Capital:
Helena
Governor: Judy Martz, R (to Jan. 2005)
Lieut.
Governor: Karl Ohs, R (to Jan. 2005)
Senators: Max Baucus, D (to Jan. 2003); Conrad R. Burns, R
(to Jan. 2007)
Secy.
of State: Bob Brown, R (to Jan. 2005)
Auditor: John Morrison, D (to Jan. 2005)
Atty.
General: Mike McGrath, D (to Jan. 2005)
Organized as territory: May 26, 1864
Entered
Union (rank): Nov. 8, 1889 (41)
Present
constitution adopted: 1972
Motto:
Oro y plata (Gold and silver)
State Symbols:
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flower
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bitterroot (1895) |
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tree
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ponderosa pine (1949) |
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stones
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sapphire and agate (1969) |
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bird
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Western meadowlark (1981) |
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song
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"Montana" (1945) |
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First
explored for France by François and Louis-Joseph Verendrye in
the early 1740s, much of the region was acquired by the U.S.
from France as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Before
western Montana was obtained from Great Britain in the Oregon
Treaty of 1846, American trading posts and forts had been
established in the territory.
The major
Indian Wars (1867-1877) included the famous 1876 Battle of the
Little Big Horn, better known as "Custer's Last Stand," in which
Cheyenne and Sioux defeated George A. Custer and more than 200
of his men in southeastern Montana.
Much of
Montana's early history was concerned with mining, with copper,
lead, zinc, silver, coal, and oil as principal products. Butte
is the center of the area that once supplied half of the U.S.
copper.
Fields of
grain cover much of Montana's plains. It ranks high among the
states in wheat and barley, with rye, oats, flaxseed, sugar
beets, and potatoes as other important crops. Sheep and cattle
raising make significant contributions to the economy.
Tourist
attractions include hunting, fishing, skiing, and dude ranching.
Glacier National Park, on the Continental Divide, is a scenic
and vacation wonderland with 60 glaciers, 200 lakes, and many
streams with good trout fishing.
Other
major points of interest include the Little Bighorn Battlefield
National Monument, Virginia City, Yellowstone National Park,
Museum of the Plains Indians at Browning, and the Fort Union
Trading Post and Grant-Kohr's Ranch National Historic Sites.
Nickname: Treasure State
Origin of name: Chosen from
Latin dictionary by J. M. Ashley. It is a Latinized Spanish word
meaning "mountainous."
10 largest cities (1999 est.):
Billings, 92,988; Missoula, 58,460; Great Falls, 56,340;
Butte-Silver Bow1, 33,325; Bozeman,
30,723; Helena, 29,081; Kalispell, 17,149; Havre, 10,425;
Anaconda-Deer Lodge County, 9,721; Miles City, 8,698
Land area:
145,556 sq mi. (376,991 sq km)
Geographic center: In Fergus
Co., 12 mi. W of Lewistown
Number of counties:
56, plus small part of Yellowstone National Park
Largest county by population and area:
Yellowstone, 127,258 (1999 est.); Beaverhead, 5,543 sq mi.
State forests: 7 (214,000 ac.)
State parks and recreation areas:
110 (18,273 ac.)
Residents: Montanan
1999 resident population est.:
882,779
1990 resident census population (rank):
799,065 (44). Male: 395,769;
Female: 403,296.
White: 741,111 (92.7%);
Black: 2,381 (0.3%);
American Indian: 47,679 (6.0%);
Asian: 4,259 (0.5%);
Other race: 3,635 (0.5%);
Hispanic: 12,174 (1.5%).
1990 percent population under 18: 27.8;
65 and over: 13.3; median
age: 33.8. |
