Montana Maps & Facts - World Atlas

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Montana, nicknamed, “The Treasure State”, is a landlocked state located in the western United States. It shares a northern border with the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia, an eastern border with North Dakota and South Dakota, a southern border with Wyoming, and a western border with Idaho. Montana forms part of the US northern Rockies and Plains region.

Montana's capital, Helena, is situated in the western part of the state, while its most populous city, Billings, lies in the south and has around 120,000 residents.

Montana became a state on November 8th, 1889 after having been acquired by the US during the Louisiana Purchase from France. The Louis and Clark expedition visited the territory from 1804 to 1806.

Area

Montana has a total area of 147,040 square miles (380,832 square kilometers), making it the fourth-largest state in the country. It is roughly the size of Germany and four times larger than South Korea. Compared to US states, it is three times larger than Mississippi.

Bodies of Water

Montana has about 169,829 miles (273,313 kilometers) of river. Of this length, only about 1% of it is designated as wild and scenic. Some of Montana’s most notable rivers include the Missouri River, which flows from the northeastern part of the state through the central south, the Flathead River, which is a 219-mile-long river that flows through Montana’s northwest, and the Yellowstone River, which flows from eastern Montana through the south.

Flathead Lake, located in northwest Montana, is the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi River, spanning approximately 197 square miles (510 square kilometers). It was dammed in 1930 and now generates electricity.

Mineral Reserves

Montana’s nickname as the “Treasure State” originates from its richness in mineral reserves. Montana mines around 26 different minerals, the majority of which are found in the northern, southern, and western regions. Palladium and platinum are two of Montana’s most prominent minerals, generally found in the southern part of the state. Gold is or has been mined in 30 of Montana’s 56 counties, while silver has been mined in 29.

Geographical Regions

Montana has three physical regions that compose its landscape: The Eastern Plains, The Western Mountains, and a transitionary zone between both of them known as the Central Front.

Eastern Plains

Montana's Eastern Plains cover roughly a third of the state to the east. Wide plains, prairies, and rolling grasslands cover the majority of the region. The climate is semi-arid, with low precipitation. Some parts of this region, however, have desert-like characteristics, featuring scrub instead of grassland. Some forested sections break the grasslands as well, such as the Custer National Forest.

Western Mountains

The western third of Montana consists of the Rocky Mountains, composed of interconnected mountain ranges and valleys. This region is largely forested, with notable species such as the Rocky Mountain Douglas-fir, aspen, and Ponderosa pine. The valleys are semi-arid, while the mountains receive more precipitation, with some areas even having a temperate rainforest climate.

Central Front

The Central Front region spans from northwest Montana through the southeast, cutting through Billings. It eventually extends through Wyoming to the south and Canada to the north. The Central Front is a transitionary zone, connecting the Eastern Plains and Western Mountains, featuring isolated mountain ranges, prairies, and badlands.