TR statement
Ag pilot over sunflowers
state capitol
Viewing through binoculars

North Dakota Facts

North Dakota amazes with these agriculture, geography and attraction fun facts.

Agriculture Fun Facts

  • North Dakota leads the nation in production of spring wheat, durum wheat, dry edible peas, dry edible beans, honey, flaxseed and canola.
  • North Dakota is the No. 1 producer of honey in the nation. Check out the North Dakota Bee Map. 
  • 39.1 million acres — nearly 90% of North Dakota's land area — is in farms and ranches. Great place for Agritourism
  • The world's largest french fry feed is held every year in Grand Forks, during Potato Bowl USA. A new record was set on September 10, 2015, when 5,220 pounds of french fries were served.

Click here for more interesting agricultural facts about North Dakota

Geography Fun Facts

  • Little Missouri National Grasslands is the largest grassland in the United States at more than 1 million acres and one of three grasslands in North Dakota.
  • The geographical center of North America is marked in Rugby.
  • Explorers William Clark and Meriwether Lewis and the Corps of Discovery spent more time in what is now North Dakota than any other place on their journey.
  • The International Peace Garden is a beautiful symbol of peace and friendship straddling the U.S. and Canadian border of North Dakota and Manitoba.
  • North Dakota is home to more wildlife refuges (63) than any other state. Wildlife viewing and birding opportunities are abundant.
  • Lake Sakakawea has more shoreline than the California Pacific Coast.

Teddy

  • Teddy bears got their name from former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt. North Dakota is home to Theodore Roosevelt National Park, known for its scenic beauty and natural wildlife.

Quirky Fun Facts

  • The Enchanted Highway is a collection of the world's largest scrap metal sculptures constructed at intervals along a 32-mile stretch of two-lane highway in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of North Dakota.
  • North Dakota holds the Guinness World Record for the most snow angels made simultaneously in one place. On February 17, 2007, 8,962 people made snow angels at the state capitol grounds beating the previous record of 3,784.
  • The world’s largest hamburger was eaten in Rutland, North Dakota, in 1982. It weighed 3,591 pounds and more than 8,000 people were invited to the meal.
  • World's Largest Buffalo monument stands tall on the hill in Jamestown. This 26-foot-tall, 60-ton concrete giant has been standing watch over Jamestown since 1959.
  • In 2008, Fargo, North Dakota, hosted the largest pancake feed in the world, serving up 34,818 pancakes.
  • The "World's Largest Holstein Cow," built to honor the dairymen of the area is 38 feet high and 50 feet long, and is visible for five miles.
  • Movies filmed in North Dakota include Dakota (1945), My Father’s Garden (1996) and Wooly Boys (2001). A few of the winter scenes in the popular movie Fargo were filmed in North Dakota, and the wood chipper used in the movie is now on display at the Fargo-Moorhead Visitor Center.
  • North Dakota Capitol Building. The 19-story state capitol building in Bismarck is one of only four tower-style capitols in the U.S. An observation floor at the top provides a panoramic view of Bismarck-Mandan and the Missouri River Valley.

Weather Facts

  • The weather in North Dakota varies greatly, as do reports of year-round cold and snow. Suffice it to say that reports of never-ending bone-chilling cold are greatly exaggerated. In reality, weather often varies by location with the southwest (banana belt) generally warmer than the northeast. In fact, the average high in North Dakota in February is 29 degrees, the same as Minneapolis; six degrees less than Chicago; and 10 degrees less than Boston.
  • To get a glimpse of weather highs and lows and precipitation, let's look at Bismarck, which is centrally located:

 

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Average high in °F:

21

29

40

56

69

78

Average low in °F:

-1

8

19

31

43

52

Avg. precipitation in inches:

0.5

0.5

0.9

1.5

2.2

2.6

Average snowfall in :

9

8

9

4

0

0

 

 

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Average high in °F:

85

83

72

58

38

26

Average low in °F:

56

55

44

32

18

5

Avg. precipitation in inches:

2.6

2.2

1.6

1.3

0.7

0.4

Average snowfall in :

0

0

0

2

9

9

Screen shot of printable ND Fun Facts document

Click here for even more "Fun Facts" on North Dakota!