Minnesota: State Flag, Bird and Facts
Minnesota's state bird is the common loon, and its state flower is the pink and white lady's slipper.
- Capital
- Saint Paul
- Nickname
- Gopher State; Land of 10,000 Lakes
- State bird
- Common loon
- State flower
- Pink and white lady's slipper
- State tree
- Red pine (aka Norway pine)
- Admitted
- May 11, 1858
- Population
- 5,706,494 (2020 census)
- Motto
- L’Étoile du Nord
- Region
- Midwest
- Area
- 225,163 km² (86,936 sq mi)
- Highest point
- Eagle Mountain (2,302 ft)
- Borders
- Iowa, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin
About Minnesota
The famous license plate slogan undersells it. Minnesota has 14,420 bodies of fresh water of at least ten acres, well past the 10,000 in its nickname. About a third of the state is forest, while prairie and farmland cover most of what remains. More than 60% of residents live in the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, and Saint Paul is the capital.
Native peoples have lived here for thousands of years, and the state's name comes from the Dakota language. Canada sits to the north, Lake Superior to the northeast. The flag is brand new by state standards, adopted in 2024. A dark blue shape stands for the night sky and the outline of the state, with an eight-pointed North Star inside it. The rest is light blue for the lakes and rivers.
Did you know?
- Eagle Mountain is the highest point in Minnesota at 2,302 feet.
- The North Star on the Minnesota flag copies a star in the State Capitol rotunda.
- Minnesota's official tree is the red pine, also called the Norway pine.
Questions about Minnesota
When did Minnesota get its new flag?
Minnesota adopted its current flag on May 11, 2024, after a state commission formed in 2023 proposed new designs.
When did Minnesota become a state?
Minnesota was admitted on May 11, 1858.
Sources
- Wikidata Q1527, checked October 8, 2026
- Wikipedia: Minnesota, checked October 8, 2026
- Wikipedia: Flag of Minnesota, checked October 8, 2026
Facts are compiled from these open sources and rewritten in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.