Geography of Minnesota facts for kids
Welcome to Minnesota, a cool state in the northern part of the United States! It's so far north that one tiny part, called the Northwest Angle, is actually above the 49th parallel, which is the border with Canada. Only Alaska is further north! Minnesota is in a region called the Upper Midwest. It shares a water border on Lake Superior with Michigan and Wisconsin. Its other neighbors are Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the south, South Dakota and North Dakota to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north. Minnesota is a big state, covering about 87,014 square miles (225,365 square kilometers), making it the 12th largest state in the U.S.
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Minnesota's Ancient Land: Geology and Terrain
Minnesota is home to some of the oldest rocks on Earth! Some of these rocks are about 3.6 billion years old. That's about 80% as old as our planet! Long, long ago, about 2.7 billion years ago, hot liquid rock (lava) flowed out of cracks in the ocean floor. This created the Canadian Shield in northeast Minnesota. The remains of these ancient volcanoes and old seas formed the Iron Range, an area rich in iron ore.
About 1.1 billion years ago, there was more volcanic activity. Since then, Minnesota's land has been pretty quiet. No new volcanoes or mountains have formed. Instead, seas have come and gone many times, leaving behind layers of rock.
How Glaciers Shaped Minnesota
More recently, huge sheets of ice, over a kilometer thick, covered most of Minnesota. These giant glaciers carved out the land we see today. The last big glacier, called the Wisconsin glaciation, melted away about 12,000 years ago. It covered almost all of Minnesota except for the far southeast. This special area, called the Driftless Zone, has steep hills and streams that cut deep into the rock. It's called "Driftless" because the glaciers didn't leave behind their usual rocky "drift" there.
When the glaciers melted, they left behind a lot of dirt and rocks, called glacial till. In the northwest, about 13,000 years ago, a huge lake called Lake Agassiz formed from the melting ice. The water flowing out of this lake carved the valley of the Minnesota River. The lake bed itself became the very fertile land of the Red River valley. Today, Minnesota is geologically calm, with only small, rare earthquakes.
High Points and Water Flow
The highest point in Minnesota is Eagle Mountain, which is 2,301 feet (701 meters) tall. It's only about 13 miles (21 kilometers) from the lowest point, the shore of Lake Superior, which is 602 feet (183 meters) above sea level. Even though there are some big changes in height, most of the state is gently rolling land.
Minnesota is unique because three major continental divides meet in the northeastern part of the state, near Hibbing. This means that rain or snow falling there can end up in three different oceans!
- Some water flows south into the Mississippi River and then to the Gulf of Mexico.
- Some flows east into the St. Lawrence Seaway and then to the Atlantic Ocean.
- And some flows north into the Hudson Bay watershed and then to the Arctic Ocean.
The Land of 10,000 Lakes
Minnesota's nickname, "The Land of 10,000 Lakes," is actually an understatement! There are 11,842 lakes that are ten acres or larger. The part of Lake Superior that is in Minnesota is the biggest lake in the state, covering 962,700 acres (3,896 square kilometers). It's also the deepest, at 1,290 feet (393 meters).
Minnesota also has 6,564 natural rivers and streams that flow for a total of 69,000 miles (111,000 kilometers). The famous Mississippi River starts its journey from its headwaters at Lake Itasca and flows 680 miles (1,094 kilometers) before reaching the Iowa border. Many other rivers join the Mississippi, like the Minnesota River and the St. Croix River. The Red River in the northwest flows north towards Canada's Hudson Bay. Minnesota also has a lot of wetlands, about 10.6 million acres (42,900 square kilometers), which is more than any other state except Alaska.
Minnesota's Wild Side: Flora and Fauna
Minnesota is a special place where three major natural areas, called biomes, meet.
- In the southwest and west, you'll find wide open prairie grasslands.
- In the southeast, there's the Big Woods with its deciduous trees (trees that lose their leaves in the fall).
- And in the north, there's the boreal forest, a vast wilderness of pine and spruce trees mixed with birch and poplar.
Much of Minnesota's northern forest has been cut down over the years. However, some areas, like the Chippewa National Forest and the Superior National Forest, still have patches of very old trees. The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in the Superior National Forest has about 400,000 acres (1,600 square kilometers) of untouched land. Even though logging continues, about one-third of the state remains forested due to new growth.
Animals of Minnesota
While some native animals like the pine marten, elk, and bison have been affected by losing their homes, others like whitetail deer and bobcat are doing well. Minnesota has the largest population of timber wolves outside of Alaska! It also has healthy numbers of black bears and moose.
Because Minnesota is on the Mississippi Flyway, a major bird migration route, it's a great place for birds. You can see migratory waterfowl like geese and ducks, and game birds like grouse, pheasants, and turkeys. The state is also home to amazing birds of prey such as the bald eagle, red-tailed hawk, and snowy owl. The many lakes are full of fish like walleye, bass, muskellunge, and northern pike. In the streams of the southeast, you can find brook, brown, and rainbow trout.
Minnesota's Weather: Climate and Seasons
Minnesota has a continental climate, which means it has big changes in temperature. Winters are very cold, and summers can be quite hot! The difference between the highest and lowest temperatures ever recorded is a huge 174°F (96°C).
Minnesota experiences all kinds of weather, including rain, snow, hail, blizzards, polar fronts (cold air masses), tornadoes, thunderstorms, and strong winds called derechos and downbursts. The growing season for plants varies across the state, from 90 days in the northern Iron Range to 160 days near the Mississippi River in the southeast. Average temperatures range from 36°F to 49°F (2°C to 9°C). The amount of rain and snow each year ranges from 19 to 35 inches (48 to 89 centimeters), and droughts can happen every 10 to 50 years.
Protecting Minnesota's Natural Beauty: Protected Lands
Minnesota has many beautiful wilderness areas, parks, and open spaces. The state's very first state park, Itasca State Park, was created in 1891. This park is special because it's where the mighty Mississippi River begins!
Today, Minnesota has 72 state parks and recreation areas. It also has 58 state forests that cover about four million acres (16,000 square kilometers). Plus, there are many state wildlife preserves, all managed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
Beyond the state parks, there are 5.5 million acres (22,000 square kilometers) in the Chippewa and Superior National Forests. The Superior National Forest in the northeast is home to the amazing Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. This wilderness area covers over a million acres (4,000 square kilometers) and has more than a thousand lakes! To its west, you'll find Voyageurs National Park, which is Minnesota's only national park. These protected lands help keep Minnesota's natural beauty safe for everyone to enjoy.
Exploring Minnesota's Regions
Minnesota can be thought of in different ways, but the most common way to divide it is into two main parts: the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area (often called The Cities) and Greater Minnesota (or Outstate).
The Twin Cities Metropolitan Area
The Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area includes eleven counties in Minnesota, plus two counties in Wisconsin. It's centered around Minneapolis, which is the state's largest city, and Saint Paul, which is the state capital. About three out of every five people in Minnesota live in this busy area.
Greater Minnesota
Greater Minnesota is less crowded than the Twin Cities. It's also more diverse geographically. You'll find farmlands in the south and west, many lakes in central Minnesota, and thick forests in the northern part of the state. About 40% of Minnesotans live in Greater Minnesota. Some of its bigger cities include Duluth, Rochester, Moorhead, St. Cloud, Mankato, and Winona.
Unique Geographic Areas
Minnesota also has several unique geographic regions:
- The Arrowhead Region is in the far northeastern part of Minnesota. It gets its name from its shape, which looks like an arrowhead pointing north of Lake Superior. This area is known for its Iron Range, where you'll find many iron mines. It also includes the beautiful North Shore and the Boundary Waters.
- Central Minnesota is generally considered the area influenced by the city of St. Cloud.
- The Northwest Angle is that small piece of Minnesota land that sticks up north of the 49th parallel, right into Canada.
- Southeastern Minnesota is famous for its scenic Mississippi Valley and the "Bluff Country," also known as the Driftless Area. Its main city is Rochester.
- Southwestern Minnesota includes the Buffalo Ridge, a higher area with strong winds, making it a good spot for wind power.
- The Minnesota River Valley follows the state's namesake river. It's a very fertile farming area that stretches from the South Dakota border to where the Minnesota River joins the Mississippi River in St. Paul.
- "Northern Minnesota" is a broader term that includes several regions, like the North Woods. Cities like Brainerd, Bemidji, and Grand Rapids are in this area.
- The Red River Valley is a fertile area in the northwestern part of the state, known for its rich farmland.
