Montana is the fourth largest U.S. state by area after Alaska, Texas and California, but with an average of just four people per square mile, it is one of the most sparsely populated states in the country. Although the name Montana is derived from the Spanish montaña (“mountain” or “mountainous region”), it has an average elevation of only 1036 meters, the lowest of the Rocky Mountain states.
Montana is home to the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, which commemorates the historic 1876 battle between the Sioux Tribe and the United States Army, often referred to as “Custer’s Last Stand.” Yellowstone National Park, located in southern Montana and northern Wyoming, was the first national park in the United States.
Geography
Montana is a state located in the northern region of the United States, bordered by North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Idaho and Canada. Montana is one of the largest states in the contiguous U.S., covering an area of 147,042 square miles. The state is known for its vast expanses of open land and rugged natural beauty.
Montana has three distinct geographical regions: the Rocky Mountains to the west, the Great Plains to the east and central part of the state, and a High Plains region in the north. The Rocky Mountain region is home to some of Montana’s most impressive mountain ranges such as Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park. This area also includes many rivers, streams and lakes that provide excellent opportunities for fishing and other recreational activities.
The Great Plains region covers much of eastern Montana and consists mostly of flat grasslands dotted with numerous small towns. This area is known for its wide open spaces that are perfect for cattle ranching and farming operations.
The High Plains region lies in northern Montana along its border with Canada and consists mostly of plateau-like hills covered in grasslands or shrub-steppe vegetation. This area is rich with wildlife, including pronghorn antelope, mule deer, elk, bison, coyotes, eagles and hawks.
Montana also features several major bodies of water including Flathead Lake on its western border near Glacier National Park; Fort Peck Lake on its eastern border; Canyon Ferry Reservoir southeast of Helena; Lake Elwell on the Missouri River near Fort Benton; Bighorn Lake on its northern border; Flathead River running through western Montana; Clark Fork River running through Missoula; Kootenai River flowing from northwest Montana into Idaho; Yellowstone River running through eastern Montana into North Dakota; Missouri River running through central Montana into North Dakota; Yellowstone National Park located partially within northwest Wyoming as well as parts of southern Montanan; Glacier National Park located in northwestern Montanan near Canada’s border; Beartooth Mountains located southcentral Montanan near Yellowstone National Park’s northeastern entrance station; Little Bighorn Battlefield Monument located eastcentral Montanan near Hardin where General George Custer’s troops were defeated in 1876 by Native Americans led by Chief Sitting Bull among others.
Overall Montana’s geography offers a variety of landscapes from majestic mountains to rolling plains to rugged plateaus that make it an ideal destination for outdoor enthusiasts looking to explore nature at its finest.
Cities in Montana
Below are the top 15 cities by population in Montana. For all cities and towns in the state, please see Montana cities list.
| Rank | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Billings | 115,689 |
| 2 | Missoula | 73,300 |
| 3 | Great Falls | 60,381 |
| 4 | Bozeman | 51,574 |
| 5 | Butte-Silver Bow | 35,017 |
| 6 | Helena | 32,060 |
| 7 | Kalispell | 24,260 |
| 8 | Belgrade | 10,555 |
| 9 | Havre | 9,417 |
| 10 | Anaconda-Deer Lodge County | 9,380 |
| 11 | Helena Valley Southeast | 9,316 |
| 12 | Helena Valley West Central | 8,550 |
| 13 | Miles City | 8,441 |
| 14 | Livingston | 8,110 |
| 15 | Evergreen | 7,988 |
Counties in Montana
The State of Montana consists of 56 counties. They are:
- Beaverhead County, Montana
- Big Horn County, Montana
- Blaine County, Montana
- Broadwater County, Montana
- Carbon County, Montana
- Carter County, Montana
- Cascade County, Montana
- Chouteau County, Montana
- Custer County, Montana
- Daniels County, Montana
- Dawson County, Montana
- Deer Lodge County, Montana
- Fallon County, Montana
- Fergus County, Montana
- Flathead County, Montana
- Gallatin County, Montana
- Garfield County, Montana
- Glacier County, Montana
- Golden Valley County, Montana
- Granite County, Montana
- Hill County, Montana
- Jefferson County, Montana
- Judith Basin County, Montana
- Lake County, Montana
- Lewis and Clark County, Montana
- Liberty County, Montana
- Lincoln County, Montana
- Madison County, Montana
- McCone County, Montana
- Meagher County, Montana
- Mineral County, Montana
- Missoula County, Montana
- Musselshell County, Montana
- Park County, Montana
- Petroleum County, Montana
- Phillips County, Montana
- Pondera County, Montana
- Powder River County, Montana
- Powell County, Montana
- Prairie County, Montana
- Ravalli County, Montana
- Richland County, Montana
- Roosevelt County, Montana
- Rosebud County, Montana
- Sanders County, Montana
- Sheridan County, Montana
- Silver Bow County, Montana
- Stillwater County, Montana
- Sweet Grass County, Montana
- Teton County, Montana
- Toole County, Montana
- Treasure County, Montana
- Valley County, Montana
- Wheatland County, Montana
- Wibaux County, Montana
- Yellowstone County, Montana
