Geography of North Dakota
Encyclopedia
The Geography of North Dakota consists of three major geographic regions: in the east is the Red River Valley, west of this, the Missouri Plateau. The southwestern part of North Dakota
is covered by the Great Plains, accentuated by the Badlands. There is also much in the way of geology
and hydrology
.
North Dakota is about 340 miles (545 km) east to west and 211 miles (340 km) north to south, with a total area of 70,704 square miles (183,123 km²), making it the 19th largest of the 50 U.S. state
s. About 2.4% of North Dakota's area is covered by water.
forming the border with Minnesota
.
The Valley is the remnant lake bed of the ancient Lake Agassiz
. It is very flat, and is quite fertile. This area of North Dakota is mostly farm country, with wheat
, sugarbeets, and maize
as staple crops, and along with other crops and livestock, cover the area. The valley contains the lowest point in North Dakota which is the Red River at Pembina
, at 750 feet (230 m) above sea level
.
and separated from the Red River Valley by the Pembina Hills. This area rises from 200 to 2,000 feet over the Red River Valley. The Drift Prairie is covered in lakes, stream valleys, and rolling hills. This reigon suffers moderate to severe flooding from the Red River almost annually, caused by the heavy snowfall in this region every winter.
This area rises about 300 to 400 feet above the Drift Prairie east of the Missouri River. Along the Missouri River, the land is lower. This area is called the Missouri Break. To the south and west of the river is an area of rugged valleys and buttes called the Slope.
has shaped into striking formations; many shades of browns, reds, grays, and yellows appear in butte
s, pyramids, domes, and cones. They stretch for about 190 miles (305 km) and are from 6 to 20 miles (10 to 30 km) wide. In some areas of the Badlands the rocks contain lignite
coal that has been burning for many years. The clay above these coal beds has turned bright pink and red. White Butte, the highest point in North Dakota, is located in the Badlands, and stands 3506 feet (1069 m) above sea level.
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
is covered by the Great Plains, accentuated by the Badlands. There is also much in the way of geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
and hydrology
Hydrology
Hydrology is the study of the movement, distribution, and quality of water on Earth and other planets, including the hydrologic cycle, water resources and environmental watershed sustainability...
.
North Dakota is about 340 miles (545 km) east to west and 211 miles (340 km) north to south, with a total area of 70,704 square miles (183,123 km²), making it the 19th largest of the 50 U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
s. About 2.4% of North Dakota's area is covered by water.
The Red River Valley
The Red River Valley takes up the eastern portion of the state, with the Red River of the NorthRed River of the North
The Red River is a North American river. Originating at the confluence of the Bois de Sioux and Otter Tail rivers in the United States, it flows northward through the Red River Valley and forms the border between the U.S. states of Minnesota and North Dakota before continuing into Manitoba, Canada...
forming the border with Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
.
The Valley is the remnant lake bed of the ancient Lake Agassiz
Lake Agassiz
Lake Agassiz was an immense glacial lake located in the center of North America. Fed by glacial runoff at the end of the last glacial period, its area was larger than all of the modern Great Lakes combined, and it held more water than contained by all lakes in the world today.-Conception:First...
. It is very flat, and is quite fertile. This area of North Dakota is mostly farm country, with wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
, sugarbeets, and maize
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
as staple crops, and along with other crops and livestock, cover the area. The valley contains the lowest point in North Dakota which is the Red River at Pembina
Pembina, North Dakota
Pembina is a city in Pembina County, North Dakota in the United States. The population was 592 at the 2010 census.The area of Pembina was long inhabited by various indigenous peoples...
, at 750 feet (230 m) above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
.
The Missouri Plateau and Drift Prairie
To the west of the Red River Valley is the Drift Prairie and the Missouri Plateau (or Coteau du Missouri). The Drift Prairie is bordered on the north by the Turtle MountainsTurtle Mountain (plateau)
Turtle Mountain, or the Turtle Mountains, is an area in central North America, in the north-central portion of the U.S. state of North Dakota and southwestern portion of the Canadian province of Manitoba...
and separated from the Red River Valley by the Pembina Hills. This area rises from 200 to 2,000 feet over the Red River Valley. The Drift Prairie is covered in lakes, stream valleys, and rolling hills. This reigon suffers moderate to severe flooding from the Red River almost annually, caused by the heavy snowfall in this region every winter.
The Great Plains
About half of North Dakota is covered by the Great Plains. The Great Plains, in the southwestern section of the state, are hilly and rich in mineral deposits.This area rises about 300 to 400 feet above the Drift Prairie east of the Missouri River. Along the Missouri River, the land is lower. This area is called the Missouri Break. To the south and west of the river is an area of rugged valleys and buttes called the Slope.
The Badlands
The Badlands lie in southwestern North Dakota. The Badlands are exposed surfaces of stone and clay that erosionErosion
Erosion is when materials are removed from the surface and changed into something else. It only works by hydraulic actions and transport of solids in the natural environment, and leads to the deposition of these materials elsewhere...
has shaped into striking formations; many shades of browns, reds, grays, and yellows appear in butte
Butte
A butte is a conspicuous isolated hill with steep, often vertical sides and a small, relatively flat top; it is smaller than mesas, plateaus, and table landform tables. In some regions, such as the north central and northwestern United States, the word is used for any hill...
s, pyramids, domes, and cones. They stretch for about 190 miles (305 km) and are from 6 to 20 miles (10 to 30 km) wide. In some areas of the Badlands the rocks contain lignite
Lignite
Lignite, often referred to as brown coal, or Rosebud coal by Northern Pacific Railroad,is a soft brown fuel with characteristics that put it somewhere between coal and peat...
coal that has been burning for many years. The clay above these coal beds has turned bright pink and red. White Butte, the highest point in North Dakota, is located in the Badlands, and stands 3506 feet (1069 m) above sea level.