80 Fun & Interesting Facts About North Dakota

Are you ready to learn about a place where the sky stretches as far as the eye can see? Let’s pack our bags and head to North Dakota, a state in the United States that’s full of wide-open spaces, amazing wildlife, and interesting history. North Dakota might not be the biggest state, but it has a lot of heart and some really cool stories to share. So, let’s start our adventure and find out what makes North Dakota so special with these interesting facts about North Dakota!

Did you know that North Dakota is home to the beautiful Badlands? This isn’t your ordinary landscape; it’s a place where the ground is full of colorful rocks and deep canyons. It’s like stepping into another world! The Badlands are so cool that they’re even protected as part of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, named after a former president who loved this area.

North Dakota is also a place where you can learn a lot about American history. Long ago, Native American tribes like the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara lived on this land. Later, explorers Lewis and Clark traveled through North Dakota on their famous journey. And guess what? You can still visit places where they camped and explore the same beautiful nature they saw.

And here’s something fun: North Dakota is known for its amazing wildlife. If you love animals, you’ll be excited to know that you can find bison, eagles, and even wild horses here. The state has lots of parks and nature reserves where you can go hiking, bird watching, or just enjoy being outside in the fresh air.

Are you ready to learn more about North Dakota with these fun facts? From its fascinating Badlands to its rich history and wonderful wildlife, there’s so much to explore and discover in this beautiful state. Let’s keep our curiosity alive and find out all the amazing facts about North Dakota that make it a unique place to visit and learn about!

Be sure to discover even more interesting facts with our Facts about New Hampshire and Facts about Rhode Island.

Facts about North Dakota

1. North Dakota is the 3rd largest sugar producer in the country.
2. North Dakota leads the nation in the production of spring wheat, durum wheat, dry edible peas, dry edible beans, honey, flaxseed, and canola.
3. North Dakota has half a dozen nicknames including Peace Garden State, The Sioux State, The Great Central State, Land of the Dakotas, and Flickertail State.
4. The Enchanted Highway is a 32-mile road lined with massive scrap metal sculptures. You will come across seven statues as you drive along the road. Some of the statues include “Deer Crossing,” “Teddy Rides Again,” and “Grasshoppers in the Field.”
5. There are about 1.8 million heads of cattle in North Dakota, more than twice the number of people.
6. North Dakota is located in the Northern and Upper Midwestern regions of the United States. The latter also includes the states of Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.
7. The Wild Prairie Rose is the official state flower of North Dakota.
8. The North Dakota legislature has twice rejected resolutions to drop the “North” from the state’s name. At neither time was any attempt made to reunite the state with the other Dakota.
9. The Dakota Territory used to be one big mass but people from the North and South began to clash over differences in lifestyle, political beliefs, and conflicts with the natives. In 1887, voters approved splitting the territory in two.
10. At 3.2%, North Dakota has the lowest unemployment rate in the United States.
11. The famous breakfast staple Cream of Wheat was first made in Grand Forks, North Dakota by wheat millers in 1893.
12. In 2012, North Dakota was the fastest-growing state in the United States. The growth was largely due to an oil boom in the Bakken fields in the western part of the state. The state became the 2nd-highest oil-producing state behind Texas. Despite its oil boom, agriculture or farming is still North Dakota’s top industry.
13. North Dakota is the No. 1 producer of honey in the nation. Check out the North Dakota Bee Map. 
14. A working solar calendar near Bottineau, N.D., can accurately predict astronomical events. Called Mystical Horizons, it’s similar to Stonehenge in England and overlooks the prairie farmland. The site also includes a human-sized sundial.
15. The Red River Valley runs along the eastern border of North Dakota, and its lowest point is 750 feet below sea level. The river is the widest in the northern part of the state near Canada, where it is 40 miles wide. It is much narrower in the southern part of the state, where it is only 10 miles wide.
16. North Dakota state has a total area of 70,704 mi² (183,123 km²), making it the nation’s 19th largest state. It falls between Washington and Oklahoma in regard to its size.
17. Harold Schafer invented the bubble bath liquid Mr. Bubble in North Dakota in 1961.
18. North Dakota is the least-visited state in the U.S.
19. North Dakota, as of 2013, ranks as the happiest state in the union, at least according to the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index. 
20. In the early 1900s, a populist movement called the Non-Partisan League passed anti-corporate laws that protected farmlands, built the largest milling facility in the U.S., and established a state-owned bank that shielded North Dakota from the 2008 crisis. 

21. The world’s largest hamburger was eaten in Rutland, North Dakota. It weighed 3,591 pounds and more than 8,000 people were invited to the meal.
22. Most of the pasta in America is made from North Dakota durum wheat. Grand Forks holds a huge pasta party each year in honor of the crop.
23. The world’s largest french fry feed is held every year in Grand Forks, during Potato Bowl USA. A new record was set on September 10, 2015, when 5,220 pounds of french fries were served.
24. In the early 20th century, the clothes dryer was invented by a man named J. Ross Moore, who was tired of hanging his clothes outside to dry.
25. The word “Dakota” means “friend”. There is both a Dakota Tribe and a Sioux Tribe which use the term in their language. 
26. The countries Syria and Cambodia are similar in size to North Dakota.
27. The world’s largest buffalo monument is located at Frontier Village in Jamestown. It’s 26ft tall, 46ft long, and weighs a whopping 60 tons!
28. North Dakota has the fewest endangered species of any state.
29. The eastern portion of North Dakota is a flat valley. With its mineral-rich soil, it is among the world’s most fertile areas. That’s why it is filled with productive farms that feed the U.S. It is interesting to note that the valley was once the floor of an ancient lake. 
30. In 2012, North Dakota was ranked as the best-run state in the country.
31. North Dakota is home to more wildlife refuges (63) than any other state. Wildlife viewing and birding opportunities are abundant.
32. The land area of North Dakota is 68,994 square miles. Rhode Island is the smallest state, with a land area of only 1,034 square miles. North Dakota is precisely 66.73 times larger than Rhode Island.
33. North Dakota borders Saskatchewan and Manitoba in Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south, and Montana to the west.
34. The American Elm is North Dakota’s official state tree.
35. North Dakota’s Bakken oil fields topped the one million barrel-a-day production level last December, becoming only the fourth-ever U.S. oil field to do so, and one of only 10 worldwide.
36. The western side is dubbed the Drift Prairie region. “Drift” is a type of soil made up of sand, clay, and gravel. The area is dotted with hills, lakes, valleys, and wetlands. 
37. It’s illegal to go dancing in Fargo with a hat on.
38. Lake Sakakawea has more shoreline than the California Pacific Coast.
39. The North Dakota State Capitol cost two million dollars to build 
40. With a population of 770,000, North Dakota is the 4th least populous state, after Wyoming, Vermont, and Alaska.

41. The town of Rugby is the geographical center of North America.
42. North Dakota, in 2012 and 2013, was the fastest-growing state in the union. Probably also oil boom-related.
43. The Badlands is a harsh stone valley shaped by erosion over millions of years. It contains the fossils of ancient sea creatures like fish and clams. Within this area is the state’s highest point at 3,506 feet called White Butte. 
44. The smallest city in North Dakota is Maza, with a population of 5 people. North Dakota does not have towns or villages. Each place is officially a city, no matter how small it is.
45. North Dakota is home to Theodore Roosevelt National Park, known for its scenic beauty and natural wildlife.
46. North Dakota is one of the least-visited states in the United States. This may be due to various factors, such as its relatively remote location in the northern Great Plains and its harsh winters.
47. It is illegal to wear a hat at a party where other people are dancing.
48. North Dakota’s population has been shrinking for the last three years.
49. Milk is North Dakota’s official state beverage.
50. North Dakota’s got a city named Buttzville, And one named Flasher. 
51. North Dakota holds the Guinness World Record for the most snow angels made simultaneously in one place. On February 17, 2007, 8,962 people made snow angels at the state capitol grounds beating the previous record of 3,784.
52. It is illegal in North Dakota to take a nap with your shoes on.
53. The Custer House is in Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park, a famous North Dakota landmark. Today, the house is a historical museum where you can take a tour. It was the home of General Custer and his wife, Libbie.
54. Bismarck is the capital city of North Dakota. With a population of 73,000, it sits right at the bottom of the list of the 500 largest cities in the US.
55. Dakota is the Sioux word for “friend” or “ally.”
56. North Dakota, were it to secede from the union, would have the world’s third-largest stockpile of nuclear weapons.
57. North Dakota has a large population of ground squirrels called flickertails. 
58. The state that grows the most sunflowers is North Dakota.
59. In 2008, Fargo, North Dakota, hosted the largest pancake feed in the world, serving up 34,818 pancakes.
60. Today, only 1% of the state’s land is forest, around 450,000 acres. This forestland is less than the state was ever known to have, which was only 1.5% or 700,000 acres.

61. The majority of the forest in North Dakota is in the Kildeer and Turtle Mountains, the Pembina Hills, and also near Devils Lake. These areas make up around 55% of all forest land, and the rest are near streams or the badlands.
62. After 11 pm, it is illegal to set off fireworks at Devil’s Lake in North Dakota.
63. North Dakota has more wildlife refuges than any other state.
64. Almost 25 percent of North Dakotans are employed in the agriculture industry, and about 90 percent of the state’s land is taken up by farms.
65. The First US Volunteer Cavalry, otherwise known as the “Roughriders”, were North Dakota cowboys who fought in the Spanish-American War. The name was used in tourism slogans and almost made its way onto license plates as well.
66. Lying just under the surface of western North Dakota is about 25 billion tons of lignite, enough to supply the region’s coal needs for over 800 years.
67. The “World’s Largest Holstein Cow,” built to honor the dairymen of the area is 38 feet high and 50 feet long and is visible for five miles.
68. Grand Forks is on the eastern side of the state north of Fargo. The city has a population of 55,000.
69. Fargo is the state’s largest city, with 126,000 people. It is the only city in the state with more than 100,000 people.
70. North Dakota is home to the nation’s largest state-owned sheep research center.
71. A few attempts were launched to drop “North” from the state’s name and go by the simpler “Dakota”. The first one was in 1947 and the second was in 1989. 
72. In 1987, North Dakota passed a bill making English the official state language.
73. North Dakota Capitol Building in Bismarck is a 19-story building that is one of only four tower-style capitols in the U.S. An observation floor at the top provides a panoramic view of Bismarck-Mandan and the Missouri River Valley.
74. The North Dakota state tree is the American Elm.
75. People from the state are known as North Dakotans.
76. North Dakota is still tops when it comes to honey production.
77. North Dakota has some of the most expensive rentals in the nation. According to a 2014 study, one-bedroom in North Dakota’s Williston cost nearly $2,400 per month.
78. The inventor of the camera came from North Dakota. David Henderson invented the camera in 1887. To give it a name, he shuffled the first four letters of the word “Dakota” and then added the letter “K” to make the word “Kodak”. He was later to sell Kodak camera rights to George Eastman.
79. There are 43 abandoned towns in North Dakota They are considered ghost towns since they have very few people and buildings left, if any. These towns used to be populated, but they failed economically, and people left them until they were abandoned.
80. North Dakota’s state motto is “Liberty and Union Now and Forever, One and Inseparable.” The state’s motto refers to the free nation, which can’t be divided.

Do you have even more interesting facts about North Dakota? Share them with us in the comments!