North Dakota is a landlocked U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the indigenous Dakota Sioux. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north and by the U.S. states of Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south, and Montana to the west. North Dakota is part of the Great Plains region, characterized by broad prairies, steppe, temperate savanna, badlands, and farmland. North Dakota is the 19th largest state, but with a population of less than 780,000, it is the 4th least populous and 4th most sparsely populated. The state capital is Bismarck while the most populous city is Fargo, which accounts for nearly a fifth of the state's population; both cities are among the fastest-growing in the U.S., although half of all residents live in rural areas.
Bismarck is the capital of the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Burleigh County. It is the state's 2nd most populous city, after Fargo. The population was 73,622 at the 2020 census, and was estimated to be 74,445 in 2022, while its metropolitan population was 133,626. In 2020, Forbes magazine ranked Bismarck as the seventh fastest-growing small city in the United States.
Williston is a city in and the county seat of Williams County, North Dakota, United States. The 2020 census gave its population as 29,160, making Williston the sixth-most populous city in North Dakota. The city's population nearly doubled between 2010 and 2020, due largely to the North Dakota oil boom.
Patrica A. Owens was the mayor of Grand Forks, North Dakota during the flood that devastated the city in April 1997. She actively lobbied then-president Bill Clinton for funds to rebuild the city and construct a permanent flood protection system for the city and neighboring East Grand Forks, Minnesota.
Rolland William Redlin was a U.S. Representative from North Dakota, who served between 1965 and 1967. He also served in the North Dakota Senate from 1959 to 1963 and later returned to serve again from 1973 until his retirement in 2000, as Senate President Pro Tempore 1987–9, and Minority Leadership later during his final 27 years' service. A member of the Democratic-NPL, he lived near Minot, North Dakota until 2009, when he moved to Rapid City, SD, to be closer to family members.
The 2012 United States Senate election in North Dakota took place on November 6, 2012, concurrently with the 2012 U.S. presidential election, other United States Senate elections, United States House of Representatives elections, and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic-NPL Senator Kent Conrad decided to retire instead of running for reelection to a fifth term.
Robert Randall Peterson is an American Republican Party politician in North Dakota who served as North Dakota State Auditor from 1997 to 2016. He was also a Presidential Elector for the state in 1996. His father, Robert W. Peterson, was his predecessor as State Auditor; he served from 1973 to 1996.
Kevin John Cramer is an American politician who has served as the junior United States senator for North Dakota since 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he represented North Dakota's at-large congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 2013 to 2019.
The 2001 North Dakota Fighting Sioux football team represented University of North Dakota in the 2001 NCAA Division II football season. The Fighting Sioux won the NCAA Division II national championship, the team's first. Their head coach was Dale Lennon, a former fullback for the school. The team's quarterback was junior Kelby Klosterman, who threw thirty-two touchdowns and seven interceptions. The leading rusher was Jed Perkerewicz, who rushed for almost eight-hundred yards and seven touchdowns. Three receivers had at least eight touchdowns; Dan Graf had ten, Jesse Smith had nine, and Luke Schleusner had eight. Mac Schneider, an American attorney who now serves as United States Attorney for the District of North Dakota, started three games in a backup role as offensive lineman for the team and served as team captain his senior year. The defense had a plus nineteen turnover margin and allowed fewer than thirteen points a game and just three rushing touchdowns all season. Eric Schmidt led the defense with ten sacks.
Drew Howard Wrigley is an American attorney, lawyer, and politician from North Dakota. Wrigley currently serves as the attorney general of North Dakota after being appointed to the position by Governor Doug Burgum following the death of Wayne Stenehjem. Wrigley had previously declared his candidacy for the office in early January 2022. Wrigley was elected to a four-year term in November 2022, garnering 71% of the vote. Wrigley previously served as the United States Attorney for the District of North Dakota from 2001 to 2009 and again from 2019 to 2021, appointed by President George W. Bush and Donald Trump, respectively. Between his terms as United States attorney, Wrigley served as the 37th lieutenant governor of North Dakota from 2010 to 2016.
A general election was held in the U.S. state of North Dakota on November 4, 2014. Five of North Dakota's executive officers were up for election as well as the state's at-large seat in the United States House of Representatives. Primary elections were held on June 10, 2014.
The state of North Dakota has improved in its treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender residents in the late 1990s and into the 21st Century, when the LGBT community began to openly establish events, organizations and outlets for fellow LGBT residents and allies, and increase in political and community awareness.
Douglas James Burgum is an American businessman and politician serving since 2016 as the 33rd governor of North Dakota. He is among the wealthiest governors in the U.S., with an estimated net worth of $1.1 billion. A member of the Republican Party, Burgum was a candidate in the 2024 United States presidential election.
Brent Sanford is an American politician who was the 38th lieutenant governor of North Dakota from 2016 to 2023. A member of the Republican Party, he previously was Mayor of Watford City from 2010 to 2016.
Thomas Cyril "Cy" Kasper was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Alfred University in Alfred, New York from 1923 to 1924, Columbus College in Chamberlain, South Dakota from 1925 to 1927, and South Dakota State University from 1928 to 1933.
Steven Bakken is an American politician and radio host. He was the mayor of Bismarck, North Dakota.
The Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) or Bakken pipeline is a 1,172-mile-long (1,886 km) underground pipeline in the United States that has the ability to transport up to 750,000 barrels of light sweet crude oil per day. It begins in the shale oil fields of the Bakken Formation in northwest North Dakota and continues through South Dakota and Iowa to an oil terminal near Patoka, Illinois. Together with the Energy Transfer Crude Oil Pipeline from Patoka to Nederland, Texas, it forms the Bakken system. The pipeline transports 40 percent of the oil produced in the Bakken region.
Robert A. Ritterbush FAIA (1891–1980) was an American architect in practice in Bismarck, North Dakota, from 1920 until 1967.
Mike Schmitz is a business leader and certified public accountant who has served as mayor of Bismarck, North Dakota since 2022.
