Minnesota Summary

Located in the north-central part of the country bordering Canada, Minnesota is well known for its cold, snowy winters and hot, humid summers. “The Land of 10,000 Lakes” is also famous for its sublime waterways. Ice hockey and iron-ore mining are part of the state character. The Great Plains and prairies of the west meet the eastern woodlands and the coniferous forests of the north in Minnesota. The rumpled land left by glaciers forms basins for thousands of lakes. The highest point, Eagle Mountain, is 2,301 feet above sea level; Lake Superior, at 602 feet, is the lowest point.

In 1850, the area that would become Minnesota had a population of about 5,000. By 1858, steamboat traffic and European immigration raised that number to 150,000, and statehood was attained. Waves of Scandinavians, Slavs, and other Europeans poured in until 1920. Although Southeast Asians are the most recent arrivals, 94 percent of the population is white.

In the 1700s French explorers discovered the plant and animal resources that became the basis of the area’s first industries: logging, fishing, and fur trading. Nowadays, the state of Minnesota leads the nation in the mining of iron ore. It is a big agricultural state, ranking high in livestock and crop production. Meatpacking, sugar refining, and flour milling are among its top industries. Although not considered a major manufacturing state, it has internationally known companies such as Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing (3M), Honeywell (missile controls, defense contracting), and agribusiness giant Cargill, one of the largest privately held companies in existence.

Minnesota is known for its excellent school systems, outdoor recreation, healthy residents, public services, and liberal attitudes to contemporary issues.