North Dakota is a north-central state and is part of the Great Plains and Midwest regions. It is full of prairies, steppes, savannas, badlands, and farmlands. Geographically, it is largely central to North America as a whole. As far as the United States is concerned, North Dakota is generally centerline.
Where is North Dakota on a US map?
North Dakota is in the upper Midwest region of the United States. It shares a northern border with Canada and is otherwise bordered by Montana, South Dakota, and Minnesota to the west, south, and east respectively. Across the Canadian border lies the provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
North Dakota is entirely landlocked. The Red River of the North however, functions as North Dakota’s border with Minnesota. North Dakota also has the Sheyenne River which feeds into the Red River of the North, the Missouri River and its tributaries: the Yellowstone River, and the Little Missouri, as well as the Dakota River and the Mouse River.
Interesting Facts about North Dakota
Supposedly, the geographic center of North America is in the North Dakotan city of Rugby.
North Dakota is the nineteenth largest state by area but is the fourth least populous and fourth most sparsely populated state.
The Dakota Territory was established in 1861 and North Dakota became a state in 1889 alongside South Dakota. The two became the 39th and 40th states. Reportedly, the president at the time, President Benjamin Harrison, shuffled the paperwork so that neither state would know which one became a state first. Officially, they are numbered in alphabetical order with North Dakota being the 39th.
North Dakota is home to the only state-run bank in the United States, the Bank of North Dakota.
North Dakota’s Capital
Bismarck is North Dakota’s capital, though Fargo is the largest city. Bismarck is the second most populous city in North Dakota. The city limits contain roughly 75 thousand people while the greater metropolitan area has something more to the effect of 135 thousand.
Bismarck is located on the eastern bank of the Missouri River and has always been North Dakota’s capital.
It is full of biking and walking trails and home to the only hands-on science center in North Dakota: the Gateway to Science. Bismarck also is home to a rich public library, a zoo, and Fort Lincoln.
Reasons to Visit North Dakota
North Dakota is home to many tourist attractions including: the Theodore Roosevelt National Park, the National Buffalo Museum, the Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site, the North Dakota Heritage Center, the Plains Art Museum, the Scandinavian Heritage Park, Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park, Lake Sakakawea, and the Maah Daah Hey Trail.
So whether you like visiting outdoorsy sites or touring museums, North Dakota has something for you. The Theodore Roosevelt National Park has plenty of paths and byways to be appreciated on foot, on bike, or in a car. It is the same landscapes that captivated former president Theodore Roosevelt himself.
The National Buffalo Museum is a great place to learn about bison and buffalo and even has an old-style Frontier Village with old pioneer buildings such as a barbershop, church, drugstore, jailhouse, post office, schoolhouse, and soda fountain.
The Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site has a museum, a Village Trail for hiking, and a reconstructed earthlodge. Throughout the year, many events take place including ceremonies, craft shows, and different games.
The North Dakota Heritage Center is full of four different museum galleries and the Northern Lights Atrium. The exhibits are full of artifacts like a Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton cast or a scale model of the Hubble Space Telescope. Plus, the Capital Arboretum Trail is a great place to visit in the warmer months.
Reasons to Move to North Dakota
North Dakota has the second lowest unemployment rate and has affordable living costs, good economic opportunity, infrastructure, public safety, and quality of life.
The median home value in North Dakota is roughly twelve percent less than the national average, making it easy to budget for a house. Plus, the cost of living trends lower than the national average because you’ll spend anywhere from five to ten percent less on groceries, health care, and utilities.
Even the cost of owning a car is less because you won’t spend as much time in traffic and the costs of gas are on average one-third less than nearby states.
North Dakota is one of the most tax-friendly states in the union. The state average sales tax is less than seven percent and income taxes have been dropping over the last several years.
The state is consistently rated as having a high quality of life because of its vast national parks, healthy climate and environment, and general strong sense of community given the population dispersal.
The economy in North Dakota is booming. There are always places to find jobs in various industries including agriculture, manufacturing, natural gas, oil, and technology.
North Dakota is also full of starry nights because there is almost no light pollution there thanks to the low population density. The Theodore Roosevelt National Park hosts the Dakota Nights Astronomy Festival once a year for three days in honor of this amazing wonder.
Conclusion
North Dakota is a great place to live if you are looking for something rural and outdoorsy. It is a great place to experience the outdoors, particularly a starry night sky. There is significantly less traffic and less people in general to contend with. North Dakota has plenty of different climates to consider when moving there so you are sure to find the right place for you.
North Dakota has a lower cost of living and is generally ranked a great and friendly place to be. But for people who need more of an urban life, North Dakota is still an excellent place to visit and experience the great outdoors. There are plenty of attractions to bring you to North Dakota for a week or so and get your fix.
