"Montana"

Montana (/mɒnˈtænə/ ^ⓘ mon-TAN-ə) is a landlocked state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota to the east, South Dakota to the southeast, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan to the north. It is the fourth-largest state by area, but the eighth-least populous state and the third-least densely populated state. Its capital is Helena, while the most populous city is Billings. The western half of the state contains numerous mountain ranges, while the eastern half is characterized by western prairie terrain and badlands, with smaller mountain ranges found throughout the state.

Montana
State
Flag Seal
Nicknames:  Big Sky Country, The Treasure State
Motto(s):  "Oro y Plata" (Spanish) "Gold and Silver"
Anthem: "Montana"
Location of Montana within the United States
Country	United States
Before statehood	Montana Territory
Admitted to the Union	November 8, 1889 (41st)
Capital	Helena
Largest city	Billings
Largest county or equivalent	Yellowstone
Largest metro and urban areas	Billings
Government
• Governor	Greg Gianforte (R)
• Lieutenant Governor	Kristen Juras (R)
Legislature	Legislature
• Upper house	Senate
• Lower house	House of Representatives
Judiciary	Montana Supreme Court
U.S. senators	Steve Daines (R) Tim Sheehy (R)
U.S. House delegation	1: Ryan Zinke (R) 2: Troy Downing (R) (list)
Area
• Total	147,040 sq mi (380,800 km2)
• Land	145,552 sq mi (376,980 km2)
• Water	1,491 sq mi (3,862 km2)  1%
• Rank	4th
Dimensions
• Length	255 mi (410 km)
• Width	630 mi (1,015 km)
Elevation	3,400 ft (1,040 m)
Highest elevation (Granite Peak)	12,807 ft (3,903.5 m)
Lowest elevation (Kootenai River at Idaho border)	1,804 ft (557 m)
Population  (2024)
• Total	1,137,233
• Rank	43rd
• Density	7.7/sq mi (3.0/km2)
• Rank	48th
• Median household income	$70,800 (2023)
• Income rank	34th
Demonyms	Montanan
Language
• Official language	English
Time zone	UTC−07:00 (Mountain)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−06:00 (MDT)
USPS abbreviation	MT
ISO 3166 code	US-MT
Traditional abbreviation	Mont.
Latitude	44° 21′ N to 49° N
Longitude	104° 2′ W to 116° 3′ W
Website	mt.gov

State symbols of Montana

List of state symbols
Flag of Montana
Seal of Montana
Bird	Western meadowlark
Butterfly	Mourning cloak
Fish	Westslope cutthroat trout
Flower	Bitterroot
Mammal	Grizzly bear
Tree	Ponderosa pine
Fossil	Maiasaura peeblesorum
Gemstone	Sapphire, Agate
State route marker
Lists of United States state symbols

Most of Montana first came under American sovereignty with the Louisiana Purchase from France in 1803 and was explored by the Lewis and Clark Expedition shortly thereafter. Fur trappers followed and were the main economic activity in the area until gold was discovered in 1852. The ensuing gold rush, along with the passage of the Homestead Acts in 1862, brought large numbers of American settlers to Montana. Rapid population growth and development culminated in statehood on November 8, 1889. Mining, particularly around Butte and Helena, would remain the state's main economic engine through the mid-20th century.

Montana has no official nickname but several unofficial ones, most notably "Big Sky Country", "The Treasure State", "Land of the Shining Mountains", and "The Last Best Place". Its economy is primarily based on agriculture, including ranching and cereal grain farming. Other significant economic resources include oil, gas, coal, mining, and lumber. The health care, service, defense, and government sectors are also significant to the state's economy. Montana's fastest-growing sector is tourism, with 12.6 million tourists visiting the state each year (as of 2019).