Introduction
North Dakota (abbr.: ND or N.Dak.), state of the United States of America, 183,022 km2, with 639,000 inhabitants; capital city: Bismarck.
Physical Geography
North Dakota falls partly within the Great Plains, the plateau that stretches between the Missouri and the Rocky Mountains. The east of the state, then part of Lake Agassiz, is covered with grassy plains, which turn west into the Missouri Coteau, a escarpment (90-180 m), and then into the steppe landscape of the Great Plains, which extends over extends far into Montana. The valley of the Red River, to the east, forms the lowest part of the state (lowest point 241 m). In the barren, barren southwest (Badlands) there are erratic mountain formations. Here is the highest point in the state, White Butte (1069 m). Part of the border with Minnesota, the Red River of the North incorporates the Sheyenne and Souris Rivers in North Dakota. The Missouri, with its numerous tributaries, drains most of the south and west of the state. Numerous lakes and lakes (prairie lakes) are scattered throughout the state, with the exception of the southwest. A huge man-made lake is located in the western part of the state: Lake Sakakawea (1580 km2), behind the Garrison Dam in the Missouri. North Dakota has a pronounced continental climate, with a low average annual rainfall (390 mm). Tornadoes are quite regular. with a low average annual rainfall (390 mm). Tornadoes are quite regular. with a low average annual rainfall (390 mm). Tornadoes are quite regular.
Population
The average population density is 3.5 inhabitants. per km2. About 53% of the population lives in urban areas. The largest cities are Fargo (population 74,000), Grand Forks and Bismarck.
Economy
Agriculture is the largest contributor to the state’s production. North Dakota is the leading producer of barley, flaxseed and spring wheat in the United States. Other products include sugar beets, soybeans, sunflowers, linseed, potatoes, hay, oats and corn. The important livestock production mainly consists of cattle and pigs. The state is particularly rich in minerals. The vast lignite deposits in the western part of the state are estimated at 350 billion tons. Of considerably greater importance are the petroleum and natural gas reserves in the north and southwest of the state; the extraction of these accounts for two thirds of the total mineral production. North Dakota also produces rock, sand, gravel and salt. Only a small part of the working population works in the industrial sector. The main products include foodstuffs, (agricultural) machinery and petrochemical products. Also graphic industry.
Sights
In the southwest of the state, in the Badlands lies the Theodore Roosevelt National Park (1978; 28509 ha), with besides beautiful natural beauty also the former farm of Theodore Roosevelt, the Elkhorn Ranch. Historic sites recall the Native Americans who inhabited the area (including Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site) and pioneer days (including Frontier Village and Bonanzaville USA).
History
In 1738, Pierre de la Vérendrye was the first white person to penetrate this area. At the end of the 18th century, some Englishmen followed, employed by the Hudson Bay Company. Lewis and Clark wintered in 1804/1805 with the Mandan Indians on the upper Missouri. In 1818 the boundary between the American and English territories was established and North Dakota was organized as a territory, in 1889 it was accepted as the 39th state of the Union. The opposition of trappers and Indians had long held up colonization; only after the Civil War did some immigration begin. The provisions in the so-called Homestead Act resulted in many farmers settling in the state, especially in the period 1875–1890. The economy suffered greatly from the Great Depression in the 1930s. but recovered during and after World War II. An important impulse was oil and gas extraction, which started in the 1950s but developed mainly as a result of the oil crisis (1973). North Dakota suffered heavy damage during the floods in 1993.
National Parks North Dakota
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
The Theodore Roosevelt National Park is named after United States President Theodore Roosevelt who was the twenty-seventh President of the United States. The park was created in 1978 and has an area of 285 km², which is divided into two areas. Namely the North Unit and the South Unit. The park consists of pristine wilderness along the Little Missouri River called the Badlands. The park is open all year round, but most visitors come between May and October, when the park is at its best. In the North Unit you can camp at the Squaw Creek Campground and in the South Unit in Medora.