NDNorth Dakota Map

North Dakota on the US map

North Dakota sits in the Midwest region of the United States — specifically the plains subregion as defined by the US Census Bureau. With an area ranking of #19 of 50, North Dakota is mid-sized for the United States. The map above highlights North Dakota in gold and color-codes the 49 other states by region.

Whether you're a student studying US geography, a traveler planning a road trip, a teacher building a lesson plan, or simply curious, the goal of this page is to give you a complete picture of where North Dakota is and what surrounds it. Click any other state on the map above to navigate to its dedicated page.

Capital and largest city

The capital of North Dakota is Bismarck. The largest city by population, however, is Fargo — not Bismarck. This pattern (capital ≠ largest city) holds for about 33 of the 50 US states, including most of the famous mismatches like California (Sacramento, not LA), Florida (Tallahassee, not Miami), and New York (Albany, not NYC).

The historical reason for these mismatches dates to the late 18th and 19th centuries. When state founders chose capitals, they often deliberately picked smaller, more centrally located towns to avoid concentrating political and commercial power in the same place. They worried that a capital in a major port or commercial city would be too vulnerable to mob influence (a real concern at the time) and would skew political decisions toward commercial interests.

Borders and neighbors

North Dakota shares land borders with 3 other US states: Montana, South Dakota, Minnesota. Each link goes to that state's dedicated page where you can see its own map, history, and facts.

North Dakota also shares an international border with Canada — part of the 5,525-mile US-Canada border, the longest international border in the world.

Geographic features at a glance

• Total area rank: #19 of 50
• Population: under 1 million
• Coastline: landlocked (no ocean access)
• Mountain ranges: no major mountain ranges
• Time zone: Central (spans multiple)
• Region: Midwest — plains subregion
• Great Plains: yes
• Missouri River: bordered or crossed by

Major highways and transportation

North Dakota is connected to the rest of the country by the federal Interstate Highway System (planned by President Eisenhower in the 1950s). Major airports serve Fargo and Bismarck, with regional connections to the rest of the state. Amtrak rail service connects parts of North Dakota to the national passenger rail network, though geographic isolation and population density vary.

North Dakota notable firsts

• North Dakota has a unique place among the 50 states — discoverable across its geography, history, and culture

North Dakota vs similar states

How does North Dakota compare with 3 other states in the same region and size category?

State	Capital	Pop	Area rank	Admitted
North Dakota	Bismarck	under 1 million	#19	1889
Illinois	Springfield	over 10 million	#25	1818
Iowa	Des Moines	1 to 5 million	#26	1846
Kansas	Topeka	1 to 5 million	#15	1861

Bordering states (3)

North Dakota shares borders with 3 other US states, listed alphabetically below. Each link goes to the dedicated state page.

Similar states to North Dakota

If this page interested you, you may also want to explore states with similar geography, history, or culture. These states share North Dakota's region (Midwest) and similar size category:

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