North Dakota

North Dakota is a  located in the  and  regions of the. The 19th largest state by area in the U.S., it is the 48th most populous, with just over 640,000 residents as of 2006. North Dakota was carved out of the northern half of the and admitted to the Union as the 39th state on,.

The flows through the western part of the state and forms  behind the. The western half of the state is hilly and contains coal and. In the east, the forms the, holding fertile farmland. Agriculture has long dominated the economy and culture of North Dakota.

The state capital is and the largest city in the state is. The primary public universities are located in and Fargo. The operates bases at both  and Grand Forks.

Geography
North Dakota is considered to be in the U.S. regions known as the and the. The state shares the with  on the east;  is to the south,  is to the west, and the  s of  and  are north. With 70762 sqmi, North Dakota is the 19th largest state.

The western half of the state consists of the hilly, and the northern part of the to the west of the. The state's high point, at 3506 ft, and  are located in the Badlands. The region is abundant in s including and  coal. The forms, the third largest man-made lake in the , behind the.

The central region of the state is divided into the and the. This area is covered in s,, and rolling hills. The are located along the  border. The geographic center of the n continent is located near the city of.

The eastern part of the state consists of the flat, the bottom of glacial. Its fertile soil, drained by the meandering flowing northward into, supports a large  industry. , the largest natural lake in the state, is also found in the east.

Climate
North Dakota endures temperature extremes characteristic of its ; with cold winters and hot summers, the record high and low span 181 °F. Meteorological events include, , , , s, , , and high-velocity. Depending on location, average annual precipitation ranges from 14 in (35.6 cm) to 22 in (55.9 cm).

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

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

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

The corruption in the early territorial and state governments led to a wave of populism led by the brought social reforms in the early. The original burned to the ground on, , and was replaced by a  faced   that still stands today.

A round of federal construction projects began in the including the, and the  and   bases. There was a boom in oil exploration in western North Dakota in the, as rising prices made development profitable.

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

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

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

Race and ancestry
Most North Dakotans are of an descent. The five largest ancestry groups in North Dakota are: (43.9%),  (30.1%),  (7.7%),  (5%),  (5%).

2.47% of the population aged 5 and over speak at home, while 1.37% speak, according to the.

The state's racial composition in 2005 was:


 * 92.3% (non-Hispanic);
 * 5.3% /;
 * 1.6%, a category that includes people of many races;
 * 0.1% /;
 * 0.1% (non-Hispanic);
 * 0.1%.

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

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

Fine and performing arts
North Dakota's major museums and venues include the, , the , , and the. The, , and  are full-time professional s that perform concerts and offer educational programs to the community.

Entertainment
North Dakotan musicians of many genres include ,  singer ,  and  singer and songwriter ,  leader , and. is known around the country as the host of show ', and  hosted ' from  to. is an -winning actor known for his roles in ' and '. and were winning contestants of  and, respectively, of .

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

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

traditions are practiced by the Native American population of North Dakota, especially on s. s and traditional Native American dancing are found across the state.

Outdoor activities such as and  are hobbies for many North Dakotans. and are also popular during the winter months. Residents of North Dakota may own or visit a along a lake. Popular sport fish include, , and.

Economy


Agriculture is the largest industry in North Dakota, although and  are also major industries. The economy of North Dakota had a of $24 billion in 2005. The in 2006 was $33,034, ranked 29th in the nation. The three-year from 2002-2004 was $39,594, ranking 37 in the U.S.. North Dakota is also the only state with a bank, the  in, and a state owned , the  in.

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

State owned facilities
The and  are the only  facilities of their type in the nation.

Energy
Coal mines generate 93% of the North Dakota electricity. Oil was discovered near in, generating 53 million barrels of oil a year by. Western North Dakota is currently in an oil boom, and the oil reserves may hold up to 400 billion barrels of oil, 25 times larger than the reserves in the.

State taxes
North Dakota has a slightly structure; the five brackets of state  rates are 2.1%, 3.92% 4.34%, 5.04%, and 5.54% as of 2004. North Dakota is ranked as the 21st highest in the nation for per capita total state taxes. The 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. are levied on the purchase price or market value of aircraft registered in North Dakota. The state imposes a on items purchased elsewhere but used within North Dakota. Owners of in Minnesota pay  to their county, municipality, school district, and special taxing districts.

Transportation
Transportation in North Dakota is overseen by the. The major are  and, with I-29 and I-94 meeting at , and I-29 going north-south along the eastern edge of the state. The largest rail systems in the state are operated by and the. Many branch lines formerly used by BNSF and Canadian Pacific Railway are now operated by the and the.

North Dakota's principal airports are the (FAR) in Fargo,  (GFK), and the  (MOT).

runs through North Dakota, making stops at, , , and four other stations. It is the descendant of the famous line of the same name run by the, which was built by the tycoon and ran from  to. Intercity bus service is provided by and. in North Dakota is currently limited to systems in the larger cities.

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

Executive
The executive branch is headed by the. The current governor is, a whose first term began , , and who was re-elected in 2004. The current is, who is also the. The offices of governor and lieutenant governor have four-year terms. The governor has a consisting of the leaders of various state government agencies, called commissioners. The other elected constitutional offices are, , and.

Legislative
The is a  body consisting of the  and the. The state has 47 districts. Each district has one senator and two representatives. Senators serve for four years and representatives for two years. The state's legal code is named the.

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

Regional
There are three, one , and one  in North Dakota. These communities are self-governing.

Federal
North Dakota's two s are Democrats and. The state has one  represented by Democrat.

Federal court cases are heard in the, which holds court in , , , and. Appeals are heard by the based in.

Politics
The major political parties in North Dakota are the and the. North Dakota does have some, but aside from Presidential nominations, none have fielded state office candidates for some time.

At the state level, the 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.

The Republican Party presidential candidate usually carries the state; in 2004,  won with 62.9% of the vote. Of all the Democratic presidential candidates since 1892, only, , , and received  votes from North Dakota.

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

Cities and towns
, located in south-central North Dakota along the banks of the, has been North Dakota's since 1883, first as capital of the , and then as state capital since 1889.

North Dakota's most populous city is. The state has four cities with populations above thirty thousand (based on 2005 estimates). In descending order they are, , , and. While North Dakota's population has seen a gradual decline, the urban centers have seen growth.

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

Higher education
The state has 11 public colleges and universities, five tribal community colleges, and four private schools. The largest institutions are the and.

The higher education system consists of the following institutions:

 (Public schools):
 * in
 * in
 * in
 * in
 * in
 * in
 * in
 * in
 * in
 * in
 * in

Tribal colleges:
 * in
 * in
 * in
 * in
 * in

Private schools:
 * in and
 * in
 * in
 * in

State symbols

 * , Sturnella neglecta
 * , Esox lucius
 * , Rosa arkansana
 * , Ulmus americana
 * , Pascopyrum smithii (Rydb.) A. Löve
 * s: Roughrider State, Flickertail State, Peace Garden State
 * s:
 * () Liberty and Union, Now and Forever, One and Inseparable
 * () Strength from the Soil
 * State march:
 * State beverage:
 * State art museum:
 * State license plate: see the different types over time
 * State march:
 * State beverage:
 * State art museum:
 * State license plate: see the different types over time
 * State license plate: see the different types over time

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

Media
North Dakota's s are -, (119th largest nationally), making up the eastern half of the state, and - (158th), making up the western half of the state. (PPTV) is a statewide public television network affiliated with.

in North Dakota started on, , when KCJB-TV (now ) in Minot began broadcasting. There are currently broadcast stations and 18  channels broadcast over North Dakota.

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

is a statewide radio network affiliated with. The state's oldest radio station,, was launched on ,. The owned station is still on the air, and currently broadcasts a  format.

Attractions
Major events
 * -
 * - Fargo
 * -
 * -
 * - Minot
 * -

Museums
 * - West Fargo
 * -
 * - Minot
 * -
 * - Williston
 * - Bismarck
 * - Washburn
 * - Grand Forks
 * - Pembina
 * - Fargo
 * - Fargo

Arenas
 * - Grand Forks
 * - Minot
 * - Grand Forks
 * - Bismarck
 * - Fargo
 * - Grand Forks
 * - Fargo
 * - Fargo
 * - Minot
 * - Grand Forks

Golf courses


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

Casinos
 * - near
 * - near
 * - near
 * - near
 * - near

Various attractions
 * -
 * - near
 * -
 * -
 * - Fargo
 * - near

Notable North Dakotans

 * former.
 * former.
 * diplomat and lawyer.
 * -winning and.
 * -winning actor and former male fashion model
 * was an, and.
 * a author of, , and.
 * a fighter.
 * a, , , , and whose work often focuses on.
 * a author of primarily.
 * a   and.
 * a and  singer and songwriter.
 * an in.
 * a woman
 * a news journalist.
 * the host of.
 * an
 * was the host of.
 * a, player, , and.
 * an American singer.