Minnesota
Land of 10,000 Lakes · Capital: Saint Paul · Midwest (Plains)
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Bordering states: Wisconsin, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota.
About Minnesota
Minnesota lies in the Midwest on the Canadian border and covers 86,936 square miles, the 12th largest state, bordering Wisconsin, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, Ontario and Manitoba. Glaciers left 11,842 lakes of at least ten acres, and the Mississippi River begins at Lake Itasca. Its rain drains three ways: to Hudson Bay through the Red River of the North, to the Atlantic through Lake Superior, and to the Gulf of Mexico down the Mississippi. The Northwest Angle, left above the 49th parallel by a mapping error in the 1783 Treaty of Paris, is the northernmost land in the contiguous states. Tower recorded minus 60 °F in 1996.
Eastern Dakota bands held the south and center, and Ojibwe communities moving west from Lake Superior took the northern lakes; the state's name comes from a Dakota phrase for water that carries the color of the sky. Fort Snelling rose between 1820 and 1825 where the Minnesota River meets the Mississippi, and the 1851 treaties of Traverse des Sioux and Mendota transferred nearly all of southern Minnesota. Statehood followed on May 11, 1858, as the 32nd state. In 1862, with treaty payments late and the Dakota starving, war broke out along the Minnesota River; it ended with 38 Dakota men hanged at Mankato and the Dakota expelled.
The 2020 census counted 5,706,494 residents, up 7.6% since 2010, the 22nd largest population. Saint Paul is the capital and Minneapolis the largest city. Flour mills at Saint Anthony Falls and iron ore from the Mesabi Range built the early economy, and the state gave rise to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, 3M, founded at Two Harbors in 1902, and Medtronic. Hmong families settled in the Twin Cities after 1975 and Somali families from the early 1990s. Bob Dylan was born in Duluth, Prince in Minneapolis, and Sinclair Lewis, the first American to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, in Sauk Centre.
4 fun facts about Minnesota
- Minnesota actually has 11,842 lakes of at least 10 acres, so the "10,000 lakes" slogan undersells it.
- The Mall of America in Bloomington is the largest mall in the US (5.6 million square feet).
- Bob Dylan and Prince were both born in Minnesota.
- The headwaters of the Mississippi River are in Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, you can walk across the source.
More about Minnesota
Minnesota geography and climate
More fun facts about Minnesota
Frequently asked questions about Minnesota
Is Minnesota a US state?
Yes, Minnesota is one of the 50 US states. It was admitted to the Union in 1858, making it the 32nd state. Its capital is Saint Paul and its largest city is Minneapolis.
What is the capital of Minnesota?
The capital of Minnesota is Saint Paul. Note that the largest city in Minnesota is Minneapolis, not the capital, a common point of confusion.
When did Minnesota become a state?
Minnesota became a US state in 1858. It is the 32nd state admitted to the Union.
What is the abbreviation for Minnesota?
The 2-letter USPS abbreviation for Minnesota is MN.
How big is Minnesota?
Minnesota ranks #12 of 50 US states by area. With 71.7 residents per square mile in 2020, it was the 30th most densely populated state.
What is the population of Minnesota?
Minnesota had 5,706,494 residents at the 2020 census, the 22nd largest population of the 50 states, up 7.6% since 2010. That count gives it 8 seats in the US House of Representatives.
What region is Minnesota in?
Minnesota is in the Midwest region of the United States, per the US Census Bureau.
What time zone is Minnesota in?
Minnesota observes Central Time.
Learn more
How to learn the 50 states (full guide)
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