Regions of Minnesota - Regions

Regions

The US state of Minnesota can be divided into regions in a variety of ways.

On a basic level, the state is divided between the Minneapolis-Saint Paul or Twin Cities metropolitan area (often referred to locally as The Cities), and Outstate or Greater Minnesota.

The Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area now comprises eleven Minnesota counties centered around Minneapolis, the state's largest city, and adjoining Saint Paul, the capital; plus two Wisconsin counties. About three out of every five residents (~60%) of the state live in this conurbation.

Greater Minnesota is less urbanized than the Twin Cities. It is also geographically more diverse, with farmlands to the south and west, lake country in central Minnesota, and forests in the northern part of the state. Approximately two out of five Minnesotans live in Greater Minnesota. Its major population centers include Duluth, Rochester, Moorhead, St. Cloud, Mankato, and Winona.

• Politically, Minnesota contains eight congressional districts.
• Climatologically, the state varies considerably from the far north, near Canada and Lake Superior to the south, where fertile farm land borders Iowa, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
• Demographically, population density varies from less than 4 persons per square mile in the least developed areas to nearly 7,000 persons per square mile in Minneapolis.
• Geologically, variations exist due to ice cover during the last Ice Age.
• Culturally and economically, areas of the state vary with respect to industry, predominate professions, and urbanization.

The regions discussed here have combined elements from several of these various criteria to divide the state into areas recognized by the typical Minnesotan. Disagreements concerning the exact boundaries are to be expected, however the exact boundary definitions are not necessary to adequately define the state's regions.

• The Northwest Angle is that land of Minnesota north of the 49th parallel Latitude line.
• The Arrowhead Region is the northeastern part of Minnesota. It includes two of the three iron ranges in Minnesota. Collectively the Mesabi and Vermillion iron ranges are called the Iron Range and colloquially as "the Range." These parts of the Arrowhead are dotted with iron mines. The Arrowhead region also includes the North Shore and the Boundary Waters.
• The Twin Cities Metropolitan area includes 13 counties, two of which are in Wisconsin. It is a socio-economic area driven by the twin cities of Minneapolis and the state capital, Saint Paul.
• Although no legal boundaries of the region exist, most definitions of what makes up Central Minnesota would include the parts of the state within the economic influence of St. Cloud and Brainerd.
• Southeastern Minnesota includes the scenic Mississippi Valley to the Whitewater River and Root River in the Coulee Region, also known as the Driftless Area.
• Southwestern Minnesota includes the Buffalo Ridge, which is the eastern portion of the Coteau des Prairies, a geological formation characterized by higher elevation and high average wind speed, providing opportunities for commercially viable wind power. The area also includes the Pipestone Region.
• The Red River Valley is a term the U.S. government uses to generally describe the sections of northeastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota to which the U.S. secured title following the Anglo-American Convention of 1818. Popularly, it is used to refer to most of the territory in the northwestern part of the state. Specifically, the area in the Fargo-Grand Forks media market is called the Red River Valley by media outlets (referring to both the Dakota and Minnesota parts).
• The Minnesota River Valley follows the state's namesake, a fertile agricultural area, running from the South Dakota border to its junction with the Mississippi River in St. Paul.
• "Northern Minnesota" is a broader title that includes several regions, including the North Woods, and can be defined as any area within the 218 telephone area code.
• "East Central Minnesota" comprises the counties of Pine, Isanti, Chisago, Kanabec and Mille Lacs (and sometimes Aitkin County). The regional centers of East Central Minnesota are Cambridge and Pine City.
• "South Central Minnesota" refers to a group of fewer than a dozen counties loosely centered on the city of Mankato.