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Minnesota, nicknamed the "North Star State" and the "Land of 10,000 Lakes", is located in the Midwestern United States. Its name comes from the Dakota word "Mnisota" meaning "sky-tinted water". Minnesota was admitted as the 32nd U.S. state on May 11, 1858. It has a population of over 5.7 million residents. The capital and largest city is St. Paul, while the most populous city is Minneapolis. Other major cities include Duluth, Rochester, and Bloomington.

History of Minnesota

Minnesota has been inhabited by Native American tribes such as the Dakota and Ojibwe for thousands of years. French explorers arrived in the 17th century establishing fur trading posts. The land was acquired by the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Minnesota became a U.S. territory in 1849 and became the 32nd state on May 11, 1858. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, immigrants from Scandinavia, Germany, and Central Europe settled in Minnesota. Logging and farming drove the early economy. Minnesota contributed over 130,000 soldiers to fight in the American Civil War. Major industries today include technology, healthcare, finance, manufacturing, and tourism.

Geography and Climate

Minnesota is the 12th largest U.S. state in area, covering 86,939 square miles. It shares borders with North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin, and the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario. Minnesota has a varied landscape including prairie grasslands, deciduous forests, and coniferous forests. It has over 11,000 lakes and more shoreline than California, Florida, and Hawaii combined. The state's nickname "Land of 10,000 Lakes" is an underestimate of the actual number. Prominent rivers include the Mississippi, Minnesota, and St. Croix Rivers. The Lake Superior shoreline runs northeast through Duluth. The state's highest point is Eagle Mountain at 2,301 feet above sea level.

Minnesota has a typical continental climate with cold snowy winters and warm humid summers. The state can experience extremes of heat and cold. Average highs in July statewide are around 83°F (28°C) while average lows in January are 1°F (-17°C). Minnesota gets significant snowfall averaging over 40 inches per year in the Twin Cities and over 80 inches in the Arrowhead region.

Major Cities and Regions

Minnesota has several distinct regions:

• Twin Cities (Minneapolis-Saint Paul) - This metropolitan area in east central Minnesota is home to over 3.6 million residents. Minneapolis is the state's most populous city and Saint Paul is the state capital. The area is a major business and economic hub with headquarters for many Fortune 500 companies. It is known for its arts and theater scene.
• North Shore - The scenic North Shore runs along Lake Superior from Duluth to the Canadian border. It is popular for outdoor recreation and contains several state parks.
• Southern Minnesota - This agricultural region has fertile farmland, rolling hills, forests, and rivers. Rochester is a major city and home to the Mayo Clinic.
• Central Minnesota - This region has lakes, prairies, and deciduous forests. St. Cloud is a regional hub.
• Northwest Minnesota - Located on the edges of the Great Plains, this rural region depends on agriculture. Moorhead and Bemidji are college towns.
• Arrowhead Region - Named for its shape, this far northern area includes Duluth, the Boundary Waters, and Iron Range mining communities.

Major Cities

Here are some of the major cities and metro areas in Minnesota:

• Minneapolis - The state's largest city with a population of 429,954. Minneapolis is known for its arts, lakes, parks, and nightlife. Major attractions include the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis Institute of Art, Chain of Lakes, and Mill City Museum. The city hosts several sports teams including the Minnesota Vikings (NFL), Minnesota Twins (MLB), Minnesota Timberwolves (NBA), Minnesota Wild (NHL), and Minnesota United FC (MLS).
• Saint Paul - The state capital and second largest city with 308,096 residents. Saint Paul hosts the Minnesota State Capitol building, Cathedral of Saint Paul, Como Park Zoo and Conservatory, and Science Museum of Minnesota.
• Duluth - A port city on Lake Superior with a population of 86,239. Duluth has a thriving arts scene and is a gateway to the North Shore recreation areas. Attractions include the Great Lakes Aquarium, the Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge, and Canal Park.
• Rochester - Home of the world-renowned Mayo Clinic, Rochester has 118,090 residents. The city has a robust economy based on healthcare and technology.
• Bloomington - A major suburb of Minneapolis with a population of 82,893. It is home to Mall of America, the largest shopping mall in the U.S.

Economy

Minnesota has a prosperous and diverse economy with a GDP of over $389 billion. Major industries include:

• Technology - Home to many large and startup tech companies including Cray, Medtronic, and Optum.
• Healthcare - Major employers like Mayo Clinic, UnitedHealth Group, Fairview Health Services.
• Retail - Leading companies based in Minnesota include Target, Best Buy, 3M, General Mills, Land O'Lakes.
• Finance - Wells Fargo, U.S. Bancorp, Ameriprise Financial, and Thrivent Financial have major operations.
• Manufacturing - Producing machinery, computers, electronics, medical devices, plastics, etc.
• Mining - Especially iron ore mining in the north. Also sand, gravel, and limestone.
• Agriculture - Corn, soybeans, turkeys, hogs, milk, eggs, sweet corn are major outputs.
• Logging - Paper and wood product manufacturing using the state's forests.

The Twin Cities metropolitan area accounts for over 60% of Minnesota's economic output. The state generally ranks highly on measures of household income, education, and quality of life.

For more on Minnesota's economy visit the Minnesota DEED website.

Attractions and Landmarks

Here are some top attractions and landmarks in Minnesota:

• Mall of America - The largest shopping mall in the U.S. located in Bloomington. It has over 520 stores, 60 restaurants, an aquarium, amusement park, and more. Website
• Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness - Over one million acres of pristine northern wilderness perfect for camping, hiking, and canoeing. Website
• Minnehaha Falls - Scenic 53-foot waterfall and park near Minneapolis. Website
  Address: 4801 Minnehaha Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55417
  GPS: 44°52'44.6"N 93°15'15.8"W
• North Shore - Iconic Lake Superior scenic drive with state parks, waterfalls, and hiking. Website
• Mayo Clinic - World-renowned hospital and medical research center in Rochester. Website
  Address: 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905
  Phone: (507) 284-2511
• U.S. Bank Stadium - Home stadium of the Minnesota Vikings NFL team in Minneapolis. Website
  Address: 401 Chicago Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55415
  GPS: 44°58'23.6"N 93°15'47.6"W

State Resources

Here are some key state government resources:

• State Government Website: mn.gov
• Tourism Website: Explore Minnesota
• State Capitol Address:
  75 Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, St Paul, MN 55155
  Phone: (651) 296-6196
• State Parks Website: Minnesota DNR State Parks
• State Fair Website: Minnesota State Fair
• State Economy Info: MN DEED Economic Data
• State Facebook Page: Minnesota State Government Facebook

Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings are the state's NFL football team. The Vikings played in four Super Bowls in 1969, 1973, 1974 and 1976, but lost them all. They have yet to win a Super Bowl in franchise history. The Vikings played at the outdoor Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 before moving indoors to the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. In 2016, the Vikings moved to the new U.S. Bank Stadium.

For more on the team, visit the Minnesota Vikings website.

Education

Minnesota has over 500 public school districts educating over 850,000 K-12 students. The largest district in the state is Anoka-Hennepin Schools serving over 38,000 students. Other large districts are Minneapolis Public Schools, Saint Paul Public Schools, and Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools.

Major colleges and universities include:

• University of Minnesota - Twin Cities - Public university in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
• University of St. Thomas - Private Catholic university in St. Paul.
• Minnesota State University - Mankato - Public university in Mankato.
• St. Cloud State University - Public university in St. Cloud.
• Winona State University - Public university in Winona.

Transportation

Minnesota has an extensive transportation network:

• Airports - Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) is a major Delta Airlines hub. Regional airports serve Duluth, Rochester, Bemidji, Thief River Falls, Brainerd, and more cities.
• Highways - Interstates 35, 90, and 94 are the major expressways in the Twin Cities metro area.
• Public Transit - Metro Transit provides bus and light rail service in the Twin Cities. Duluth also has bus service.
• Rail - Amtrak provides passenger rail service to Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Red Wing, Winona, and other cities. There is also commuter rail service.

Local Resources

Here are some additional local resources in Minnesota:

• Hennepin County Library - Public library system for Hennepin County and Minneapolis.
  Address: 300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55401
• Minnesota Historical Society - Operates historic sites and museums across the state.
  Address: 345 W Kellogg Blvd, St Paul, MN 55102
• Minnesota Opera - Opera company based in Minneapolis.
  Address: 620 N 1st St, Minneapolis, MN 55401
• Science Museum of Minnesota - Science and technology museum in Saint Paul.
  Address: 120 W Kellogg Blvd, St Paul, MN 55102

County Information

Minnesota has 87 counties. The largest county by population is Hennepin County where Minneapolis is located. Other major counties include Ramsey County (Saint Paul), Dakota County, Anoka County, and Washington County in the Twin Cities metropolitan area.

Hennepin County government website: hennepin.us
Address: A-2303 Government Center, 300 South Sixth Street, Minneapolis, MN 55487

Map of Minnesota

Top 10 Most Populous Cities in Minnesota

Minneapolis

Saint Paul

Rochester

Duluth

Bloomington

Brooklyn Park

Plymouth

Woodbury

St. Cloud

Eagan

Apple Valley

Coon Rapids