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Minnesota
State
CountryUnited States
Admitted to the UnionMay 11, 1858 (32nd)
CapitalSaint Paul
Largest cityMinneapolis
Government
 • GovernorTim Pawlenty (R)
 • Upper house{{{Upperhouse}}}
 • Lower house{{{Lowerhouse}}}
U.S. senatorsMark Dayton (D)
Norm Coleman (R)
Population
 • Total4,919,479
 • Density61.80/sq mi (23.86/km2)
Language
 • Official languageNone
Latitude43°34'N to 49°23'50.26"N
Longitude89°34'W to 97°12'W

Minnesota is a Midwestern state of the United States. It joined the United States as the 32nd state on May 11, 1858, shortly before the Civil War. The name Minnesota is from the Dakota name for the Minnesota River, mini sota, which means smoky-white water or sky-tinted water.

Geography

Minnesota, showing roads and major bodies of water

Minnesota is the northernmost of the lower 48 contiguous states (Alaska reaches significantly farther north). It reaches to 49° 23' 04" north latitude, due to a small piece of the state known as the Northwest Angle. It is bordered on the east by Lake Superior and Wisconsin, on the south by Iowa, on the west by North Dakota and South Dakota, and on the north by the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Manitoba. Minnesota is the 12th largest state by land area (second largest among the Midwestern states), covering 87,014 square miles (225,365 km²), or approximately 2.25% of the United States [1].Minnesota is included in the sub-region of the Midwest known as the Upper Midwest

The state's average elevation is 1,200 feet (366 m), with a high point at Eagle Mountain (2,301 ft or 701 m) and a low at the surface of Lake Superior (602 ft or 183 m). Aside from a few very minor earthquakes, Minnesota is one of the most geologically stable regions in the country. The biggest earthquake in the last century occurred near Morris in 1975 and rated between 4.6 and 4.8 in magnitude.

Two continental divides meet in the northwestern part of Minnesota, creating three watersheds. Rain falling in the state can follow the Mississippi south to the Gulf of Mexico, the St. Lawrence Seaway east to the Atlantic Ocean, or North America's northern watershed to the Arctic Ocean.

Minnesota sits where three of the great biomes of North America converge: the Great Plains of the west, the Eastern Deciduous Forest, and the Northern Boreal Forest of Canada. Traversing the state from southwest to northeast, one goes through the three different ecological regions.

Terrain

Minnesota is famous for its lakes and is known as The Land of 10,000 Lakes even though it has in excess of 15,000, depending on the source of the count. The Minnesota portion of Lake Superior is the largest body of water in the state.

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. The northeastern portion of the state is covered by rugged ranges of hills, notably the Mesabi Range, rich in iron ore, the Sawtooth Mountains along the shore of Lake Superior, the Misquah Hills and the Laurentian Highlands, in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.

Climate

Temperatures can reach extremes in Minnesota. The northern part of the state is famously cold in winter, with a record low of -60 °F (-51 °C) measured at Tower, MN on February 2, 1996. Surprisingly, due to the flows of the jet stream, parts of Alaska often see relatively warm temperatures when Minnesota is experiencing extreme cold. Additionally, as part of the Great Plains region, the state also experiences warm summers. A record high of 114 °F (45.5 °C) was reached in both 1917 and 1936. The average temperature in January (the coldest month) is 11.2 °F (-11.5 °C), and the average in the warmest month, July, is 73.1 °F (22.8 °C); averages are cooler in the north and warmer in the south. The average annual precipitation is 28.32 inches (719 mm), with a snowfall figure of 49.6 inches (126 cm).

Parks and protected lands

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

Areas under the management of the National Park Service include:

History

Main article: History of Minnesota

Early history

Prior to European colonization, the Minnesota region was primarily inhabited by the Native American tribes of Ojibwa (Sometimes, though mistakenly, called "Chippewa," or, more correctly, Anishinaabe) and Dakota, with some Winnebago presence in the southeastern part of the region. The Cheyenne and Gros Ventre tribes were present in the region prior to the arrival of the Ojibwa and Dakota tribes. The economy was chiefly based on hunter-gatherer activities.

European exploration

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.

The earliest European settlement may have been near what is now Stillwater, on the St. Croix River, though many histories focus on the military settlement that took place farther west. Fort Snelling, built at the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers, was one of the earliest U.S. military presences in the state. It is now a historic site.

Noted European explorers of Minnesota:

Minnesota Territory

Part of what would become Minnesota was granted to the United States by the Second Treaty of Paris at the end of the American Revolution in 1783, the fledgling states having been granted all of the land east of the Mississippi River. This included what would become modern-day Saint Paul (but only part of Minneapolis), including the northeast, north-central and east-central portions of the state. Most of the state, however, was purchased from France as part of the Louisiana Purchase. The northern border between Minnesota and British North America was for a long time disputed. At the time it was erroneously believed that the Mississippi River ran well into modern Canada, making some earlier agreements flawed. Parts of northern Minnesota were considered to be in Ruperts Land. The exact definition of the boundary was not addressed until the Anglo-American Convention of 1818, which set the border at the 49th parallel west of the Lake of the Woods (except for a small chunk of land now dubbed the Northwest Angle). Border disputes east of the Lake of the Woods continued until the Webster-Ashburton Treaty of 1842.

Throughout the first half of the 19th century, the north eastern portion of the state was a part of the Northwest Territory, then the Illinois Territory, then the Michigan Territory, and finally the Wisconsin Territory. The west and south areas of the state were not formally organized until 1838, when they became part of the Iowa Territory.

Upon statehood of Wisconsin and Iowa the Minnesota Territory was carved out of the remaining land and established on March 3, 1849. Unlike the boundaries of modern day Minnesota, the areas western border extended far into present day North Dakota and South Dakota; all the way to the Missouri River.

Fort Snelling played a key role in the infamous Dred Scott case. Dred Scott Field, located just a short distance away, is named in the memory of Fort Snelling's significance in one of the most important legal precedents in U.S. History.

Statehood

The eastern half of the Minnesota Territory became the country's 32nd state on May 11, 1858. The remaining western part fell unorganized until its incorporation into the Dakota Territory on March 2, 1861.

Cities and towns

The capital city of Minnesota is Saint Paul, located in the east-central part of the state along the Mississippi River. Saint Paul is neighbored by Minnesota's largest and most-populous city, Minneapolis; together they and their suburbs are known as the Twin Cities. The Twin Cities metropolitan area is home to more than half of the state's population and is the 15th-largest metropolitan area in the United States. The remainder of the state is generically referred to as Greater Minnesota.

Minnesota cities with a population above fifty thousand (as of 2000) include, in descending order: Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Rochester, Duluth, Bloomington, Plymouth, Brooklyn Park, Eagan, St. Cloud, Coon Rapids, Burnsville, Eden Prairie, Maple Grove, Minnetonka, Blaine, and Woodbury. Of these, only Rochester, Duluth, and St. Cloud are outside the Twin Cities area.

See the Minnesota infobox at the bottom of this article for a list of notable cities, or List of cities in Minnesota for all cities and towns.

Demographics

Historical population
YearPop.±%
18506,077—    
172,0232,731%—    
1870439,706—    
156% 1,880−99.6%
780,77378%—    
18901,310,283—    
68% 1,900−99.9%
1,751,39434%—    
19102,075,708—    
19% 1,920−99.9%
2,387,12515%—    
19302,563,953—    
7% 1,940−99.9%
2,792,3009%—    
19502,982,483—    
7% 1,960−99.9%
3,413,86414%—    
19703,804,971—    
11% 1,980−99.9%
4,075,9707%—    
19904,375,099—    
7% 2000—    
4,919,47912%—    
2004 est5,100,958—    

As of 2005, Minnesota has an estimated population of 5,132,799, which is an increase of 36,253, or 0.7%, from the prior year and an increase of 213,307, or 4.3%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 161,252 people (that is 358,012 births minus 196,760 deaths) and an increase due to net migration of 54,032 people into the state. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 70,800 people, and migration within the country produced a net loss of 16,768 people.

As of 2004, 6.1% of Minnesota residents are foreign-born (compared to 11.1% for the nation).

Most of the state's population is centered in the Twin Cities metropolitan area.

Race and ancestry

The racial makeup of the state:

According to the 2002 U.S. Census, the largest reported ancestries are German (36.7%), Norwegian (17.2%), Irish (11.2%), and Swedish (9.9%).

More recent immigrant communities include the third-largest Hmong population in the United States (from the Laos/Thailand/Vietnam region) and the second largest urban center of Hmong population in the world (concentrated in St. Paul), and a large community of Somali refugees.

Population distribution

File:Minnesota population mao.png
Minnesota Population Density Map

The population distribution by age is (Northeast Midwest Institute):

  • 0-18 - 1,361,616 (29.7%)
  • 19-34 - 1,068,850 (21.7%)
  • 35-64 - 1,894,747 (38.6%)
  • 65+ - 594,266 (12.1%)

Religion

Most Minnesotans (Nearly 6 in 10) are Protestants (mostly mainline Protestant), although there is also a moderate-sized Roman Catholic community (about one-fourth of the state population). The largest Protestant denomination in the state is Lutheranism.

In recent years, new immigrants have added new religions to Minnesota, and there are now 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 in Minnesota:

Economy

Minnesota state quarter.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates that Minnesota's total state product in 2003 was $211 billion. Per capita personal income in 2004 was $34,861, 8th in the nation. The average household income in 1999 was approximately $48,000, ranking eighth in the nation (U.S. Census Bureau). The county averages range from $17,369 (Todd County) to $42,313 (Hennepin County, a portion of the Metro area). In general, salaries are lowest in more rural areas, particularly in the northwest portion of the state.

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.

Major industries and products

The Twin Cities are home to a diverse range of major businesses, including Cargill, 3M Co. (formerly Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co.), Northwest Airlines, Target Corporation, U.S. Bancorp, TCF Financial Corporation and TCF Bank, Medtronic, Ecolab, Best Buy, St. Paul Travelers, Cray Computers, Imation, International Dairy Queen, Regis Corporation, General Mills, Polaris Industries and a regional headquarters of Wells Fargo & Co., Caterpillar Inc., Honeywell, and Thrivent Financial for Lutherans (the merged entity of the former Aid Association for Lutherans and Lutheran Brotherhood). The city of Rochester is the headquarters of the Mayo Clinic, and has a significant manufacturing presence in International Business Machines. The largest shopping mall in the United States, the Mall of America, is located in Bloomington. The Schwan Food Company, headquartered in Marshall, Minnesota, is one of the largest, branded frozen-food companies in the United States and the second-largest privately held corporation in Minnesota. Hormel Foods Corporation is headquartered in Austin, Minnesota, it is a leading producer in meat products.

The state has been a major influence in the area of transportation, moving products along the Mississippi River, in and out of the inland seaport of Duluth, along railroads that crisscross the state, via highways with trucking and busing companies, and through the air with a major airline hub. However, water- and rail-borne traffic has been declining steadily over the years.

A large proportion of the state's economy is still agricultural, even though only a small percentage of the population (around 2%) consider themselves to be farmers. Minnesota is a leading US producer of sugar beets, soybeans, and corn. Additionally, northern Minnesota is a source for iron ore (in the form of taconite) and wood products, though these are both declining industries. Hibbing is the site of one of the world's largest open pit mines. The agricultural community is also strongly tied to the renewable energy market in the state.

Energy use and production

A fair amount of ethanol alcohol fuel is produced in the state, and a 10% mix of ethanol into consumer gasoline has been mandated since 1997 (as of January 2006, Minnesota is the only U.S. state with such a mandate). 20% ethanol will be mandated in 2013. A 2% biodiesel blend has also been required in diesel fuel since 2005. Many farmers also now operate wind turbines to produce electricity, particularly in the windy southwest region. As of January 2005, the state is the country's fourth-largest wind energy producer after California, Texas, and Iowa, with 615 megawatts installed and an additional 213 MW planned [1].

Like many Midwestern states, Minnesota is heavily dependent on natural gas for home heating. Just over two-thirds of homes use the fuel. The state does not produce any petroleum of its own but boasts the largest oil refinery of any non-oil-producing state, the Pine Bend Refinery. One of the longest pipelines in the world, the Lakehead Pipeline, also traverses northern Minnesota. Most of the petroleum used in the state comes from Canada and the northwestern United States.

State taxes

Minnesota has 3 brackets of income tax rates, ranging from 5.35 percent to 7.85 percent. The sales tax in Minnesota for most items is 6.5 percent. The state does not charge sales tax on clothing, some services ([2]), or food items for home consumption, excluding some specific items such as candy or soft drinks*. According to state law, "Candy does not include any preparation containing flour and must require no refrigeration." (Minn Stat 297A.61 Subd 33). The state also imposes a use tax on items purchased elsewhere but used within Minnesota. Minnesota property owners pay property tax to their county. Three factors that affect the tax bill are: the amount the local governments spend to provide services to the community, the estimated market value of the property, and the classification of the property (how it is used).

Minnesota businesses and individuals paid an average of 11.8% of their income in state and local taxes in 1998, down from 12.7% in 1996 (Minnesota Department of Revenue). The Gross State Product was just under $173 billion in 1999 (Northeast Midwest Institute), with approximately $17.5 billion in exports in 2000.

Retail sales per capita were $10,260 in 1997, higher than the U.S. average of $9,190 (U.S. Census Bureau). The "retail capital" of the state is probably the Twin Cities suburb of Roseville, which recorded $14,870 per capita (though it is easily outstripped in total revenue by Minneapolis, St. Paul, Bloomington, and Edina).

Transportation

See also: Minnesota Department of Transportation

Highway system

Major Interstate highways crossing Minnesota include I-35, I-90, and I-94. In the Twin Cities, I-35 splits into I-35W to serve Minneapolis, and I-35E to pass through St. Paul. In addition to those, I-94 has three spur routes: Interstate 394 connects the core of downtown Minneapolis to the western suburbs, while Interstate 494 and Interstate 694 form a beltway around the city, both ending at the end of the other, with I-494 being the southern 3/5 of the beltway from Maple Grove south to Eden Prairie, then east to South St. Paul, then north again to end at I-94/694 in Woodbury. I-694 runs from the I-94/494 junction in Maple Grove east with I-94 for eight miles. The two split in Brooklyn Park, and I-694 heads east to North St. Paul, where it turns south to end at I-94/494 in Woodbury.

Train systems

An Amtrak train route runs along the Mississippi river in Minnesota, with stops in Minneapolis, Red Wing, and Winona, among others. In the city of Minneapolis, a light rail train network was recently implemented, which runs from downtown Minneapolis to the Mall of America. The Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area and other larger Minnesota cities, such as Rochester, Duluth, St. Cloud, and Mankato, have bus systems.

Law and government

As in the national government of the United States, power in Minnesota 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 current lieutenant governor of Minnesota is Carol Molnau. Molnau also currently serves as the head of the Minnesota Department of Transportation. Both the governor and lieutenant governor have four-year terms. The governor 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 other constitutional offices are secretary of state, attorney general and state auditor.

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 (68-66), having lost a total of 13 seats. The Minnesota Senate is controlled by the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL). After picking up two seats in local special elections on 16 November, 2005, and 27 December, 2005, the DFL controls the senate (38-29). There was one Independence Party state senator, former Republican Sheila Kiscaden (Rochester) who caucused with the DFL. She officially joined the party in January 2006, bringing their lead to eight seats.

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 United States District Court for the District of Minnesota, which holds court in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Duluth, and Fergus Falls. 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.

Politics

Minnesota is known for active yet quirky politics, with populism being a longstanding 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 protester turned crowd-surfing mayor. In the 2004 U.S. presidential election 77.3% of eligible Minnesotans voted, the highest of any U.S. state. Political conservatism is less strongly linked to church attendance in most of Minnesota than in other parts of the country, which some would argue is a reflection of the strong mainline Protestant and Roman Catholic following. However, in the elections of 2000, 2002, and 2004 it was shown that this trend was in the process of changing in some Twin Cities voting precincts.

As a result of its liberal and populist political culture throughout much of the latter half of the 20th century, Minnesota has voted for Democrats for president longer than any other state (the District of Columbia has voted for a Democrat in every election since 1964), since 1976. Minnesota and the District of Columbia were the only electoral votes not won by incumbent Republican President Ronald Reagan, voting instead for former Vice President of the United States and former U.S. Senator Walter Mondale, a Minnesota native. It should be noted that a Minnesotan ran on the Democratic ticket as either President or Vice President in the 1964, 1968, 1976, 1980 and 1984 elections. 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, and in developing outer suburban communities. Democrats hold tremendous strength in Minneapolis/St. Paul proper and in the Iron Range of northeastern Minnesota, including Duluth.

The state also enjoys a strong and active third party movement. The Reform Party was able to elect former mayor of Brooklyn Park, and former wrestling superstar Jesse Ventura to the governorship in 1998. However, Ventura left the Reform Party in 2000 when Pat Buchanan took control. Ventura maintained close ties to the Independence Party, but chose not to seek reelection. In 2002 the Independence Party ran former democratic congressman Tim Penny in an unsuccessful bid for the governorship. Penny earned about 16% of the vote.

The state's Green Party has elected several city council members and other local office-holders in Duluth, Minneapolis and Winona, and has made strong runs for state legislature during the past two election cycles. In 2000, Green Party candidate Ralph Nader received just over 5% of the presidential votes cast, gaining Major Party Status for the Green Party of Minnesota.

See also: List of political parties in Minnesota

Culture

Stereotypical Minnesotan traits include Lutheranism (26 percent of the state's population is Lutheran) "Minnesota nice," "hot dish" (a Minnesotan term for casserole),"lutefisk" (a pungent preparation of fish from Scandinavian recipes that include soaking in lye), very close family ties (and a strong sense of duty to their families, healthy and dysfunctional alike), a strong sense of community and shared culture with many other Minnesotans instead of just with one's town or city, Minnesota's form of Upper Midwest American English (including Scandinavian-sounding words like "uff-da"), and a distinctive type of upper Midwestern accent. 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. The state is known as being very committed to education and as such, has a very educated population throughout the state.

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 segment. Many modern immigrants are attracted by the state's historically strong commitments toward education and social services and many come sponsored and assisted by congregations committed to service and social justice.

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. The 71 state parks which protect diverse landscapes in a state of nature are quite popular. 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, Michigan and Maine), 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.

Education

One of the first acts of the Minnesota Legislature when it opened in 1858 was the creation of a Normal School at Winona. Since then, Minnesota has remained among the ten strongest states in the United States in education, ranking first in national educational surveys in most years. Minnesota has proven over the years resistant to such movements in education as school vouchers and the teaching of intelligent design. However, it is the home to one of the first charter schools.

Professional sports teams

In addition to these teams, two other nationally prominent sports teams, the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA and the Dallas Stars of the NHL, originated in Minnesota (as, respectively, the Minneapolis Lakers and Minnesota North Stars).

State symbols

Notable people and groups from Minnesota

See List of people from Minnesota.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ infoplease.com facts and figures Accessed 06/22/2006

References

 United States

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