Portal:North Dakota/Intro
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
North Dakota is a state in the western and midwestern regions of the United States. It is the northernmost of the Great Plains states, and the northern half of the Dakotas. Formerly part of the Dakota Territory (named after the Dakotah tribe of the Sioux nation), North Dakota became a state in 1889.
North Dakota has the third lowest population of any state (636,677 people); only Vermont and Wyoming have a lower population. Only Alaska, Wyoming, and Montana have a lower population density than North Dakota's 9.3 people per square mile. North Dakota ranks as 19th in U.S. states by area (70,700 square miles), 17th by land mass (68,976 square miles), and 22nd by water mass (1,724 square miles).
North Dakota is primarily an agricultural state, leading the country in the growth and production of several crops. Barley, canola, corn, flax, soybeans, sugar beets, sunflowers, and wheat are among the crops that are found in the state. Cattle ranching and dairy ranching is common, mainly in the south. There is also a modest domestic winery industry in the state.
The capitol of North Dakota is Bismarck, located in the south-central portion of the state. After Fargo/West Fargo, Bismarck/Mandan is also the most populous city, followed by Grand Forks, Minot, Dickinson, and Jamestown.
North Dakota also boasts the geographic center of North America, located just south of Rugby.
