6 North Dakota Facts

1. North Dakota has a remarkable collection of giant animals, including Dakota Thunder (a bison), Sandy (a sandhill crane), and Salem Sue, the world's biggest Holstein.

2. A boom in oil production in the northwest portion of the state helped weather the recession of the early 21st century. However, water protectors are concerned about contamination of the Missouri River. They and others concerned about desecration of Native land are protesting the construction of a pipeline through the state.

3. Beginning in the late 1800s and into the 20th century, North Dakota was a popular destination for immigrant farmers and laborers from Norway, Sweden, Germany, and the United Kingdom. In 2009, almost half the state's population was of German descent, while 30% had Norwegian ancestry.

4. North Dakota had the highest churchgoing population of any state as of 2006.

5. 90% of the land area is farms, and most of the grain grown has been for animal feed.

6. It's the least visited of the 50 states and doesn't have a major tourist attraction. The state slogan is (wait for it!) "Legendary."