| |||||
| State nickname: Treasure State | |||||
|
Other U.S. States | |||||
| Capital | Helena | ||||
| Largest City | Billings | ||||
| Area - Total - Land - Water - % water |
Ranked 4th 381,156 kmē 377,295 kmē 3,862 kmē 1% | ||||
| Population
- Total (2000) - Density |
Ranked 44th
902,194 2.4/kmē | ||||
| Admittance into Union
- Order - Date | 41th November 8, 1889 | ||||
| Time zone | Mountain: UTC-7/-6 | ||||
|
Latitude Longitude |
44°26' N to 49° N 104°2' W to 116°2' W | ||||
|
Width Length Elevation -Highest -Mean -Lowest |
450 km 1015 km 3,901 meters 1035 meters 549 meters | ||||
| ISO 3166-2: | US-MT | ||||
Montana is a western state of the United States and its U.S. postal abbreviation is MT. The name of Montana probably came from the Spanish word "montaņa" which means "mountain". Montana has the largest concentration of grizzly bears in the lower 48 states. Montana was the first state to elect a woman to congress, Jeannette Rankin.
USS Montana was named in honor of this state.
History
Montana became a United States territory on May 26, 1864 and the 41st state on November 8, 1889.
Montana was the scene of the Native Americans' last effort to keep their land. The last stand of Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer was fought in Montana, as were the final battles of the Nez Perce Wars.
The capital of Montana is Helena and its current Governor is Judy Martz (Republican). Its two U.S. senators are Max Baucus (Democrat) and Conrad Burns (Republican).
Montana is bordered on the north by the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan, on the east by North Dakota and South Dakota, on the south by Wyoming, and on the southwest and west by Idaho. The state is the fourth largest in the United States. Western Montana is a land of tall, rugged mountains; while eastern Montana is a land of broad plains.
Montana's land area is 145,552 square miles (approx. 376,978 kmē) [1].
The Missouri, Milk, Flathead and Yellowstone rivers are the major rivers in the state.
Montana contains Glacier National Park and portions of Yellowstone National Park. Other sites include the Little Bighorn National Monument, Bighorn Canyon National Recreational Area, Big Hole National Battlefield, and the National Bison Range. There are also a number of national forests and National Wildlife Refuges. The national government administers 36,000,000 acres (146,000 km2). 275,000 acres (1100 km2) are administered as state parks and forests.
Several Indian reservations are located in Montana: Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, Crow Indian Reservation, Rocky Boys Indian Reservation, Blackfeet Indian Reservation, and the Flathead Indian Reservation.
The major cities and towns in Montana are:
Law and government
See: List of Montana GovernorsGeography
See List of Montana countiesEconomy
Montana's 1999 total state gross product was $20 billion, 48th in the nation. Its Per Capita Personal Income for 2000 was $22,569, placing it 46th in the nation. Its agricultural outputs are cattle, wheat, barley, sugar beets, hay, and hogs. Its industrial outputs are mining, lumber and wood products, food processing, and tourism.Demographics
Montana's population in 2001 was estimated at 904,433 Important cities and towns
Montana's largest city is Billings.
|
Education
Colleges and universities
|
|
Professional sports teams
The Minor League baseball teams are:
Miscellaneous information
Official state flower: Bitterroot
Official state tree: Ponderosa Pine
Official state animal: Grizzly Bear
Official state bird: Western Meadowlark
Official state fish: Blackspotted Cutthroat Trout
Major highways
Further reading
External links