Minnesota
The North Star State
Climate
Cold and snowy in winter, warm in summer. Summer highs are about 83F (28C), and winter temperatures often drop below 0F (-18C).
Main industries
Farming of corn, soybeans, sugar beets, and dairy, plus iron ore mining on the Mesabi Range, forestry, and medical technology.
Top places for tourists
The Boundary Waters canoe wilderness, the Mall of America near Minneapolis, and the North Shore of Lake Superior.
Places of interest
The mighty Mississippi River begins as a small stream at Lake Itasca, and the Mall of America is the largest shopping mall in the United States.
A little history
Home to the Dakota and Ojibwe peoples, Minnesota grew through the fur trade, lumber, and iron mining, and became the 32nd state in 1858.
Fun fact
Minnesota is called the Land of 10,000 Lakes, and it actually has more than 11,000 of them.