Minnesota is the largest state by land area in the Midwestern United States and is in the sub-region known as the Upper Midwest. The most significant metropolitan area is known as the Twin Cities, which contains more than half the state's population. The Twin Cities refer to the state's most populous cities, Minneapolis and the capital of Saint Paul, along with multiple "rings" of suburbs.

The state is a major food producer for the country, and has a number of natural resources that have been greatly exploited in the last two centuries.

The USS Minnesota was named in honor of this state, as was the SS Gopher State. Other nicknames for the state include Land of 10,000 Lakes and the North Star State.

History
Main article: History of Minnesota

History prior to joining the United States
Before European colonization, the area now known as Minnesota was inhabited by Native Americans, in particular the Ojibwe (Chippewa, Anishinaabe) and Dakota, although the Winnebago also had a presence in the southeastern part of the state. In this time, the economy originally consisted of hunter-gatherer activities, which changed over time as Europeans settled in the area and further exploited the state's natural resources.

According to local tradition, the first European visitors were Swedish and Norwegian Vikings in the 14th century. The evidence for this is largely based on the controversial Kensington Runestone, which many historians consider to be an elaborate hoax. Some say that the earliest European settlement was in the area of the current city of Stillwater, on the St. Croix River, though many histories focus on the military settlement that took place farther west. Fort Snelling, located at the confluence of the Minnesota River and the Mississippi River, was one of the earliest U.S. military presences in the state. It is now a historic site.

Joining the United States
Much of the state was purchased from France as part of the Louisiana Purchase, although the exact definition of that land was not assessed for many years afterward. Parts were also considered to be in the Northwest Territory.

Minnesota Territory was carved out of Iowa Territory on March 3, 1849, but it was not coextensive with the present state, since the area included what later became the territory of Dakota (which later still became the states of North Dakota and South Dakota). The eastern half of the territory of Minnesota became the country's 32nd state—after California—on May 11, 1858.

Culture
Stereotypical Minnesotans are known for various attributes, including Lutheranism, "Minnesota nice," "hot dish (a Minnesotan term for casserole)," lutefisk (a pungent fish from a Norwegian recipe that includes soaking in lye as a fish preservative), very close family ties, a strong sense of community and shared culture with many other Minnesotans instead of just with one's town or city, Minnesota's rather unique form of Upper Midwest American English, and a distinctive upper Midwestern accent. However, due to the increase of migrants from throughout the United States (many originating from the West Coast and the Chicago metropolitan area ) and the rise of immigration of the Hmong, Somali, Liberians, Kenyans, and Latin Americans (mostly Mexicans), many cultures in the state are slowly blending together and slowing changing the culture of the state similar to what European immigrants to Minnesota had done in the mid 19th Century to early 20th Century . Native Americans have a moderate presence in Minnesota, and some tribes operate casinos which have been said to be among the most profitable in the country. The earliest European exploration and settlement was by the French, and settlement from Scandinavian countries along with Germany followed. The Métis people, a mixed French and Native American culture, were a presence in the early state and territorial days, but largely moved north into Canada. Minnesota is not strongly associated with any particular food, though in recent years dishes like wild rice sausage have come from the state and more will undoubtedly follow as Minnesotan chefs seek to define their home in the culinary world.

Modern immigrants have come from all over the world in recent decades, with Hmong, Somali, Vietnamese, Indians, Middle Easterners, and the former Soviet bloc all being well-represented. Some Chinese and Japanese have had long presences in the state as well. Mexicans are a growing force, as they are across the U.S. Many modern immigrants are attracted by the state's historically strong commitments toward education and social services.

Outdoor activities are major parts of the lives of many Minnesotans, including hunting and fishing. Unique activities include ice fishing, which was popular with the early Scandinavian immigrants. Families frequently own or share cabins on central and northern tracts of land in forests and adjoining lakes, and weekend trips out to these properties are common. A concern for environmentalism is shared by most state residents in one form or another, vegans and hunters alike. As with other northwoods states (such as Wisconsin and Michigan), residents like to joke that the mosquito is the state bird. The state bird is actually the common loon (Gavia immer, also called the Great northern diver), whose distinctive cry can often be heard by campers in the northern part of the state and can even on occasion be found as far south as Minneapolis.

Minnesota is known for active yet quirky politics, with populism being a long-standing force among all of the political parties that call the state home. Minnesota politics include such oddities as a professional wrestler turned governor and a protestor turned crowd-surfing mayor. 77.3% of eligible Minnesotans voted in the 2004 U.S. presidential election, the highest of any U.S. state. Political conservatism is less strongly linked to church attendance in Minnesota than in other parts of the country, perhaps a reflection of the strong mainline Protestant and Roman Catholic following.

Law and government
Like the national government of the United States, power is divided into three main branches: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial.

The executive branch is headed by the governor, currently Tim Pawlenty, a Republican, whose term began 6 January, 2003. The governor and lieutenant governor each have four-year terms. He has a cabinet consisting of the leaders of various government agencies in the state, called commissioners. The full list of governors, and the dates they took office, is available at List of Governors of Minnesota.

The Minnesota Legislature is a bicameral body consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The state has 67 districts, each covering about 60,000 people. Each district has one senator and two representatives (each district being divided into A and B subsections). Senators serve for four years, and representatives serve for two years. In the November 2004 election, the Republican Party retained control of the Minnesota House of Representatives by a single seat, having lost a total of 13 seats. The Minnesota Senate is controlled by the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL) by five seats and there is one Independence Party state senator, former Republican Sheila Kiscaden (IP-Rochester) who caucuses with the DFL.

As a result of its strong liberal and populist political culture, Minnesota has voted for Democrats for president longer than any other state (excluding the District of Columbia), since 1976. Minnesota and the District of Columbia were the only electoral votes not won by incumbent Republican president Ronald Reagan, voting instead for Democrat and Minnesota native Walter Mondale. In 2004, John Kerry narrowly won the state's 10 electoral votes by a margin of three percentage points with 51.1% of the vote. Republican strength is greatest in southern Minnesota and the suburbs of Minneapolis, especially in the area west of the city. Democrats hold tremendous strength in Minneapolis/St. Paul proper and in rural Minnesota.

Minnesota's court system has three levels: Trial courts. The state is split into 10 judicial districts, with 257 judges. Most state cases start in the trial courts. Minnesota Court of Appeals. This body hears appeals on cases tried in the trial courts. There are 16 judges, who divide into three-judge panels to hear appeals in courts across the state. Minnesota Supreme Court. The seven justices on the Supreme Court hear appeals from the Court of Appeals, the Tax Court, and the Worker's Compensation Court. The court automatically reviews first-degree murder convictions, and settles disputes over legislative elections. The state has two special courts created by state law as executive-branch agencies: The Tax Court deals with non-criminal tax cases across the state. It has three judges appointed by the governor to six-year terms, following approval from the state Senate The Workers' Compensation Court of Appeals deals with cases involving worker injuries referred to it on appeal, or transferred from district court. It has five judges appointed by the governor to six-year terms, following approval from the state Senate

Federal cases are heard in the federal district courts in Minneapolis, St. Paul, or Duluth. Minnesota is part of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, which is based in St. Louis, Missouri. Appeals beyond this level go to the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C..

In addition to the standard city and county levels of government found in the United States, Minnesota also has other entities that provide governmental oversight and planning. Some actions in the Twin Cities metropolitan area are coordinated by the Metropolitan Council, and many lakes and rivers are overseen by watershed districts and soil and water conservation districts.

See also: List of political parties in Minnesota

External links: [http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/cco/rules/mncon/preamble.htm Hyperlinked state constitution], [http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/cco/rules/mncon/mncon.htm full text of state constitution]

Geography
See: List of Minnesota counties

Minnesota covers 79,610 square miles (2.25% of the United States). It is famous for its lakes, having in excess of 15,000, depending on the source of the count. Much of the state is flat, having been eroded during repeated glacial periods (most recently the Wisconsin Glacier). However, the extreme southeastern portion of the state is part of the Driftless Zone, which was not glaciated, and it is here that Lake Pepin and the rugged high bluffs of the Mississippi River are found. In addition, the Iron Range and other low mountains are found in the northeastern part of the state. The Minnesota portion of Lake Superior is the largest body of water in the state.

Minnesota is home to many areas of park land, to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCA), as well as a number of state and county parks, most notably Itasca State Park, the official source of the Mississippi River.

After its rivers and lakes, Minnesota's most prominent physical feature is the Iron Range. This is a range of low mountains that run across the northern part of the state. It is called the Iron Range because when discovered, it had some of the largest deposits of iron ore in the country. Although the high-grade iron ore was mostly mined out during World War II, taconite is still mined across the Iron Range.

The state is bordered on the north by Canada (Manitoba and Ontario), on the east by Wisconsin and Lake Superior, on the south by Iowa, and on the west by North Dakota and South Dakota. In addition, Minnesota shares a water boundary with Michigan. Minnesota is the northernmost of the 48 contiguous states (Alaska reaches significantly farther north), reaching to 49° 23' 04" in a north latitude, due to the little piece of the state called the Northwest Angle.

Minnesotthe sits at a convergence point between troika of the low biomes of North America: the Great Plains of the west, the Eastern Deciduous Forest, and a Northern Boreal Forest of Canada. Traversing a state from either southwest to northeast, 1 goes through the trine different ecological regions.

A capital is St. Paul, which sits on the Mississippi River next to Minnesota's largest city, Minneapolis. Together (& by owning surrounding suburban area), it is referred to as a Twin Cities. More large cities include Duluth, St. Cloud, Mankato, Rochester (home of the world-famous Mayo Clinic), and Bloomington (home to the Mall of America).

A state's typical elevation is 1,200 feet (366 m), by owning the high point at Eagle Mountain (Minnesota) (2,301 foot or even even 701 m) & a online at the surface of Flow of any stream Superior (602 ft or 183 m). Aside from either two or three super minor earthquakes, Minnesota is one of the virtually all geologically-stable regions in the united states. A large earthquake in the previous century occurred touching Morris in 1975 and rated between 4.6 & Four.Viii inside magnitude.

Temperatures may email extremes around Minnesota. the state is famously cold in the winters, by using a record online of -60 °F (-51 °C) measured at Tower, MN on February 2, 1996. Amazingly, due to the flows of the jet stream, parts of Alaska typically view comparatively warmly temperatures once Minnesota is getting extreme cold. In addition, when section of the Great Plains region, the state besides lives warmly summers. The record high of 114 °F (45.Faround °C) was reached in each 1917 and 1936. A typical temperature inside January (a coldest year) is Xi.Two °F (-Eleven.Cinque °C), & a norm in the warmly year of July is 73.One °F (Xxii.Eighter from decatur °C); norm come cooler northerly & heater to the south. A typical annual precipitation is Xxviii.32 inches (719 millimeter), by having the snow figure of 49.Sestet inches (126 cm).

Economy
A Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates that Minnesota's total state product around 2003 was $211 billion. By the capita household income around 2003 was $34,031, Tenner^th in the united states. A typical menage income within 1999 was around $48,000, ranking eighth in the united states (U.S. Census Bureau). A county averages range from either $17,369 (Todd County) to $42,313 (Hennepin County, a portion of the Metro vicinity). Generally, pay come moo within other rural areas, particularly in the north-west part of the state.

Major industries/products
A Twin Cities are home to the diverse range of major businesses, including 3M Co. (formerly Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co.), Northwest Airlines, Target Corporation, U.S. Bancorp, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans (the merged entity of the former Aid Association for Lutherans and Lutheran Brotherhood), Medtronic, Ecolab, Best Buy, Cray Computers, Imation, International Dairy Queen, Regis Corporation, General Mills and a regional headquarters of Wells Fargo & Co., Caterpillar Inc. and Honeywell. A city of Rochester is the headquarters of the Mayo Clinic, and has the important manufacturing presence within International Business Machines. A big shopping mall in the United States, the Mall of America, is located in Bloomington.

the state has been a major influence around transportation, moving products along a Mississippi Flow of any stream, within & away from the inland haven of Duluth, along railroads that crisscross the state, via highways with trucking and busing companies, & through the air by using the major airline hub. Nevertheless, fluids- & rail-borne traffic has been declining steadily across a years.

The big proportion of the state's economy is however agricultural, even though single the little percentage of the people (in the area of 2%) assume themselves to exist as farmers. In addition, northern Minnesota occurs as source for iron ore and wood products, though these are two declining industries. A agrarian community is as well strongly attached to the renewable energy market in the state.

Energy use and production
The fair total of ethanol alcohol fuel is produced in the state, and the 10% mix of ethyl alcohol into consumer gasoline has been mandated since 1997 (as of 2004, Minnesota is the sole U.S. state using such the mandate). In case production capacity meets a want, 2% biodiesel will be required around diesel fuel in 2005. Several farmers too currently work wind turbines to produce electricity, particularly in the windy southwest area. When of January 2005, the state is the united states's for-largest wind energy producer when California, Texas, and Iowa, with 615 megawatts installed and 213 MW planned [http://www.awea.org/projects/].

Rather numerous Midwestern states, Minnesota is heavy dependant on natural gas for home heating. Upright on top both-thirds of homes utilise a fuel. A state doesn't make any petroleum of its own, however boasts a big oil refinery of any non-oil-producing state, the Pine Bend Refinery. One of a yearn pipelines in a globe, the Lakehead Pipeline, also traverses northern Minnesota. Virtually all of a crude oil utilized in the state comes from either Canada & the northwestern United States.

State taxes
Minnesota is esteem a high-tax state by some. It has an income and sales tax, when well as levying revenue enhancement in the park range of goods like tobacco, gasoline, & alcohol. A state doesn't charge sales taxatiin on clothing, services (massages, haircuts, auto operate, etc), or even non-prepared food things.

Minnesota businesses & people paid an norm of Xi.8% of their income around state & local taxation around 1998, down from Dozen.7% inside 1996 (Minnesota Department of Revenue). A Gross State Product was good under $173 billion around 1999 (Northeast Midwest Institute), by having about $17.Five billion withwithin exportation in 2000.

Retail sales by a capita were $10,260 around 1997, higher than the U.S. typical of $9,190 (U.S. Census Bureau). A "retail capital" of a state is probably the Twin Cities suburbia of Roseville, which recorded $14,87By the capita (though these are easy outstripped within amount revenue by Minneapolis, St. Paul, Bloomington, & Edina).

Demographics

When of 2004, a state's people was calculated to become 5,100,958 (Single.75% of a amount national people), the people experienced increased 725,000 since 1990, or even Sixteen.6% (in comparison Xviii.5% for the united states). Sextuplet.1% of Minnesota residents come foreign-nonnative (in comparison Eleven.1% for the united states)

Virtually all of the state's people is centered in the Twin Cities metropolitan area.

Race
A racial makeup of the state: 88.2% White 3.5% Black 2.9% Hispanic 2.9% Asian 1.1% Native American 1.4% Mixed race

Ethnic groups/Ancestry groups
Minnesotans traditionally assume themselves when Nordic descent (approximately Unity.Five million people, 30% of the population, claim Danish, Finnish, Norwegian or Swedish ancestry), though more families originated in Germany (approximately Two million humans, 40% of the people). Extra than Viii away from Ten whites within Minnesota come at least partly of German or even Scandinavian descent based on data from a 2000 Nose count. Many more ancestry groups come besides present, including Scottish, British, Irish, and Polish/Slavic.

Additional recent immigrant communities include a third-largest Hmong population in a United States (from the Laos/Thailand/Vietnam region) and a 2nd big city of Hmong people around the globe (concentrated in St. Paul), & the big community of Somali refugees.

Population distribution
A people distribution by age is (Northeast Midwest Institute): 0-18 - 1,361,616 (Twenty-seven.7%) 19-34 - 1,068,850 (Twenty-one.7%) 35-64 - 1,894,747 (38.6%) 65+ - 594,266 (Xii.1%)

Religion
Virtually all Minnesotans (About Sestet inside X) come Protestants (mostly mainline Protestant), although there is as well the moderate-medium-size Roman Catholic community (about 1-for of the state people). A big Protestant denomination in the state is Lutheranism.

Around recent years, newly immigrants keep close at h& added freshly religions to Minnesota, and there are nowadays Islamic mosques, Buddhist temples, and Hindu mandirs in the state (mainly in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area), however the number of Minnesotans who adhere to non-Christian religions is still low.

Religious Affiliations inside Minnesota: Christian – 84% Protestant – 58% Lutheran – 26% Baptist – 5% Methodist – 4% Presbyterian – 3% Other Protestant – 20% Roman Catholic – 25% Other Christian – 1% Other religions – 1% Not religious/Agnostic – 15%

Education

Colleges and universities

Professional sports teams

Miscellaneous information

Symbols and emblems
State bird – Loon State butterfly – Monarch State swallow – Milk State fish – Walleye State flower – Pink and White Showy Lady Slipper State gemstone – Lake Superior Agate State grain – Wild rice Territory Shibboleth (meant) – Quae sursum volo videre ("I wish to see what is beyond") Territory Motto (actual) – Quo sursum velo videre ("I cover to see what is above" is the nighest translation) State motto – L'Étoile du Nord ("Star of the North") State muffin – Blueberry (adopted as the portiin of the school plan on how else a bill becomes law) State mushroom – Morel (sponge mushroom; honeycomb morel) State picture – Grace State song – "Hail! Minnesota" State tree – Norway Pine Nicknames – "Gopher State," "North Star State," "Land of 10,000 Lakes"

Naval ships named for Minnesota
USS Minnesota, a steam frigate named for the Minnesota River, commissioned in 1855. USS Minnesota (Battleship No. 22), one of the last pre-dreadnought battleships USS Saint Paul, a converted merchant cruiser which served during the Spanish-American War and World War I USS Minneapolis (Cruiser No. 13, later CA-17), a Columbia-class protected cruiser which also served during World War I USS Minneapolis (CA-36), a New Orleans-class heavy cruiser which served during World War II. USS Fort Snelling (LSD-30), a dock landing ship which served during World War II USS Saint Paul (CA-73), a Baltimore-class heavy cruiser which served from late in World War II until the Vietnam War USS Minneapolis-St. Paul (SSN-708), a Los Angeles-class nuclear attack submarine presently serving as the flagship of SubRon 6 SS Gopher State (ACS-4), a Gopher State-class crane ship serving with the Military Sealift Command, Prepositioning Force. USS Duluth (CL-87) was a Cleveland-class light cruiser commissioned late in World War II. USS Duluth (LPD-6) is an amphibious transport dock commissioned in 1966.

Early explorers
Michel Aco Father Louis Hennepin Daniel Greysolon, Sieur du Lhut Zebulon Pike Henry Schoolcraft Joseph Nicollet Father Jacques Marquette

Famous people from Minnesota
Eddie Albert, Loni Anderson, Louie Anderson, Richard Dean Anderson, James Arness, Tom Arnold Soul Asylum, Ann Bancroft, Bill Berry, Jessica Biel, Herb Brooks, Warren Burger, Richard Cabana (NASA spaceman), Bob Casey (Stadium P.The. Annoucer), Mitch Clem, Joel and Ethan Coen, Rachael Leigh Cook, Morris Day, Mark Dayton (U.S Senator until 2007), Bob Dylan, Tammy Faye, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Al Franken, Orville Freeman (Governor-turned Secretary of Agriculture in the Kennedy Administration), Judy Garland, Terry Gilliam, Peter Graves (actor), Sid Hartman, Josh Hartnett, Mitch Hedberg, Hubert H. Humphrey, Hüsker Dü, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Garrison Keillor, Frank B. Kellogg, Tom Kelly, Craig Kilborn, Peter Krause, Don LaFontaine, Jessica Lange, Tom Lehman, Sinclair Lewis, Charles Lindbergh, Lipps Inc, John Madden (football), Roger Maris, Charles Mayo, William Mayo, William Worrall Mayo, Eugene J. McCarthy, Kevin McHale, George Mikan, Paul Molitor, Walter F. Mondale, Lorenzo Music, George (Pinkie) Nelsen (NASA spaceman), Gena Lee Nolin, David Oreck, Carl Pohlad, Prince, The Replacements, Marion Ross, Winona Ryder, Flip Saunders, Charles Schulz, Seann William Scott, A Spin Doctors, A Suburban area, Phil Solem, Kevin Sorbo, Harold Stassen, Will Steger, Glen A. Taylor, Lea Thompson, Cheryl Tiegs, Jesse Ventura, DeWitt Wallace, Roy Wilkins, Dave Winfield, Steve Zahn

Mythical figures from Minnesota
Jolly Green Giant, Minnehaha, Paul Bunyan