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Minnesota Facts

Minnesota Facts
The State of Minnesota is located in the mid-western United States. It shares state borders with Iowa, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Minnesota shares an international border with Canada's provinces of Ontario and Manitoba. Minnesota is the 12th largest state with 86,939 square miles. It is the 21st most populated state with approximately 5,420,380 residents, and is ranked the 31st most densely populated. Prior to European settlement, Minnesota's region was inhabited by Dakota Native people. The first Europeans to arrive were French fur traders, in the 1600s. Struggle for control of the area's land resulted in the deaths of many Natives and settlers and eventually the region became Minnesota Territory. Minnesota joined the Union in 1858, becoming the 32nd U.S. state.
Interesting Minnesota Facts:
Minnesota's name is derived from a Dakota Indian word Minisota which means 'sky-tinted blue' or 'sky water' or 'cloudy water' and was in reference to Minnesota River.
Minnesota's state nicknames are the 'Gopher State' or the 'North Star State' or the 'Land of 10,000 Lakes'.
Minnesota's state motto is 'L'Etoile du Nord' which means the 'Star of the North'.
Minnesota's state song is 'Hail Minnesota'.
Minnesota residents are called Minnesotans.
St. Paul is Minnesota's capital city and its largest city is Minneapolis.
Minnesota has 87 counties, 72 state parks, and 58 state forests that total almost 4 million acres.
Major rivers in Minnesota include the St. Croix River, Red River of the North, Rainy River, Mississippi River and Minnesota River.
Major lakes in Minnesota include Lake Pepin, Winnibigoshish Lake, Leech Lake, Lake Superior, Lake of the Woods, Rainy Lake, Vermillion Lake, Mille Lacs Lake, Lower Red Lake and Upper Red Lake.
Minnesota's major agriculture includes soybeans, sugar beets, wheat, dairy, and corn. The state beverage is milk and the state muffin is the blueberry muffin.
Minnesota's major industry includes mining and pulp and paper.
The state bird is the common loon, the state insect is the Monarch butterfly, and the state fish is the walleye.
Minnesota's state flower is the pink and white lady's slipper.
The state tree is the Norway pine and the state mushroom is the Morel.
Bloomington, Minnesota is home to The Mall of America. The mall encompasses 9.5 million square feet and is equal to the size of 78 football fields.
The Old Log Theater in Minneapolis is the oldest continuously-running theater in the United States.
St. Paul was originally called Pig's Eye, named after a French-Canadian whiskey trader named Pierre 'Pig's Eye' Parrant.
It is possible to live in Minneapolis' downtown without having to go outside. Its skyway system connects 52 downtown blocks so residents can work, shop, go out for dinner and live there without stepping outside.
Minnesota has more shoreline than Hawaii, Florida and California combined, approximately 90,000 miles.
The invention of the stapler took place in Spring Valley, Minnesota.
Tonka Trucks were not only developed in Minnetonka, but they continue to be manufactured there.
Laura Ingalls Wilder, the author of the Little House on the Prairie novels, lived near Walnut Grove, Minnesota.


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