Population: 902,195; Area: 147,000 square miles; State Capital: Helena; Highest elevation: 12,799 feet at Granite Peak, near Yellowstone National Park; Lowest elevation: 1,800 feet along the Kootenai River in NW Montana; State Bird: Western Meadowlark; State Flower: Bitterroot State Animal: Grizzly Bear; State Fish: Cutthroat Trout; State Tree: Ponderosa Pine; State Gemstones: Agate and Sapphire; State Motto: Oro y Plata (Gold and Silver); Nicknames: The Treasure State; Big Sky Country; The Land of the Shining Mountains.

QuickFacts Montana: Click

Major cities: Billings, pop. 92,988; Missoula, pop. 58,460; Bozeman, pop. 30,723; Helena, pop. 29,081; Great Falls, pop. 56,340; Glendive, pop. 4,340; Kalispell, pop. 17,149; Miles City, pop. 8,698; Lewistown, pop. 6,026; Butte-Silver Bow, pop. 33,325; Havre, pop. 10,425

 

Eastern Montana is an area of rolling plains. Grasslands with few trees dominate the landscape. Huge wheat farms and cattle ranches are common on the prairies of eastern Montana. Some of the nation's richest coal mines are also found in this area.

In the central part of Montana, the plains are dotted with small mountain ranges which are outliers of the Rocky Mountains. Mule deer live among the coulees throughout the region. Antelope are also abundant on the rolling grasslands of eastern and central Montana. Cattle ranching is a way of life.

In western Montana, the land changes to magnificent mountains. Welcome to the Rocky Mountains. The Absaroka Range near Billings is snow covered much of the year and reaches over 12,000 feet in elevation. Further to the west and north, the peaks of the Crazy Mountains mark the end of the plains. View a physical map of Montana.

Montana is an arid region. Rainfall is low in most areas of the state, often less than 13 inches, annually. Temperatures in western areas, in the mountain valleys, are generally moderate the year-round. In eastern areas, on the plains, days can be very hot in the summer and very cold in the winter. 

Montana has two major rivers, the Missouri and the Yellowstone. With headwaters in southwest Montana, the Missouri River flows through the north-central and northeastern parts of the state until it enters North Dakota on its journey to the Mississippi River. With many dams along its course, the Missouri River is a source of water for irrigation, recreation, and commerce.

The Yellowstone River begins in Yellowstone National Park. It flows north through Yellowstone National Park and meanders across the plains of southeastern Montana, until it joins the Missouri River near the North Dakota border. As the Yellowstone River flows eastward below the towering Absaroka Mountains east of Livingston, the scenic beauty is nature at its best.

The Yellowstone River Valley is a highly productive agricultural region, producing crops as diverse as alfalfa, sugar beets, and corn.

For visitors, both rivers offer wonderful possiblities for recreation, such as boating, floating, sightseeing, and fishing.