Montana ( /mɒnˈtænə/ (help·info)) is a state A U.S. state is any one of 50 subnational entities of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government . Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. However, state citizenship is very flexible, and no government approval is required to in the Western United States The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West or simply "the West," traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time. Prior to about 1800, the crest of the Appalachian. The western third of the state contains numerous mountain ranges; other 'island' ranges are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, often called the Rockies, are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than 4,800 kilometres from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in Canada, to New Mexico, in the United States. The range's highest peak is Mount Elbert in Colorado at 14,440 feet (4,401 m) above sea level. This geographic and geographical fact is reflected in the state's name, derived from the Spanish Spanish , sometimes called Castilian (castellano), is a Romance language that originated in northern Spain, and gradually spread in the Kingdom of Castile and evolved into the principal language of government and trade. It was taken most notably to the Americas, and also to Africa and Asia Pacific with the expansion of the Spanish Empire between word montaña (mountain). The state nickname is the "Treasure State." Other nicknames include "Land of Shining Mountains," "Big Sky Country," and the slogan "The Last Best Place." The state ranks fourth in area, but 44th in population, and therefore has the third lowest population density Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans. It is a key term used in geography in the United States. The economy is primarily based on ranching, wheat farming, oil and coal in the east; lumber, tourism, and hard rock mining in the west. Millions of tourists annually visit Glacier National Park Glacier National Park is located in the U.S. state of Montana, bordering the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia to the North and the Blackfeet Indian Reservation to the East. Glacier National Park contains two mountain ranges, sometimes referred to as the southern extension of the Canadian Rockies mountain ranges, with over 130, the Battle of Little Bighorn The Battle of the Little Bighorn —also known as Custer's Last Stand and, in the parlance of the relevant Native Americans, the Battle of Greasy Grass Creek—was an armed engagement between a Lakota–Northern Cheyenne combined force and the 7th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army. It occurred on June 25 and June 26, 1876, near the Little site, and three of the five entrances to Yellowstone National Park Yellowstone National Park, established by the U.S. Congress as a national park on March 1, 1872, is located primarily in the U.S. state of Wyoming, though it also extends into Montana and Idaho. The park was the first of its kind, and is known for its wildlife and its many geothermal features, especially Old Faithful Geyser, one of the most.

Contents

Geography

Map of Montana

With a land area of 145,552 square miles (376,980 km2) the state of Montana is the fourth largest in the United States (after Alaska Alaska ( /əˈlæskə/ , Russian: Аляска Alyaska) is the largest state of the United States of America by area; it is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait, Texas Texas ( /ˈtɛksəs/ ) is a state in the South Central United States, nicknamed the Lone Star State. It is bordered by Mexico to the south, New Mexico to the west, Oklahoma to the north, Arkansas to the northeast, and Louisiana to the east. Texas is the second largest U.S. state in both area and population, with an area of 268,820 square miles (696, and California California ( /kælɪˈfɔrnjə/ ) is a state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. It is bordered by Oregon to the north, Nevada to the east, Arizona to the southeast, and, to the south, the Mexican state of Baja California. California is the most populous U.S. state. Its four largest cities are Los Angeles, San Diego,). To the north, Montana and Canada share a 545 miles (877 km) border The Canada – United States border is the international border between Canada and the United States. Officially known as the International Boundary, it is the longest common border in the world and is unmilitarized. The terrestrial boundary is 8,891 kilometres (5,525 mi) long, including 2,475 kilometres (1,538 mi) shared with Alaska. It is Canada'. The state borders the Canadian provinces The provinces and territories of Canada combine to make up the world's second largest country. The major difference between a Canadian province and a territory is that provinces are states that receive their power and authority directly from the Constitution Act, 1867, whereas territories derive their mandates and powers from the federal of British Columbia British Columbia ( ˌbrɪtɨʃ kəˈlʌmbiə ) (BC) (French: la Colombie-Britannique, C.-B.) is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is famed for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu ("Splendour without Diminishment"). In 1871, it became the sixth province of Canada, Alberta Alberta is one of Canada's prairie provinces. It became a province on September 1, 1905, and Saskatchewan Saskatchewan (pronounced /səˈskætʃɨwɑːn/ ) is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of 588,276.09 square kilometres (227,100 sq mi) and a population of 1,023,810 (according to 2009 estimates), mostly living in the southern half of the province. Of these, 233,923 live in the province's largest city, Saskatoon, while 194,971 live in, more provinces than any other state. To the east, the state borders North Dakota North Dakota ( /ˌnɔrθ dəˈkoʊtə/ ) is a state located in the Midwestern and Western regions of the United States of America. North Dakota is the 19th largest state by area in the US; it is the 3rd least populous, with just over 640,000 residents as of 2006. North Dakota was carved out of the northern half of the Dakota Territory and admitted and South Dakota South Dakota ( /ˌsaʊθ dəˈkoʊtə/ ) is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. The former territory was admitted to the Union on November 2, 1889. Centrally-located Pierre is the state capital and Sioux Falls is the state's largest city. As. To the south is Wyoming The State of Wyoming ( /waɪˈoʊmɪŋ/ ) is a state in the Western United States. The majority of the state is dominated by the mountain ranges and rangelands of the Rocky Mountain West, while the easternmost section of the state includes part of a high altitude prairie region known as the High Plains. While the tenth largest U.S. state by size, and to the west and southwest is Idaho The State of Idaho ( /ˈaɪdəhoʊ/ ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States of America. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans." Idaho was admitted to the Union on 3 July 1890 as the 43rd state.

The topography of the state is diverse, but roughly defined by the Continental Divide The Continental Divide of the Americas, or merely the Continental Divide or Great Divide, is the name given to the principal, and largely mountainous, hydrological divide of the Americas that separates the watersheds that drain into the Pacific Ocean from, 1) those river systems which drain into the Atlantic Ocean , and 2) along the northernmost, which runs on an approximate diagonal line through the state from northwest to south-central, splitting it into two distinct eastern and western regions. Montana is well known for its mountainous western region, most of which are geologically and geographically part of the Northern Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, often called the Rockies, are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than 4,800 kilometres from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in Canada, to New Mexico, in the United States. The range's highest peak is Mount Elbert in Colorado at 14,440 feet (4,401 m) above sea level. The Absaroka and Beartooth ranges in the south are technically part of the Central Rocky Mountains. However, about 60% of the state is actually prairie, part of the northern Great Plains The Great Plains are the broad expanse of prairie and steppe which lie west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. This area covers parts of the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming, and the Canadian provinces of. Nonetheless, even east of the Continental Divide The Continental Divide of the Americas, or merely the Continental Divide or Great Divide, is the name given to the principal, and largely mountainous, hydrological divide of the Americas that separates the watersheds that drain into the Pacific Ocean from, 1) those river systems which drain into the Atlantic Ocean , and 2) along the northernmost and the Rocky Mountain Front, there are a number of isolated "island ranges" that dot the prairie landscape. This island range region covers most of the central third of the state.

The Bitterroot Mountains, one of the longest continuous ranges in the entire Rocky Mountain chain from Alaska to Mexico, divide the state from Idaho to the west with the southern third of the range blending into the Continental Divide. Mountain ranges between the Bitterroots and the top of the Continental Divide include the Cabinet Mountains, the Missions, the Garnet, Sapphire, Flint Creek, and Pintlar ranges.

Montana terrain

The northern section of the Divide, where the mountains give way rapidly to prairie, is known collectively as the Rocky Mountain Front and is most pronounced in the Lewis Range located primarily in Glacier National Park Glacier National Park is located in the U.S. state of Montana, bordering the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia to the North and the Blackfeet Indian Reservation to the East. Glacier National Park contains two mountain ranges, sometimes referred to as the southern extension of the Canadian Rockies mountain ranges, with over 130. Due to the configuration of mountain ranges in Glacier National Park, the Northern Divide (which begins in Alaska's Seward Peninsula) crosses this region and turns east in Montana at Triple Divide Peak Triple Divide Peak is located in Glacier National Park, Montana, United States. It is a hydrologic apex of the North American continent (the other is Snow Dome in Jasper National Park, on the border between Alberta and British Columbia, Canada). The Continental (Great) Divide and the Laurentian Divide meet at the summit of the peak, and all water. Thus, the Waterton, Belly, and Saint Mary rivers flow north into Alberta, Canada, joining the Saskatchewan River The Saskatchewan River is a major river in Canada, approximately 550 km (340 mi) long, flowing roughly eastward across Saskatchewan and Manitoba to drain into Lake Winnipeg. Through its tributaries the North Saskatchewan and South Saskatchewan, its watershed encompasses much of the prairie regions of central Canada, stretching westward to the and ultimately emptying into Hudson Bay Hudson Bay is a large body of water in northeastern Canada. It drains a very large area that includes parts of Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Alberta, most of Manitoba, parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Montana, and the southeastern area of Nunavut. A smaller offshoot of the bay, James Bay, lies to the south. The International.

East of the Divide, several parallel ranges march across the southern half of the state, including the Gravelly Range, the Tobacco Roots, the Madison Range, Gallatin Range The Gallatin Range is located in the U.S. states of Montana and Wyoming and includes more than 10 mountains over 10,000 feet . The highest peak in the range is Electric Peak at 10,969 feet (3,343 m). The Gallatin Range was named after Albert Gallatin, the longest-serving US Secretary of the Treasury and one of the negotiators of the Alaska, Big Belt Mountains, Bridger Mountains, Absaroka Mountains, and the Beartooth Mountains. The Beartooth Plateau is the largest continuous land mass over 10,000 feet (3,000 m) in the lower 48 states and contains the highest point in the state, Granite Peak, 12,799 feet (3,901 m) high.

St. Mary Lake in Glacier National Park

Between the mountain ranges are many scenic valleys, rich in agricultural resources and rivers, and possessing multiple opportunities for tourism and recreation. Among the best-known areas are the Flathead Valley, Bitterroot Valley The Bitterroot Valley is located in southwestern Montana in the northwestern United States. It extends over 100 miles from remote Horse Creek Pass north to a point near the city of Missoula. To the west is the Bitterroot Range and the large Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Area, and to the east is the smaller Sapphire Mountains and the Anaconda-, Big Hole Valley, and Gallatin Valley Gallatin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Montana. The prominent physical feature of the county is the Gallatin River, named by Meriwether Lewis in 1805 for Albert Gallatin, U.S. Treasury Secretary from 1801-14. As of 2000, the population of Gallatin County was 67,831, most residing in or near its county seat of Bozeman, home of.

East and north of this transition zone are expansive sparsely populated Northern Plains The Great Plains are the broad expanse of prairie and steppe which lie west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. This area covers parts of the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming, and the Canadian provinces of, with rolling tableland prairies, "island" mountain ranges, and scenic badlands A badlands is a type of arid terrain where softer sedimentary rocks and clay-rich soils have been extensively eroded by wind and water. It can resemble malpaís, a terrain of volcanic rock. Canyons, ravines, gullies, hoodoos and other such geological forms are common in badlands. They are often difficult to navigate by foot. Badlands often have a extending into the Dakotas, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Wyoming. The isolated island ranges east of the Divide include the Castle Mountains, Crazy Mountains, Little Belt Mountains, Snowy Mountains, Sweet Grass Hills, Bull Mountains. The Pryor Mountains South of Billings and, in the southeastern corner of the state near Ekalaka, the Long Pines and Short Pines.

The area east of the divide in the north-central portion of the state is known for the dramatic Missouri Breaks and other significant rock formations. Three stately buttes A butte is an isolated hill with steep, often vertical sides and a small, relatively flat top; smaller than mesas, plateaus, and tables. In some regions the word is simply used for any hill. The word "butte" comes from a French word meaning "small hill"; its use is prevalent in the western United States, including the southwest south of Great Falls Great Falls is a city in and the county seat of Cascade County, Montana, United States. The population was 56,690 at the 2000 census. It is the principal city of the 'Great Falls, Montana Metropolitan Statistical Area', which encompasses all of Cascade County. Great Falls takes its name from the series of waterfalls that the Lewis and Clark are familiar landmarks. These buttes, Square Butte, Shaw Butte, and Crown Butte, are made of igneous rock Igneous rock is one of the three main rock types (the others being sedimentary and metamorphic rock). Igneous rock is formed by magma (molten rock) being cooled and becoming solid. They may form with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive (plutonic) rocks or on the surface as extrusive (volcanic) rocks. This magma can be, which is dense and has withstood weathering for many years. The underlying surface consists of shale Shale is a fine-grained sedimentary rock whose original constituents were clay minerals or muds. It is characterized by thin laminae breaking with an irregular curving fracture, often splintery and usually parallel to the often-indistinguishable bedding plane. This property is called fissility. Non-fissile rocks of similar composition but made of. Many areas around these buttes are covered with clay surface soils. These soils have been derived from the weathering of the Colorado Formation. Farther east, areas such as Makoshika State Park near Glendive, and Medicine Rocks State Park near Ekalaka also highlight some of the most scenic badlands regions in the state.

Montana also contains a number of rivers, many of which are known for "blue-ribbon" trout fishing, but which also provide most of the water needed by residents of the state, as well as being a source of hydropower Hydropower, hydraulic power or water power is power that is derived from the force or energy of moving water, which may be harnessed for useful purposes. Montana is one of few geographic areas in the world whose rivers form parts of three major watersheds (i.e. where two continental divides intersect): The Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. Its name is derived from the Latin name Mare Pacificum, "peaceful sea", bestowed upon it by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan. It extends from the Arctic in the north to Antarctica in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the, the Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico is the ninth largest body of water in the world. Considered a smaller part of the Atlantic Ocean, it is an ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on, and Hudson Bay Hudson Bay is a large body of water in northeastern Canada. It drains a very large area that includes parts of Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Alberta, most of Manitoba, parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Montana, and the southeastern area of Nunavut. A smaller offshoot of the bay, James Bay, lies to the south. The International which are divided atop Triple Divide Peak Triple Divide Peak is located in Glacier National Park, Montana, United States. It is a hydrologic apex of the North American continent (the other is Snow Dome in Jasper National Park, on the border between Alberta and British Columbia, Canada). The Continental (Great) Divide and the Laurentian Divide meet at the summit of the peak, and all water in Glacier National Park.

Missouri Breaks region in central Montana

West of the divide, the Clark Fork of the Columbia (not to be confused with the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River) rises in the Rocky Mountains near Butte and flows northwest to Missoula. There it is joined by the Blackfoot River and Bitterroot River and further downstream by the Flathead River before entering Idaho The State of Idaho ( /ˈaɪdəhoʊ/ ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States of America. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans." Idaho was admitted to the Union on 3 July 1890 as the 43rd state near Lake Pend Oreille, becoming part of the Columbia River The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. It is named after the Columbia Rediviva, the first ship from the western world known to have traveled up the river. It stretches from British Columbia through Washington state, forming much of the border between Washington and Oregon before emptying into the, which flows to the Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. Its name is derived from the Latin name Mare Pacificum, "peaceful sea", bestowed upon it by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan. It extends from the Arctic in the north to Antarctica in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the. The Clark Fork discharges the greatest volume of water of any river exiting the state. The Flathead River and Kootenai River also drain major portions of the western half of the state.

East of the divide, the Missouri River The Missouri River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, and is the longest river in the United States of America. The Missouri likely originates at Brower's Spring at the upper reaches of the Jefferson, before joining the confluence of the Madison, Jefferson, and Gallatin rivers in Montana. From this point, it flows through its valley south, formed by the confluence of the Jefferson The Jefferson River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately 77 miles long, in the U.S. state of Montana, Madison, and Gallatin The Gallatin River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately 120 mi , in the U.S. states of Wyoming and Montana. It is one of three rivers, along with the Jefferson and Madison, that converge near Three Forks, Montana, to form the Missouri rivers, crosses the central part of the state, flows through the Missouri breaks and enters North Dakota North Dakota ( /ˌnɔrθ dəˈkoʊtə/ ) is a state located in the Midwestern and Western regions of the United States of America. North Dakota is the 19th largest state by area in the US; it is the 3rd least populous, with just over 640,000 residents as of 2006. North Dakota was carved out of the northern half of the Dakota Territory and admitted. The Yellowstone River rises in Yellowstone Park in Wyoming The State of Wyoming ( /waɪˈoʊmɪŋ/ ) is a state in the Western United States. The majority of the state is dominated by the mountain ranges and rangelands of the Rocky Mountain West, while the easternmost section of the state includes part of a high altitude prairie region known as the High Plains. While the tenth largest U.S. state by size,, flows north to Livingston, Montana, where it then turns east and flows across the state until it joins the Missouri River a few miles east of the North Dakota boundary. The Yellowstone River is the longest undammed, free-flowing river in North America. Other major Montana tributaries of the Missouri include the Milk, Marias, Tongue, and Musselshell Rivers. Montana also claims the disputed title of possessing the "world's shortest river," the Roe River, just outside Great Falls, Montana. These rivers ultimately join the Mississippi River and flow into the Gulf of Mexico.

Water is of critical importance to the state for both agriculture and hydropower. In addition to its rivers, the state is home to Flathead Lake, the largest natural fresh-water lake in the United States west of the Great Lakes. Man-made reservoirs dot Montana's rivers, the largest of which is Fort Peck Reservoir, on the Missouri river, contained by the largest earth-filled dam in the world.

Pompeys Pillar National Monument

Vegetation of the state includes ponderosa pine, lodgepole pine, douglas fir, larch, spruce, aspen, birch, red cedar, hemlock, ash, alder, rocky mountain maple and cottonwood trees. Forests cover approximately 25% of the state. Flowers native to Montana include asters, bitterroots, daisies, lupins, poppies, primroses, columbine, lilies, orchids and dryads. Several species of sagebrush and cactus and many species of grasses are common. Many species of mushrooms and lichens are also found in the state.

Montana contains Glacier National Park, 'The Crown of the Continent,' and portions of Yellowstone National Park, including three of the Park's five entrances. Other federally recognized sites include the Little Bighorn National Monument, Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, Big Hole National Battlefield, Lewis and Clark Caverns, and the National Bison Range. Montana has eight National Forests and more than 20 National Wildlife Refuges. The Federal government administers 36,000,000 acres (150,000 km2). 275,000 acres (1,110 km2) are administered as state parks and forests.

Quake Lake was created by a landslide during the 1959 Yellowstone Earthquake

Areas managed by the National Park Service include:[3]

Several Indian reservations are located in Montana: Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, Crow Indian Reservation, Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation, Blackfeet Indian Reservation, and the Flathead Indian Reservation.

See also: List of Montana counties, List of rivers of Montana, and List of cities and towns in Montana

Montana has only two TV channels in some parts.

Climate

Temperature and precipitation for Montana's capital city, Helena

Montana is a large state with considerable variation in geography, and so the climate is equally varied. The state spans from 'below' the 45th parallel (i.e. the halfway line between the equator and the north pole) to the 49th parallel, and elevations range from under 2,000 feet to almost 13,000 feet above sea level. The western half is mountainous, interrupted by numerous large valleys. Eastern Montana comprises plains and badlands, broken by hills and isolated mountain ranges, and has a semi-arid continental climate. The Continental Divide runs north-south through the western mountainous half, and has a large effect on the climate. It restricts the flow of warmer air from the Pacific from moving east, and cooler, drier continental moving west. West of the divide the climate is described as modified northern Pacific coast climate, with milder winters, cooler summers, less wind, and a longer growing season.[4] In the winter Valley fog and low clouds often form in the valleys west of the divide, but this is rarely seen in the east.[5]

Average daytime temperatures vary from 28 degrees Fahrenheit in January to 84.5 degrees Fahrenheit in July.[6] The variation in geography leads to great variation in temperature. Hot weather occurs in the eastern plains on occasion; the highest observed being 117° at Glendive on July 20, 1893, and Medicine Lake on July 5, 1937. Throughout the state summer nights are generally cool and pleasant. Temperatures decrease with altitude, and hot weather is unknown above 4,000 ft (1,200 m) Snowfall is not unknown any month of the year in the central part of Montana, but is quite rare in July and August.[4]

The coldest temperature on record for Montana is the coldest temperature for the entire continental U.S. On January 20, 1954 -70 °F was recorded at a gold mining camp near Rogers Pass. Temperatures vary greatly on such cold nights, and Helena, 40 miles (64 km) to the southeast had a low of only −36 °F (−37.8 °C).[4] Winter cold spells last a week or so. They are the result of cold continental air coming south from Canada. The front is often well defined, causing a large temperature drop in a 24 hour period. Conversely, air flow from the southwest results in "Chinooks". These steady 25-50mph (or more) winds can suddenly warm parts of Montana, especially areas just to the east of the mountains, where temperatures sometimes rise up to 50 - 60°F.[4]

Indeed, Loma, Montana is the location of the most extreme recorded temperature change in a 24-hour period in the United States. On January 15, 1972, the temperature rose from −54 °F (−48 °C) to 49 °F (9 °C); a dramatic example of the regional Chinook wind in action.[7]

The Grinnell Glacier gets 105 inches (2,700 mm) of precipitation per year.

Average annual precipitation is 15 inches (380 mm), but great variations are seen. The mountain ranges block the moist Pacific air, holding moisture in the western valleys, and creating rain shadows to the east. Heron in the west receives the most precipitation, 34.70 inches. On the east side of a mountain range the valleys are much drier; Lonepine averages 11.45, and Deer Lodge 11.00 inches of precipitation. The mountains themselves can get over 100 inches (2,500 mm), for example the Grinnell Glacier in Glacier National Park gets 105 inches (2,700 mm).[5] Perhaps the driest is an area southwest of Belfry that averaged only 6.59 inches (167 mm) over a 16 year period. Most of the larger cities get 30 to 50 inches (1,300 mm) of snow each year. Mountain ranges themselves can accumulate 300 inches (7,600 mm) of snow during a winter. Heavy snowstorms can occur as early as September or as Late as May, but most snow falls from November to March.[4]

The climate has become warmer in Montana and continues to do so.[8] The glaciers in Glacier National Park have receded and are predicted to melt away completely in a few decades.[9] Many Montana cities set heat records during July 2007, the hottest month ever recorded in Montana.[8][10] Winters are warmer, too, and have fewer cold spells. Previously these cold spells had killed off bark beetles which are now attacking the forests of Western Montana.[11][12] The combination of warmer weather, attack by beetles, and mismanagement during past years has led to a substantial increase in the severity of forest fires in Montana.[8][12]

History

Main article: History of Montana Assiniboine family, Montana, 1890-91

Native Americans were the first inhabitants of the state of Montana. Groups included the Crow in the south-central area, the Cheyenne in the southeast, the Blackfeet, Assiniboine and Gros Ventres in the central and north-central area and the Kootenai and Salish in the west. The smaller Pend d'Oreille and Kalispel tribes lived near Flathead Lake and the western mountains, respectively.

Montana east of the continental divide was part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Subsequent to the Lewis and Clark Expedition and after the finding of gold and copper (see the Copper Kings) in the state in the late 1850s, Montana became a United States territory (Montana Territory) on May 26, 1864, and the 41st state on November 8, 1889.

Fort Shaw (Montana Territory) was established in Spring 1867. It is located west of Great Falls in the Sun River Valley and was one of three posts authorized to be built by Congress in 1865. The other two posts in the Montana Territory were Camp Cooke on the Judith River and Fort C.F. Smith on the Bozeman Trail in south central Montana Territory. Fort Shaw, named after Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, who commanded the 54th Massachusetts, one of the first all African-American regiments, during the American Civil War, was built of adobe and lumber by the 13th Infantry. The fort had a parade ground that was 400 square feet (37 m2), and consisted of barracks for officers, a hospital, and a trading post, and could house up to 450 soldiers. Completed in 1868, it was used by military personnel until 1891.

After the close of the military post, the government established Fort Shaw as a school to provide industrial training to young Native Americans. The Fort Shaw Indian Industrial School was opened on April 30, 1892. The school had at one time 17 faculty members, 11 Indian assistants and 300 students. The school made use of over 20 of the buildings built by the Army.

The revised Homestead Act of the early 1900s greatly affected the settlement of Montana. This act expanded the land that was provided by the Homestead Act of 1862 from 160 acres (0.6 km2) to 320 acres (1.3 km2). When the latter act was signed by President William Howard Taft, it also reduced the time necessary to prove up from five years to three years and permitted five months' absence from the claim each year.

In 1908, the Sun River Irrigation Project, west of Great Falls was opened up for homesteading. Under this Reclamation Act, a person could obtain 40 acres (16 ha). Most of the people who came to file on these homesteads were young couples who were eager to live near mountains where hunting and fishing were good. Many of these homesteaders came from the Midwest.

Montana was the scene of the Native Americans' last effort to keep their land, and the last stand of U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer was fought near the present day town of Hardin. Montana was also the location of the final battles of the Nez Perce Wars.

Cattle ranching has long been central to Montana's history and economy. The Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site in Deer Lodge Valley is maintained as a link to the ranching style of the late 19th century. It is operated by the National Park Service but is also a 1,900 acres (7.7 km2) working ranch.

Demographics

Montana Population Density Map
Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1870 20,595 —
1880 39,159 90.1%
1890 142,924 265.0%
1900 243,329 70.3%
1910 376,053 54.5%
1920 548,889 46.0%
1930 537,606 −2.1%
1940 559,456 4.1%
1950 591,024 5.6%
1960 674,767 14.2%
1970 694,409 2.9%
1980 786,690 13.3%
1990 799,065 1.6%
2000 902,195 12.9%
Est. 2008 967,440 [1] 7.2%

Montana ranks 44th in population; only six states (Alaska, Wyoming, South Dakota, North Dakota, Vermont and Delaware) have fewer people. As of 2006, Montana has an estimated population of 997,670, slightly less than either Rhode Island or Hawaii, which is an increase of 8,750, or 0.9%, from the prior year and an increase of 33,475, or 3.7%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 13,674 people (that is 58,001 births minus 44,327 deaths) and an increase due to net migration of 21,074 people into the state. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 2,141 people, and migration within the country produced a net increase of 18,933 people. 16,500 of state residents are foreign-born, accounting for 1.8% of the total population.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 94.8% of the population aged 5 and older speak English at home.[13]

The center of population of Montana is located in Meagher County, in the city of White Sulphur Springs.[14]

While German ancestry is the largest reported European-American ancestry in most of Montana, residents of Scandinavian ancestry are prevalent in some of the farming-dominated northern and eastern prairie regions. There are also several predominantly Native American counties, mostly around each of the seven Indian reservations. The historically mining-oriented communities of western Montana such as Butte have a wider range of ethnic groups, particularly people of Eastern European and Irish ancestry, as well as people who originally emigrated from British mining regions such as Cornwall. Montana is second only to South Dakota in U.S. Hutterite population with several colonies spread across the state. Many of Montana's historic logging communities originally attracted people of Scandinavian, Slavic, and Scots-Irish descent. Montana's Hispanic population is particularly concentrated around the Billings area in south-central Montana, and the highest density of African-Americans is located in Great Falls.

Demographics of Montana (csv)
By race White Black AIAN* Asian NHPI*
2000 (total population) 92.79% 0.50% 7.36% 0.79% 0.12%
2000 (Hispanic only) 1.74% 0.05% 0.28% 0.04% 0.01%
2005 (total population) 92.52% 0.62% 7.47% 0.82% 0.11%
2005 (Hispanic only) 2.22% 0.07% 0.23% 0.03% 0.01%
Growth 2000–05 (total population) 3.42% 28.09% 5.19% 7.11% -4.46%
Growth 2000–05 (non-Hispanic only) 2.87% 25.58% 5.91% 8.07% -0.82%
Growth 2000–05 (Hispanic only) 31.85% 52.36% -13.46% -13.52% -39.22%
* AIAN is American Indian or Alaskan Native; NHPI is Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Religion

The religious affiliations of the people of Montana

The largest denominations by number of adherents in 2000 were the Roman Catholic Church with 169,250; the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America with 50,287; and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with 32,726.[15]

Economy

Montana ranks 3rd nationally in craft breweries per capita.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates that Montana's total state product in 2003 was $26 billion. Per capita personal income in 2003 was $25,406, 47th in the nation. However, this number is rapidly increasing. According to the Missoulian, the economy has grown rapidly since 2003; in 2005, Montana ranked 39th in the nation with an average per capita personal income of $29,387.[citation needed]

The economy is primarily based on agriculture, and major crops include wheat, barley, sugar beets, oats, rye, seed potatoes, honey, cherries, and cattle and sheep ranching.[citation needed] Montana is also a relative hub of beer microbrewing, ranking third in the nation in number of craft breweries per capita.[16] There are significant industries for lumber and mineral extraction; the states resources include gold, coal, silver, talc, and vermiculite.[citation needed]

Tourism is also important to the economy with millions of visitors a year to Glacier National Park, Flathead Lake, the Missouri River headwaters, the site of the Battle of Little Bighorn and three of the five entrances to Yellowstone National Park.

Montana's personal income tax contains 7 brackets, with rates ranging from 1% to 6.9%. Montana has no sales tax. In Montana, household goods are exempt from property taxes. However, property taxes are assessed on livestock, farm machinery, heavy equipment, automobiles, trucks, and business equipment. The amount of property tax owed is not determined solely by the property's value. The property's value is multiplied by a tax rate, set by the Montana Legislature, to determine its taxable value. The taxable value is then multiplied by the mill levy established by various taxing jurisdictions – city and county government, school districts and others.

Transportation

See also: List of Montana railroads and List of Montana numbered highways

Railroads have been an important method of transportation in Montana since the 1880s. Historically, the state was traversed by the main lines of three east-west transcontinental routes: the Milwaukee Road, the Great Northern, and the Northern Pacific. Today, the BNSF Railway is the state's largest railroad, its main transcontinental route incorporating the former Great Northern main line across the state. Montana RailLink, a privately-held Class II railroad, operates former Northern Pacific trackage in western Montana.

In addition, Amtrak's Empire Builder train runs through the north of the state, stopping in the following towns: Libby, Whitefish, West Glacier, Essex, East Glacier Park, Browning, Cut Bank, Shelby, Havre, Malta, Glasgow, and Wolf Point.

Montana's three largest commercial airports serve Bozeman, Billings, and Missoula; smaller airports at Great Falls International Airport, Kalispell, Helena, and Butte also serve multiple commercial carriers. Eight smaller communities have airports designated for commercial service under the Essential Air Service program.

Historically, the primary east-west highway route across Montana was U.S. Route 10, which connected the major cities in the southern half of the state. Still the state's most important east-west travel corridor, the route is today served by Interstate 90 and Interstate 94. U.S. Routes 2 and 12 and Montana Highway 200 also traverse the entire state from east to west.

Montana's only north-south Interstate Highway is Interstate 15. Other major north-south highways include U.S. Routes 87, 89, 93 and 191.

Law and government

See also: List of Montana Governors

The current Governor is Brian Schweitzer (Democrat) who was sworn in on January 3, 2005. Its two U.S. senators are Max Baucus (Democrat) and Jon Tester (Democrat). Montana's congressional representative is Denny Rehberg (Republican).

The state was the first to elect a female member of Congress (Jeannette Rankin) and was one of the first states to give women voting rights (see suffrage). Despite its sizable American Indian population, Montana is one of the most homogenous states — nearly 90% of its residents are of European descent, with a large number of immigrants of German, Irish, Welsh, Slavs, English, Italian, Slovak and Scandinavian heritage arriving in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. A significant portion of Chinese (Cantonese) immigrants also came and left an indelible mark on the state, especially in the mining cities of Helena, Butte, and Anaconda.

Politics

Lithograph print showing the exterior view of the state capitol building in Helena, Montana c1896 December 7 by Geo. R. Mann.

Historically, Montana is a swing state of cross-ticket voters with a tradition of sending "liberals to Helena (the state capital) and conservatives to Washington." However, there have also been long-term shifts of party control. During the 1970s, the state was dominated by the Democratic Party, with Democratic governors for a 20-year period, and a Democratic majority of both the national congressional delegation and during many sessions of the state legislature. This pattern shifted, beginning with the 1988 election, when Montana elected a Republican governor and sent a Republican to the U.S. Senate for the first time since the 1940s. This shift continued with the reapportionment of the state's legislative districts that took effect in 1994, when the Republican Party took control of both houses of the state legislature, consolidating a party dominance that lasted until 2004. The state last supported a Democrat for president in 1992, when Bill Clinton won a plurality victory. Overall, since 1889 the state has voted for Democratic governors 60% of the time and Democratic presidents 40% of the time, with these numbers being 40/60 for Republican candidates.

In recent years, Montana has been classified as a Republican-leaning state, as the state supported President George W. Bush by a wide margin in 2000 and 2004. However, the state currently has two Democratic U.S. Senators and a Democratic governor (Brian Schweitzer), elected in 2004. In the 2006 midterm elections, Democratic candidate Jon Tester narrowly defeated (by only 3000 votes) incumbent Republican Senator Conrad Burns [1],one of several crucial races that allowed the Democratic Party to win the majority in the U.S. Senate. Montana's lone US Representative, Republican Denny Rehberg, easily won reelection in 2006 as well as in 2008. Long time Senator Max Baucus won reelection in 2008 with a massive majority of votes. The state Senate is (as of 2009) controlled by the Republicans. The State House of Representatives is tied with the speaker of the house coming from the democrats. In the 2008 Presidential Election, Montana was considered a swing state, and was ultimately won by Republican John McCain (albeit by a narrow margin of 2 percent).[17]

On April 17, 2007, Montana became the first state to pass legislation against the federal government's Real ID Act. Gov. Schweitzer signed a bill banning the Montana Motor Vehicle Division from enforcing the new regulations.[18]

Montana is an Alcoholic beverage control state.

On April 22, 2009, House Resolution 3 failed to pass by one vote, with all 50 Republicans voting for and all 50 Democrats voting against.[19] It reads in part:[20]

(15) That if any act of Congress becomes law or if an Executive Order of the President of the United States is put into force beyond the reservations expressed in this resolution, or if any treaty is entered into by the federal government that nullifies the rights of the people of Montana as expressed in the United States or Montana constitutions, Montana's "Compact With the United States" may be considered breached and all powers previously delegated to the United States via the United States Constitution revert to the states individually.

(16) That any future federal government of the United States shall require ratification of three-fourths of the states seeking to form a federal government and shall not be binding upon any state not seeking to form or join a federal government.

State Representative Mike Menahan, (D-Helena), said, "If this isn’t groundwork for seceding from the union, I don’t know what is."[21]

Further information: Political party strength in Montana

Important cities and towns

Montana's largest city, Billings Billings skyline & Sacrifice Cliff, 2005

Some of the cities in Montana are:

Some of the major towns in Montana are:

Counties

Main article: List of counties in Montana

The State of Montana has 56 counties.

Montana Counties Ranked By 2005 Population[22]
Rank County Population Rank County Population
1 Yellowstone County 136,691 29 Powell County 6,999
2 Missoula County 100,086 30 Blaine County 6,629
3 Flathead County 83,172 31 Teton County 6,240
4 Cascade County 79,569 32 Pondera County 6,087
5 Gallatin County 78,210 33 Chouteau County 5,463
6 Lewis and Clark County 58,449 34 Toole County 5,031
7 Ravalli County 39,940 35 Broadwater County 4,517
8 Silver Bow County 32,982 36 Musselshell County 4,497
9 Lake County 28,297 37 Phillips County 4,179
10 Lincoln County 19,193 38 Mineral County 4,014
11 Hill County 16,304 39 Sweet Grass County 3,672
12 Park County 15,968 40 Sheridan County 3,524
13 Glacier County 13,552 41 Granite County 2,965
14 Big Horn County 13,149 42 Fallon County 2,717
15 Fergus County 11,551 43 Judith Basin County 2,198
16 Custer County 11,267 44 Wheatland County 2,037
17 Jefferson County 11,170 45 Liberty County 2,003
18 Sanders County 11,057 46 Meagher County 1,999
19 Roosevelt County 10,524 47 Daniels County 1,836
20 Carbon County 9,902 48 McCone County 1,805
21 Rosebud County 9,212 49 Powder River County 1,705
22 Richland County 9,096 50 Carter County 1,320
23 Deer Lodge County 8,948 51 Garfield County 1,199
24 Beaverhead County 8,773 52 Golden Valley County 1,159
25 Dawson County 8,688 53 Prairie County 1,105
26 Stillwater County 8,493 54 Wibaux County 951
27 Madison County 7,274 55 Treasure County 689
28 Valley County 7,143 56 Petroleum County 470

Education

Colleges and universities

The state-funded Montana University System consists of:

Major Tribal Colleges in Montana include:

Major Private Colleges and Universities include:

Sports

Professional sports

There are no major league sports franchises in Montana, due to the state's relatively small and dispersed population, but a number of minor league teams play in the state. Baseball is the minor-league sport with the longest heritage in the state, and Montana is currently home to four Minor League baseball teams, all members of the Pioneer Baseball League:

The Billings Outlaws are a professional indoor football team affiliated with the United Indoor Football league.

Collegiate and amateur sports

All of Montana's four-year colleges and universities field a variety of intercollegiate sports teams. The two largest schools, the University of Montana and Montana State University, are members of the Big Sky Conference and have enjoyed a strong athletic rivalry since the early twentieth century. Most of the smaller four-year schools in the state belong to the Frontier Conference.

Football and basketball are the two most popular sports at the high school level. Montana is one of the few states where the smallest high schools participate in six-man football leagues.

Numerous other sports are played at the club and amateur level, including softball, rugby, and soccer.

Since 1988, the Montana High School All Class Wrestling Tournament has been held in Billings at MetraPark. This event remains one of the most popular high school events each year in Montana.

There are five junior hockey teams in Montana, all affiliated with the Northern Pacific Hockey League:

Ft. Shaw

In 1904 a group of young Native American women, after playing undefeated during their last season, went to the Louisiana Purchase Exposition held in St. Louis and defeated all challenging teams and were declared to be world champions. For this they received a large silver trophy with the inscription "World's Fair - St. Louis, 1904 - Basket Ball - Won by Fort Shaw Team".[23]

Montana in Popular Culture

Miscellaneous topics

Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (March 2009)

State symbols

Montana's state quarter, released in 2007.

Ski areas

The Big Sky Resort

Montana has several ski areas including:

Notable people

See List of people from Montana

See also

Montana portal

References

  1. ^ a b "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for the United States, Regions, States, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2008". United States Census Bureau. http://www.census.gov/popest/states/tables/NST-EST2008-01.csv. Retrieved on 2009-02-05.
  2. ^ a b "Elevations and Distances in the United States". U.S. Geological Survey. 29 April 2005. http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/elvadist/elvadist.html#Highest. Retrieved on November 6, 2006.
  3. ^ "Montana". National Park Service. http://www.nps.gov/state/mt. Retrieved on 2008-07-16.
  4. ^ a b c d e Western Regional Climate Center "Climate of Montana"
  5. ^ a b Animal Range and Sciences, Extension Service, Montana State University - "Climate of Montana"
  6. ^ Visit MT.com "Montana Facts"
  7. ^ Andrew H. Horvitz, et al. A National Temperature Record at Loma, Montana, National Weather Service, 2002. Accessed 2008-11-02.
  8. ^ a b c Billings Gazette, UM climate expert says triple-digit Julys will be norm - August 27, 2007
  9. ^ "Glacier Monitoring Research". Monitoring and Assessing Glacier Changes and Their Associated Hydrologic and Ecologic Effects in Glacier National Park. U.S. Geological Survey. http://www.nrmsc.usgs.gov/research/glaciers.htm. Retrieved on 2007-06-27.
  10. ^ NOAA - National Climatic Data Center "Climate of 2007 - July in Historical Perspective" August 15, 2007
  11. ^ The Missoulian "Beetles shaping Montana's forest lands"
  12. ^ a b Missoulan "Forest Service finds varied beetle activity"
  13. ^ Language Map Data Center
  14. ^ "Population and Population Centers by State: 2000". U. S. Census Bureau. 2000. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/cenpop/statecenters.txt. Retrieved on 2008-05-07.
  15. ^ http://www.thearda.com/mapsReports/reports/state/30_2000.asp
  16. ^ Craft Brewing Industry Statistics
  17. ^ 2008 Election Results, CNN
  18. ^ http://www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=199732
  19. ^ http://laws.leg.mt.gov/laws09/LAW0211W$BLAC.VoteTabulation?P_VOTE_SEQ=H1902
  20. ^ http://data.opi.mt.gov/bills/2009/billhtml/HR0003.htm
  21. ^ http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/articles/2009/04/23/news/10resolution.txt
  22. ^ "Table 1: Annual Estimates of the Population for Counties of Montana: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2005" (CSV). 2005 Population Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. 2006-03-16. http://ceic.mt.gov/Demog/estimate/pop/County/CO-EST2005-01-30.htm. Retrieved on 2007-01-09.
  23. ^ "Full Court Quest - Authors: Linda Peavy and Ursula Smith - Published 2008 by University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, Publishing Division of the University
  24. ^ Press Release Detail

Further reading

To read more about this award, and more about Montana read these books.

External links

Find more about Montana on Wikipedia's sister projects: Definitions from Wiktionary

Textbooks from Wikibooks Quotations from Wikiquote Source texts from Wikisource Images and media from Commons News stories from Wikinews

Learning resources from Wikiversity
State of Montana
Helena (capital)
Topics

History · Governors · People · Geography · Demographics · State Government · Visitor Attractions
Regions

Big Horn County · Eastern Montana · The Flathead · Glacier National Park · Inland Empire · South Central Montana · Southwestern Montana · Western Montana · Yellowstone
Largest cities

Anaconda · Belgrade · Billings · Bozeman · Butte · Glendive · Great Falls · Havre · Helena · Kalispell · Laurel · Lewistown · Livingston · Miles City · Missoula · Sidney · Whitefish
Counties

Beaverhead · Big Horn · Blaine · Broadwater · Carbon · Carter · Cascade · Chouteau · Custer · Daniels · Dawson · Deer Lodge · Fallon · Fergus · Flathead · Gallatin · Garfield · Glacier · Golden Valley · Granite · Hill · Jefferson · Judith Basin · Lake · Lewis and Clark · Liberty · Lincoln · Madison · McCone · Meagher · Mineral · Missoula · Musselshell · Park · Petroleum · Phillips · Pondera · Powder River · Powell · Prairie · Ravalli · Richland · Roosevelt · Rosebud · Sanders · Sheridan · Silver Bow · Stillwater · Sweet Grass · Teton · Toole · Treasure · Valley · Wheatland · Wibaux · Yellowstone
Political divisions of the United States
States Alabama · Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · Florida · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · South Carolina · South Dakota · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming
Federal district Washington, D.C. (District of Columbia)
Insular areas American Samoa · Guam · Northern Mariana Islands · Puerto Rico · U.S. Virgin Islands
Outlying islands Bajo Nuevo Bank · Baker Island · Howland Island · Jarvis Island · Johnston Atoll · Kingman Reef · Midway Atoll · Navassa Island · Palmyra Atoll · Serranilla Bank · Wake Island
Preceded by South Dakota List of U.S. states by date of statehood Admitted on November 8, 1889 (41st) Succeeded by Washington

Coordinates: 47°N 110°W / 47°N 110°W

Categories: Montana | States of the United States | States and territories established in 1889

 

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'Montana' Answers
What colors would I mix to make a pastel purple & pink for my step daughters hannah montana cake?
Q. I am making a guitar cake that features hannah montana but im not sure what colors would make a pastel purple and pink for the frosting.. I am open to suggestions.. Thank you for ur help!
Asked by ~*~Kim~*~ - Wed Oct 29 16:00:25 2008 - - 7 Answers - 0 Comments

A. Purple can be made by mixing red and blue together, pink is made by mixing red with white. I always dip a toothpick into the liquid colouring (if I'm using it) then dip it into the icing and stir. That way you have a lot more control over the colour - nothing worse than adding too mush 'cos then there's not a lot you can do to fix it. Alternately, buy some food colouring powders (I use these all the time - they don't affect the consistency of the icing and you can buy them in a zillion shades) and use those.
Answered by leigh h - Wed Oct 29 16:10:04 2008

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