Where in the World is Montana
The fourth largest land mass in the U.S., the state of Montana weighs in at just over 147,000 square miles—about the size of Norway or Japan. Gaining statehood in 1889 as the 41st state in the union, archaeological evidence indicates that Native American communities such as the Crow and the Cheyenne inhabited the region for at least 12,000 years, which today shares its borders with North and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, Idaho to the west and three Canadian provinces to the north, including British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan.
Montana del Norte
Named by Spanish explorers who trekked through the region during the Age of Exploration, Montana’s name derives from Montana del Norte or northern mountains, and while impressive mountain ranges dot most of the state, 60% of Montana’s land mass consists of Great Plains grasslands and prairies in the eastern half of the state. Nicknamed Big Sky Montana, the state is rich in topographical diversity, including the state’s highest elevation a Granite Peak, standing at 12,807 feet above sea level. To the east, amidst the state’s abundant prairies and grasslands lies Makoshika State Park in the Montana Badlands, while north-central Montana is home to the Missouri Breaks, which has inspired many paintings about the American West. The mountainous western side of the state is home to the heavily-forested island ranges, including Bears Paw, Highwood, Crazy and Big Snowy Mountains, while Billings, the largest city by population and the state’s economic engine, is surrounded by the Rimrocks Mountains.
Big Sky, Few People
The western end of the state is also home to the Rocky Mountains and the Continental Divide, while Missoula, the state’s second largest city, is home to five mountain ranges known at the hub of five valleys. Of the state’s 1.123 million residents, 121,000 Montanans live in Billings, while 34,364 live in the state capital city of Helena. Boasting a population density of just over seven people per square mile, Montana represents the eighth least populated state and the third least densely populated state in the nation. With an annual GDP of $68 billion, Montana’s leading economic sectors include agriculture, forestry, energy production, mining and a growing footprint in tourism, which in 2023 saw 12.5 million visitors flock to such natural wonders as Glacier and Yellowstone national parks, making the state of Montana, a place of expansive beauty in the American west.