State Abbreviation - MN
State Capital - St. Paul
Largest City - Minneapolis
Area - 86,943 square miles [Minnesota is the 12th biggest state in the USA]
Population - 4,919,479 (as of 2000) [Minnesota is the 21st most populous state in the USA]
Name for Residents - Minnesotans
Major Industries - farming (corn, soybeans, sugar beets, wheat, dairy products), paper pulp, mining (iron ore)

Major Rivers - Minnesota River, Mississippi River, Rainy River, Red River of the North, St. Croix River
Major Lakes - Upper Red Lake, Lower Red Lake, Mille Lacs Lake, Vermillion Lake, Rainy Lake, Lake of the Woods, Lake Superior, Leech Lake, Winnibigoshish Lake, Lake Pepin
Highest Point - Eagle Mountain - 2,301 feet (701 m) above sea level
Bordering States - Iowa, Michigan (across Lake Superior), North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin
Bordering Country - Canada

Origin of the Name Minnesota - Minnesota is from a Dakota Sioux Indian word that means "cloudy water" or "sky water" and refers to local rivers.
State Nickname - Gopher State. North Star State
State Motto - "L'Etoile du Nord" - The Star of the North
State Song - Hail Minnesota