|
| |
State of North Dakota
|
| |
Flag of North Dakotasvg
|
| |
Flag Of North Dakota
|
| |
NorthDakotastatesealjpg
|
| |
Map_of_USA_highlighting_North_Dakotapng
|
| |
<br/>Peace Garden State,<br/> Roughrider State, <br/>Flickertail State
|
| |
Bismarck
|
| |
English
|
| |
Fargo
|
| |
John Hoeven (R)
|
| |
"http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/encyclopedia/entry/Vrhbosna/Byron_Dorgan" class="copylinks">Byron Dorgan (D)
|
| |
ND
|
| |
19<sup>th</sup>
|
| |
183 272
|
| |
178 839
|
| |
4 432
|
| |
24
|
| |
47<sup>th</sup>
|
| |
642 200
|
| |
47<sup>th</sup>
|
| |
359
|
| |
39<sup>th</sup>
|
| |
November 2 , 1889
|
| |
-7/ -6 <small>(southwest)</small>
|
| |
45°55′N to 49°00′N
|
| |
96°33′W to 104°03′W
|
| |
340
|
| |
545
|
| |
White Butte , 1 069
|
| |
580
|
| |
Red River , 229
|
| |
US-ND
|
is a
U.S. State , the northernmost of the
Great Plains states in the
Midwestern United States , although during the
19th Century it was considered part of the
Wild West . The
Missouri River flows through the western part of the state, forming
Lake Sakakawea behind the
Garrison Dam .
Formerly part of
Dakota Territory (named after the
Dakota tribe of
Native Americans ), North Dakota became a state in
1889 .
The
United States Navy vessels
USS ''North Dakota'' and ''
Flickertail State '' were named in honor of North Dakota.
''See:
List Of North Dakota Counties ''
North Dakota is bordered on the north by the
Canadian provinces of
Saskatchewan and
Manitoba ; on the west by
Montana ; on the south by
South Dakota ; and on the east—across the
Red River Of The North and the
Bois De Sioux River —by
Minnesota . The
Missouri River flows through the western part of the state, forming
Lake Sakakawea behind the
Garrison Dam .
Farms and ranches stretch across the rolling plains from the
Red River Valley in the east to the rugged
Badlands in the west. The geographic center of the North American continent is located near
Rugby .
North Dakota is a prime example of a
Continental Climate ; distant from major bodies of water to moderate the weather, conditions range from sweltering heat and humidity to bitter cold. Competing warm air masses from the
Gulf Of Mexico and cold airmasses from the Arctic regions invariably produce strong winds as they move in and out of the region.
In summer, the clash of arctic and tropic systems often leads to strong
Thunderstorm s, sometimes including damaging
Hail and
Tornado es. In winter, the weather tends to be more stable — cold and dry, with occasional flurries—though the constant wind tends to create blowing snow at any time of the season. Severe snowstorms tend to manifest late in the fall or early in the spring, as was the case in
1997 .
Areas under management of the
National Park Service include:
There are 53
Counties within North Dakota.
See Also: History of North Dakota
Prior to
Europe an contact,
Native Americans inhabited North Dakota for thousands of years. The first European to reach the area was the
French-Canadian trader
La Vérendrye , who led an exploration party to
Mandan villages about
1738 .
The trading arrangement between tribes was such that North Dakota tribes rarely dealt directly with Europeans. However, the native tribes were in sufficient contact that by the time of
Lewis And Clark ; they were at least somewhat aware of the French, then Spanish claims to their territory.
The state was settled sparsely until the late 1800s, when the railroads pushed through the state, and aggressively marketed the land. On
2 November 1889 , North Dakota was admitted to the Union with
South Dakota .
The
Territorial and early state governments were largely corrupt. Early in the
20th Century , a wave of populism led by the
Non Partisan League brought social reforms. The
Great Depression was particularly hard on the state and came several years early with the
1920s farm crisis. The original
North Dakota Capitol burned to the ground in the
1930s and was replaced by a concrete
Art Deco skyscraper that still stands today.
The
1950s brought a round of federal construction projects, including the
Garrison Dam and the
Minot and
Grand Forks Air Force bases. There was saw an oil boom in the Williston basin in the 1980s, as skyrocketing
Petroleum prices made development profitable, driving state population to a peak near 700,000. Since then the state has been experiencing a period of economic and demographic decline. Today, the population stands at around 640,000 (roughly the same population as in the 1920s).
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2005, North Dakota has an estimated population of 636,677, which is an increase of 369, or 0.1%, from the prior year and a decrease of 5,527, or 0.9%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 10,283 people (that is 40,890 births minus 30,607 deaths) and a decrease due to net migration of 14,881 people out of the state. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 3,687 people, and migration within the country produced a net decrease of 18,568 people.
North Dakota ranks 47th of the 50 states in population, with fewer people only in
Alaska ,
Vermont , and
Wyoming .
The racial makeup of the state:
The five largest ancestry groups in North Dakota are:
German (43.9%),
Norwegian (30.1%),
Irish (7.7%),
Native American (5%),
Swedish (5%).
Most North Dakotans are of
Northern Europe an descent, especially
Scandinavia n and
German . People of German ancestry are present throughout the state, especially the southern and central counties, and Scandinavians are also present throughout. A few counties have large
Native American populations (principally on reservations). Individual counties in western and eastern North Dakota have the largest white, Russian, Ukrainian, Czech, Polish and Hungarian percentages of any county.
6.1% of North Dakota's population were reported as under 5, 25% under 18, and 14.7% were 65 or older. Females made up approximately 50.1% of the population.
North Dakota has experienced a decline in population over the last 20 years, primarily among skilled college graduates for whom there are few jobs in the state. State leaders have been at a loss to address the issue. Student loan forgiveness programs for health and education professionals have been initiated with some degree of success, but a larger program to forgive the loans of all college graduates residing in the state for a given period of time failed to pass a referendum. Some federal politicians, including in 1862) to encourage living in areas losing population through incentives such as tax breaks, but these have also made little headway.
Many North Dakota politicians believe that better economic development programs will eventually resolve the issue, but opinions are mixed as to what exactly that would entail.
A very large majority of North Dakotans self-identify as Christian. North Dakota has the lowest percentage of non-religious people of any state, and it also has the most churches
Per Capita of any state.
An estimate of the religious affiliations of the people of North Dakota (source:
{Link without Title} CUNY ,
2001 ):
]]
The U.S.
Bureau Of Economic Analysis estimates that North Dakota's total state product in 2003 was $21 billion. Per capita personal income in 2003 was $28,922, 32
nd in the nation.
North Dakota leads the nation in production of several crops. Agricultural activity is largely dependent on rainfall.
Wheat (particularly the
Durum variety used for
Pasta ),
Barley ,
Canola ,
Soybean s,
Sunflower s, and
Flax are present throughout the state. The wetter
Red River Valley is dominated by farms, with the chief crops being
Sugar Beet s,
Soybean s and
Corn .
Cattle ranches are more common in the dry southwest, though
Dairy ranches are more common toward the east.
Honey is produced in the central part of the state. Small quantities of
Juneberries and
Grape s support a modest domestic
Winery industry.
The state's relatively small industrial output includes
Electric Power , food processing, machinery (including
Bobcat heavy equipment),
Lignite mining, and
Tourism .
North Dakota has the only
State-owned bank in the United States, the
Bank Of North Dakota . The bank, by law, holds all funds of all state and local government agencies in North Dakota. Its deposits are not guaranteed by the
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation but by the state itself. The state also operates the only state-owned mill in the country, the
North Dakota Mill And Elevator .
North Dakota's reputation for severe weather has been cited by many as a motivating factor behind emigration and the failure of outside industry to locate in the state, though some have found this to be a secondary factor to the overall economic situation in the state.
State
Income Tax es are collected through 5 different tax brackets, ranging from 2.1 percent to 5.54 percent. North Dakota allows a credit for the net amount of tax paid to another state on income that is subject to tax by both North Dakota and that other state. North Dakota's
Sales Tax rate is 5 percent. Local subdivisions are also allowed to levy a sales and
Use Tax . This tax rate generally ranges from 1 percent to 3 percent. For the most part,
Personal Property is exempt from
Property Tax .
The major east-west highways are
US 2 and
Interstate 94 . North Dakota Highways 5 and 200 are also significant east-west routes.
The major north-south highways are
Interstate 29 ,
US 81 ,
US 281 ,
US 83 , and
US 85 .
US 52 runs northwest-southeast from
Portal to
Jamestown , then to Fargo via I-94.
US 12 cuts across the southwest corner of the state, intersecting US 85 in
Bowman .
BNSF and the
Canadian Pacific Railway operate the most extensive rail systems in the state. Minor lines include the
Dakota, Missouri Valley And Western Railroad and the
Red River Valley And Western Railroad , mostly operating on leased branch lines BNSF and CP were to abandon.
North Dakota has 90 public airports. Scheduled passenger airline service is offered in Bismarck, Devils Lake, Dickinson, Fargo, Grand Forks, Jamestown, Minot, and Williston.
''See also:
List Of North Dakota Governors ,
List Of Lieutenant Governors Of North Dakota ,
List Of United States Senators From North Dakota ,
List Of Political Parties In North Dakota ,
List Of Secretaries Of State Of North Dakota ,
List Of Attorneys General Of North Dakota ''
The current governor of North Dakota is
John Hoeven (Republican). Its two current U.S. senators are
Kent Conrad (
North Dakota Democratic NPL Party ) and
Byron Dorgan (Dem-NPL). Its congressman is
Earl Pomeroy (Dem-NPL).
North Dakota has a bicameral legislature. The state elects two House Representatives and one Senator from each of 47 districts apportioned by population. The legislature meets at the ,
North Dakota Senate ,
North Dakota House Of Representatives .
The structure of North Dakota's judiciary is not terribly complex. Each of the 53 counties has a court, from which appeals are sent directly to the
North Dakota Supreme Court . Because of the expense of having each county hire a judge, and the fairly low workload, the state is divided into seven judicial districts which collectively elect judges to travel to the various courthouses and hear cases.
District Judges are elected to six-year terms. Supreme Court Judges are elected to ten-year terms. The Supreme Court Justice is selected every 5 years by vote of the District and Supreme Court Judges.
The major political parties in North Dakota are the
Republican Party and the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party. However, North Dakota does have some active
Third Parties .
The Republican Party holds large majorities in the state legislature and generally wins the state's 3-member electoral college delegation. Since
1964 , no Democratic presidential candidate has carried North Dakota. In
2004 , George W. Bush won with 62.9% of the vote.
On the other hand, Dem-NPL candidates for North Dakota's federal Senate and Congressional seats have won every election since
1986 .
''See also:
List Of Cities In North Dakota ''
By population, the ten largest urban centers in the state are:
:1.
Fargo /
West Fargo
:2.
Bismarck /
Mandan
:3.
Grand Forks
:4.
Minot
:5.
Dickinson
:6.
Jamestown
:7.
Williston
:8.
Wahpeton
:9.
Devils Lake
:10.
Valley City
The population trends in the state are noting a distinct shift from the rural areas to the larger cities. Most of North Dakota's largest communities grew between 1990 and 2000.
Between 1990 and 2000, the U.S. as a whole grew by 13.1%, yet North Dakota grew a mere 0.5%. It is the only state (along with
Washington DC ) whose population declined (by 1.3%) between
April 1 ,
2000 and
July 1 ,
2003 ; this decline has become a major political issue.
North Dakota's leaders frequently boast that the educational scene in the state is excellent. However, because the economic situation is no match for it, many skilled graduates leave the state.
The state has 11 public colleges and universities, five tribal community colleges, and four private schools. The largest and oldest among them is the
University Of North Dakota in
Grand Forks .
The higher education system consists of the following institutions:
:
North Dakota University System (Public schools)
::
Bismarck State College in
Bismarck
::
Dickinson State University in
Dickinson
::
Lake Region State College in
Devils Lake
::
Mayville State University in
Mayville
::
Minot State University in
Minot
::
Minot State University-Bottineau in
Bottineau
::
North Dakota State University in
Fargo
::
North Dakota State College Of Science in
Wahpeton
::
University Of North Dakota in
Grand Forks
::
Valley City State University in
Valley City
::
Williston State College in
Williston
:Tribal colleges
::
Cankdeska Cikana Community College in
Fort Totten
::
Fort Berthold Community College in
New Town
::
Sitting Bull College in
Fort Yates
::
Turtle Mountain Community College in
Belcourt
::
United Tribes Technical College in
Bismarck
:Private schools
::
Aakers College in
Fargo and
Bismarck
::
Jamestown College in
Jamestown
::
University Of Mary in
Bismarck
::
Trinity Bible College in
Ellendale
A
Bill for
Statehood for North and South Dakota (and
Montana , and
Washington ) was passed on
February 22 1889 during the Administration of
Grover Cleveland . It was left to his successor
Benjamin Harrison to
sign proclamations formally admitting North and South Dakota to the Union on
November 2 1889 . However, the rivalry between the northern and southern territories presented a dilemma of which was to be admitted first. So Harrison directed his
Secretary Of State James Blaine to shuffle the papers and obscure from him which he was signing first, and the priority went unrecorded.
''The Flickertail State'' is one of North Dakota's nicknames. The nickname is derived from
Richardson's Ground Squirrel (''Spermophilus richardsonii''), a very common animal in the region. The squirrel constantly flicks its tail in a distinctive manner. In
1953 , legislation to make the squirrel the state animal was voted down in the state legislature.
:, ''Sturnella neglecta''
:, ''Esox lucius''
:State horse:
Nokota Horse
:, ''Rosa arkansana''
:, ''Ulmus americana''
:
Petrified Wood
:, ''Pascopyrum smithii'' (Rydb.) A. Löve
:
State Nickname s: Roughrider State, Flickertail State, Peace Garden State
:
State Motto s:
::(''
Seal Of North Dakota '') Liberty and Union, Now and Forever, One and Inseparable
::(''
Coat Of Arms Of North Dakota '') Strength from the Soil
:
:
:State march:
Flickertail March
:State beverage:
Milk
:State license plate: See the different types over time
{Link without Title}
