Quick Facts: Minnesota

Minnesota is a state in the Midwestern United States. Minnesota shares a water border with Michigan and a land and water border with Wisconsin to the east. Iowa is to the south, North Dakota and South Dakota are to the west, and the Canadian border is to the north.

ABBREVIATION: MN
NICKNAME: The North Star State
POPULATION: 5,793,151 (2024 est.)
CAPITAL: Saint Paul
STATE BIRD: Common Loon
STATE FLOWER: Lady Slipper
AREA: 86,939 sq. mi.
TIME ZONE: Central
ENTERED UNION: May 11, 1858
ALTITUDE: High, 2,302 ft. Eagle Mountain
CLIMATE: Long cold winters, short summers; moderate rainfall.

Here, Minnesotans like to say, is the land of the good life. With more than 11,000 clear blue lakes scattered through the state’s level plains, rugged hills and valleys, 9 out of every 10 people are within 10 miles of a body of water alive with wall-eyed pike, trout, bass and darting slopes.

One of the most popular of the vacation states, Minnesota is a sportsman’s paradise. According to legend, its lakes were created when Paul Bunyan, the giant of the woods, let his axe drag on the ground behind him. A more prosaic age attributes their formation to glacial action, but their vigorous outdoor tradition remains.

The “bread-and-butter skyline” of the grain mills and creameries in Minneapolis attests the fact that the state is a major producer of creamery butter and a major source of milk, oats, corn, barley, spring wheat and hay.

Even though less than 1% of the population is employed in the agricultural sector, it remains a major part of the state’s economy, ranking 6th in the nation in the value of products sold. In addition, Minnesota has the most food cooperatives per capita in America.

Palisade Head cliffs on Lake Superior, Minnesota

Minnesota has only one major metal, but it is a mighty one-iron. In the Northeast , in the gentle hills of the glacier-leveled Mesabi Range lies one of the biggest man-made holes in the world, the open pits of the Hull-Rust-Mahoning mine; more than three miles long, two miles wide and 535 feet deep, this man-made “Grand Canyon of the North” was the first strip mine on the Mesabi Iron Range. Minnesota was famous for its soft-ore mines, which produced a significant portion of the world’s iron ore for over a century.

Fun Facts:

The first cellophane tape was produced by Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing (3M) Company in 1932.
In-line skates were invented by two Minnesota students. Looking for a way to practice hockey in the summer, they replaced the blades on their skates with wheels.
The opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1959 connected the Port of Duluth and the Atlantic Ocean.
The world’s first open-heart operation was performed at the University of Minnesota in 1952, and Rochester is home to the world-famous Mayo Clinic.
Minnesota’s total shoreline adds up to 90,000 miles, more than California, Florida and Hawaii combined.
During a baseball broadcast, Minnesotan baseball commentator Halsey Hal is credited to be the first person to say “Holy Cow” during a baseball broadcast.

History:

Minnesota, known today as the “Land of 10,000 Lakes,” has a rich and complex history that stretches back thousands of years. Long before European settlers arrived, the land was inhabited by Native American peoples, primarily the Dakota (Sioux) and later the Ojibwe (Chippewa).

These Indigenous nations lived in harmony with the region’s natural resources, hunting, fishing, and cultivating the land. Their deep cultural traditions, spiritual beliefs, and languages laid the foundation for Minnesota’s identity.

The first European contact came in the 17th century, when French fur traders and explorers ventured into the area. Among the most notable were Pierre-Esprit Radisson and Médard des Groseilliers, who traveled through the Great Lakes and into Minnesota’s wilderness in search of furs and trade opportunities.

In 1679, Daniel Greysolon, Sieur du Lhut—after whom Duluth is named—further explored the region, cementing French interest in the area.

During the 18th century, Minnesota became part of the vast French colonial empire in North America. However, following the Treaty of Paris in 1763, which ended the French and Indian War, the territory passed to British control.

Then, after the American Revolution and the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, the eastern portion of what is now Minnesota came under U.S. control, while the western part remained under disputed jurisdiction until later treaties clarified boundaries.

The 19th century marked a turning point for Minnesota, with waves of settlers moving into the region, especially after the U.S. government signed treaties with the Dakota and Ojibwe that ceded large tracts of land. Fort Snelling, constructed in the 1820s at the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers, became a key military outpost and symbol of expanding U.S. influence.

Minnesota Territory was officially organized in 1849, with Saint Paul as its capital. Over the next decade, its population rapidly grew due to immigration from Europe—particularly Germany, Sweden, Norway, and Ireland—as well as migration from eastern U.S. states.

On May 11, 1858, Minnesota became the 32nd state to join the Union. At that time, its economy was largely driven by agriculture, lumber, and river trade, with the Mississippi River playing a vital role in transportation and commerce.

The U.S.-Dakota War of 1862 was a tragic and pivotal moment in Minnesota’s early statehood. Sparked by broken treaties and food shortages among the Dakota, the conflict resulted in hundreds of deaths and the mass execution of 38 Dakota men—the largest in U.S. history.

The war profoundly shaped the state’s relations with Indigenous peoples and led to the forced removal of many Native Americans from Minnesota.

In the decades that followed, Minnesota grew into a key part of the American Midwest. Industrialization, railroads, and mining in the Iron Range fueled economic development, while cities like Minneapolis and Saint Paul became major cultural and economic centers.

Today, Minnesota is recognized for its diverse population, strong education system, and vibrant political and cultural life—all shaped by the layers of history that began with its first peoples and continued through centuries of change.