Montana

Montana, a state located in the Mountain West subregion. It is bordered by Idaho on the west, North Dakota and South Dakota on the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan to its north. It is the fourth-largest state by area, the eighth-least populous state, and the third-least densely populated state. Helena is the state capital. The western half of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges, while the eastern half is characterized by western prairie terrain and badlands, with smaller mountain ranges found throughout the state. The Rocky Mountains include 77 named ranges.

Montana has no official nickname but several unofficial ones, most notably “Big Sky Country”, “The Treasure State”, “Land of the Shining Mountains”, and “The Last Best Place”. The economy is primarily based on agriculture, including ranching and cereal grain farming. Other important economic resources include oil and gas, coal, mining, lumber, and mining. The health care, service, and government sectors are also significant to the state’s economy. Tourism is Montana’s fastest-growing industry. Nearly 13 million tourists annually visit Montana’s Glacier National Park, Yellowstone National Park and Beartooth Highway.