US and North Dakota Flags on Our Flagpole

North Dakota – The Peace Garden State

Oil was discovered near Tioga in 1951, generating 53 million barrels of oil a year by 1984.  Recoverable oil reserves have jumped dramatically recently.  The oil reserves of the Bakken Formation may hold up to 400 billion barrels of oil.  North-Western North Dakota is the center of an oil boom: the Williston, Tioga, Stanley and MinotBurlington communities are having rapid growth that strains housing and local services.  As of 2012, the state is the 2nd-largest oil producer in the U.S., with an average of 575,490 barrels per day.

North Dakota Oil Well
North Dakota Oil Well

The Great Plains region, which includes the state of North Dakota, has been referred to as “the Saudi Arabia of wind energy.”  Development of wind energy in North Dakota has been cost effective because the state has large rural expanses and wind speeds seldom go below 10 mph.

Tourism:

North Dakota is considered the least visited state, owing, in part, to its not having a major tourist attraction.  Nonetheless, tourism is North Dakota’s third largest industry, contributing more than $3 billion into the state’s economy annually.  Outdoor attractions like the 144-mile Maah Daah Hey Trail and activities like fishing and hunting attract visitors.  The state is known for the Lewis & Clark Trail and being the winter camp of the Corps of Discovery.  Areas popular with visitors include Theodore Roosevelt National Park in the western part of the state.  The park often exceeds 475,000 visitors each year.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Regular events in the state that attract tourists include Norsk Høstfest in Minot, billed as North America’s largest Scandinavian festival; the Medora Musical; and the North Dakota State Fair.  The state also receives a significant number of visitors from the neighboring Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, particularly when the exchange rate is favorable.

Transportation:

Transportation in North Dakota is overseen by the North Dakota Department of Transportation.

Transportation Map of North Dakota
Transportation Map of North Dakota

The major Interstate highways are Interstate 29 and Interstate 94, with I-29 and I-94 meeting at Fargo, with I-29 oriented north to south along the eastern edge of the state, and I-94 bisecting the state from east to west between Minnesota and Montana.  A unique feature of the North Dakota Interstate Highway system is virtually all of it is paved in concrete, rather than blacktop, because of the extreme weather conditions it must endure.

Interstate 94
Interstate 94

North Dakota’s principal airports are the Hector International Airport (FAR) in Fargo, Grand Forks International Airport (GFK), Bismarck Municipal Airport (BIS), Minot International Airport (MOT) and Sloulin Field International Airport (ISN) in Williston.

Fargo Airport Route Map
Fargo Airport Route Map

Amtrak’s Empire Builder runs through North Dakota making stops at Fargo, Grand Forks, Minot, and four other stations.

Intercity bus service is provided by Greyhound and Jefferson Lines.

Public transit in North Dakota includes daily fixed-route bus systems in Fargo, Bismarck-Mandan, Grand Forks, and Minot, paratransit service in 57 communities, along with multi-county rural transit systems.

Flag of North Dakota:

The design for the flag of the state of North Dakota is an almost exact copy of the unit banner carried by the state’s troop contingent in the Philippine–American War.  It was adopted by the North Dakota Legislative Assembly on March 3, 1911, although the color was not precisely specified at that time.

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