Montana (U.S. state)

Montana is one of the states constituting the United States of America. It joined the Union on November 8, 1889 as the 41st state. Montana has an area of 147,046 square miles (380,848 square kilometers) and an estimated population of 967,440 (in 2008).

Montana borders the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan in the north where the border follows the 49th parallel of latitude. The U.S. states of North and South Dakota are to the east of Montana. It has northeastern Wyoming to the south, while Idaho is its western neighbor.

Most of the inhabitants of Montana descend from western and northern Europe. Montana has seven Indian reservations and an Indian minority of about 5 percent.

Helena is the capital of Montana. The city of Missoula is the seat of the University of Montana. This university was chartered in 1893 and instruction began in 1895.