NORTH DAKOTA, a State in the North Central Division of the North American Union; bounded by Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Minnesota, South Da kota, and Montana; admitted to the Union, Nov. 2, 1889; counties, 53; cap ital, Bismarck; area, 70,195 square miles; pop. (1890) 182,719; (1900) 319, 146; (1910) 577,056; (1920) 646,872.
Topography. — The surface of the State is chiefly undulating prairie with occasional low hills. The great plateau of the Missouri extends across the State E. of the Missouri river, and the Turtle Mountains on the Canadian border con tain the highest points in the State, Butte St. Paul, 2,500 feet, and Bear Butte, 2,400 feet. The principal rivers are the Missouri, navigable throughout the State, and formed by the affluents Yellowstone, Little Missouri, Heart and Cannon Ball; the Mouse entering North Dakota from Canada and returning after a long circuit; the James river, the longest unnavigable river in the world; the Cheyenne; and the Red River of the North, forming the E. boundary. This river flows through a broad level plain, 50 to 60 miles wide and suffi ciently elevated to be free from inunda tion, and containing some of the richest bottomland mould. The James river valley is one of the most noted artesian well districts in the world. There are numerous small lakes, but the only im portant one is Devil's Lake in the Turtle Mountains, an inland sea, with saline water and no visible outlet.
Geology.—The entire State has been inundated several times, the glacial drift being overlaid with lake mud. The en tire Red river valley is the bed of an extensive lake, and railroad excavations have found lake shore lines, with sand and gravel beds. The W. portion of the State is underlaid with lignite, a brown coal, which burns readily and makes superior gas. Natural gas has been found, and brick and potter's clay are widely distributed. The Turtle Moun tain region contains valuable building stone, and the Red river valley salt, lime stone, hydraulic cement, and iron.
Soil and Agriculture.—The soil, espe cially in the Red river district, is ex ceedingly fertile, the clay subsoil being nearly as fertile as the topsoil, and both free from stones. The principal forest
trees are oak, birch, aspen, cottonwood, ash, willow, box-elder, plum, and bull cherry.
The production and value of the lead ing crops in 1919 were as follows: corn, 16,764,000 bushels, valued at $23,470, 000; oats, 38,400,000 bushels, valued at $25,728,000; barley, 14,950,000 bushels, valued at $16,146,000; wheat, 53,613,000 bushels, valued at $129,207,000; rye, 15, 560,000 bushels, valued at $18,828,000; hay, 908,000 tons, valued at $12,803,000; potatoes, 5,607,000 bushels, valued at $9,072,000.
Manufacturers.—There were in 1914 609 manufacturing establishments in the State. The average number of wage earners was 3,275. The capital invested amounted to $14,213,000. Wages paid amounted to $2,416,000. The value of materials.used was $14,482,000, and the value of products was $21,147,000. The principal articles of manufacture include flour and grist (70 mills), printing and publishing, masonry, saddlery and har ness, packed meat, tobacco and cigars, railroad cars, carriages and wagons, millinery, clothing, dairy products, foun dry and machine shop products, timber and lumber, furniture, fire brick, and hydraulic cement.
Banking.—On Oct. 31, 1919, there were reported 174 National banks in operation, having $6,515,000 in capital, $4,255,316 in outstanding circulation and $4,367,030 in United States bonds. There were also 706 State banks, with $11,515,000 in capital, $3,824,000 sur plus, and $143,664,000 in resources.
Education.—There was a school popu lation in 1918 of 200,532. The enrol ment in the public schools was 162,572, with an average daily attendance of 114,542. There were 7,712 teachers re ceiving an average monthly salary of $45.70. For higher education there were Northwestern Normal College at Grand Forks, Fargo Coflege at Fargo, Univer sity of North Dakota at Grand Forks, and the Wesley College at Grand Forks. The schools had an endowment of land valued at about $50,000,000.