State Symbols of Minnesota

By | Updated on January 21, 2023

Reviewed by Rittika

Minnesota, a constituent state, is located in the upper Midwestern region of the United States. The word “Minnesota” is derived from the Dakota Sioux word “Mnisota,” which is the Native American name for the Minnesota River and means “cloudy water” or “sky-tinted water.” The official nickname of Minnesota is The North Star State. Minnesota is also known as the Land of 10,000 Lakes because the state is home to 11,842 lakes over 10 acres in size.

It is bordered on the north by Manitoba and Ontario in Canada, to the west by North Dakota and South Dakota, to the south by Iowa, and to the east by Wisconsin and Lake Superior, the world’s largest freshwater lake by surface area.

The state capital of Minnesota is Saint Paul, which is situated next to her sister city Minneapolis, forming The Twin Cities. The Twin Cities is the sixteenth largest metropolitan region in the United States, with a population of around 3.7 million people. 

In the mid-1700s, French explorers arrived in search of the Northwest Passage. Following the French and Indian War, the northeastern portion of what became the Minnesota Territory was transferred from the French to the British in 1763, and then to the United States in 1783. Fort Snelling, the first permanent colony in the United States, was established in 1819. Minnesota’s official identity was established in 1849. Minnesota became the 32nd U.S. state of the Union on May 11, 1858. Minnesota was the first to offer up troops to fight in the Civil War in 1861.

With a total area of 86,935 sq mi (225,161 sq km), Minnesota is the twelfth largest U.S. state in the area. The total population of the state, according to the census 2020, is 5,706,494 making it the twenty-second most populous.

The fun fact is that the state holds the record for the country’s largest mall. The Mall of America in Minnesota is the largest shopping mall in the United States. There are more than 500 shops there, including a seven-acre amusement park with full-size roller coasters. The mall attracts nearly 40 million people every year.

In 1988, Minnesota declared the Blueberry muffin the official state muffin. Northeastern Minnesota is home to wild blueberries that thrive in bogs, on slopes, and in cleared forest areas.

In 1961, the Common loon was designated as Minnesota’s official state bird. Minnesota’s state flower is a pink and white Lady’s slipper. The official state song is “Hail! Minnesota”. In 1861, Minnesota legally adopted the French word “L’Etoile du Nord” – meaning “The Star of the North” – as its official state motto.

Minnesota has one of the greatest standards of living and education in the United States. It ranks among the finest states in terms of safety, governance, employment, and median income.

Minnesota has no official language; however, English is the most widely spoken language (88.9%), followed by Spanish, Somali, and Hmong/Mong.

State Information

Official Language	None
State Rank	12
Demonym(s)	Minnesotan
Nickname	Land of 10,000 Lakes; North Star State; Gopher State
ISO	US-MN
Formation Date	May 11, 1858
Coordinates	Lat: 43° 30′ N to 49° 23′ N, Long: 89° 29′ W to 97° 14′ W
Area

State seal

Motto of Minnesota

L'Étoile du Nord -"The Star of the North"

State symbols of Minnesota 👇

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  State capital
  Saint Paul
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  State bird
  Common Loon
• 
  State flower
  Pink-and-white lady's slipper
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  State fruit
  Honeycrisp apple
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  State tree
  Norway pine
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  State reptile
  The Blanding's turtle
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  State insect
  Monarch butterfly
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  State gemstone
  Lake Superior Agate
• 
  State animal
  Black Bear
• 
  State fish
  Walleye

State location

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