Montana | |
|---|---|
| Nicknames: Big Sky Country, The Treasure State | |
| Motto(s): | |
| Anthem: "Montana" | |
 Map of the United States with Montana highlighted | |
| Country | United States |
| Before statehood | Montana Territory |
| Admitted to the Union | November 8, 1889 (41st) |
| Capital | Helena |
| Largest city | Billings |
| Largest county or equivalent | Yellowstone |
| Largest metro and urban areas | Billings |
| Government | |
| • Governor | Greg Gianforte (R) |
| • Lieutenant governor | Kristen Juras (R) |
| Legislature | Legislature |
| • Upper house | Senate |
| • Lower house | House of Representatives |
| Judiciary | Montana Supreme Court |
| U.S. senators | Jon Tester (D) Steve Daines (R) |
| U.S. House delegation |
|
| Area | |
• Total | 147,040[1] sq mi (380,800 km2) |
| • Land | 145,552[2] sq mi (376,980 km2) |
| • Water | 1,491 sq mi (3,862 km2) 1% |
| • Rank | 4th |
| Dimensions | |
| • Length | 255 mi (410 km) |
| • Width | 630 mi (1,015 km) |
| Elevation | 3,400 ft (1,040 m) |
| Highest elevation | 12,807 ft (3,903.5 m) |
| Lowest elevation | 1,804 ft (557 m) |
| Population (2023) | |
• Total | 1,132,812 |
| • Rank | 43rd |
| • Density | 7.7/sq mi (3.0/km2) |
| • Rank | 48th |
| • Median household income | $56,539[5] |
| • Income rank | 40th |
| Demonym | Montanan |
| Language | |
| • Official language | English |
| Time zone | UTC−07:00 (Mountain) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−06:00 (MDT) |
| USPS abbreviation | MT |
| ISO 3166 code | US-MT |
| Traditional abbreviation | Mont. |
| Latitude | 44° 21′ N to 49° N |
| Longitude | 104° 2′ W to 116° 3′ W |
| Website | mt |
Montana (/mɒnˈtænə/ mon-TAN-ə)[6] is a landlocked state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It borders Idaho to the west, North Dakota to the east, South Dakota to the southeast, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan to the north. It is the fourth-largest state by area, but the eighth-least populous state and the third-least densely populated state. Its capital is Helena, while the most populous city is Billings. The western half of the state contains numerous mountain ranges, while the eastern half is characterized by western prairie terrain and badlands, with smaller mountain ranges found throughout the state.
Most of Montana first came under American sovereignty with the Louisiana Purchase from France in 1803 and was explored by the Lewis and Clark Expedition shortly thereafter.[7] Fur trappers followed and were the main economic activity in the area until gold was discovered in 1852. The ensuing gold rush, along with the passage of the Homestead Acts in 1862, brought large numbers of American settlers to Montana.[7] Rapid population growth and development culminated in statehood on November 8, 1889. Mining, particularly around Butte and Helena, would remain the state's main economic engine through the mid-20th century.
Montana has no official nickname but several unofficial ones, most notably "Big Sky Country", "The Treasure State", "Land of the Shining Mountains", and "The Last Best Place".[8] Its economy is primarily based on agriculture, including ranching and cereal grain farming. Other significant economic resources include oil, gas, coal, mining, and lumber. The health care, service, defense, and government sectors are also significant to the state's economy. Montana's fastest-growing sector is tourism, with 12.6 million tourists (as of 2019) visiting the state each year.[9]
- ^ "United States Summary: 2010, Population and Housing Unit Counts, 2010 Census of Population and Housing" (PDF) (PDF). United States Census Bureau. September 2012. p. 41 (Table 18). Archived (PDF) from the original on October 19, 2012. Retrieved April 11, 2014.
- ^ "Area of Montana Counties". Montana.gov. Archived from the original on February 3, 2020. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
- ^ a b National Geodetic Survey 2008.
- ^ a b Geological Survey 2001.
- ^ "US Census Bureau QuickFacts: Montana". US Census Bureau. July 1, 2021. Archived from the original on October 19, 2020. Retrieved May 28, 2022.
- ^ "Montana". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
- ^ a b Graetz, Rick; Graetz, Susie. "Gold Gives Birth to Western Montana". This is Montana. University of Montana. Archived from the original on January 5, 2024. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
- ^ Robbins, J. 2008.
- ^ "UM Travel Institute: 2020 Tests Montana Tourism". University of Montana. August 18, 2020. Archived from the original on October 25, 2022. Retrieved October 25, 2022.