North Dakota () is a
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...
in the
Upper Midwest
The Upper Midwest is a region in the northern portion of the U.S. Census Bureau's Midwestern United States. It is largely a sub-region of the Midwest. Although the exact boundaries are not uniformly agreed-upon, the region is defined as referring ...
, named after the
indigenous
Indigenous may refer to:
*Indigenous peoples
*Indigenous (ecology), presence in a region as the result of only natural processes, with no human intervention
*Indigenous (band), an American blues-rock band
*Indigenous (horse), a Hong Kong racehorse ...
Dakota
Dakota may refer to:
* Dakota people, a sub-tribe of the Sioux
** Dakota language, their language
Dakota may also refer to:
Places United States
* Dakota, Georgia, an unincorporated community
* Dakota, Illinois, a town
* Dakota, Minnesota, ...
Sioux. North Dakota is bordered by the Canadian provinces of
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a province in western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dak ...
and
Manitoba
, image_map = Manitoba in Canada 2.svg
, map_alt = Map showing Manitoba's location in the centre of Southern Canada
, Label_map = yes
, coordinates =
, capital = Winn ...
to the north and by the U.S. states of
Minnesota
Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
to the east,
South Dakota
South Dakota (; Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state in the North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux Native American tribes, who comprise a large porti ...
to the south, and
Montana
Montana () is a state in the Mountain West division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columb ...
to the west. It is believed to host the geographic center of North America,
Rugby
Rugby may refer to:
Sport
* Rugby football in many forms:
** Rugby league: 13 players per side
*** Masters Rugby League
*** Mod league
*** Rugby league nines
*** Rugby league sevens
*** Touch (sport)
*** Wheelchair rugby league
** Rugby union: 1 ...
, and is home to the tallest man-made structure in the
Western Hemisphere
The Western Hemisphere is the half of the planet Earth that lies west of the prime meridian (which crosses Greenwich, London, United Kingdom) and east of the antimeridian. The other half is called the Eastern Hemisphere. Politically, the te ...
, the
KVLY-TV mast
The KVLY-TV mast (formerly the KTHI-TV mast) is a television-transmitting mast in Blanchard, North Dakota. It is used by Fargo station KVLY-TV channel 11 and KXJB-LD's Argusville/ Valley City/ Mayville translator K28MA-D channel 28. Completed ...
.
North Dakota is the
19th largest state, but with a population of less than 780,000
as of 2020, it is the
4th least populous and
4th most sparsely populated. The capital is
Bismarck while the largest city is
Fargo, which accounts for nearly a fifth of the state's population; both cities are among the fastest-growing in the U.S., although half of all residents live in rural areas. The state is part of the
Great Plains region, with broad
prairie
Prairies are ecosystems considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and a composition of grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the ...
s,
steppe, temperate
savanna
A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland- grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to ...
,
badlands
Badlands are a type of dry terrain where softer sedimentary rocks and clay-rich soils have been extensively eroded."Badlands" in ''Chambers's Encyclopædia''. London: George Newnes, 1961, Vol. 2, p. 47. They are characterized by steep slopes, m ...
, and farmland being defining characteristics.
What is now North Dakota was inhabited for thousands of years by various Native American tribes, including the
Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara along the
Missouri River; the
Ojibwa and
Cree in the northeast; and several Sioux groups (the
Assiniboine
The Assiniboine or Assiniboin people ( when singular, Assiniboines / Assiniboins when plural; Ojibwe: ''Asiniibwaan'', "stone Sioux"; also in plural Assiniboine or Assiniboin), also known as the Hohe and known by the endonym Nakota (or Nakod ...
,
Yankton,
Wahpeton, and
Teton) across the rest of the state. European explorers and traders first arrived in the early 18th century, mostly in pursuit of lucrative furs. The United States acquired the region in the early 19th century, gradually settling it amid
growing resistance by increasingly displaced natives.
The
Dakota Territory
The Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of N ...
, established in 1861, became central to
American pioneers, with the
Homestead Act of 1862
The Homestead Acts were several laws in the United States by which an applicant could acquire ownership of government land or the public domain, typically called a homestead. In all, more than of public land, or nearly 10 percent of th ...
precipitating significant population growth and development. The traditional fur trade declined in favor of farming, particularly of wheat; the subsequent Dakota Boom from 1878 to 1886 saw giant farms stretched across the rolling prairies, with the territory becoming a key breadbasket and regional economic engine. The
Northern Pacific Northern Pacific may refer to:
* Northern Pacific Airways, an upcoming airline
* Northern Pacific Field Hockey Conference, an NCAA Division I conference
* Northern Pacific Hockey League, an American Tier III junior ice hockey league
* Northern Pac ...
and
Great Northern railway companies competed for access to lucrative grain centers; farmers banded together in political and socioeconomic alliances that were core to the broader
Populist Movement
Populism refers to a range of political stances that emphasize the idea of "the people" and often juxtapose this group against " the elite". It is frequently associated with anti-establishment and anti-political sentiment. The term developed ...
of the Midwest.
North Dakota was
admitted to the Union
''Admitted'' is a 2020 Indian Hindi-language docudrama film directed by Chandigarh-based director Ojaswwee Sharma. The film is about Dhananjay Chauhan, the first transgender student at Panjab University. The role of Dhananjay Chauhan has been p ...
on November 2, 1889, along with neighboring
South Dakota
South Dakota (; Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state in the North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux Native American tribes, who comprise a large porti ...
, as the 39th and 40th states. President
Benjamin Harrison
Benjamin Harrison (August 20, 1833March 13, 1901) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 23rd president of the United States from 1889 to 1893. He was a member of the Harrison family of Virginia–a grandson of the ninth pr ...
shuffled the statehood papers before signing them so that no one could tell which became a state first; consequently, the two states are officially numbered in alphabetical order. Statehood marked the gradual winding down of the pioneer period, with the state fully settled by around 1920. Subsequent decades saw a rise in radical agrarian movements and economic cooperatives, of which one legacy is the
Bank of North Dakota
The Bank of North Dakota (BND) is a state-owned, state-run financial institution based in Bismarck, North Dakota. It is the only government-owned general-service bank in the United States. It is the legal depository for all state funds in North ...
, the only state-run bank in the U.S.
Beginning in the mid 20th century, North Dakota's rich
natural resource
Natural resources are resources that are drawn from nature and used with few modifications. This includes the sources of valued characteristics such as commercial and industrial use, aesthetic value, scientific interest and cultural value. ...
s became more critical to economic development; into the 21st century,
oil extraction
Petroleum is a fossil fuel that can be drawn from beneath the earth's surface. Reservoirs of petroleum was formed through the mixture of plants, algae, and sediments in shallow seas under high pressure. Petroleum is mostly recovered from oil dri ...
from the
Bakken formation in the northwest has played a
major role in the state's prosperity. Such development has led to unprecedented population growth (along with high birth rates) and reduced unemployment, with North Dakota having the
second lowest unemployment rate in the U.S. (after
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only state ...
).
It ranks relatively well in metrics such as infrastructure, quality of life, economic opportunity, and public safety.
History
Pre-colonial history
Native American people lived in what is now North Dakota for thousands of years before the coming of Europeans. The known tribes included the
Mandan people
The Mandan are a Native American tribe of the Great Plains who have lived for centuries primarily in what is now North Dakota. They are enrolled in the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation. About half of the Mandan still res ...
(from around the 11th century),
[Wood, W. Raymond and Thomas D. Thiessen: ''Early Fur Trade On The Northern Plains. Canadian Traders Among the Mandan and Hidatsa Indians, 1738–1818.'' Norman and London, 1987, p. 5.] while the first
Hidatsa
The Hidatsa are a Siouan people. They are enrolled in the federally recognized Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation in North Dakota. Their language is related to that of the Crow, and they are sometimes considered a parent ...
group arrived a few hundred years later. They both assembled in villages on tributaries of the Missouri River in what would become west-central North Dakota.
Crow Indians traveled the plains from the west to visit and trade with the related Hidatsas
after the split between them, probably in the 17th century.
Later came divisions of the
Dakota people: the
Lakota
Lakota may refer to:
* Lakota people, a confederation of seven related Native American tribes
*Lakota language, the language of the Lakota peoples
Place names
In the United States:
* Lakota, Iowa
* Lakota, North Dakota, seat of Nelson County
* La ...
, the
Santee and the
Yanktonai
The Dakota (pronounced , Dakota language: ''Dakȟóta/Dakhóta'') are a Native American tribe and First Nations band government in North America. They compose two of the three main subcultures of the Sioux people, and are typically divided into ...
. The
Assiniboine
The Assiniboine or Assiniboin people ( when singular, Assiniboines / Assiniboins when plural; Ojibwe: ''Asiniibwaan'', "stone Sioux"; also in plural Assiniboine or Assiniboin), also known as the Hohe and known by the endonym Nakota (or Nakod ...
and the
Plains Cree undertook southward journeys to the village Indians, either for trade or for war.
The
Shoshone Indians in present-day Wyoming and Montana may have carried out attacks on Indian enemies as far east as the Missouri. A group of
Cheyenne
The Cheyenne ( ) are an Indigenous people of the Great Plains. Their Cheyenne language belongs to the Algonquian language family. Today, the Cheyenne people are split into two federally recognized nations: the Southern Cheyenne, who are enr ...
s lived in a village of earth lodges at the lower
Sheyenne River (
Biesterfeldt Site) for decades in the 18th century.
Due to attacks by Crees, Assiniboines and
Chippewas
The Ojibwe, Ojibwa, Chippewa, or Saulteaux are an Anishinaabe people in what is currently southern Canada, the northern Midwestern United States, and Northern Plains.
According to the U.S. census, in the United States Ojibwe people are one of ...
armed with fire weapons, they left the area around 1780 and crossed Missouri some time after. A band of the few
Sotaio Indians lived east of Missouri River and met the uprooted Cheyennes before the end of the century. They soon followed the Cheyennes across Missouri and lived among them south of
Cannonball River.
Eventually, the Cheyenne and the Sutaio became one tribe and turned into mounted buffalo hunters with ranges mainly outside North Dakota. Before the middle of the 19th century, the
Arikara
Arikara (), also known as Sahnish,
''Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation.'' (Retrieved Sep 29, 2011) entered the future state from the south and joined the Mandan and Hidatsa. With time, a number of Indians entered into treaties with the United States. Many of the treaties defined the territory of a specific tribe.
European exploration and colonization
The first European to reach the area was the
French-Canadian trader
Pierre Gaultier, sieur de La Vérendrye, who led an exploration and trading party to the
Mandan
The Mandan are a Native American tribe of the Great Plains who have lived for centuries primarily in what is now North Dakota. They are enrolled in the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation. About half of the Mandan still re ...
villages in 1738 guided by Assiniboine Indians.
From 1762 to 1802, the region formed part of
Spanish Louisiana
Spanish Louisiana ( es, link=no, la Luisiana) was a governorate and administrative district of the Viceroyalty of New Spain from 1762 to 1801 that consisted of a vast territory in the center of North America encompassing the western basin of t ...
.
Settlement and statehood
European Americans settled in Dakota Territory only sparsely until the late 19th century, when railroads opened up the region. With the advantage of grants of land, they vigorously marketed their properties, extolling the region as ideal for agriculture.
Differences between the northern and southern part caused resentments between the settlers. The northern part was seen by the more populated southern part as somewhat disreputable, "too much controlled by the wild folks, cattle ranchers, fur traders” and too frequently the site of conflict with the indigenous population. The northern part was generally content with remaining a territory. However, following the territorial capital being moved from
Yankton in the southern part to Bismarck, the southern part began to call for division. Finally, at the 1887 territorial election, the voters approved splitting the territory into two. The division was done by the seventh standard parallel.
Congress passed an omnibus bill for statehood for North Dakota,
South Dakota
South Dakota (; Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state in the North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux Native American tribes, who comprise a large porti ...
,
Montana
Montana () is a state in the Mountain West division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columb ...
, and
Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
, titled the
Enabling Act of 1889, on February 22, 1889, during the administration of President
Grover Cleveland
Stephen Grover Cleveland (March 18, 1837June 24, 1908) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 22nd and 24th president of the United States from 1885 to 1889 and from 1893 to 1897. Cleveland is the only president in American ...
. His successor,
Benjamin Harrison
Benjamin Harrison (August 20, 1833March 13, 1901) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 23rd president of the United States from 1889 to 1893. He was a member of the Harrison family of Virginia–a grandson of the ninth pr ...
, signed the proclamations formally admitting North Dakota 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. The actual order went unrecorded, thus no one knows which of the Dakotas was admitted first.
However, since ''North Dakota'' alphabetically appears before ''South Dakota'', its proclamation was published first in the Statutes At Large.
20th and 21st centuries
Unrest among wheat farmers, especially among Norwegian
immigrants
Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not natives or where they do not possess citizenship in order to settle as permanent residents or naturalized citizens. Commuters, tourists, a ...
, led to a populist political movement centered in the
Non Partisan League ("NPL") around the time of
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. The NPL ran candidates on the Republican ticket (but merged into the
Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to:
*Democratic Party (United States)
Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to:
Active parties Africa
*Botswana Democratic Party
*Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea
*Gabonese Democratic Party
*Demo ...
after
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
). It tried to insulate North Dakota from the power of out-of-state banks and corporations.
In addition to founding the state-owned
Bank of North Dakota
The Bank of North Dakota (BND) is a state-owned, state-run financial institution based in Bismarck, North Dakota. It is the only government-owned general-service bank in the United States. It is the legal depository for all state funds in North ...
and
North Dakota Mill and Elevator
The North Dakota Mill and Elevator is the largest flour mill in the United States. It is located in the city of Grand Forks, North Dakota. Established by the state government when it was led by Nonpartisan League representatives, it is the only ...
(both still in existence), the NPL established a state-owned railroad line (later sold to the
Soo Line Railroad). Anti-corporate laws virtually prohibited a corporation or bank from owning title to land zoned as farmland. These laws, still in force today, after having been upheld by state and federal courts, make it almost impossible to foreclose on farmland, as even after foreclosure, the property title cannot be held by a bank or mortgage company.
Furthermore, the Bank of North Dakota, having powers similar to a Federal Reserve branch bank, exercised its power to limit the issuance of subprime mortgages and their collateralization in the form of derivative instruments, and so prevented a collapse of housing prices within the state in the wake of 2008's financial crisis.
![2009-0521-ND-StateCapitol](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/2009-0521-ND-StateCapitol.jpg)
The original
North Dakota State Capitol
The North Dakota State Capitol is the house of government of the U.S. state of North Dakota. The capitol, a 21-story Art Deco tower, is located in Bismarck at 600 East Boulevard Avenue, and is the tallest habitable building in the state. On  ...
in Bismarck burned to the ground on December 28, 1930. It was replaced by a
limestone
Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...
-faced
art-deco
Art Deco, short for the French ''Arts Décoratifs'', and sometimes just called Deco, is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design, that first appeared in France in the 1910s (just before World War I), and flourished in the United ...
skyscraper that still stands today.
A round of federal investment and construction projects began in the 1950s, including the
Garrison Dam
Garrison Dam is an earth-fill embankment dam on the Missouri River in central North Dakota, U.S.
Constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from 1947 to 1953, at over in length, the dam is the fifth-largest earthen dam in the world. The re ...
and the
Minot
Minot ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Ward County, North Dakota, United States, in the state's north-central region. It is most widely known for the Air Force base approximately north of the city. With a population of 48,377 at the 20 ...
and
Grand Forks
Grand Forks is the third-largest city in the state of North Dakota (after Fargo and Bismarck) and the county seat of Grand Forks County. According to the 2020 census, the city's population was 59,166. Grand Forks, along with its twin city o ...
Air Force
An air force – in the broadest sense – is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an ...
bases.
Western North Dakota saw a boom in oil exploration in the late 1970s and early 1980s, as rising petroleum prices made development profitable.
This boom came to an end after petroleum prices declined.
In recent years, the state has had lower rates of unemployment than the national average, and increased job and population growth.
Much of the growth has been based on development of the
Bakken oil fields in the western part of the state.
Estimates as to the remaining amount of oil in the area vary, with some estimating over 100 years' worth.
For decades, North Dakota's annual murder and violent crime rates were regularly the lowest in the United States. In recent years, however, while still below the national average, crime has risen sharply. In 2016, the violent crime rate was three times higher than in 2004, with the rise occurring mostly in the late 2000s, coinciding with the oil boom era. This happened at a time when the national violent crime rate declined slightly. Workers in the oil boom towns have been blamed for much of the increase.
Geography
North Dakota is located in the
Upper Midwest
The Upper Midwest is a region in the northern portion of the U.S. Census Bureau's Midwestern United States. It is largely a sub-region of the Midwest. Although the exact boundaries are not uniformly agreed-upon, the region is defined as referring ...
region of the United States. It lies at the center of the
North American continent
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
and borders
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
to the north. The geographic center of North America is near the town of
Center
Center or centre may refer to:
Mathematics
*Center (geometry), the middle of an object
* Center (algebra), used in various contexts
** Center (group theory)
** Center (ring theory)
* Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentrici ...
.
Bismarck is the capital of North Dakota, and
Fargo is the largest city.
![Western North Dakota](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8a/Western_North_Dakota.JPG)
Soil is North Dakota's most precious resource. It is the base of the state's great agricultural wealth. North Dakota also has enormous mineral resources. These mineral resources include billions of tons of lignite coal. In addition, North Dakota has large oil reserves. Petroleum was discovered in the state in 1951 and quickly became one of North Dakota's most valuable mineral resources. In the early 2000s, the emergence of hydraulic fracturing technologies enabled mining companies to extract huge amounts of oil from the Bakken shale rock formation in the western part of the state.
North Dakota's economy is based more heavily on farming than the economies of most other states. Many North Dakota factories process farm products or manufacture farm equipment. Many of the state's merchants also rely on agriculture.
Farms and ranches cover nearly all of North Dakota. They stretch from the flat Red River Valley in the east, across rolling plains, to the rugged Badlands in the west. The chief crop, wheat, is grown in nearly every county. North Dakota harvests more than 90 percent of the nation's canola and flaxseed. It is also the country's top producer of barley and sunflower seeds and a leader in the production of beans, honey, lentils, oats, peas, and sugar beets.
Few white settlers came to the North Dakota region before the 1870s because railroads had not yet entered the area. During the early 1870s, the Northern Pacific Railroad began to push across the Dakota Territory. Large-scale farming also began during the 1870s. Eastern corporations and some families established huge wheat farms covering large areas of land in the Red River Valley. The farms made such enormous profits they were called bonanza farms. White settlers, attracted by the success of the bonanza farms, flocked to North Dakota, rapidly increasing the territory's population. In 1870, North Dakota had 2,405 people. By 1890, the population had grown to 190,983.
North Dakota was named for the Sioux people who once lived in the territory. The Sioux called themselves Dakota or Lakota, meaning allies or friends. One of North Dakota's nicknames is the Peace Garden State. This nickname honors the
International Peace Garden
The International Peace Garden is a park located adjacent to the International Peace Garden Border Crossing along the Canada–United States border between the province of Manitoba and the state of North Dakota. It was established on July 14, ...
, which lies on the state's border with Manitoba, Canada. North Dakota is also called the Flickertail State because of the many flickertail ground squirrels (
Richardson's ground squirrel) that live in the central part of the state.
North Dakota is in the U.S. region known as the
Great Plains. The state shares the
Red River of the North
The Red River (french: rivière Rouge or ) is a river in the north-central United States and central Canada. Originating at the confluence of the Bois de Sioux and Otter Tail rivers between the U.S. states of Minnesota and North Dakota, it fl ...
with
Minnesota
Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
to the east.
South Dakota
South Dakota (; Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state in the North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux Native American tribes, who comprise a large porti ...
is to the south,
Montana
Montana () is a state in the Mountain West division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columb ...
is to the west, and the Canadian provinces of
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a province in western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dak ...
and
Manitoba
, image_map = Manitoba in Canada 2.svg
, map_alt = Map showing Manitoba's location in the centre of Southern Canada
, Label_map = yes
, coordinates =
, capital = Winn ...
are to the north. North Dakota is near the middle of
North America with a stone marker in
Rugby, North Dakota
Rugby is a city in, and the county seat of, Pierce County, North Dakota, United States. The population was 2,509 at the 2020 census, making it the 19th largest city in North Dakota. Rugby was founded in 1886.
Rugby is often billed as the geog ...
marking the "Geographic Center of the North American Continent". With an area of , of which is land, North Dakota is the 19th largest state.
The western half of the state consists of the hilly
Great Plains as well as the northern part of the
Badlands
Badlands are a type of dry terrain where softer sedimentary rocks and clay-rich soils have been extensively eroded."Badlands" in ''Chambers's Encyclopædia''. London: George Newnes, 1961, Vol. 2, p. 47. They are characterized by steep slopes, m ...
, which are to the west of the
Missouri River. The state's high point,
White Butte
White Butte is the highest natural point in the U.S. state of North Dakota. At an elevation of 3,506 ft (1,069 m), it is a prominent butte in Slope County, in the Badlands of the southwestern part of the state. It is located east of U.S ...
at , and
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Theodore Roosevelt National Park is an American national park of the badlands in western North Dakota comprising three geographically separated areas. Honoring U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, it is the only American national park named direc ...
are in the Badlands. The region is abundant in
fossil fuels including
natural gas
Natural gas (also called fossil gas or simply gas) is a naturally occurring mixture of gaseous hydrocarbons consisting primarily of methane in addition to various smaller amounts of other higher alkanes. Low levels of trace gases like carbo ...
,
crude oil and
lignite coal. The
Missouri River forms
Lake Sakakawea
Lake Sakakawea is a large reservoir in the north central United States, impounded in 1953 by Garrison Dam, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dam located in the Missouri River basin in central North Dakota. Named for the Shoshone-Hidatsa woman Sa ...
, the third largest artificial lake in the United States, behind the
Garrison Dam
Garrison Dam is an earth-fill embankment dam on the Missouri River in central North Dakota, U.S.
Constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from 1947 to 1953, at over in length, the dam is the fifth-largest earthen dam in the world. The re ...
.
The central region of the state is divided into the
Drift Prairie The Drift Prairie is a geographic region of North Dakota and South Dakota.
In North Dakota, the Drift Prairie is the transition zone between two zones.
The gently rolling hills and shallow lakes were formed by Glaciation, glacial action, while the ...
and the
Missouri Plateau
The Missouri Coteau, or Missouri Plateau, (french: Coteau du Missouri) is a large plateau that stretches along the eastern side of the valley of the Missouri River in central North Dakota and north-central South Dakota in the United States. In t ...
. The eastern part of the state consists of the flat
Red River Valley, the bottom of glacial
Lake Agassiz
Lake Agassiz was a large glacial lake in central North America. Fed by glacial meltwater at the end of the last glacial period, its area was larger than all of the modern Great Lakes combined.
First postulated in 1823 by William H. Keating, i ...
. Its fertile soil, drained by the meandering
Red River flowing northward into
Lake Winnipeg
Lake Winnipeg (french: Lac Winnipeg, oj, ᐑᓂᐸᑲᒥᐠᓴᑯ˙ᑯᐣ, italics=no, Weenipagamiksaguygun) is a very large, relatively shallow lake in North America, in the province of Manitoba, Canada. Its southern end is about north of t ...
, supports a large agriculture industry.
Devils Lake, the largest natural lake in the state, is also found in the east.
Most of the state is covered in
grassland
A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominated by grasses ( Poaceae). However, sedge ( Cyperaceae) and rush ( Juncaceae) can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes, like clover, and other herbs. Grasslands occur na ...
; crops cover most of eastern North Dakota but become increasingly sparse in the center and farther west. Natural trees in North Dakota are found usually where there is good drainage, such as the ravines and valley near the Pembina Gorge and Killdeer Mountains, the Turtle Mountains, the hills around Devils Lake, in the dunes area of McHenry County in central North Dakota, and along the Sheyenne Valley slopes and the Sheyenne delta. This diverse terrain supports nearly 2,000 species of plants.
Climate
![North Dakota Köppen](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/North_Dakota_K%C3%B6ppen.svg)
North Dakota has a
continental climate with warm summers and cold winters. The temperature differences are significant because of its far inland position and being roughly equal distance from the North Pole and the Equator. The variation between monthly highest and lowest temperatures range from 94 °F (52 °C) in June to 138 °F (76 °C) in March.
Demographics
Population
![North Dakota population map](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/North_Dakota_population_map.png)
At the 2021 estimate North Dakota's population was 774,948 on July 1, 2021, a 0.53% decrease since the
2020 United States census
The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...
.
This makes North Dakota the U.S. state with the largest percentage in population growth since 2011. North Dakota is the fourth least-populous state in the country; only
Alaska
Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S. ...
,
Vermont
Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...
, and
Wyoming
Wyoming () is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the southwest, and Colorado to the s ...
have fewer residents.
From fewer than 2,000 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 past seven decades, hitting a low of 617,761 in the 1970 census, with 642,200 in the 2000 census.
Except for
Native Americans, the North Dakota population has a lesser percentage of minorities than in the nation as a whole.
As of 2011, 20.7% of North Dakota's population younger than age1 were minorities. The
center of population of North Dakota is in
Wells County, near
Sykeston.
Race and ethnicity
![North Dakota Counties by race (2020 census)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/88/North_Dakota_Counties_by_race_%282020_census%29.svg)
''Note: Births in table don't add up, because Hispanics are counted both by their ethnicity and by their race, giving a higher overall number''.
''Since 2016, data for births of
White Hispanic
White Latin Americans, or European Latin Americans, are Latin Americans who are considered white, typically due to European descent. Latin American countries have often tolerated intermarriage between different ethnic groups since the beginning ...
origin are not collected, but included in one Hispanic group; persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race.''
Throughout the mid-19th century, Dakota Territory was still dominated by Native Americans; warfare and disease reduced their population at the same time Europeans and Americans were settling in the area. Throughout the latter half of the nineteenth century and into the early twentieth century, North Dakota, along with most of the Midwest U.S., experienced a mass influx of newcomers from both the eastern United States and immigrants from Europe. North Dakota was a known popular destination for immigrant farmers and general laborers and their families, mostly from
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...
,
Iceland
Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its s ...
,
Sweden,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
and the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
. Much of this settlement gravitated throughout the western side of the
Red River Valley, as was similarly seen in South Dakota and in a parallel manner in Minnesota. This area is well known for its fertile lands. By the outbreak of the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, this was among North America's richest farming regions. But a period of higher rainfall ended, and many migrants weren't successful in the arid conditions. Many family plots were too small to farm successfully.
From the 1930s until the end of the 20th century, North Dakota's population gradually declined, interrupted by a couple of brief increases. Young adults with university degrees were particularly likely to leave the state. With the advancing process of mechanization of agricultural practices, and environmental conditions requiring larger landholdings for successful agriculture, subsistence farming proved to be too risky for families. Many people moved to urban areas for jobs.
Since the late 20th century, one of the major causes of migration from North Dakota is the lack of skilled jobs for college graduates. Expansion of economic development programs has been urged to create skilled and high-tech jobs, but the effectiveness of such programs has been open to debate. During the first decade of the 21st century, the population increased in large part because of jobs in the oil industry related to development of
unconventional tight oil
Tight oil (also known as shale oil, shale-hosted oil or light tight oil, abbreviated LTO) is light crude oil contained in unconventional petroleum-bearing formations of low permeability, often shale or tight sandstone.
Economic production from ...
(shale oil) fields. Elsewhere, the Native American population has increased as some reservations have attracted people back from urban areas.
According to the
2010 U.S. census
The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators serving ...
, the racial and ethnic composition of North Dakota was 88.7%
non-Hispanic white, 5.4%
Native American, 1.2%
Black or African American, 1.0%
Asian, 0.1%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 0.5% some other race, and 0.2% from
two or more races
2 (two) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 1 and preceding 3. It is the smallest and only even prime number. Because it forms the basis of a duality, it has religious and spiritual significance in many cultur ...
. At the 2019
American Community Survey, North Dakota's racial and ethnic makeup was 83.6% non-Hispanic white, 2.9% Black or African American, 5.0% Native American and Alaska Native, 1.4% Asian, 0.4% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, 0.1% some other race, 2.7% multiracial, and 4.0%
Hispanic or Latin American of any race.
North Dakota is one of the top resettlement locations for refugees proportionally. According to the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement, in 2013–2014 "more than 68 refugees" per 100,000 North Dakotans were settled in the state. In fiscal year 2014, 582 refugees settled in the state. Fargo Mayor Mahoney said North Dakota accepting the most refugees per capita should be celebrated given the benefits they bring to the state. In 2015, Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota, the state's only resettlement agency, was "awarded $458,090 in federal funding to improve refugee services". 29.8% of immigrants in North Dakota are from Africa leading to a rapid increase in the black proportion of the population in recent decades from 0.6% in 2000 to 3.9% in 2020.
Immigration
Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not natives or where they do not possess citizenship in order to settle as permanent residents or naturalized citizens. Commuters, tourists, a ...
from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 3,323 people, and migration within the country produced a net loss of 21,110 people.
Of the residents of North Dakota in 2009, 69.8% were born in North Dakota, 27.2% were born in a different state, 0.6% were born in Puerto Rico, U.S. Island areas, or born abroad to American parent(s), and 2.4% were born in another country. The age and gender distributions approximate the national average. In 2019, 4.1% were foreign-born residents.
Languages
In 2010, 94.86% (584,496) of North Dakotans over 5 years old spoke
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
as their
primary language. 5.14% (31,684) of North Dakotans spoke a language other than English. 1.39% (8,593) spoke
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
, 1.37% (8,432) spoke
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Can ...
, and 0.30% (1,847) spoke
Norwegian
Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to:
*Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe
* Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway
* Demographics of Norway
*The Norwegian language, including ...
. Other languages spoken included
Serbo-Croatian
Serbo-Croatian () – also called Serbo-Croat (), Serbo-Croat-Bosnian (SCB), Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian (BCS), and Bosnian-Croatian-Montenegrin-Serbian (BCMS) – is a South Slavic language and the primary language of Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia an ...
(0.19%),
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
and
Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture
** Japanese diaspor ...
(both 0.15%), and
Native American languages
Over a thousand indigenous languages are spoken by the Indigenous peoples of the Americas. These languages cannot all be demonstrated to be related to each other and are classified into a hundred or so language families (including a large numbe ...
and
French (both 0.13%). In 2000, 2.5% of the population spoke German in addition to English, reflecting early 20th century immigration.
Religion
![Vang Evangelical Lutheran Church](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Vang_Evangelical_Lutheran_Church.jpg)
The
Pew Research Center determined 77% of the adult population was
Christian in 2014.
In contrast with many southern U.S. states,
mainline Protestantism was the largest form of Protestantism practiced (28%). The largest mainline Protestant denomination in North Dakota was the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and the
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a worldwide mainline Protestant denomination based in the United States, and a major part of Methodism. In the 19th century, its main predecessor, the Methodist Episcopal Church, was a leader in evangelic ...
was the second largest. Evangelical Protestants, forming the second largest Protestant branch (22%), were also dominated by Lutherans; the
Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod was the largest Evangelical denomination. Among the Christian population of North Dakota, the Roman Catholic Church was the single largest Christian denomination. According to the
Public Religion Research Institute
The Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) is an American nonprofit, nonpartisan research and education organization that conducts public opinion polls on a variety of topics, specializing in the quantitative and qualitative study of politic ...
in 2020, 75% of the adult population were Christian, with mainline Protestantism remaining the majority and
evangelical Protestantism
Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide interdenominational movement within Protestant Christianity that affirms the centrality of being "born again", in which an individual experi ...
at 18% of the population.
Per the Pew Research Center in 2014, non-Christian religions accounted for 3% of the adult population, with
Islam being the largest non-Christian religion. Other faiths such as
Unitarians and
New Age
New Age is a range of spiritual or religious practices and beliefs which rapidly grew in Western society during the early 1970s. Its highly eclectic and unsystematic structure makes a precise definition difficult. Although many scholars consi ...
rs collectively made up 1% of the practicing population. At the 2014 survey, 20% were unaffiliated with any religion, and 2% of North Dakotans were atheist; 13% of the population practiced nothing in particular.
The 2020 Public Religion Research Institute's survey determined 22% were unaffiliated with any religion.
The largest church bodies by number of adherents in 2010 were the
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
with 167,349; the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America with 163,209; and the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod with 22,003.
In 2006, North Dakota had the most churches per capita of any state.
Additionally, North Dakota had the highest percentage of church-going population of any state in 2006.
A 2001 survey indicated 35% of North Dakota's population was
Lutheran
Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Cathol ...
, and 30% was Catholic. Other religious groups represented were
Methodists (7%),
Baptists (6%), the
Assemblies of God (3%),
Presbyterian
Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...
s (1.27%), and
Jehovah's Witnesses (1%). Christians with unstated or other denominational affiliations, including other
Protestants and
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a nontrinitarian Christian church that considers itself to be the restoration of the original church founded by Jesus Christ. The ch ...
(LDS Church), totaled 3%, bringing the total Christian population to 86%. There were an estimated 920 Muslims and 730 Jews in the state in 2000. Three percent of respondents answered "no religion" on the survey, and 6% declined to answer.
Economy
![TraillCountyND](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/TraillCountyND.jpeg)
Agriculture is North Dakota's largest industry, although petroleum,
food processing, and technology are also major industries. Its growth rate is about 4.1%. According to the
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis the economy of North Dakota had a gross domestic product of $55.180 billion in the second quarter of 2018. The per capita income for the state was $34,256, when measured from 2013 to 2017 by the United States Department of Commerce.
The three-year
median household income
The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two equal groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways o ...
from 2013 to 2017 was $61,285.
According to
Gallup data, North Dakota led the U.S. in job creation in 2013 and has done so since 2009. The state has a
Job Creation Index
A job creation index is a measure of net hiring of full- and part-time adult workers. In the US, the index score is derived by subtracting the percentage of American workers who say their employers are 'firing' from the percentage of workers who sa ...
score of 40, nearly 10 points ahead of its nearest competitors.
North Dakota has added 56,600 private-sector jobs since 2011, creating an annual growth rate of 7.32 percent.
According to statistics released in December 2020, by the
Bureau of Economic Analysis, North Dakota had the highest rate of annual growth in personal consumption expenditures of all 50 states, from 2009-2018.
During this time period, annual nominal personal income growth averaged 6% per year, compared to the U.S. average of 4.4%. North Dakota's personal income growth is tied to various private business sectors such as agriculture, energy development, and construction.
North Dakota also had the highest growth in personal expenditures on housing and utilities of all states, reflecting the sharply increased demand for housing in the 2010s.
Just over 21% of North Dakota's total 2013 gross domestic product (GDP) of $49.77 billion comes from natural resources and mining.
North Dakota is the only state with a
state-owned bank, the
Bank of North Dakota
The Bank of North Dakota (BND) is a state-owned, state-run financial institution based in Bismarck, North Dakota. It is the only government-owned general-service bank in the United States. It is the legal depository for all state funds in North ...
in
Bismarck, and a state-owned
flour mill
A gristmill (also: grist mill, corn mill, flour mill, feed mill or feedmill) grinds cereal grain into flour and middlings. The term can refer to either the grinding mechanism or the building that holds it. Grist is grain that has been separated ...
, the
North Dakota Mill and Elevator
The North Dakota Mill and Elevator is the largest flour mill in the United States. It is located in the city of Grand Forks, North Dakota. Established by the state government when it was led by Nonpartisan League representatives, it is the only ...
in
Grand Forks
Grand Forks is the third-largest city in the state of North Dakota (after Fargo and Bismarck) and the county seat of Grand Forks County. According to the 2020 census, the city's population was 59,166. Grand Forks, along with its twin city o ...
. These were established by the NPL before World War II.
As of 2012, Fargo is home to the second-largest campus of
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology corporation producing computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at the Microsoft Redmond campus located in Redmond, Washin ...
with 1,700 employees, and
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. ( ) is an American multinational technology company focusing on e-commerce, cloud computing, online advertising, digital streaming, and artificial intelligence. It has been referred to as "one of the most influential econo ...
employs several hundred in Grand Forks.
, the state's
unemployment
Unemployment, according to the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), is people above a specified age (usually 15) not being in paid employment or self-employment but currently available for work during the refere ...
rate is among the lowest in the nation at 2.4 percent. With the exception of a five-month period in 2020, the unemployment rate remained below five percent, each month since 1987. At end of 2010, the state per capita income was ranked 17th in the nation, the biggest increase of any state in a decade from rank 38th. The reduction in the unemployment rate and growth in per capita income is attributable to the
oil boom in the state.
Due to a combination of oil-related development and investing in technology and service industries, North Dakota has had a budget surplus every year since the 2008 market crash.
Since 1976, the highest that North Dakota's unemployment rate has reached is just 6.2%, recorded in 1983. Every U.S. state except neighboring South Dakota has had a higher unemployment rate during that period.
Agriculture
North Dakota's earliest industries were
fur trading
The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of a world fur market in the early modern period, furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the most ...
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. With industrial-scale farming, it ranks 9th in the nation in the value of crops and 18th in total value of agricultural products sold. Large farms generate the most crops. The share of people in the state employed in agriculture is comparatively high: , only two to three percent of the population of the United States is directly employed in agriculture. North Dakota has about 90% of its land area in farms with of cropland, the third-largest amount in the nation. Between 2002 and 2007, total cropland increased by about a million acres (4,000 km
2); North Dakota was the only state showing an increase. Over the same period, were shifted into soybean and corn monoculture production, the largest such shift in the United States.
[United States Department of Agriculture (December 2009)]
''2007 Census of Agriculture''
. 1. Part 51. pp. 276–293, pp. 345–355, p. 434, pp. 474–489. Agriculturalists are concerned about too much monoculture, as it makes the economy at risk from insect or crop diseases affecting a major crop. In addition, this development has adversely affected habitats of wildlife and birds, and the balance of the ecosystem.
![State Mill, Grand Forks, ND 1915](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3c/State_Mill%2C_Grand_Forks%2C_ND_1915.JPG)
The state is the largest producer in the U.S. of many cereal grains, including
barley
Barley (''Hordeum vulgare''), a member of the grass family, is a major cereal grain grown in temperate climates globally. It was one of the first cultivated grains, particularly in Eurasia as early as 10,000 years ago. Globally 70% of barley p ...
(36% of U.S. crop),
durum wheat
Durum wheat (), also called pasta wheat or macaroni wheat (''Triticum durum'' or ''Triticum turgidum'' subsp. ''durum''), is a tetraploid species of wheat. It is the second most cultivated species of wheat after common wheat, although it represe ...
(58%), hard red spring wheat (48%),
oat
The oat (''Avena sativa''), sometimes called the common oat, is a species of cereal grain grown for its seed, which is known by the same name (usually in the plural, unlike other cereals and pseudocereals). While oats are suitable for human con ...
s (17%), and combined wheat of all types (15%). It is the second leading producer of
buckwheat
Buckwheat (''Fagopyrum esculentum''), or common buckwheat, is a flowering plant in the knotweed family Polygonaceae cultivated for its grain-like seeds and as a cover crop. The name "buckwheat" is used for several other species, such as ''Fagopy ...
(20%). , corn became the state's largest crop produced, although it is only 2% of total U.S. production.
The
Corn Belt
The Corn Belt is a region of the Midwestern United States that, since the 1850s, has dominated corn production in the United States. In the United States, ''corn'' is the common word for maize. More generally, the concept of the Corn Belt con ...
extends to North Dakota but is more on the edge of the region instead of in its center. Corn yields are high in the southeast part of the state and smaller in other parts of the state. Most of the cereal grains are grown for livestock
feed.
The state is the leading producer of many oilseeds, including 92% of the U.S.
canola
Close-up of canola blooms
Canola flower
Rapeseed oil is one of the oldest known vegetable oils. There are both edible and industrial forms produced from rapeseed, the seed of several cultivars of the plant family Brassicaceae. Historically, ...
crop, 94% of
flax seed, 53% of
sunflower seeds, 18% of
safflower
Safflower (''Carthamus tinctorius'') is a highly branched, herbaceous, thistle-like annual plant in the family Asteraceae. It is commercially cultivated for vegetable oil extracted from the seeds and was used by the early Spanish colonies along ...
seeds, and 62% of
mustard seed. Canola is suited to the cold winters and it matures fast. Processing of canola for oil production produces canola meal as a by-product. The by-product is a high-protein animal feed.
Soybeans are also an increasingly important crop, with additional planted between 2002 and 2007.
Soybeans are a major crop in the eastern part of the state, and cultivation is common in the southeast part of the state. Soybeans were not grown at all in North Dakota in the 1940s, but the crop has become especially common since 1998. In North Dakota soybeans have to mature fast, because of the comparatively short
growing season. Soybeans are grown for livestock feed.
North Dakota is the second leading producer of
sugarbeet
A sugar beet is a plant whose root contains a high concentration of sucrose and which is grown commercially for sugar production. In plant breeding, it is known as the Altissima cultivar group of the common beet (''Beta vulgaris''). Together wit ...
s, which are grown mostly in the
Red River Valley. The state is also the largest producer of honey, dry edible peas and beans,
lentil
The lentil (''Lens culinaris'' or ''Lens esculenta'') is an edible legume. It is an annual plant known for its lens-shaped seeds. It is about tall, and the seeds grow in pods, usually with two seeds in each. As a food crop, the largest pro ...
s, and the third-largest producer of potatoes.
North Dakota's Top Agricultural Commodities (according to the USDA )
Energy
![Oil Pump North Dakota](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Oil_Pump_North_Dakota.jpg)
The
energy industry is a major contributor to the economy. North Dakota has both coal and oil reserves. On average, the state's production of oil production grew at average annual rate of 48.4% from 2009-2018. During these years, oil production increased each year from 2009 to 2015, with 2016 marked by a slight decline and a return to growth since.
Shale gas
Shale gas is an unconventional natural gas that is found trapped within shale formations. Since the 1990s a combination of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing has made large volumes of shale gas more economical to produce, and some ...
is also produced.
Lignite coal
Lignite, often referred to as brown coal, is a soft, brown, combustible, sedimentary rock formed from naturally compressed peat. It has a carbon content around 25–35%, and is considered the lowest rank of coal due to its relatively low heat ...
reserves in Western North Dakota are used to generate about 90% of the electricity consumed, and electricity is also exported to nearby states. North Dakota has the second largest lignite coal production in the U.S. However, lignite coal is the lowest grade coal. There are larger and higher grade coal reserves (
anthracite,
bituminous coal and
subbituminous coal Sub-bituminous coal is a lower grade of coal that contains 35–45% carbon. The properties of this type are between those of lignite, the lowest grade of coal, and those of bituminous coal, the second-highest grade of coal. Sub-bituminous coal i ...
) in other U.S. states.
Oil was discovered near
Tioga in 1951, generating of oil a year by 1984. Recoverable oil reserves have jumped dramatically recently. The oil reserves of the
Bakken Formation may hold up to of oil, 25 times larger than the reserves in the
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR or Arctic Refuge) is a national wildlife refuge in northeastern Alaska, United States on traditional Gwich'in lands. It consists of in the Alaska North Slope region. It is the largest national wildli ...
. A report issued in April 2008 by the U.S. Geological Survey estimates the oil recoverable by current technology in the Bakken formation is two orders of magnitude less, in the range of to , with a mean of .
The northwestern part of the state is the center of the
North Dakota oil boom. The
Williston,
Tioga,
Stanley
Stanley may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Film and television
* ''Stanley'' (1972 film), an American horror film
* ''Stanley'' (1984 film), an Australian comedy
* ''Stanley'' (1999 film), an animated short
* ''Stanley'' (1956 TV series) ...
and
Minot
Minot ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Ward County, North Dakota, United States, in the state's north-central region. It is most widely known for the Air Force base approximately north of the city. With a population of 48,377 at the 20 ...
-
Burlington communities are having rapid growth that strains housing and local services. , the state is the 2nd-largest oil producer in the U.S., with an average of per day.
The
Great Plains region, which includes the state of North Dakota, has been referred to as "the Saudi Arabia of wind energy". Development of wind energy in North Dakota has been cost effective because the state has large rural expanses and wind speeds seldom go below .
Tourism
North Dakota is considered the least visited state, owing, in part, to its not having a major tourist attraction.
Nonetheless, tourism is North Dakota's third largest industry, contributing more than $3 billion into the state's economy annually. Outdoor attractions like the 144-mile (232-km)
Maah Daah Hey Trail and activities like fishing and hunting attract visitors. The state is known for the Lewis & Clark Trail and being the winter camp of the Corps of Discovery. Areas popular with visitors include
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Theodore Roosevelt National Park is an American national park of the badlands in western North Dakota comprising three geographically separated areas. Honoring U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, it is the only American national park named direc ...
in the western part of the state. The park often exceeds 475,000 visitors each year.
Regular events in the state that attract tourists include ''
Norsk Høstfest
Norsk Høstfest (Norwegian language: "''Norwegian Autumn Festival''") is an annual festival held each fall in Minot, North Dakota, US. It is North America's largest Scandinavian festival.
History
The event is held on the North Dakota State Fair gr ...
'' in
Minot
Minot ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Ward County, North Dakota, United States, in the state's north-central region. It is most widely known for the Air Force base approximately north of the city. With a population of 48,377 at the 20 ...
, billed as North America's largest
Scandinavia
Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Swe ...
n festival; the
Medora Musical; and the
North Dakota State Fair
The North Dakota State Fair is an annual state fair held each July in Minot, North Dakota, USA. The fair has carnival rides, agricultural expositions, government and commercial exhibitions, and a variety of musical and performance entertainment. ...
. The state also receives a significant number of visitors from the neighboring Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, particularly when the exchange rate is favorable.
International tourists now also come to visit the
Oscar-Zero Missile Alert Facility.
Health care
North Dakota has six level-II
trauma center
A trauma center (or trauma centre) is a hospital equipped and staffed to provide care for patients suffering from major traumatic injuries such as falls, motor vehicle collisions, or gunshot wounds. A trauma center may also refer to an emergen ...
s, 44
hospitals, 52 rural health
clinic
A clinic (or outpatient clinic or ambulatory care clinic) is a health facility that is primarily focused on the care of outpatients. Clinics can be privately operated or publicly managed and funded. They typically cover the primary care needs ...
s, and 80
nursing home
A nursing home is a facility for the residential care of elderly or disabled people. Nursing homes may also be referred to as skilled nursing facility (SNF) or long-term care facilities. Often, these terms have slightly different meanings to i ...
s. Major provider networks include
Sanford,
St. Alexius,
Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God th ...
, and Altru Health System, Altru.
Noridian Mutual Insurance Company, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota is the largest medical insurer in the state. North Dakota expanded Medicaid in 2014, and its health insurance exchange is the federal site, HealthCare.gov.
North Dakota law requires pharmacies, other than hospital dispensaries and pre-existing stores, to be majority-owned by pharmacists. Voters rejected a proposal to change the law in 2014.
Culture
American Indian Nations
![Kane Métis Buffalo Hunt](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/Kane_M%C3%A9tis_Buffalo_Hunt.jpg)
In the 21st century, North Dakota has an increasing population of Native Americans, who in 2010 made up 5.44% of the population. By the early 19th century the territory was dominated by Siouan-speaking peoples, whose territory stretched west from the Great Lakes area. The word "Dakota" is a Sioux (Lakota/Dakota) word meaning "allies" or "friends".
The primary historic tribal nations in or around North Dakota, are the Lakota and the Dakota ("The Great Sioux Nation" or "Oceti Sakowin", meaning the seven council fires), the Blackfoot, the
Cheyenne
The Cheyenne ( ) are an Indigenous people of the Great Plains. Their Cheyenne language belongs to the Algonquian language family. Today, the Cheyenne people are split into two federally recognized nations: the Southern Cheyenne, who are enr ...
, the Chippewa (known as Ojibwe in Canada), and the
Mandan
The Mandan are a Native American tribe of the Great Plains who have lived for centuries primarily in what is now North Dakota. They are enrolled in the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation. About half of the Mandan still re ...
. There are six Indian reservations in North Dakota--Spirit Lake Tribe, Standing Rock Indian Reservation, Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, Fort Berthold Indian Reservation, Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation, and Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation, The Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation.
Pow wows
Social gatherings known as "powwows" (or wacipis in Lakota/Dakota) continue to be an important part of Native American culture and are held regularly throughout the state. Throughout Native American history, powwows were held, usually in the spring, to rejoice at the beginning of new life and the end of the winter cold. These events brought Native American tribes together for singing and dancing and allowed them to meet with old friends and acquaintances, as well as to make new ones. Many powwows also held religious significance for some tribes. Today, powwows are still a part of the Native American culture and are attended by Natives and non-Natives alike. In North Dakota, the United Tribes International Powwow held each September in the capital of
Bismarck, is one of the largest powwows in the United States.
A pow wow is an occasion for parades and Native American dancers in regalia, with many dancing styles presented. It is traditional for male dancers to wear regalia decorated with beads, quills, and eagle feathers; male grass dancers wear colorful fringe regalia, and male fancy dancers wear brightly colored feathers. Female dancers dance much more subtly than male dancers. Fancy female dancers wear cloth, beaded moccasins, and jewelry, while the jingle dress dancer wears a dress made of metal cones. Inter-tribal dances during the powwow, allow everyone (even spectators) to take part in the dancing.
Norwegian and Icelandic influences
![Hultstrand61](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0a/Hultstrand61.jpg)
Around 1870 many European immigrants from Norway settled in North Dakota's northeastern corner, especially near the Red River. Icelandic American, Icelanders also arrived from Canada. Pembina, North Dakota, Pembina was a town of many Norwegian American, Norwegians when it was founded; they worked on family farms. They started Lutheran churches and schools, greatly outnumbering other denominations in the area. This group has unique foods such as ''lefse'' and ''lutefisk''. The continent's largest Scandinavian event, ''
Norsk Høstfest
Norsk Høstfest (Norwegian language: "''Norwegian Autumn Festival''") is an annual festival held each fall in Minot, North Dakota, US. It is North America's largest Scandinavian festival.
History
The event is held on the North Dakota State Fair gr ...
'', is celebrated each September in Minot, North Dakota, Minot's North Dakota State Fair Center, a local attraction featuring art, architecture, and cultural artifacts from all five Nordic countries. The Icelandic State Park in Pembina County, North Dakota, Pembina County and an annual Icelandic festival reflect immigrants from that country, who are also descended from Scandinavians.
Old World folk customs have persisted for decades in North Dakota, with the revival of techniques in weaving, silver crafting, and wood carving. Traditional turf-roof houses are displayed in parks; this style originated in Iceland. A stave church is a landmark in Minot. Norwegian-Americans constitute nearly one-third or 32.3% of Minot's total population and 30.8% of North Dakota's total population.
Germans from Russia
Ethnic Germans who had settled in Russia for several generations since the reign of Catherine the Great grew dissatisfied in the nineteenth century because of economic problems and because of the revocation of religious freedoms for Russian Mennonite, Mennonites and Hutterites, in particular the revocation of exemption from military service in 1871. Most Mennonites and Hutterites migrated to America in the late 1870s. By 1900, about 100,000 had immigrated to the U.S., settling primarily in North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, and Nebraska. The south-central part of North Dakota became known as "the German-Russian triangle". By 1910, about 60,000 ethnic Germans from Russia lived in Central North Dakota. These individuals were Lutherans, Mennonites, Hutterites and Roman Catholics who had kept most of their German customs of the time when their ancestors immigrated to Russia. They were committed to agriculture. Traditional iron cemetery grave markers are a famous art form practiced by ethnic Germans.
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, Minot Symphony Orchestra and Great Plains Harmony Chorus are full-time professional and semi-professional musical ensembles who 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. The state is also home to Indie rock June Panic (of Fargo, signed to Secretly Canadian).
Hollywood and TV Star Angie Dickinson was born in Kulm and moved to Burbank, Ca as a ten year old. Ed Schultz was known around the country as the host of progressive talk radio show, ''The Ed Schultz Show'', and ''The Ed Show'' on MSNBC. Shadoe Stevens hosted ''American Top 40'' from 1988 to 1995. Josh Duhamel is an Emmy Awards, Emmy Award-winning actor known for his roles in ''All My Children'' and ''Las Vegas (TV series), Las Vegas''.
Nicole Linkletter and CariDee English were winning contestants of America's Next Top Model, Cycle 5, Cycles 5 and America's Next Top Model, Cycle 7, 7, respectively, of ''America's Next Top Model''. Kellan Lutz has appeared in movies such as ''Stick It'', ''Accepted'', ''Prom Night (2008 film), Prom Night'', and ''Twilight (2008 film), Twilight''.
Cuisine
Sports
Bismarck was home of the Dakota Wizards of the NBA Development League, and currently hosts the Bismarck Bucks of the Indoor Football League.
North Dakota has two NCAA Division I teams, the North Dakota Fighting Hawks and North Dakota State Bison, and two Division II teams, the Mary Marauders and Minot State Beavers.
Fargo is home to the USHL ice hockey team the Fargo Force. Fargo is also the home of the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks of the American Association of Professional Baseball, American Association.
The North Dakota High School Activities Association features more than 25,000 participants.
Outdoor activities such as hunting and fishing are hobbies for many North Dakotans. Ice fishing, skiing, 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.
The western terminus of the North Country National Scenic Trail is on
Lake Sakakawea
Lake Sakakawea is a large reservoir in the north central United States, impounded in 1953 by Garrison Dam, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dam located in the Missouri River basin in central North Dakota. Named for the Shoshone-Hidatsa woman Sa ...
, where it abuts the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, Lewis and Clark Trail.
Media
The state has 10 daily newspapers, the largest being ''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''.
The state's oldest radio station, WDAY (AM), WDAY-AM, was launched on May 23, 1922. North Dakota's three major media market, radio markets center around
Fargo,
Bismarck, and
Grand Forks
Grand Forks is the third-largest city in the state of North Dakota (after Fargo and Bismarck) and the county seat of Grand Forks County. According to the 2020 census, the city's population was 59,166. Grand Forks, along with its twin city o ...
, though stations broadcast in every region of the state. Several new stations were built in
Williston in the early 2010s. North Dakota has 34 AM and 88 FM radio stations. KFGO (AM), KFGO in Fargo has the largest audience.
Terrestrial television, Broadcast television in North Dakota started on April 3, 1953, when KCJB-TV (now KXMC-TV) in Minot started operations. North Dakota's television media markets are
Fargo-
Grand Forks
Grand Forks is the third-largest city in the state of North Dakota (after Fargo and Bismarck) and the county seat of Grand Forks County. According to the 2020 census, the city's population was 59,166. Grand Forks, along with its twin city o ...
(117th largest nationally), including the eastern half of the state, and
Minot
Minot ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Ward County, North Dakota, United States, in the state's north-central region. It is most widely known for the Air Force base approximately north of the city. With a population of 48,377 at the 20 ...
-
Bismarck (152nd), making up the western half of the state. There are currently List of television stations in North Dakota, 31 full-power television stations, arranged into 10 networks, with 17 digital subchannels.
Public broadcasting in North Dakota is provided by Prairie Public, with statewide Prairie Public Television, television and Prairie Public Radio, radio networks affiliated with Public Broadcasting Service, PBS and National Public Radio, NPR. Public access television stations open to community programming are offered on cable systems in
Bismarck, Dickinson, North Dakota, Dickinson,
Fargo, and Jamestown, North Dakota, Jamestown.
Education
Higher education
The state has 11 public colleges and universities, five Tribal colleges and universities, tribal community colleges, and four private schools. The largest institutions are North Dakota State University and the University of North Dakota.
The higher education system consists of the following institutions:
North Dakota University System (public institutions):
:* Bismarck State College in
Bismarck
:* Dickinson State University in Dickinson, North Dakota, Dickinson
:* Lake Region State College in Devils Lake, North Dakota, Devils Lake
:* Mayville State University in Mayville, North Dakota, Mayville
:* Minot State University in
Minot
Minot ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Ward County, North Dakota, United States, in the state's north-central region. It is most widely known for the Air Force base approximately north of the city. With a population of 48,377 at the 20 ...
:* Dakota College at Bottineau in Bottineau, North Dakota, Bottineau
:* North Dakota State University in
Fargo
:* North Dakota State College of Science in Wahpeton, North Dakota, Wahpeton &
Fargo
:* University of North Dakota in
Grand Forks
Grand Forks is the third-largest city in the state of North Dakota (after Fargo and Bismarck) and the county seat of Grand Forks County. According to the 2020 census, the city's population was 59,166. Grand Forks, along with its twin city o ...
:* Valley City State University in Valley City, North Dakota, Valley City
:* Williston State College in
Williston
Tribal institutions:
:* Cankdeska Cikana Community College in Fort Totten, North Dakota, Fort Totten
:* Fort Berthold Community College in New Town, North Dakota, New Town
:* Sitting Bull College in Fort Yates, North Dakota, Fort Yates
:* Turtle Mountain Community College in Belcourt, North Dakota, Belcourt
:* United Tribes Technical College in
Bismarck
Private institutions:
:* University of Mary in
Bismarck
:* University of Jamestown in Jamestown, North Dakota, Jamestown
:* Rasmussen College in
Fargo
:* Trinity Bible College in Ellendale, North Dakota, Ellendale
Primary and secondary education
There were 142 schools in North Dakota cities and 4,722 one room schools in the state in 1917. The urban schools had 36,008 students, and 83,167 students attended the one room schools. 1,889 of the one room schools closed between 1929 and 1954. In 1954 North Dakotan cities had 513 schools while 2,447 one room schools were in the state. At that time the urban schools had 94,019 students while the one room schools had 25,212 students. The Nation's Report Card ranks North Dakota fifteenth in the country in K-12 education based on standardized test scores.
Emergency services
The North Dakota Department of Emergency Services provides 24/7 communication and coordination for more than 50 agencies. In addition, "it administers federal disaster recovery programs and the Homeland Security Grant Program". In 2011, the Department selected Geo-Comm, Inc. "for the Statewide Seamless Base Map Project", which will facilitate "identifying locations 9–1–1 callers" and route emergency calls based on locations. In 1993 the state adopted the Burkle addressing system numbering rural roads and buildings to aid in the delivery of emergency services.
Transportation
![NDI94](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bf/NDI94.jpg)
Transportation in North Dakota is overseen by the North Dakota Department of Transportation. The major Interstate Highway System, 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. A unique feature of the North Dakota Interstate Highway system is virtually all of it is paved in concrete, not Asphalt concrete, blacktop, because of the extreme weather conditions it must endure. BNSF and the Canadian Pacific Railway operate the state's largest rail systems. 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.
North Dakota's principal airports are the Hector International Airport (FAR) in Fargo, Grand Forks International Airport (GFK), Bismarck Municipal Airport (BIS), Minot International Airport (MOT) and Williston Basin International Airport (XWA) in Williston.
Amtrak's Empire Builder runs through North Dakota, making stops at Fargo (Amtrak station), Fargo (2:13 am westbound, 3:35 am eastbound), Grand Forks (Amtrak station), Grand Forks (4:52 am westbound, 12:57 am eastbound), Minot (Amtrak station), 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 (U.S.), Great Northern Railway, which was built by the tycoon James J. Hill and ran from St. Paul, Minnesota, St. Paul to Seattle.
Intercity bus service is provided by Greyhound Bus Lines, Greyhound and Jefferson Lines. Public transit in North Dakota includes daily Public transport bus service, fixed-route bus systems in Fargo, Bismarck-Mandan, Grand Forks, and Minot, paratransit service in 57 communities, along with multi-county rural transit systems.
Law and government
As with the federal government of the United States, political power in North Dakota state government is divided into three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial.
The Constitution of North Dakota and the North Dakota Century Code form the formal law of the state; the ''North Dakota Administrative Code'' incorporates additional rules and policies of state agencies.
In a 2020 study, North Dakota was ranked as the 8th easiest state for citizens to vote in.
Executive
![State offices in Bismarck North Dakota](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0b/State_offices_in_Bismarck_North_Dakota.jpg)
The executive branch is headed by the elected Governor of North Dakota, governor. The current governor is Doug Burgum, a North Dakota Republican Party, Republican who took office December 15, 2016, after his predecessor, Jack Dalrymple did not seek reelection. The current Lieutenant Governor of North Dakota is Brent Sanford, who is also the President of the Senate. The offices of governor and lieutenant governor have four-year terms, which are next up for election in 2024. The governor has a cabinet consisting of appointed leaders of various state government agencies, called commissioners. The other elected constitutional offices are North Dakota Secretary of State, secretary of state, North Dakota Attorney General, attorney general, North Dakota State Auditor, state auditor, and North Dakota State Treasurer, state treasurer.
Legislative
The North Dakota Legislative Assembly is a bicameral body consisting of the North Dakota Senate, Senate and the North Dakota House of Representatives, House of Representatives. The state has 47 districts, each with 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, one of which is dormant. Municipal courts serve the cities. Decisions from municipal courts are generally appealable to district court. Most cases start in the Courts of North Dakota, district courts, which are courts of general jurisdiction. There are 42 district court judges in seven judicial districts. Appeals from final district court decisions are made to the North Dakota Supreme Court. An intermediate court of appeals was provided for by statute in 1987, but the North Dakota Court of Appeals has only heard 65 cases since its inception. The North Dakota Court of Appeals is essentially dormant, but capable of meeting if the North Dakota Supreme Court's case load necessitates the reestablishment of intermediate review.
Indian tribes and reservations
![Standing Rock Administrative Service (14235787848)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/01/Standing_Rock_Administrative_Service_%2814235787848%29.jpg)
Historically, North Dakota was populated by the
Mandan
The Mandan are a Native American tribe of the Great Plains who have lived for centuries primarily in what is now North Dakota. They are enrolled in the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation. About half of the Mandan still re ...
, Hidatsa people, Hidatsa,
Lakota
Lakota may refer to:
* Lakota people, a confederation of seven related Native American tribes
*Lakota language, the language of the Lakota peoples
Place names
In the United States:
* Lakota, Iowa
* Lakota, North Dakota, seat of Nelson County
* La ...
, and Ojibwe, and later by the Arikara people, Sanish and Métis people (United States), Métis. Today, five federally recognized tribes within the boundaries of North Dakota have independent, sovereign relationships with the federal government and territorial reservations:
* Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation, Fort Berthold Reservation;
* Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, Lake Traverse Indian Reservation;
* Standing Rock Sioux, Standing Rock Indian Reservation;
* Spirit Lake Tribe, Spirit Lake Tribe, Spirit Lake Reservation; and
* Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, Turtle Mountain Reservation.
Federal
North Dakota's United States Senators are John Hoeven (North Dakota Republican Party, R) and Kevin Cramer (R). The state has one at-large North Dakota's At-large congressional district, congressional district represented by United States House of Representatives, Representative Kelly Armstrong (North Dakota Republican Party, R).
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
Grand Forks is the third-largest city in the state of North Dakota (after Fargo and Bismarck) and the county seat of Grand Forks County. According to the 2020 census, the city's population was 59,166. Grand Forks, along with its twin city o ...
, and
Minot
Minot ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Ward County, North Dakota, United States, in the state's north-central region. It is most widely known for the Air Force base approximately north of the city. With a population of 48,377 at the 20 ...
. Appeals are heard by the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals based in St. Louis, Missouri.
Politics
MIT's Election Performance Index ranked North Dakota #1 in overall election administration policy and performance in the 2018, 2014, 2012, 2010, and 2008 elections.
![United States presidential election in North Dakota, 2016](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ce/United_States_presidential_election_in_North_Dakota%2C_2016.svg)
The major political parties in North Dakota are the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party, Democratic-NPL and the North Dakota Republican Party, Republican Party. , the Constitution Party (United States), Constitution Party and the Libertarian Party (United States), Libertarian Party are also organized parties in the state.
At the state level, the Governor of North Dakota, 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 by a considerable margin; in 2020 United States presidential election in North Dakota, 2020, Donald Trump won over 65% of the vote. Of all the Democratic presidential candidates since 1892, only
Grover Cleveland
Stephen Grover Cleveland (March 18, 1837June 24, 1908) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 22nd and 24th president of the United States from 1885 to 1889 and from 1893 to 1897. Cleveland is the only president in American ...
(1892, one of three votes), Woodrow Wilson (1912 and 1916), Franklin D. Roosevelt (1932 and 1936), and Lyndon B. Johnson (1964) received Electoral College (United States), Electoral College votes from North Dakota.
On the other hand, Dem-NPL candidates for North Dakota's federal Senate and House seats won every election between 1982 and 2008, and the state's federal delegation was entirely Democratic from 1987 to 2011. However, both of the current U.S. senators, John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer, are Republicans, as is the sole House member, Kelly Armstrong.
State taxes
North Dakota has a slightly progressive tax, progressive income tax structure; the five brackets of state income tax rates are 1.1%, 2.04%, 2.27%, 2.64%, and 2.90% as of 2017. In 2005 North Dakota ranked 22nd highest by per capita 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, 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. Owners of real property in North Dakota pay property tax to their county, municipality, school district, and special taxing districts.
The Tax Foundation ranks North Dakota as the state with the 20th most "business friendly" tax climate in the nation.
Tax Freedom Day arrives on April 1, 10 days earlier than the national Tax Freedom Day.
In 2006, North Dakota was the state with the lowest number of returns filed by taxpayers with an adjusted gross income of over $1M—only 333.
IRS—Tax Stats at a Glance
Notable people
* Lynn Anderson, country music singer.
* Sam Anderson, actor.
* Carmen Berg, Playboy Playmate, July 1987.
* Brian Bohrer, minister and author.
* Paula Broadwell, American writer, academic and former military officer
* James Buchli, former NASA astronaut.
* Quentin Burdick, former U.S. Senator, third longest-serving Senator among current members of this body.
* Warren Christopher, former U.S. Secretary of State, diplomat and lawyer.
* Shannon Curfman, American blues-rock guitarist and singer.
* Angie Dickinson, Golden Globe-winning television and film actress.
* Josh Duhamel, Emmy Award-winning actor and former male fashion model.
* Carl Ben Eielson, aviator, bush pilot and explorer.
* CariDee English, winner of Cycle 7 on ''America's Next Top Model''. Host of ''Pretty Wicked''.
* Louise Erdrich, Native American author of novels, poetry, and children's books.
* Darin Erstad, MLB all-star and World Series Champion.
* Travis Hafner, Former MLB Designated Hitter for the Cleveland Indians.
* Richard Hieb, former NASA astronaut.
* Clint Hill (Secret Service), Clint Hill, United States Secret Service agent who was in the presidential motorcade during the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
* Virgil Hill, former WBA World Cruiserweight champion and Olympic boxer.
* Phil Jackson, former basketball coach who won 11 NBA championships in his coaching career.
* David C. Jones, 9th chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff.
* Gordon Kahl, tax protester best known for the Medina shootout in 1983.
* Chuck Klosterman, writer, journalist, critic, humorist, and essayist whose work often focuses on popular culture, pop culture.
* Louis L'Amour, author of primarily Western fiction.
* Jonny Lang, Grammy Award, Grammy-winning blues guitarist and singer.
* Peggy Lee, jazz and traditional pop singer and songwriter.
* Nicole Linkletter, winner of Cycle 5 on "America's Next Top Model".
* Kellan Lutz, actor who portrays Emmett Cullen in ''Twilight (2008 film), Twilight'' and ''New Moon (2009 film), New Moon''. Former male fashion model.
* Roger Maris, right fielder in Major League Baseball and former single season home run record holder.
* Connor McGovern (American football, born 1993), Connor McGovern, professional football player for the Denver Broncos and the New York Jets.
* Cara Mund, Miss America 2018.
* Thomas McGrath (poet), Thomas McGrath, poet and political activist.
* Michael H. Miller, 61st Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy
* Griffin Neal, professional football player for the New Orleans Saints.
* Mancur Olson, economist.
* Alan Ritchson, participant in 3rd season of ''American Idol'', singer, model and actor.
* Sacagawea, Sakakawea, who joined Lewis and Clark on their expedition.
* Ed Schultz, host of ''The Ed Schultz Show''.
* Eric Sevareid, CBS news journalist.
* Ann Sothern, Academy Awards, Oscar nominated film and television actress.
* Richard St. Clair, Harvard-educated composer of modern classical music.
* Shadoe Stevens, host of ''American Top 40''.
* Bobby Vee, pop music singer.
* Lawrence Welk, musician, accordion player, bandleader, and television impresario.
* Carson Wentz, professional football player for the Indianapolis Colts.
See also
* Index of North Dakota-related articles
* Outline of North Dakota
* ''''
* ''''
References
Bibliography
* Arends, Shirley Fischer. ''The Central Dakota Germans: Their History, Language, and Culture.'' (1989). 289 pp.
* Berg, Francie M., ed. ''Ethnic Heritage in North Dakota.'' (1983). 174 pp.
* Blackorby, Edward C. ''Prairie Rebel: The Public Life of William Lemke'' (1963), a radical leader in 1930
online edition
* Collins, Michael L. ''That Damned Cowboy: Theodore Roosevelt and the American West, 1883–1898'' (1989).
* Cooper, Jerry and Smith, Glen. ''Citizens as Soldiers: A History of the North Dakota National Guard.'' (1986). 447 pp.
* Crawford, Lewis F. ''History of North Dakota'' (3 vol 1931), excellent history in vol 1; biographies in vol. 2–3
* Danbom, David B. ''"Our Purpose Is to Serve": The First Century of the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station.'' (1990). 237 pp.
* Eisenberg, C. G. ''History of the First Dakota-District of the Evangelical-Lutheran Synod of Iowa and the Other States.'' (1982). 268 pp.
* Ginsburg, Faye D. ''Contested Lives: The Abortion Debate in an American Community'' (1989). 315 pp. the issue in Fargo
* Hargreaves, Mary W. M. ''Dry Farming in the Northern Great Plains: Years of Readjustment, 1920–1990.'' (1993). 386 pp.
* Howard, Thomas W., ed. ''The North Dakota Political Tradition.'' (1981). 220 pp.
* Hudson, John C. ''Plains Country Towns.'' (1985). 189 pp. geographer studies small towns
* Junker, Rozanne Enerson. ''The Bank of North Dakota: An Experiment in State Ownership.'' (1989). 185 pp.
* Lamar, Howard R. ''Dakota Territory, 1861–1889: A Study of Frontier Politics'' (1956).
* Lounsberry, Clement A. ''Early history of North Dakota'' (1919) excellent history by an editor of ''Bismarck Tribune''; 645p
online edition
* Lysengen, Janet Daley and Rathke, Ann M., eds. ''The Centennial Anthology of "North Dakota History: Journal of the Northern Plains"'' (1996). 526 pp. articles from state history journal covering all major topics in the state's history
* Morlan, Robert L. ''Political Prairie Fire: The Nonpartisan League, 1915–1922.'' (1955). 414 pp. NPL comes to power briefly
* Peirce, Neal R. ''The Great Plains States of America: People, Politics, and Power in the Nine Great Plains States'' (1973
excerpt and text ssearch
chapter on North Dakota
* Robinson, Elwyn B., D. Jerome Tweton, and David B. Danbom. ''History of North Dakota'' (2nd ed. 1995) standard history, by leading scholars; extensive bibliography
** Robinson, Elwyn B. ''History of North Dakota'' (1966
First edition online
* Schneider, Mary Jane. ''North Dakota Indians: An Introduction.'' (1986). 276 pp.
* Sherman, William C. and Thorson, Playford V., eds. ''Plains Folk: North Dakota's Ethnic History.'' (1988). 419 pp.
* Sherman, William C. ''Prairie Mosaic: An Ethnic Atlas of Rural North Dakota.'' (1983). 152 pp.
* Smith, Glen H. ''Langer of North Dakota: A Study in Isolationism, 1940–1959.'' (1979). 238 pp. biography of influential conservative Senator
* Snortland, J. Signe, ed. ''A Traveler's Companion to North Dakota State Historic Sites.'' (1996). 155 pp.
* Stock, Catherine McNicol. ''Main Street in Crisis: The Great Depression and the Old Middle Class on the Northern Plains.'' (1992). 305pp
online edition
* Tauxe, Caroline S. ''Farms, Mines and Main Streets: Uneven Development in a Dakota County.'' (1993). 276 pp. coal and grain in Mercer County
* Tweton, D. Jerome and Jelliff, Theodore B. ''North Dakota: The Heritage of a People.'' (1976). 242 pp. textbook history
* Wilkins, Robert P. and Wilkins, Wynona Hachette. ''North Dakota: A Bicentennial History.'' (1977) 218 pp. popular history
* David J. Wishart, Wishart, David J. ed. ''Encyclopedia of the Great Plains'', University of Nebraska Press, 2004,
complete text online
900 pages of scholarly articles
* Young, Carrie. ''Prairie Cooks: Glorified Rice, Three-Day Buns, and Other Reminiscences.'' (1993). 136 pp.
Primary sources
* Benson, Bjorn; Hampsten, Elizabeth; and Sweney, Kathryn, eds. ''Day In, Day Out: Women's Lives in North Dakota.'' (1988). 326 pp.
* Maximilian, Prince of Wied. ''Travels in the Interior of North America in the rears 1832 to 1834'' (Vols. XXII-XXIV of "Early Western Travels, 1748–1846", ed. by Reuben Gold Thwaites; 1905–1906). Maximilian spent the winter of 1833–1834 at Fort Clark.
* the University of North Dakota, Bureau of Governmental Affairs, ed., ''A Compilation of North Dakota Political Party Platforms, 1884–1978.'' (1979). 388 pp.
* WPA. ''North Dakota: A Guide to the Northern Prairie State'' (2nd ed. 1950), the classic guid
online edition
External links
*
USGS real-time, geographic, and other scientific resources of North Dakota
North Dakota State Guide, from the Library of Congress
North Dakota State Facts
United States Department of Agriculture, USDA
NETSTATE Geography
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{{coord, 47, -100, dim:300000_region:US-ND_type:adm1st, name=State of North Dakota, display=title
North Dakota,
1889 establishments in the United States
Midwestern United States
States and territories established in 1889
States of the United States
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Contiguous United States