with parts of present-day Wyoming and Montana, was organized on March 2, 1861. Dakota Territory was settled sparsely until the late 1800s, when the railroads entered the region and aggressively marketed the land. A bill for statehood for North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, and Washington titled the Enabling Act of 1889 was passed on February 22, 1889 during the administration of Grover Cleveland. After Cleveland left office, it was left to his successor, Benjamin Harrison, to sign proclamations formally admitting North and South Dakota to the Union on November 2, 1889. The rivalry between the two new states presented a dilemma of which was to be admitted first. Harrison directed Secretary of State James G. Blaine to shuffle the papers and obscure from him which he was signing first and the actual order went unrecorded. However, since North Dakota alphabetically appears before South Dakota, its proclamation was published first in the Statutes At Large. Since that day, it has become common to list the Dakotas alphabetically and thus North Dakota is usually listed as the 39th state. However, no one will actually know which of the Dakotas was admitted first.

The corruption in the early territorial and state governments led to a wave of populism led by the Non Partisan League brought social reforms in the early 20th century. The original North Dakota State Capitol burned to the ground on December 28, 1930, and was replaced by a limestone faced art deco skyscraper that still stands today.

A round of federal construction projects began in the 1950s including the Garrison Dam, and the Minot and Grand Forks Air Force bases. There was a boom in oil exploration in western North Dakota in the 1980s, as rising petroleum prices made development profitable.

The state began a lottery in 2004. However, unlike other US lotteries, North Dakota is prohibited from selling "in-state" games, offering only Powerball, Hot Lotto, Wild Card 2, and 2by2, all games of the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL).

Demographics

Population

From fewer than 3,000 people in 1870, North Dakota's population grew to near 680,000 by 1930. Growth then slowed, and the population has fluctuated slightly over the next seven decades, hitting a low of 619,636 in the 1950 census, with a total of 642,200 in the 2000 census. As of July 1, 2006, the state's population was estimated at 635,867 by the U.S. Census Bureau. The age and gender distributions approximate the national average. Besides Native Americans, North Dakota's minority groups still form a significantly smaller proportion of the population than in the nation as a whole. The center of population of North Dakota is located in Wells County, near Sykeston.

Emigration

Since the 1990s, North Dakota has experienced virtually constant decline in population, particularly among younger people with university degrees. One of the major causes of emigration in North Dakota looms from a lack of skilled jobs for graduates. Some propose the expansion of economic development programs to create skilled and high-tech jobs; however, the effectiveness of such programs has been open to debate.

As the issue is common to several High Plains states, federal politicians including Senator Byron Dorgan, have proposed The New Homestead Act of 2007 to encourage living in areas losing population through incentives such as tax breaks.

Race and ancestry

Most North Dakotans are of Northern European descent. The five largest ancestry groups in North Dakota are: German (43.9%), Norwegian (30.1%), Irish (7.7%), Native American (5%), Swedish (5%).

2.47% of the population aged 5 and over speak German at home, while 1.37% speak Spanish, according to the 2000 U.S. Census.

The state's racial composition in 2005 was:

• 92.3% White (non-Hispanic);
• 5.3% Native American/Alaskan Native;
• 1.6% Hispanic, a category that includes people of many races;
• 0.1% Asian/Pacific Islander;
• 0.1% Black (non-Hispanic);
• 0.1% mixed race.

Religion

North Dakota has the lowest percentage of non-religious people of any state, and it also has the most churches per capita of any state.

A 2001 survey indicated that 35% of North Dakota's population was Lutheran, and 30% was Roman Catholic. Other religious groups represented were Methodists (7%), Baptists (6%), the Assembly of God (3%), and Jehovah's Witness (1%). Christians with unstated or other denominational affiliations, including other Protestants, totaled 3%, bringing the total Christian population to 86%. Non-Christian religions, such as Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism, together represented 4% of the population. Three percent of respondents answered "no religion" on the survey, and 6% refused to answer.

Culture

Fine and performing arts

North Dakota's major fine art museums and venues include the Chester Fritz Auditorium, Empire Arts Center, the Fargo Theatre, North Dakota Museum of Art, and the Plains Art Museum. The Bismarck-Mandan Symphony Orchestra, Fargo-Moorhead Symphony Orchestra, Greater Grand Forks Symphony Orchestra and Minot Symphony Orchestra are full-time professional and semi-professional musical ensembles that perform concerts and offer educational programs to the community.

Entertainment

North Dakotan musicians of many genres include blues guitarist Jonny Lang, country music singer Lynn Anderson, jazz and traditional pop singer and songwriter Peggy Lee, big band leader Lawrence Welk, and pop singer Bobby Vee.

Ed Schultz is known around the country as the host of progressive talk radio show The Ed Schultz Show, and Shadoe Stevens hosted American Top 40 from 1988 to 1995. Josh Duhamel is an Emmy Award-winning actor known for his roles in All My Children and Las Vegas. Nicole Linkletter and CariDee English were winning contestants of Cycles 5 and 7, respectively, of America's Next Top Model.

Popular culture

North Dakota cuisine includes Knoephla soup: a thick, stew-like chicken soup with dumplings, lutefisk: lye-treated fish, Kuchen: a pie-like pastry, lefse: a flat bread made from mashed potatoes that is eaten with butter and sugar, Fleischkuekle, a deep fried entree of ground beef covered in dough, and served with chips and a pickle in most restaurants; strudel: a dough-and-filling item that can either be made as a pastry, or a savory dish with onions or meat; and other traditional German and Norwegian dishes. North Dakota also shares concepts such as hot dishes along with other Midwestern states.

Along with having the most churches per capita of any state, North Dakota has the highest percentage of church-going population of any state.

Native American traditions are practiced by the Native American population of North Dakota, especially on Indian reservations. Pow-wows and traditional Native American dancing are found across the state.

Outdoor activities such as hunting and fishing are hobbies for many North Dakotans. Ice fishing and snowmobiling are also popular during the winter months. Residents of North Dakota may own or visit a cabin along a lake. Popular sport fish include walleye, perch, and northern pike.

Economy

Agriculture is the largest industry in North Dakota, although petroleum and food processing are also major industries. The economy of North Dakota had a gross domestic product of $24 billion in 2005. The per capita income in 2006 was $33,034, ranked 29th in the nation. The three-year median household income from 2002-2004 was $39,594, ranking 37 in the U.S. North Dakota is also the only state with a state owned bank, the Bank of North Dakota in Bismarck, and a state owned flour mill, the North Dakota Mill and Elevator in Grand Forks.

Industry and commerce

North Dakota's earliest industries were fur trading and agriculture. Although less than 10% of the population is employed in the agricultural sector, it remains a major part of the state's economy, ranking 24th in the nation in the value of products sold. The state is the largest producer in the U.S. of barley, sunflower seeds, spring, and durum wheat for processing, and farm-raised turkeys.

State-owned facilities

The North Dakota Mill and Elevator and Bank of North Dakota are the only state-owned facilities of their type in the nation.

Energy

Coal mines generate 93% of the North Dakota electricity. Oil was discovered near Tioga, North Dakota in 1951, generating 53 million barrels (8,400,000 m³) of oil a year by 1984. Western North Dakota is currently in an oil boom, the Tioga, Stanley and Minot-Burlington communities are experiencing rapid growth. The oil reserves may hold up to 400 billion barrels (6.4×1010 m³) of oil, 25 times larger than the reserves in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. However, a report issued in April 2008 by the U.S. Geological Survey estimates that the oil recoverable by current technology in the Bakken formation is two orders of magnitude less, in the range of 3.0 to 4.3 billion barrels, with a mean of 3.65 billion.

Long called the "Saudi Arabia" of wind energy, North Dakota has the capability of producing 1.2 billion kilowatt hours of energy. That is enough to power 25% of the entire country's energy needs. Wind energy in North Dakota is also very cost effective because the state has large rural expanses and wind speeds seldom go below 10 mph (16 km/h).

State taxes

North Dakota has a slightly progressive income tax structure; the five brackets of state income tax rates are 2.1%, 3.92% 4.34%, 5.04%, and 5.54% as of 2004. North Dakota is ranked as the 21st highest in the nation for their capitals' total state taxes. The sales tax in North Dakota is 5% for most items. The state allows municipalities to institute local sales taxes and special local taxes, such as the 1.75% supplemental sales tax in Grand Forks. Excise taxes are levied on the purchase price or market value of aircraft registered in North Dakota. The state imposes a use tax on items purchased elsewhere but used within North Dakota.

Transportation

Transportation in North Dakota is overseen by the North Dakota Department of Transportation. The major Interstate highways are Interstate 29 and Interstate 94, with I-29 and I-94 meeting at Fargo, with I-29 oriented north to south along the eastern edge of the state, and I-94 bisecting the state from east to west between Minnesota and Montana. The largest rail systems in the state are operated by BNSF and the Canadian Pacific Railway. Many branch lines formerly used by BNSF and Canadian Pacific Railway are now operated by the Dakota, Missouri Valley and Western Railroad and the Red River Valley and Western Railroad.[53][54]

North Dakota's principal airports are the Hector International Airport (FAR) in Fargo, Grand Forks International Airport (GFK), Bismarck Municipal Airport (BIS), and the Minot International Airport (MOT).

Amtrak's Empire Builder runs through North Dakota, making stops at Fargo (2:13 am westbound, 3:35 am eastbound), Grand Forks (4:52 am westbound, 12:57 am eastbound), Minot (around 9 am westbound and around 9:30 pm eastbound), and four other stations. It is the descendant of the famous line of the same name run by the Great Northern Railway, which was built by the tycoon James J. Hill and ran from St. Paul to Seattle. Intercity bus service is provided by Greyhound and Jefferson Lines. Public transit in North Dakota is currently limited to bus systems in the larger cities.

Law and government

As with the federal government of the United States, power in North Dakota is divided into three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial.

Executive

The executive branch is headed by the governor. The current governor is John Hoeven, a Republican whose first term began December 15, 2000, and who was re-elected in 2004. The current Lieutenant Governor of North Dakota is Jack Dalrymple, who is also the President of the Senate. The offices of governor and lieutenant governor have four-year terms. The governor has a cabinet consisting of the leaders of various state government agencies, called commissioners. The other elected constitutional offices are secretary of state, attorney general, and state auditor.

Legislative

The North Dakota Legislative Assembly is a bicameral body consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The state has 47 districts. Each district has one senator and two representatives. Both senators and representatives are elected to four year terms. The state's legal code is named the North Dakota Century Code.

Judicial

North Dakota's court system has four levels. Municipal courts serve the cities, and most cases start in the district courts, which are courts of general jurisdiction. There are 42 district court judges in seven judicial districts. Appeals from the trial courts and challenges to certain governmental decisions are heard by the North Dakota Court of Appeals, consisting of three-judge panels. The five-justice North Dakota Supreme Court hears all appeals from the district courts and the Court of Appeals.

Regional

There are three Sioux, one Three Affiliated Tribes, and one Ojibwa reservations in North Dakota. These communities are self-governing.

Federal

North Dakota's two United States senators are Democrats Kent Conrad and Byron Dorgan. The state has one at-large congressional district represented by Democrat House Earl Pomeroy.

Federal court cases are heard in the United States District Court for the District of North Dakota, which holds court in Bismarck, Fargo, Grand Forks, and Minot. Appeals are heard by the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals based in St. Louis, Missouri.

Politics

The major political parties in North Dakota are the Democratic-NPL and the Republican Party. As of 2007, the Constitution Party and the Libertarian Party are also organized parties in the state.

At the state level, the governorship has been held by the Republican Party since 1992, along with a majority of the state legislature and statewide officers. Dem-NPL showings were strong in the 2000 governor's race, and in the 2006 legislative elections, but the League has not had a major breakthrough since the administration of former state governor George Sinner.

The Republican Party presidential candidate usually carries the state; in 2004, George W. Bush won with 62.9% of the vote. Of all the Democratic presidential candidates since 1892, only Grover Cleveland, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Lyndon B. Johnson received Electoral College votes from North Dakota.

On the other hand, Dem-NPL candidates for North Dakota's federal Senate and Congressional seats have won every election since 1982, and the state's federal delegation has been entirely Democratic since 1986.

Cities and towns

Bismarck, located in south-central North Dakota along the banks of the Missouri River, has been North Dakota's capital city since 1883, first as capital of the Dakota Territory, and then as state capital since 1889.

North Dakota's most populous city is Fargo. The state has four cities with populations above 30,000 (based on 2005 estimates). In descending order they are Fargo, Bismarck, Grand Forks, and Minot. While North Dakota's population has seen a gradual rural decline, the migration has led to growth in its urban centers.

Education

North Dakota's leaders frequently state that the educational scene in the state is excellent. However, because of limited economic options, many skilled graduates leave the state.

Higher education

The state has 11 public colleges and universities, five tribal community colleges, and four private schools. The largest institutions are the University of North Dakota and North Dakota State University.

The higher education system consists of the following institutions:

North Dakota University System (Public schools):

• Bismarck State College in Bismarck
• Dickinson State University in Dickinson
• Lake Region State College in Devils Lake
• Mayville State University in Mayville
• Minot State University in Minot
• Minot State University-Bottineau in Bottineau
• North Dakota State University in Fargo
• North Dakota State College of Science in Wahpeton
• University of North Dakota in Grand Forks
• Valley City State University in Valley City
• Williston State College in Williston

Tribal colleges:

• Cankdeska Cikana Community College in Fort Totten
• Fort Berthold Community College in New Town
• Sitting Bull College in Fort Yates
• Turtle Mountain Community College in Belcourt
• United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck

Private schools:

• Rasmussen College in Fargo and Bismarck
• Jamestown College in Jamestown
• University of Mary in Bismarck
• Trinity Bible College in Ellendale

State symbols

State bird: Western Meadowlark, Sturnella neglecta

State fish: Northern pike, Esox lucius

State horse: Nokota horse

State flower: Wild Prairie Rose, Rosa arkansana

State tree: American Elm, Ulmus americana

State fossil: Teredo Petrified wood

State grass: Western Wheatgrass, Pascopyrum smithii (Rydb.) A. Löve

State nicknames: Roughrider State, Flickertail State, Peace Garden State

State mottos:

(Great Seal of North Dakota) Liberty and Union, Now and Forever, One and Inseparable

(Coat of Arms of North Dakota) Strength from the Soil

State song: North Dakota Hymn

State dance: Square Dance

State fruit: Chokecherry

State march: Flickertail March

State beverage: Milk

State art museum: North Dakota Museum of Art

State license plate: see the different types over time

"The Flickertail State" is one of North Dakota's nicknames and is derived from Richardson's Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus richardsonii), a very common animal in the region. The ground squirrel constantly flicks its tail in a distinctive manner. In 1953, legislation to make the ground squirrel the state emblem was voted down in the state legislature.

Media

North Dakota's media markets are Fargo-Grand Forks, (119th largest nationally), making up the eastern half of the state, and Minot-Bismarck (158th), making up the western half of the state. Prairie Public Television (PPTV) is a statewide public television network affiliated with PBS.

Broadcast television in North Dakota started on April 3, 1953, when KCJB-TV (now KXMC-TV) in Minot began broadcasting. There are currently 28 analog broadcast stations and 18 digital channels broadcast over North Dakota.

The state's largest newspaper is The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead. Other weekly and monthly publications (most of which are fully supported by advertising) are also available. The most prominent of these is the alternative weekly High Plains Reader, which covers Fargo and Grand Forks.

Prairie Public is a statewide radio network affiliated with National Public Radio. The state's oldest radio station, WDAY-AM, was launched on May 23, 1922. The Forum Communications owned station is still on the air, and currently broadcasts a news/talk format.

Attractions

Major events

• Big Iron Farm Show - West Fargo
• Fargo Film Festival - Fargo
• Grand Cities Art Fest - Grand Forks
• Norsk Høstfest - Minot
• North Dakota State Fair - Minot
• North Dakota Winter Show - Valley City

Museums

• Bonanzaville, USA - West Fargo
• Dakota Dinosaur Museum - Dickinson
• Dakota Territory Air Museum - Minot
• Fargo Air Museum - Fargo
• Missouri-Yellowstone Confluence Interpretive Center - Williston
• North Dakota Heritage Center - Bismarck
• North Dakota Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center - Washburn
• North Dakota Museum of Art - Grand Forks
• Pembina State Museum - Pembina
• Plains Art Museum - Fargo
• The Roger Maris Museum - Fargo
• National Buffalo Museum - Jamestown

Arenas

• Alerus Center - Grand Forks
• All Seasons Arena - Minot
• Betty Engelstad Sioux Center - Grand Forks
• Bismarck Civic Center - Bismarck
• Bison Sports Arena - Fargo
• Fargodome - Fargo
• Fargo Civic Center - Fargo
• Minot Municipal Auditorium - Minot
• Ralph Engelstad Arena - Grand Forks

Golf courses

• Apple Creek Country Club - Bismarck
• Apple Grove Golf Course - Minot
• Bois de Sioux Golf Course - Wahpeton
• Bully Pulpit Golf Course - Medora
• Devils Lake Country Club - Devils Lake
• Hawktree Golf Club - Bismarck
• King's Walk Golf Course - Grand Forks
• Links of North Dakota at Red Mike Resort - Williston
• Riverwood Golf Course - Bismarck
• Tom O'Leary Golf Course - Bismarck

Casinos

• 4 Bears Casino - near New Town
• Dakota Magic Casino - near Hankinson
• Prairie Knights Casino - near Fort Yates
• Sky Dancer Casino - near Belcourt
• Spirit Lake Casino - near Devils Lake

Various attractions

• Enchanted Highway - Regent
• International Peace Garden - near Dunseith
• Lawrence Welk Homestead - Strasburg
• Medora Musical - Medora
• North Dakota Horse Park - Fargo
• Theodore Roosevelt National Park - near Watford City
• "Salem Sue" - New Salem
• World's Largest Buffalo (Statue) - Jamestown

Notable North Dakotans

• Dick Armey former U.S. Representative.
• James F. Buchli former NASA astronaut.
• Warren Christopher diplomat and lawyer.
• Angie Dickinson Golden Globe-winning television and film actress.
• Josh Duhamel Emmy Award-winning actor and former male fashion model
• Carl Ben Eielson was an aviator, bush pilot and explorer.
• Louise Erdrich a Native American author of novels, poetry, and children's books.
• Monica Hannan KFYR-TV news anchor.
• Virgil Hill a fighter.
• Chuck Klosterman a writer, journalist, critic, humorist, and essayist whose work often focuses on pop culture.
• Louis L'Amour an author of primarily Western fiction.
• Jonny Lang a Grammy-winning blues guitarist and singer.
• Peggy Lee a jazz and traditional pop singer and songwriter.
• Roger Maris a right fielder in Major League Baseball.
• Sakakawea a Shoshone woman
• Eric Sevareid a CBS news journalist.
• Ed Schultz the host of The Ed Schultz Show.
• Ann Sothern an Oscar nominated film and television actress
• Shadoe Stevens was the host of American Top 40.
• Lawrence Welk a musician, accordion player, bandleader, and television impresario.
• Bobby Vee an American pop music singer.
• Thomas McGrath poet and political activist.
• Jason Sundley Hardest working American