This file is copyright of Jens Schriver (c) It originates from the Evil House of Cheat More essays can always be found at: --- http://www.CheatHouse.com --- ... and contact can always be made to: Webmaster@cheathouse.com -------------------------------------------------------------- Essay Name : 1124.txt Uploader : Joe Email Address : Language : english Subject : Geography Title : Montana Grade : 9 School System : High school Country : United States Author Comments : information about the state of Montana Teacher Comments : Great Job, it sounds like an interesting place to visit Date : 11/17/96 Site found at : search engine -------------------------------------------------------------- Montana Montana is one of the Mountain states of the United States. Montana has many boundaries. In the North it includes the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan, in the east North Dakota and South Dakota, in the south by Wyoming and Idaho, and in the West by Idaho. Montana, nicknamed the Treasure State, is divided into basically two different physical and economic area. The Rocky Mountains in the west supply lumber and metal ores, the Great Plains in the East produce petroleum(gasoline), coal and an assortment of agriculture products. Montana entered our union in 1889, as the forty first state. Land and Resources Montana, with an area of 147,046 square miles, is the fourth largest state in the United States. Nearly thirty percent of the land in the state is owned by the federal government. Elevations range from a low 1,800 feet along the Kootenai River. They reach a high of 12,799 feet at the top of Granite Peak. Granite Peak is near the ever so famous Yellowstone National Park. The average elevation in the state of Montana is 3,400 feet. Physical Geography Montana contains two major regions: the mountains, and the plains. The mountains occupy the western third of the state and the plains generally in the eastern portion of the state. Glacial ice has made much of Montana's landscape, but at the Canadian border is a beautiful, scenic alpine landscape full of trees. Some of the state of Montana is very rugged and nearly impossible to get to. This is probably the most inaccessible part of the whole country. Much of the Great Plains in Montana has a high elevation full of rolling hills and valleys, but a lot of this area is broken up by scattered foothills. Waters( Rivers and Lakes) The Rivers west of the Continental Divide drain to the Pacific Ocean. These rivers include the Kootenai, Clark Fork, and the Flathead River. In the East there is the Missouri River and its many tributaries, including the Marias, Milk , and Yellowstone Rivers. These all join the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico. Montana's largest natural lake is the Flathead lake. The largest man-made body of water is the Fort Peck Lake. Climate The Continental Divide is a climatic boundary between the Pacific Climate and the cold climate in the east. The average temperature is around forty-two degrees Fahrenheit. The plain's winters can be very cold from arctic air from Canada. There also can be flooding in the spring from melting streams. The coldest temperature ever recorded in Montana is -70 below zero. The hottest ever recorded was 117 degrees F. Plants and Animals Coniferous forest cover twenty-three percent of the state of Montana. The lower elevations of the state include Western Yellow Pine and Douglas firs, and highest elevations include Spruce and Fir, the least valuable commercial trees. Wildlife in the mountains is very abundant. There are mountain goats, bighorn sheep, elk, moose, mule, white-tailed deer, grizzly bears, black bears, mountain lions, and fox. Salmon and trout are found in the streams. The Great Plains has many different kinds of grasses including grama, buffalo, and bluestern grass. The plains also have a ranching economy as well. Wildlife includes the following: mule, deer, pronghorn antelope, coyote, grouse, pheasant, and migratory waterfowl. Mineral Resources Montana has large resources of minerals. Petroleum, natural gas, copper, and coal are abundant. Other important minerals include gold, silver, limestone, antimony, phosphates, gypsum, sand, and gravel. Population In the 1990 census, Montana has 799,065 people, with the average density of five people per square mile. This is one of the lowest population densities in the United States. Whites made up 92.7 percent of the population and blacks .3 percent. There were 47,524 Native Americans and 4259 people of Asian decent. For religion, Roman Catholics take up 27.6 percent of the state. Then come the Lutherans with 12.2 percent and the Methodists. Also, only 53 percent of the people of Montana live in urban areas. The national average is 75 percent. Sports and Recreation There is a wide assortment of sport activities in the state of Montana. Skiing is very popular in the mountains for ski lovers. The state has ten large ski areas such as Big Sky Ski Area, Red Lodge-Grizzly Peak, and many more. Other sports are fishing on the many beautiful Montana lakes, boating, swimming, golfing, and horseback riding. Golfing in Montana is very beautiful with extraordinary views of mountains and valleys. Economy Montana is a state that relies heavily on its natural resources. By late in the 19th century, Montana had become a home for cattle ranchers, dairy products, hogs, and many more types of livestock. Agriculture is more important in the eastern half of the state, though mountains and river valleys carry valuable minerals and ores in the western half of the state. Production of hay is also needed in the state to feed livestock. Tourism Tourism produces major funds for the state of Montana every year. Its six million visitors every year produce one point eight billion dollars for the state. Yellowstone and Glacier national parks are extremely popular tourist attractions. However, watch out for Grizzly Bears; you never know when those beasts are hungry. Transportation Transportation in Montana is basically just like any other state except there is more steamboat use. Steamboats are used up the Missouri River. Also, there are many federal, state, and local roads that link all areas except the most desolate. Montana has 199 airports. There are also 19 heliports that allow people to travel to isolated areas. Energy Montana relies heavily on hydroelectric power. There are many rivers and flowing water in the state, which means hydroelectric power is a given. The other main energy source is coal. --------------------------------------------------------------