The Dakotas

The Dakotas is a collective term for the U.S. states of North Dakota and South Dakota. It has been used historically to describe the Dakota Territory, and is still used for the collective heritage, culture, geography, fauna, sociology, the economy, and even cuisine among the two states.

The two states combined have a population of 1,459,227, slightly less than Idaho, ranking at 40th place. The number of inhabitants increased by 13,552 from the year before. The Dakotas have a total area of 147,878 square miles (383,177 square kilometres), which rank 4th among U.S. states, right before Montana. The two states also have a population density of 9.8 per sq. mi (3.8 per km2).

The name "Dakota" comes from the Tipi Sapa, a Native American clan that is a branch of the Sioux nation.

A sub-region of the Frontier Strip, the Dakotas are also within the Midwestern United States, with the western portion in the High Plains. According to the Public Broadcasting Service, important areas within the Dakotas include the Black Hills, the town of Deadwood, Fort Buford, Standing Rock Reservation and Wounded Knee. The Upper Missouri River and the Upper Missouri River Valley are important geological features in the area, as well.

The area is mostly inhabited by people of Northern European origin. 44.9% of the population are of German ancestry, 21.8% of Norwegian, and 9.6% are of Irish heritage.