Montana (MT)

MONTANA STATE FLAG

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:

  1. Beaverhead County, Montana
  2. Big Horn County, Montana
  3. Blaine County, Montana
  4. Broadwater County, Montana
  5. Carbon County, Montana
  6. Carter County, Montana
  7. Cascade County, Montana
  8. Chouteau County, Montana
  9. Custer County, Montana
  10. Daniels County, Montana
  11. Dawson County, Montana
  12. Deer Lodge County, Montana
  13. Fallon County, Montana
  14. Fergus County, Montana
  15. Flathead County, Montana
  16. Gallatin County, Montana
  17. Garfield County, Montana
  18. Glacier County, Montana
  19. Golden Valley County, Montana
  20. Granite County, Montana
  21. Hill County, Montana
  22. Jefferson County, Montana
  23. Judith Basin County, Montana
  24. Lake County, Montana
  25. Lewis and Clark County, Montana
  26. Liberty County, Montana
  27. Lincoln County, Montana
  28. Madison County, Montana
  29. McCone County, Montana
  30. Meagher County, Montana
  31. Mineral County, Montana
  32. Missoula County, Montana
  33. Musselshell County, Montana
  34. Park County, Montana
  35. Petroleum County, Montana
  36. Phillips County, Montana
  37. Pondera County, Montana
  38. Powder River County, Montana
  39. Powell County, Montana
  40. Prairie County, Montana
  41. Ravalli County, Montana
  42. Richland County, Montana
  43. Roosevelt County, Montana
  44. Rosebud County, Montana
  45. Sanders County, Montana
  46. Sheridan County, Montana
  47. Silver Bow County, Montana
  48. Stillwater County, Montana
  49. Sweet Grass County, Montana
  50. Teton County, Montana
  51. Toole County, Montana
  52. Treasure County, Montana
  53. Valley County, Montana
  54. Wheatland County, Montana
  55. Wibaux County, Montana
  56. Yellowstone County, Montana

MONTANA STATE FLAG