North Dakota

North Dakota is a state in the midwestern and northern regions of the United States. It is the 19th most extensive, but the 4th least populous, and the 4th most sparsely populated of the 50 U.S. states. North Dakota was admitted as the 39th state to the Union on November 2, 1889. The state capital is Bismarck, and the largest city is Fargo.

North Dakota weathered the Great Recession of the early 21st century with a boom in natural resources, particularly a boom in oil extraction from the Bakken formation, which lies beneath the northwestern part of the state.[5] The development drove strong job and population growth, and low unemployment.

North Dakota is known for its sparsely populated rural landscape, for its long winters that on colder days produce beautiful sun dogs, and for being the childhood home of Lawrence Welk.