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Facts about Montana

35 Montana facts

Oro y plata.

"Gold and silver" is the motto of one of the largest states. But in the case of Montana, it is far more than that. Besides rich mineral deposits, it is known for its diverse nature, picturesque mountains, hot springs, vast unsettled areas, and dinosaur fossils.

1
It is the fourth largest state by surface area.

The state's total surface area (including land and water) is 380,800 km2 (147,040 sq mi).

2
Despite its vast area, Montana ranks 44th among all states in terms of population.

It is inhabited by 1.06 million people. The most populous city - Billings - has about 110 thousand inhabitants, which is more than 10% of the state's total population. Montana exceeded 1 million residents in 2012.

3
Montana is one of the eight Mountain States.

It is located in the northwestern region of the United States. Montana's mean elevation is 1,040 m (3,400 ft).

4
Helena is a state capital, but the most populated city is Billings.

Helena was established as a gold camp during the Montana Gold Rush on October 30, 1864.

Because of the gold rush, Helena became a prosperous city where many millionaires lived. Thanks to the wealthy citizens, the town developed with aesthetic Victorian architecture housing.

At present, almost 33 thousand people live in the city, making it the sixth least populated state capital.

5
Its name is derived from the Spanish word "montaña," which means mountainous.

The official name was instituted in 1863 by a bill issued by United States House Committee on Territories.

6
It is the 41st state.

Montana was incorporated into the Union on November 8, 1889.

7
It is divided into 56 counties.

Most of them - 46 to be exact - are qualified as "frontier" counties. This means that they are sparsely populated areas, geographically isolated from population centers and services.

8
What are the largest cities in Montana?

In order of population, they would be as follows:

Billings - 110,000
Missoula - 75,000
Great Falls - 58,000
Bozeman - 50,000
Butte - 34,000
Helena - 33,000
Kalispell - 25,000

9
What are Montana state symbols?

Here is a list:

State flower: Bitterroot
State grass: Bluebunch wheatgrass
State tree: Ponderosa Pine
State butterfly: Mourning Cloak Butterfly
State fish: Blackspotted Cutthroat Trout
State reptile: Northern Alligator Lizard
State bird: Western Meadowlark
State mammal: Grizzly bear
State fossil: Duck-billed dinosaur

10
It is known as "The Treasure State."

It all started with a gold rush, but Montana is also the only producer of platinum and palladium and a significant copper, silver, and gemstones manufacturer.

11
Montana is also one of the states with the largest livestock industry.

There are 2.6 million beef cattle and over 18 thousand dairy cows. It is the sixth beef cattle producer among all the states.

12
It's a land of over 3200 lakes.

The largest natural one is Flathead Lake, with a surface area of 510 km2 (197 sq mi). The largest man-made lake in Montana is Fort Peck Lake, formed by Fort Peck Dam at Missouri River. Fort Peck Lake has an area of 990 km2 (382 sq mi).

13
Many dinosaur fossils are found in Montana.

Part of the Hell Creek Formation, which preserves animal and plant fossils from the Late Cretaceous period, is located in Montana territory. The Montana region is famous for animal finds, while the North and South Dakota regions are rich in fossilized plants.

14
The world's most extensive collection of fossils from Hell Creek is on display at the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman.

In 1998, Montana State University, the University of Washington, the University of California, Berkeley, the University of North Dakota, and the University of North Carolina launched a joint excavation program that resulted in numerous finds. One of the most recent successes was the discovery of a 20% complete skeleton of "Tufts-Love Rex," a Tyrannosaurus rex with a well-preserved skull.

15
In 1852 gold was discovered in Montana.

Since then, it took ten years for a gold rush to develop. Although Montana is not as rich in gold as other states, a lot of gold has been mined in the last 160 years. Considering how big Montana is, there are still many gold sites waiting to be discovered.

16
It is the only state to border three Canadian provinces.

It is bordered on the east by North Dakota and South Dakota, on the south by Wyoming, west and southwest by Idaho, and on the north by three Canadian provinces.

17
This is no surprise, as Montana has the largest wild grizzly bear population in the lower 48 states.

In fact, these top predators are only found in four states: Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, and Washington. The total Grizzly population in the United States is estimated to be over 1800.

18
Wild animals outnumber people here.

State populations of deer, elk, and antelope are far more numerous than humans.

19
The fauna of the state is very diverse.

There are 115 mammal, 427 bird, 20 reptiles, 14 amphibian, 90 fish species in Montana.

20
Most popular mammals of Montana.