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|date=November 2, 1889 (39th)

|date=November 2, 1889 (39th)

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'''North Dakota''' is a northern Midwestern state; it is part of the Great Plains and became the thirty-ninth state to enter into the union on November 2, 1889. It entered on the same day as [[South Dakota]], but is given status first because of alphabetical order. Its capital is Bismarck, and largest city by population is Fargo. North Dakota is the only state that has a state-owned bank in the nation.<ref>http://www.banknd.nd.gov/bndhome.jsp</ref> North Dakota is located in the center of the North American continent. The exact geographical center is located 97 miles NE of [[Bismarck]], 15 miles SW of [[Rugby]]. <ref>http://hypertextbook.com/bent/photos/geographic.center.html</ref>

'''North Dakota''' is a northern Midwestern state; it is part of the Great Plains and became the thirty-ninth state to enter into the union on November 2, 1889.<ref> It entered on the same day as [[South Dakota]], but is given status first because of alphabetical order.</ref> The state capital is Bismarck, and the largest city is Fargo. North Dakota is the only state that has a state-owned bank in the nation.<ref>http://www.banknd.nd.gov/bndhome.jsp</ref> North Dakota is located in the center of the North American continent. The exact geographical center is located 97 miles NE of [[Bismarck]], 15 miles SW of [[Rugby]]. <ref>http://hypertextbook.com/bent/photos/geographic.center.html</ref>

==Politics==

==Politics==

Since 1940 North Dakota has voted Republican for president (except in 1964), but elects many Democrats to Congress. The current governor of North Dakota is [[John Hoeven]], a Republican. <ref>http://governor.nd.gov/</ref>   

Since 1940 North Dakota has voted Republican for president (except in 1964), but elects many Democrats to Congress. The current governor of North Dakota is [[John Hoeven]], a Republican. <ref>http://governor.nd.gov/</ref>   

==Population==

==Population==

The original native American tribes in what is now North Dakota were the [[Mandan]], [[Sioux]], Arikara, [[Chippewa]], [[Cheyenne]], Assiniboine, and Hidatsa. Today only the Sioux and Chippewa remain; they comprise about 4% of the population.  

The original native American tribes in what is now North Dakota were the [[Mandan]], [[Sioux]], Arikara, [[Chippewa]], [[Cheyenne]], Assiniboine, and Hidatsa. Today only the Sioux and Chippewa remain; they comprise about 4% of the population.  

[[File:Fargo.jpg|thumb|240px|Fargo and other cities grow as rural areas decline]]

[[File:Fargo.jpg|thumb|310px|Fargo and other cities continue to grow as rural areas continue to lose population.]]

Settlers arrived in large numbers from the 1880s to 1910, most straight from Europe. Since then the population has held steady at about 650,000. Young people are moving out of rural areas to other states or to the few cities.  The four urban counties (containing Fargo, Grand Forks Bismark and Minot) grew from 134,000 people in 1930 to 338,000 in 2007, while the other 49 counties--heavily rural--declined from 546,000 in 1930 to only 301,000 in 2007, and the decline continues. Thanks to high prices for oil and wheat, the state is prosperous and the state budget has a surplus. Higher education is a priority; he state ranks first in spending per capita on state colleges and universities.

Settlers arrived in large numbers from the 1880s to 1910, most straight from Europe. Since then the population has held steady at about 650,000. Young people are moving out of rural areas to other states or to the few cities.  The four urban counties (containing Fargo, Grand Forks Bismark and Minot) grew from 134,000 people in 1930 to 338,000 in 2007, while the other 49 counties--heavily rural--declined from 546,000 in 1930 to only 301,000 in 2007, and the decline continues. Thanks to high prices for oil and wheat, the state is prosperous and the state budget has a surplus. Higher education is a priority; he state ranks first in spending per capita on state colleges and universities.