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Interstate 494

Interstate 494

Interstate 494 is part of a beltway of Interstate 94, circling through the southern and western portions of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area in Minnesota. The 43-mile (69 km) road is coupled with Interstate 694 (which goes to the north) at each end, and composes more than half of the major beltway of the region. This is apparently the only interstate highway loop in the United States that has separately-numbered sections (the Twin Cities region is also unusual for having an east/west-split in Interstate 35). I-494 and I-694 also act as loop routes for Interstate 35E and Interstate 35W. The highway has a few intersections with other interstates:
- Interstate 94 and I-694 in Woodbury/Oakdale
- Interstate 35E in Mendota Heights, Minnesota
- Interstate 35W in Bloomington, Minnesota
- Interstate 394 in Minnetonka, Minnesota
- Interstate 94/I-694 (twinned) in Maple Grove, Minnesota Exit numbering is unusual in that it begins at the Minnesota River heading westbound (between Bloomington and Mendota Heights), and continues clockwise around the entire beltway. The last exit is #71 to Pilot Knob Road. The most significant landmark on the length of I-494 is the Mall of America, just south of the intersection of I-494 and Minnesota State Highway 77. For the most part, the speed limit is 60 miles per hour (96.6 km/h). Interstate highways outside of the loop in Minnesota may be signed as high as 70 mph (112.7 km/h). Within the loop, most highways are signed at speeds of 55 mph or lower, though a few exceptions were added in September 2005, allowing speeds of up to 60 mph in some places. Those roads had been signed at 60 mph or higher up until the gasoline crises of the 1970s. Construction on the road first began in the late 1950s, and it was finally completed by about 1985. Upgrades continue to be made to widen the road to at least three lanes in each direction, including construction of the Wakota Bridge (named because it connects Washington County and Dakota County) over the Mississippi River. Also a major reconstruction/widening project is underway between Minnesota State Highway 5 West/U.S. Highway 212 East (Exits 11B and C) and Carlson Parkway (Exit 20).

References

- Adam Froehlig (November 22, 2003). [http://www.ajfroggie.com/roadpics/mn-ends/i494.htm Interstate Highway 494.] Minnesota State Highway Endings. Accessed May 17, 2005.
- Steve Riner (December 27, 2004). [http://steve-riner.com/mnhighways/r288-694.htm#494 Details of Routes 288-694.] Accessed May 17, 2005.
- [http://www.interstate-guide.com/i-494_mn.html Interstate 494 Minnesota.] Interstate-Guide.com. Accessed May 17, 2005. 94-4 94-4

Beltway

A beltway (American English), ring road or orbital motorway (British English) is a circumferential highway found around or within many cities. Beltway, orbital motorway and similar terms refer to an expressway/motorway/freeway style standard road that often originally enclosed the built up area and was later encroached upon by developed areas. Ring road may sometimes refer to a beltway-style road, but more commonly indicates a road or series of roads within a city or town that have been joined together by town planners to form an orbital distributor style road, but where the standard of road could be anything from an ordinary city street up to an expressway level. The principal difference is that a ring road is an orbital distributor road system designed from already existing roads, as opposed to a beltway which is designed from new as such a road system. A ring road designation also implies a more inner-city road designed to route traffic around a city centre, as opposed to routing traffic around a larger conurbation. Some cities have proposed or built multiple concentric beltways and/or ring roads. Many beltway-style roads are part of a wider highway system, for example in the United States beltways are commonly a part of an interstate highway system. In the US, the slang word Beltway occasionally refers to politics conducted inside the Beltway in Washington, DC.

World List

Africa

South Africa

South Africa has the most advanced road system of any African country. Most of the major cities' ring roads were built in the 1970s. Well constructed, they are on par with the best in the Western world.
- Johannesburg Ring Road
- Durban Outer Ring Road
- Peninsula Expressway, Cape Town
- Pretoria Bypass

Americas (North and South)

Canada

- Alberta Highway 201, Calgary, Alberta
- Alberta Highway 216, Edmonton, Alberta
- Perimeter Highway, Winnipeg, Manitoba
- Nova Scotia Highway 111, Halifax, Nova Scotia/Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
- Nova Scotia Highway 125, Sydney, Nova Scotia
- Ring Road, Regina, Saskatchewan
- Circle Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

United States

California

- Interstate 405, Los Angeles

Colorado

- Interstate 225, Aurora
- E-470, Aurora

Georgia

- Interstate 285 (The Perimeter), Atlanta
- Georgia Loop 120 (S./N. Marietta Parkway), Marietta

Kentucky

- Interstate 264 (Henry Watterson Expressway), Louisville
- Interstate 265 (Gene Snyder Freeway), Louisville
- Man o' War Road, Lexington

Nevada

- Interstate 215 (Bruce Woodbury Expressway), Las Vegas

New Jersey/New York

- Interstate 287, New York City

North Carolina

- Interstate 440, Raleigh
- Interstate 485, Charlotte (under construction)
- Interstate 540, Wake County (unfinished)
- Interstate 840, Greensboro (under construction)

Ohio

- Interstate 270, Columbus
- Interstate 275, Cincinnati

Pennsylvania

- Pittsburgh/Allegheny County Belt System, Pittsburgh (set of six color-coded non-highway beltways)
- Interstate 576 (proposed), a proposed toll beltway route around Pittsburgh.

Rhode Island

- Interstate 295, Providence
- Downtown Ring Roads, Providence
- Downtown Circulator, Pawtucket

South Carolina

- I-526, (Mark Clark Expressway), Charleston (unfinshed)

Tennessee

- Tennessee State Route 840, Nashville (unfinished)

Texas

- Interstate 410 (Loop 410), San Antonio
- Interstate 610 (The 610 Loop), Houston
- Interstate 820 (Loop 820), Fort Worth
- Texas State Highway Beltway 8 (Sam Houston Tollway), Houston
- Texas State Highway 99 (Grand Parkway), Houston(unfinished)
- Texas State Highway Loop 336, Conroe
- Texas State Highway Loop 1604, San Antonio

Washington, DC

- Interstate 495 (Capital Beltway)

Asia

China

- 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th Ring Roads, Beijing
- 1st, 2nd and 3rd Ring Roads, Chengdu
- Shenyang Round City Expressway, Shenyang
- Tangshan Round City Expressway, Tangshan
- Inner, Middle and Outer Ring Roads, Tianjin

Philippines

Metro Manila

Major Roads in Metro Manila
- C-1, Metro Manila
- C-2, Metro Manila
- C-3, Metro Manila
- EDSA(C-4), Metro Manila
- C-5, Metro Manila
- Proposed C-6, Metro Manila

India

Tamil Nady

- Inner Ring Road, Chennai
- Outer Ring Road, Chennai

Karnataka

- CRR, Bangalore Intermediate, and Bangalore Outer Ring Roads, Bangalore

NCR

- Delhi Ring Road and Delhi Outer Ring Road, New Delhi

Maharashtra

- Mumbai Ring Road, comprising:
- Mumbai Western Freeway (western peripheral expressway)

West Bengal

- Calcutta Ring Road, comprising:
- Rajarhat Expressway (feeds the ring road)
- Barasat Bypass (northwestern orbital)

Malaysia

Johor Bahru

- Johor Bahru Inner Ring Road
- Johor Bahru Middle Ring Road, comprising:
- Pasir Gudang Highway
- Johor Bahru Parkway
- Tuas Second Link

Kuala Lumpur

- Kuala Lumpur Inner Ring Road
- Kuala Lumpur Middle Ring Road 1
- Kuala Lumpur Middle Ring Road 2

Australia

New South Wales

- Sydney Orbital Motorway, Sydney

Queensland

- Brisbane Orbital, comprising:
- Gateway Motorway (eastern orbital)
- Logan Motorway (southern orbital)
- Western Bypass Motorway (proposed western orbital)
- Inner City Bypass (inner north ring road)

Victoria

- Metropolitan Ring Road, Melbourne
- Geelong Ring Road, Geelong

Western Australia

- Perth Inner Orbital:
- Reid Highway (northern)
- Tonkin Highway (eastern)
- Leach Highway (southern)
- Perth Outer Orbital:
- Roe Highway (eastern)
- Roe Freeway (southern)
- Bunbury Ring Road (proposed outer bypass), Bunbury

Europe

Austria

- Gürtel (Outer Ring), Vienna
- Ringstrasse (Inner Ring), Vienna

Belgium

- R0 (Brussels Ring), Brussels
- R1 (Antwerpse Ring), Antwerp

Finland

- Kehä I (Ring 1), encircling Helsinki through Espoo and Vantaa, for local traffic
- Kehä II (Ring 2), traffic loadout highway through Espoo, for local traffic
- Kehä III (Ring 3), bybass of Helsinki, part of E18, encircling Helsinki through Vantaa, Espoo and Kirkkonummi, for local traffic and long distance traffic

France

- Périphérique, Paris

Germany

- Berliner Ring (A 10), Berlin
- Kölner Ring, Cologne

Greece

- Attiki Odos, Athens
- Greece Interstate 4 (Thessalonike Beltway), Thessaloníke
- Greece Interstate 8A (Patras Beltway), Patras (Roitika to near University of Patras)

Italy

- Grande Raccordo Anulare, Rome
- Tangenziale, Milan

Netherlands

- Ring A10 Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Ring A20 Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands

Poland

- Obwodnica Trójmiejska, Tricity

Republic of Ireland

- M50 motorway, Dublin

Russia

- MKAD, Moscow

Spain

- M30 motorway, Madrid, Spain

United Kingdom

- M25 motorway, London, England
- M60 motorway, Manchester, England source: http://kartta.hel.fi/opas/en/

Minneapolis-St. Paul

:"Twin Cities" (note capitalization) redirects here. This article is about the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. For the generic term, see Twin cities. Twin cities The Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul and the surrounding area is the most highly-populated area in Minnesota and the 15th-largest metropolitan area in the United States as of the 2000 census. Minneapolis is the largest city in the state, and nearby St. Paul is the second largest and also the capital of Minnesota. There are many other places around the world that are considered twin cities, but Minneapolis-St. Paul is one of the best known. Today, the two cities directly border each other, although this was not always true. The downtown districts are about 10 miles (16 km) apart.
The region
downtown The U.S. Census Bureau defines the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington Metropolitan Statistical Area (locals do not consider Bloomington to be a major city but a very large suburb) as a region of thirteen counties in both Minnesota and neighboring Wisconsin, an area which had a population of nearly three million people (2,968,805) in 2000. It is a rapidly growing area, estimates guess the population will increase to four million in 20 years. However, many people refer to an older seven-county area entirely within Minnesota when talking about the Twin Cities region. Many government actions in the 7-county region are coordinated by the Metropolitan Council. It is common for out-state Minnesotans to refer to the area as the Cities or the metro. Three out of five state residents live in the Twin Cities region, although less than one in four people in the metro live in the two core cities. Bloomington, Minnesota, home of the Mall of America, is the third-largest city in the metro area and is in close contention for third place in the entire state, coming in at just about the same size as Duluth and Rochester in the 2000 census. There are multiple "rings" of suburbs extending outward from the core area, and having two central cities can make it difficult for visitors or new residents to learn the arrangement of cities and towns. There are 188 municipalities in the seven-county region alone, and there are 334 in the thirteen-county region. Minneapolis and St. Paul have competed for attention ever since they were founded, sometimes resulting in a fair amount of duplication of effort (both have major league teams, though in differing sports -- this is a debatable point, however, as these sports teams are all named for Minnesota, not the cities that house their respective stadiums). The two cities have sometimes tried to outdo one another by building bigger or more extravagantly. While old rivalries have largely faded into the past, new sparring matches occasionally begin.
Culture
The Twin Cities area is considered a capital for the arts in the Upper Midwest, the lead region among others such as the Twin Ports (Duluth, Minnesota-Superior, Wisconsin), Madison, Wisconsin and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. There is a very high per-capita attendance of theatrical, musical, and comedy events across the area, which some believe may be boosted by the cold winters but can be more realistically attributed to the large number of colleges, universities, and a generally strong economy, providing strong supply and demand for arts. In 2000, 2.3 million theater tickets were sold in the region. Musicians from all genres have gained notoriety over the years, with the singing Andrews Sisters gaining worldwide prominence during World War II, followed most notably by Hibbing, MN native Bob Dylan (who launched his career playing free shows on the West Bank of the University of Minnesota Minneapolis campus), to the rise of punk rockers Hüsker Dü, Soul Asylum and the Replacements, and the rhythm and blues stylings of Morris Day and the Time and Prince in the 1980s. These later sources brought the Minneapolis music scene to national attention; the period from about 1977 to 1987 was a period of incredible dynamism in the Minneapolis music scene, with offshoots in the punk scene including Soul Asylum, Babes in Toyland, the Clams and many other seminal favorites, while Prince's immense power in the industry (which peaked during this period) created a Rhythm and Blues mini-empire at his Paisley Park Studios, based in suburban Chanhassen. While contemporary local artists continue to enjoy critical acclaim (such as hip-hop group Atmosphere and commercial success (pop-rockers Semisonic), things have slowed considerably - but the Twin Cities are still the region's musical hotbed. The area has also shown an unusual affinity for certain artists. For instance, in the 1990s the Twin Cities accounted for majority of national sales for Soul Coughing's second album Irresistible Bliss during its first eight weeks of release. Minnesota and Wisconsin have also contributed significantly to comedy in its many different forms. Ole and Lena jokes can't be fully appreciated unless delivered in the sing-songy accent of Scandinavian-Americans, and Garrison Keillor is known around the country for resurrecting the old-style radio comedy with A Prairie Home Companion. Local television had the satirical show The Bedtime Nooz in the 1960s, while area natives Lizz Winstead and Craig Kilborn helped create the increasingly influential Daily Show decades later. Joel and Ethan Coen have produced many films featuring dark comedy, and numerous others brought the offbeat cult shows Mystery Science Theater 3000 and Let's Bowl to the national cable-waves from the Twin Cities. There are a number of lakes in the region, and cities in the area have some very extensive park systems for recreation. Some studies have shown that area residents take advantage of this, and are among the most physically fit in the country, though others have disputed that. Nonetheless, medicine is a major industry in the region and the southeasterly city of Rochester, as the University of Minnesota has joined other colleges and hospitals in doing significant research, and major medical device manufacturers started in the region (the most prominent is Medtronic). Technical innovators have brought important advances in computing, including the Cray line of supercomputers. It is common for residents of the Twin Cities area to own or share cabins and other properties along lakes and forested areas in the central and northern regions of the state, and weekend trips "up to the lakes" or "to the cabin" happen through the warmer months. Ice fishing is also a major pastime in the winter, although each year some overambitious fishermen find themselves in dangerous situations when they venture out onto the ice too early. Hunting, snowmobiling, and numerous other outdoor activities are also popular. This connectedness with the outdoors also brings a strong sense of environmentalism to many Minnesotans. Minneapolis-Saint Paul is also a major center for religion in the state, especially Christianity. The headquarters of the missionary efforts of no fewer than three churches for the state are found here: The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, the Episcopal Diocese of Minnesota and the Presbyterian Synod of Lakes and Prairies find themselves in, respectively, Saint Paul and Minneapolis; Minneapolis; and Bloomington. In non-Christian traditions, the Twin Cities have always been home to several Jewish synogogues, with influxes of immigrants in recent years bringing many religions once thought foreign to find their home in the fertile soil of the Mississippi River Valley. Six major-league professional sports teams make their home in Minneapolis-St. Paul: the Minnesota Twins (1961–present, named after the Twin Cities), Minnesota Vikings (1961–present, named in honor of the Scandinavian heritage of the area), Minnesota Timberwolves (1989–present, Minnesota being the only state in the Lower 48 that never lost its native timberwolf population), Minnesota Wild (2000–present, named for Minnesota's northern wilderness), and Minnesota Swarm (2005–present) . Some other sports teams gained their names from being in Minnesota. The Los Angeles Lakers get their name from once being based in Minneapolis, the "City of Lakes" (Minnesota is also known as the "Land of 10,000 Lakes"). The Dallas Stars got their name from being a Minnesota team, the North Stars, as Minnesota is also known as "The North Star State". The Twin Cities Marathon is held in the fall.The Twin cities also has a WNBA team the Minnesota Lynx also named for a wild animal that lives in the northern part of the state. It is also worth noting that Minnesota has among the largest populations of Hmong and Somali residents. More research is needed to fill out this paragraph, but these large segments of Twin City culture richly deserve to be mentioned.
History
The European settlement in the region was near Stillwater, Minnesota, although it is some distance from the core of the Twin Cities. It lies on the western bank of the St. Croix River, which forms the border between Minnesota and Wisconsin at that point. White settlements in the core area can largely be traced back to Fort Snelling, which was constructed from 1820 to 1825 at the confluence of the Minnesota River and the Mississippi River. A series of settlements that were precursors to the cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis formed a few miles away from the fort along the Mississippi. The villages leading to the creation of St. Paul went by a number of different names, including Pig's Eye and Lambert's Landing. Fort Snelling held jurisdiction over the land south of Saint Anthony Falls, so a town known as Saint Anthony sprung up just north of the river. For several years, the only resident to live on the south bank of the river at that point was Colonel John H. Stevens, who operated a ferry service across the river. As soon as the land area controlled by Fort Snelling was reduced, new settlers began flocking across to a new village of Minneapolis. The town grew quickly, and Minneapolis and Saint Anthony eventually merged. The Grand Excursion, a trip into the Upper Midwest sponsored by the Rock Island Railroad, brought more than a thousand curious travelers into the area by rail and steamboat in 1854. The next year, in 1855, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow published The Song of Hiawatha, an epic poem based on the Ojibway legends of Hiawatha. A number of natural area landmarks were included in the story, such as Lake Minnetonka and Minnehaha Falls. Tourists inspired by the coverage of the Grand Excursion in eastern newspapers and those who read Longfellow's story flocked to the area in the following decades. Tourists The area used to have a lot of passenger rail service, both interurban streetcar systems and fairly high speed interstate rail. For a time, the Minneapolis-St. Paul area was one of the few places where the Mississippi could be crossed by railroads, as the river was too wide to cross by bridge at points farther south. A great amount of rail traffic once rumbled through the area, often carrying grain to be processed at mills in Minneapolis or other goods to St. Paul to be transported along the Mississippi. St. Paul had long been at the head of navigation on the river, until new lock and dam facilities were added upriver. Passenger travel hit an early peak—eight million people went through St. Paul Union Depot in 1888, a year when about 150 trains came and went daily. Before long, other crossings were built farther south, so travel through the region to the west declined. In an effort to combat the rise of the automobile, some of the earliest streamliners ran from Chicago, Illinois to Minneapolis and St. Paul, eventually running out to distant points in the Pacific Northwest. Today, the only vestige of this interstate service comes by Amtrak's Empire Builder service, running once daily in each direction. The line is named after James J. Hill, a railroad tycoon who settled on Summit Avenue in St. Paul at what is now known as the James J. Hill House.
Transportation

Roads and highways
In the 20th century, the Twin Cities area expanded outward significantly. Automobiles made it possible for suburbs to grow greatly. The area now has a number of freeways to transport people by car. The area incorporates a large number of traffic cameras and ramp meters to monitor and manage traffic congestion. There is some use of high-occupancy vehicle (carpool) lanes, though it is not as pervasive as in other regions. When the roads do become congested, buses are allowed to drive on road shoulders to bypass traffic jams. Interstate 94 comes into the area from the east and heads northwest from Minneapolis. Two spur routes form the I-494/I-694 loop, and I-394 continues west when I-94 turns north. Additionally, Interstate 35 splits in the southern part of the Twin Cities region, bringing I-35E into St. Paul and I-35W into Minneapolis. They join together again to the north and continue to the highway's terminus in Duluth. I-35W Other major highways in the area include:
- Minnesota State Highway 5 (West 7th Street)
- Minnesota State Highway 13 (Sibley Memorial Highway)
- Minnesota State Highway 36
- Minnesota State Highway 47 (University Avenue)
- Minnesota State Highway 51 (Snelling Avenue)
- Minnesota State Highway 55 (Olson Memorial Highway / Hiawatha Avenue)
- Minnesota State Highway 62 (Crosstown Highway, usually referred to as "the Crosstown")
- Minnesota State Highway 65 (Central Avenue)
- Minnesota State Highway 77 (Cedar Freeway)
- Minnesota State Highway 95 (Stillwater to near Saint Cloud)
- Minnesota State Highway 100 (Belt Line Highway)
- Minnesota State Highway 110
- Minnesota State Highway 252
- Minnesota State Highway 280
- Minnesota State Highway 610 (North Crosstown)
- U.S. Highway 10
- U.S. Highway 12
- U.S. Highway 52 (Lafayette Freeway)
- U.S. Highway 61
- U.S. Highway 169 (Mendelson Highway)
- U.S. Highway 212
Air travel
U.S. Highway 212 The main airport in the region is Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP), which is the main hub for Northwest Airlines. A number of other smaller airports are also in the area, a number of which are owned and operated by the Metropolitan Airports Commission (the same organization operates the main MSP airport). Some people even commute by air to the Twin Cities from the northern part of the state.
Public transit
Metro Transit, by far the biggest bus service provider in the area, owes its existence to the old streetcar lines that ran in the area. Metro Transit provides about 95% of the public transit rides in the region, although some suburbs have other bus services. The Hiawatha Line light rail corridor began regular operations in June 2004, and is also run by Metro Transit. In many ways a return to what existed in the past, it is being used as a stepping-stone to other projects. A variety of rail services are currently being pondered by state and local governments, including neighborhood streetcar systems, intercity light rail service, and commuter rail options out to exurban communities. In addition, Minnesota is one of several states in the Midwest examining the idea of setting up high-speed rail service using Chicago as a regional hub.
Media
Main article: Media in the Twin Cities
Print
The Twin Cities have two major newspapers: the Star Tribune and the Saint Paul Pioneer Press. Additionally, the Minnesota Daily serves the University of Minnesota's Twin Cities campus and surrounding neighborhoods. A number of other weekly papers (most of which are fully supported by advertising) are also available.
Television
The region is currently ranked as the 13th or 14th largest television market, depending on the source. Area broadcasters include the following; each analog station is also broadcast in ATSC digital television on the -1 subchannel, except where noted:
- KTCA Channel 2 (PBS) (KTCI-DT Channel 17-1)
- WCCO Channel 4 (CBS)
- KSTP Channel 5 (ABC)
- KMSP Channel 9 (Fox)
- KARE Channel 11 (NBC)
- KTCI Channel 17 (PBS) (KTCI-DT Channel 17-2)
- KMWB Channel 23 (WB)
- WFTC Channel 29 (UPN)
- KPXM Channel 41 (i)
- KSTC Channel 45 (Independent)
- KTCA-DT TPT-HD Channel 2-1 (PBS-HD)
- KSTP-DT News Channel 5-2
- KARE-DT Wx Channel 11-2
- KTCI-DT TPTyou Channel 17-3, TPT-Kids Channel 17-4, TPT-Wx Channel 17-5 Twin Cities Public Television operates both KTCA and KTCI. Hubbard Broadcasting Corporation owns KSTP and has a second TV station, KSTC, which is not affiliated with any network. KMSP and WFTC have now merged as well, and KARE currently has a marketing agreement with KPXM. The only station with its main studios in Minneapolis is WCCO, while St. Paul is host to KSTP/KSTC, KTCA/KTCI, and KMWB. Other stations are located in the suburbs. For much of the last two decades, KARE has had the most popular evening newscasts of the area channels. On the other end, KSTP has struggled to maintain ratings on its news programs. KMSP has had a 9 o'clock newscast since at least the early 1990s when it was an independent channel. Communities in the region have their own public/educational/government-access cable television channels. One channel, the Metro Cable Network, is available on channel 6 on cable systems across the seven-county region. Several television programs originating in the Twin Cities have been aired nationally on terrestrial and cable TV networks. KTCA created the science program Newton's Apple and distributes a children's program today. A few unusual comedic shows also originated in the area. In the 1980s, KTMA (predecessor to KMWB) created a number of low-budget shows, including cult classic Mystery Science Theater 3000. The shortlived Let's Bowl started on KARE, and PBS series Mental Engineering originated on the St. Paul cable access network.
Radio
The radio market in the Twin Cities is considered to be somewhat smaller than for TV, ranked 16th. The area lineup includes:
- KUOM 770 AM/106.5 FM ("Radio K", college rock)
- WCCO 830 AM ("The Good Neighbor", talk)
- KFAN 1130 AM (sports)
- WWTC 1280 AM (talk) - conservative talk.
- KSTP 1500 AM (talk)
- KBEM 88.5 FM ("Jazz 88", jazz)
- Minnesota Public Radio KNOW 91.1 FM (talk), KSJN 99.5 FM (classical), and KCMP 89.3 ("The Current", freeform)
- KFAI 90.3 FM Minneapolis, 106.7 FM St. Paul ("Fresh Air Radio", community radio / freeform)
- KQRS 92.5 FM ("KQ92", classic rock)
- KXXR 93.7 FM ("93X", rock, heavy metal)
- KSTP 94.5 FM ("KS95", 80s, 90s, contemporary)
- KTTB 96.3 FM ("B96", hip hop)
- KTCZ 97.1 FM ("Cities 97", adult alternative)
- KTIS 98.5 FM (Contemporary Christian)
- KJZI 100.3 FM ("Smooth Jazz 100.3", smooth jazz). In Autumn, 2005, station owner Clear Channel Communications plans to convert KJZI to a talk format.
- KEEY 102.1 FM (K102, country)
- KDWB 101.3 FM (Top 40)
- WLTE 102.9 FM ("102.9 Lite FM", adult contemporary)
- KZJK 104.1 FM ("JACK" FM, adult contemporary)
- WGVX 105.1/WGVY 105.3/WGVZ 105.7 FM ("Drive 105", adult alternative)
- KQQL 107.9 ("Kool 108", oldies)
- KTNF - Liberal talk For decades, WCCO radio was the most well-known and most popular broadcaster in the region, with an all-day talk format. WCCO was eventually pushed out of the top spot by KQRS, a classic rock station with a popular morning show. KSTP also has some fairly popular radio stations, with pop music format on FM and a talk format on AM. KSTP-AM and FM are owned by Hubbard Broadcasting. It's a sign of the amalgamating, deregulated times that in 1985, Hubbard - valued at $400 million - was one of the big corporate media companies in the United States; in 2005, valued at US $1.2 billion, Hubbard is a fairly small major-market media operation. Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) is also a major force in the state and across the country, best known across the U.S. for the variety show A Prairie Home Companion. Based in St. Paul, MPR is reportedly the nation's second-most powerful public radio organization behind National Public Radio (of which MPR is an affiliate).
Geography and geology
National Public Radio (IR photo)]] Along with much of Minnesota, the Twin Cities area was shaped by water and ice over the course of millions of years. The land of the area sits on top of thick layers of sandstone and limestone laid down as seas encroached upon and receded from the region. Erosion caused natural caves to develop, which were expanded into mines when white settlers came to the area. In the time of Prohibition, at least one speakeasy was built into these hidden spaces—eventually refurbished as the Wabasha Street Caves in St. Paul. While a few of the caverns have been cleaned up and are safe places, most are not. Over the decades, many people have been injured and killed while exploring them. A number of these incidents involved asphyxiation, sometimes caused by smoldering fires which used up much of the oxygen in the caves and left deadly levels of noxious gases behind. Because it is comparatively easy to dig through limestone and there are many natural and man-made open spaces, it has often been proposed that the area should examine the idea of building subways for public transportation. In theory, it could be less expensive in the Twin Cities than in many other places, but the cost would still be much greater than surface projects. Additionally, a number of existing utility lines would have to be moved. There are extensive networks under the cities, particularly St. Paul where at least seven distinct tunnel systems have been built since the 1840s. Most are still used today. Lakes across the area were formed and altered by the movement of glaciers. This left many bodies of water in the region, and unusual shapes may appear. For example, Lake Minnetonka out toward the western side of the Twin Cities consists of a complex arrangement of channels and large bays. Of the major U.S. metropolitan areas, Minneapolis-St. Paul is farther north than all but Seattle, Washington and Portland, Oregon.
Climate
Owing to its northerly latitude and inland location, the Twin Cities experience a relatively harsh climate, though not as much so as in most other parts of the state, partially due to the urban heat island effect. The average annual temperature at the Minneapolis International Airport is 45.4° F. Monthly average daily high temperatures range from 21.9° F in January to 83.3° in July; the average daily minimum temperatures for the two months are 4.3° and 63.0° respectively. Minimum temperatures of 0° F (-18° C) or lower are seen on an average of 29.7 days per year; 76.2 days do not have a maximum temperature exceeding the freezing point. Temperatures above 90° F (32° F) are reported on 15, according to the same climatic threshold normals. Those above 100° F have been rare in recent years, the last occurring in 1995. The lowest temperature ever reported at the station was -34° F on January 22, 1936; the highest, 108°, was reported on July 14 of the same year.[http://mcc.sws.uiuc.edu/climate_midwest/historical/temp/mn/215435_tsum.html] Precipitation averages 29.41" a year, and is most plentiful in June (4.34") and February (0.79") the least so. The greatest one-day rainfall amount was 9.15", reported on July 23, 1987. The city's record for lowest annual precipitation was set in 1910, when 11.54" fell throughout the year; interestingly, the opposite record was set the following year, which observed a total 40.15".[http://mcc.sws.uiuc.edu/climate_midwest/historical/precip/mn/215435_psum.html] At an average of 56.3 inches per year, snowfall is generally abundant (though some recent years have proved an exception).[http://mcc.sws.uiuc.edu/climate_midwest/historical/snow/mn/215435_ssum.html] A normal growing season in the metro extends from late April or early May through the month of October.[http://mcc.sws.uiuc.edu/climate_midwest/historical/grow/mn/215435_gsum.html] The USDA places the area in the 4a plant hardiness zone. [http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/hzm-nm1.html]
Buildings and structures
The tallest buildings in the area are located in downtown Minneapolis. The first skyscraper built west of the Mississippi in 1929 was the Foshay Tower. Today there is some contention over exactly which building is the tallest—most Minnesotans would immediately think of the IDS Center if queried on the point, although most sources seem to agree that 225 South Sixth is slightly taller. But in early 2005, it was found that the IDS Center is taller by a 16-foot washroom garage on top, which brings its total height to 792 feet (241 m). 225 South Sixth and the Wells Fargo Center only differ in height by a foot or two, a rather negligible amount when considering all of the factors that can throw off the measurement of large structures. The IDS has communications towers that definitely are the highest points in Minneapolis, though some suburban broadcast towers in the region reach a much greater height. Buildings have gone up and been torn down rapidly across the region. Some city blocks have been demolished six or seven times since the mid-19th century, and will undoubtedly reach an eighth or ninth cycle in short order. No single architectural style dominates the region. Instead, the cities have a mish-mash of different designs, although structures from a few eras stand out. There were once a great many stone buildings constructed in the Richardsonian Romanesque style (or at least Romanesque-inspired variants). Minneapolis City Hall is one big example of this, though buildings of all types—including personal residences such as that of James J. Hill—were similarly designed. A few decades later, Art Deco brought several structures that survive today, including St. Paul City Hall, the Foshay Tower, and the Minneapolis Post Office. St. Paul and Minneapolis in particular went through some massive urban renewal projects in the post-World War II era, so a vast number of buildings are now lost to history. Some of the larger and harder to demolish structures have survived. In fact, the area might be signified more by bridges than buildings. A series of reinforced concrete arch spans crossing the Mississippi River were built in the 1920s and 1930s. They still carry daily traffic, but remain pleasing to the eye despite their age (a number have undergone major repair work, but retain the original design). Several of the bridges are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. They include the Cedar Avenue Bridge, Intercity Bridge (Ford Parkway), Robert Street Bridge, and the longest, the 4119 ft (1255 m) Mendota Bridge next to Fort Snelling. The area is also noted for having the first known permanent crossing of the Mississippi. That structure is long gone, but a series of Hennepin Avenue Bridges have been built since then at the site. Both downtowns have extensive networks of enclosed pedestrian bridges known as skyways. Individually, the cities appear to have the largest such networks outside of Canada. However, the combination of the two cities' networks is believed to make the largest system in the world. Skyways have their drawbacks however. Most prominently, they reduce the amount of foot traffic at street level, so the cities appear to have little activity. An additional problem is that the skyways tend to be closed fairly early—especially in St. Paul—but they are hives of activity on weekdays.
Honors
The United States Navy currently has one ship named for the region, the USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul, a Los Angeles-class submarine launched in 1983. Previously, two sets of two ships each had carried the names USS Minneapolis and USS Saint Paul.
External links

- [http://www.mnplan.state.mn.us/demography/FactSheets/MSACompare/ Fact sheet about Minneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan Area Comparison]
- [http://www.crh.noaa.gov/mpx/history/index.php History of the National Weather Service in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota] Category:Cities in Minnesota
- Category:Twin cities Category:Metropolitan areas of the United States

Minnesota

Minnesota is the 32nd state of the United States, having joined the Union on May 11, 1858. Its name is from the Dakota people's name for the Minnesota River, mini sota, variously translated "smoky-white water" or "sky-tinted water." The state's name is abbreviated MN or Minn. Minnesota is the largest state by land area in the Midwestern United States and is in the sub-region known as the Upper Midwest. The most significant metropolitan area is known as the Twin Cities, which contains more than half the state's population. The Twin Cities refer to the state's most populous cities- Minneapolis and Saint Paul, along with multiple "rings" of suburbs. The state is a major food producer for the country, and has a number of natural resources that have been greatly exploited in the last two centuries. The USS Minnesota was named in honor of this state, as was the SS Gopher State. Other nicknames for the state include The Land of 10,000 Lakes and the North Star State.

History

Main article: History of Minnesota

History prior to joining the United States

Before European colonization, the area now known as Minnesota was inhabited by Native Americans, in particular the Ojibwe (Chippewa, Anishinaabe) and Dakota, although the Winnebago also had a presence in the southeastern part of the state. In this time, the economy originally consisted of hunter-gatherer activities, which changed over time as Europeans settled in the area and further exploited the state's natural resources. Before the arrival of Dakota and Ojibwe, Cheyenne and Gros Ventre also made their home in Minnesota. According to local tradition, the first European visitors were Swedish and Norwegian Vikings in the 14th century. The evidence for this is largely based on the controversial Kensington Runestone, which many historians consider to be an elaborate hoax. Some say that the earliest European settlement was in the area of the current city of Stillwater, on the St. Croix River, though many histories focus on the military settlement that took place farther west. Fort Snelling, located at the confluence of the Minnesota River and the Mississippi River, was one of the earliest U.S. military presences in the state. It is now a historic site.

Joining the United States

Much of the state was purchased from France as part of the Louisiana Purchase, although the exact definition of that land was not assessed for many years afterward. Parts were also considered to be in the Northwest Territory and Ruperts Land. Minnesota Territory was carved out of Iowa Territory on March 3, 1849, but it was not coextensive with the present state, since the area included what later became the territory of Dakota (which later still became the states of North Dakota and South Dakota). The eastern half of the territory of Minnesota became the country's 32nd state—after California—on May 11, 1858.

Culture

Stereotypical Minnesotan traits include Lutheranism, "Minnesota nice," "hot dish (a Minnesotan term for casserole)," lutefisk (a pungent preparation of fish from a Norwegian recipe that includes soaking in lye), very close family ties (and a strong sense of duty to their families, healthy and dysfunctional alike), a strong sense of community and shared culture with many other Minnesotans instead of just with one's town or city, Minnesota's rather unique form of Upper Midwest American English (including Scandinavian-sounding words like "uff-da"), and a distinctive type of upper Midwestern accent, though most Minnesotans deny having any regional accent. However, due to the increase of migrants from throughout the United States (many originating from the West Coast and the Chicago metropolitan area ) and the rise of immigration of Hmong, Vietnamese, Somalis and other East Africans, Liberians, Kenyans, Nigerians, Russians, Eastern Europeans and Latin Americans (mostly Mexicans), many cultures in the state are slowly blending together and slowing changing the culture of the state similar to what European immigrants to Minnesota had done in the mid 19th Century to early 20th Century. Native Americans have a moderate presence in Minnesota, and some tribes operate casinos which have been said to be among the most profitable in the country. The earliest European exploration and settlement was by the French, and settlement from Scandinavian countries along with Germany followed. The Métis people, a mixed French and Native American culture, were a presence in the early state and territorial days, but largely moved north into Canada. Minnesota is not strongly associated with any particular food, though in recent years dishes like wild rice sausage have come from the state and more will undoubtedly follow as Minnesotan chefs seek to define their home in the culinary world. Modern immigrants have come from all over the world in recent decades, with Hmong, Somali, Vietnamese, Indians, Middle Easterners, and the former Soviet bloc all being well-represented. Some Chinese and Japanese have had long presences in the state as well. Mexicans are a growing force, as they are across the U.S. Many modern immigrants are attracted by the state's historically strong commitments toward education and social services and many come sponsored and assisted by congregations committed to service and social justice. Outdoor activities are major parts of the lives of many Minnesotans, including hunting and fishing. Unique activities include ice fishing, which was popular with the early Scandinavian immigrants. Families frequently own or share cabins on central and northern tracts of land in forests and adjoining lakes, and weekend trips out to these properties are common. The 71 state parks which protect diverse landscapes in a state of nature are quite popular. A concern for environmentalism is shared by most state residents in one form or another, vegans and hunters alike. As with other northwoods states (such as Wisconsin and Michigan), residents like to joke that the mosquito is the state bird. The state bird is actually the common loon (Gavia immer, also called the Great northern diver), whose distinctive cry can often be heard by campers in the northern part of the state and can even on occasion be found as far south as Minneapolis. Minnesota is known for active yet quirky politics, with populism being a long-standing force among all of the political parties that call the state home. Minnesota politics include such oddities as a professional wrestler turned governor and a protestor turned crowd-surfing mayor. 77.3% of eligible Minnesotans voted in the 2004 U.S. presidential election, the highest of any U.S. state. Political conservatism is less strongly linked to church attendance in most of Minnesota than in other parts of the country, perhaps a reflection of the strong mainline Protestant and Roman Catholic following.

Law and government

As in the national government of the United States, power in Minnesota is divided into three main branches: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. The executive branch is headed by the governor, currently Tim Pawlenty, a Republican, whose term began 6 January, 2003. The current lieutenant governor of Minnesota is Carol Molnau. Molnau also currently serves as the head of the Minnesota Department of Transportation. Both the governor and lieutenant governor have four-year terms. The governor has a cabinet consisting of the leaders of various government agencies in the state, called commissioners. The full list of governors, and the dates they took office, is available at List of Governors of Minnesota. The Minnesota Legislature is a bicameral body consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The state has 67 districts, each covering about 60,000 people. Each district has one senator and two representatives (each district being divided into A and B subsections). Senators serve for four years, and representatives serve for two years. In the November 2004 election, the Republican Party retained control of the Minnesota House of Representatives by a single seat (68-66), having lost a total of 13 seats. The Minnesota Senate is controlled by the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL). After picking up one seat in a local special election on 16 November, 2005, the DFL controls the senate by six seats (36-30-1). There is one Independence Party state senator, former Republican Sheila Kiscaden (IP-Rochester) who caucuses with the DFL. As a result of its liberal and populist political culture throughout much of the latter half of the 20th century, Minnesota has voted for Democrats for president longer than any other state (excluding the District of Columbia), since 1976. Minnesota and the District of Columbia were the only electoral votes not won by incumbent Republican president Ronald Reagan, voting instead for former Vice President of the United States and former U.S. Senator Walter Mondale, a Minnesota native. In 2004, John Kerry narrowly won the state's 10 electoral votes by a margin of three percentage points with 51.1% of the vote. Republican strength is greatest in southern Minnesota and the suburbs of Minneapolis, especially in the area west of the city, and in developing outer suburban communities. Democrats hold tremendous strength in Minneapolis/St. Paul proper and in the Iron Range of northeastern Minnesota, including Duluth. The state also enjoys a strong and active third party movement. The Reform Party was able to elect former mayor of Brooklyn Park, and former wrestling superstar Jesse Ventura to the governorship in 1998, however Ventura left the Reform Party in 2000 when Pat Buchanan took control. Ventura maintained close ties to the Independence Party, but chose not to seek reelection. In 2002 the Independence Party ran former democratic congressman Tim Penny in an unsuccessful bid for the governorship. Penny earned over 20% of the vote. The states Green Party has elected several city councilmembers and other local office-holders in Duluth, Minneapolis and Winona, and has made strong runs for state legislature during the past two election cycles. In 2000, Green Party candidate Ralph Nader received just over 5% of the presidential votes cast, gaining Major Party Status for the Green Party of Minnesota. Minnesota's court system has three levels:
- Trial courts. The state is split into 10 judicial districts, with 257 judges. Most state cases start in the trial courts.
- Minnesota Court of Appeals. This body hears appeals on cases tried in the trial courts. There are 16 judges, who divide into three-judge panels to hear appeals in courts across the state.
- Minnesota Supreme Court. The seven justices on the Supreme Court hear appeals from the Court of Appeals, the Tax Court, and the Worker's Compensation Court. The court automatically reviews first-degree murder convictions, and settles disputes over legislative elections. The state has two special courts created by state law as executive-branch agencies:
- The Tax Court deals with non-criminal tax cases across the state. It has three judges appointed by the governor to six-year terms, following approval from the state Senate
- The Workers' Compensation Court of Appeals deals with cases involving worker injuries referred to it on appeal, or transferred from district court. It has five judges appointed by the governor to six-year terms, following approval from the state Senate Federal cases are heard in the federal district courts in Minneapolis, St. Paul, or Duluth. Minnesota is part of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, which is based in St. Louis, Missouri. Appeals beyond this level go to the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C.. In addition to the standard city and county levels of government found in the United States, Minnesota also has other entities that provide governmental oversight and planning. Some actions in the Twin Cities metropolitan area are coordinated by the Metropolitan Council, and many lakes and rivers are overseen by watershed districts and soil and water conservation districts. See also: List of political parties in Minnesota External links: [http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/cco/rules/mncon/preamble.htm Hyperlinked state constitution], [http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/cco/rules/mncon/mncon.htm full text of state constitution]

Geography

List of political parties in Minnesota See: List of Minnesota counties Minnesota covers 79,610 square miles (2.25% of the United States). It is famous for its lakes, having in excess of 15,000, depending on the source of the count. Much of the state is flat, having been eroded during repeated glacial periods (most recently the Wisconsin Glacier). However, the extreme southeastern portion of the state is part of the Driftless Zone, which was not glaciated, and it is here that Lake Pepin and the rugged high bluffs of the Mississippi River are found. In addition, the Iron Range and other low mountains are found in the northeastern part of the state. The Minnesota portion of Lake Superior is the largest body of water in the state. Minnesota is home to many areas of park land, to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW), as well as a number of state and county parks, most notably Itasca State Park, the official source of the Mississippi River. After its rivers and lakes, Minnesota's most prominent physical feature is the Iron Range. This is a range of low mountains that run across the northern part of the state. It is called the Iron Range because when discovered, it had some of the largest deposits of iron ore in the country. Although the high-grade iron ore was mostly mined out during World War II, taconite is still mined across the Iron Range. The state is bordered on the north by Canada (Manitoba and Ontario), on the east by Wisconsin and Lake Superior, on the south by Iowa, and on the west by North Dakota and South Dakota. In addition, Minnesota shares a water boundary with Michigan. Minnesota is the northernmost of the 48 contiguous states (Alaska reaches significantly farther north), reaching to 49° 23' 04" north latitude, due to a small piece of the state known as the Northwest Angle. Minnesota sits at a convergence point between three of the great biomes of North America: the Great Plains of the west, the Eastern Deciduous Forest, and the Northern Boreal Forest of Canada. Traversing the state from southwest to northeast, one goes through the three different ecological regions. The capital is St. Paul, which sits on the Mississippi River next to Minnesota's largest city, Minneapolis. Together (and with surrounding suburbs), they are known as the Twin Cities. Other prominent cities include Duluth, St. Cloud, Mankato, Rochester (home of the world-famous Mayo Clinic), and Bloomington (home to the Mall of America). The state's average elevation is 1,200 feet (366 m), with a high point at Eagle Mountain (Minnesota) (2,301 ft or 701 m) and a low at the surface of Lake Superior (602 ft or 183 m). Aside from a few very minor earthquakes, Minnesota is one of the most geologically-stable regions in the country. The biggest earthquake in the last century occurred near Morris in 1975 and rated between 4.6 and 4.8 in magnitude. Temperatures can reach extremes in Minnesota. The northern part of the state is famously cold in winter, with a record low of -60 °F (-51 °C) measured at Tower, MN on February 2, 1996. Surprisingly, due to the flows of the jet stream, parts of Alaska often see relatively warm temperatures when Minnesota is experiencing extreme cold. Additionally, as part of the Great Plains region, the state also experiences warm summers. A record high of 114 °F (45.5 °C) was reached in both 1917 and 1936. The average temperature in January (the coldest month) is 11.2 °F (-11.5 °C), and the average in the warmest month, July, is 73.1 °F (22.8 °C); averages are cooler in the north and warmer in the south. The average annual precipitation is 28.32 inches (719 mm), with a snowfall figure of 49.6 inches (126 cm).

Economy

The Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates that Minnesota's total state product in 2003 was $211 billion. Per capita personal income in 2003 was $34,031, 10^th in the nation. The average household income in 1999 was approximately $48,000, ranking eighth in the nation (U.S. Census Bureau). The county averages range from $17,369 (Todd County) to $42,313 (Hennepin County, a portion of the Metro area). In general, salaries are lowest in more rural areas, particularly in the northwest portion of the state.

Major industries/products

The Twin Cities are home to a diverse range of major businesses, including Cargill, 3M Co. (formerly Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co.), Northwest Airlines, Target Corporation, U.S. Bancorp, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans (the merged entity of the former Aid Association for Lutherans and Lutheran Brotherhood), Medtronic, Ecolab, Best Buy, Cray Computers, Imation, International Dairy Queen, Regis Corporation, General Mills and a regional headquarters of Wells Fargo & Co., Caterpillar Inc. and Honeywell. The city of Rochester is the headquarters of the Mayo Clinic, and has a significant manufacturing presence in International Business Machines. The largest shopping mall in the United States, the Mall of America, is located in Bloomington. The Schwan Food Company, headquartered in Marshall, Minn., is one of the largest, branded frozen-food companies in the United States and the second-largest privately-held corporation in Minnesota. The state has been a major influence in the area of transportation, moving products along the Mississippi River, in and out of the inland seaport of Duluth, along railroads that crisscross the state, via highways with trucking and busing companies, and through the air with a major airline hub. However, water- and rail-borne traffic has been declining steadily over the years. A large proportion of the state's economy is still agricultural, even though only a small percentage of the population (around 2%) consider themselves to be farmers. Additionally, northern Minnesota is a source for iron ore and wood products, though these are both declining industries. The agricultural community is also strongly tied to the renewable energy market in the state.

Energy use and production

A fair amount of ethanol alcohol fuel is produced in the state, and a 10% mix of ethanol into consumer gasoline has been mandated since 1997 (as of 2004, Minnesota is the only U.S. state with such a mandate). A 2% biodiesel blend has also been required in diesel fuel since 2005. Many farmers also now operate wind turbines to produce electricity, particularly in the windy southwest region. As of January 2005, the state is the country's fourth-largest wind energy producer after California, Texas, and Iowa, with 615 megawatts installed and 213 MW planned [http://www.awea.org/projects/]. Like many Midwestern states, Minnesota is heavily dependent on natural gas for home heating. Just over two-thirds of homes use the fuel. The state doesn't produce any petroleum of its own, but boasts the largest oil refinery of any non-oil-producing state, the Pine Bend Refinery. One of the longest pipelines in the world, the Lakehead Pipeline, also traverses northern Minnesota. Most of the petroleum used in the state comes from Canada and the northwestern United States.

State taxes

Minnesota is regarded as a high-tax state by some. It has an income and sales tax, as well as levying taxes on a common range of goods such as tobacco, gasoline, and alcohol. The state does not charge sales tax on clothing, services (massages, haircuts, auto work, etc), or food] items, excluding some specific items such as [[candy]]. According to state law, "Candy does not include any preparation containing [[flour and must require no refrigeration." ([http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/data/revisor/statutes/2005/297A/61.html Minn Stat 297A.66 Subd 33]) Minnesota businesses and individuals paid an average of 11.8% of their income in state and local taxes in 1998, down from 12.7% in 1996 (Minnesota Department of Revenue). The Gross State Product was just under $173 billion in 1999 (Northeast Midwest Institute), with approximately $17.5 billion in exports in 2000. Retail sales per capita were $10,260 in 1997, higher than the U.S. average of $9,190 (U.S. Census Bureau). The "retail capital" of the state is probably the Twin Cities suburb of Roseville, which recorded $14,870 per capita (though it is easily outstripped in total revenue by Minneapolis, St. Paul, Bloomington, and Edina).

Demographics

As of 2004, the state's population was estimated to be 5,100,958 (1.75% of the total national population), the population had increased 725,000 since 1990, or 16.6% (compared to 18.5% for the nation). 6.1% of Minnesota residents are foreign-born (compared to 11.1% for the nation) Most of the state's population is centered in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Race
The racial makeup of the state:
- 88.2% White
- 3.5% Black
- 2.9% Hispanic
- 2.9% Asian
- 1.1% Native American
- 1.4% Mixed race

Ethnic groups/Ancestry groups

According to the 2002 U.S. Census, the largest reported ancestries are German (36.7%), Norwegian (17.2%), Irish (11.2%), and English (6.3%). More recent immigrant communities include the third-largest Hmong population in the United States (from the Laos/Thailand/Vietnam region) and the second largest urban center of Hmong population in the world (concentrated in St. Paul), and a large community of Somali refugees.

Population distribution

The population distribution by age is (Northeast Midwest Institute):
- 0-18 - 1,361,616 (27.7%)
- 19-34 - 1,068,850 (21.7%)
- 35-64 - 1,894,747 (38.6%)
- 65+ - 594,266 (12.1%)

Religion

Most Minnesotans (Nearly 6 in 10) are Protestants (mostly mainline Protestant), although there is also a moderate-sized Roman Catholic community (about one-fourth of the state population). The largest Protestant denomination in the state is Lutheranism. In recent years, new immigrants have added new religions to Minnesota, and there are now Islamic mosques, Buddhist temples, and Hindu mandirs in the state (mainly in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area), however the number of Minnesotans who adhere to non-Christian religions is still low. Religious Affiliations in Minnesota:
- Christian – 84%
- Protestant – 58%
- Lutheran – 26%
- Baptist – 5%
- Methodist – 4%
- Presbyterian – 3%
- Other Protestant – 20%
- Roman Catholic – 25%
- Other Christian – 1%
- Other religions – 1%
- Not religious/Agnostic – 15%

Education

Colleges and universities

Mile

A mile is a unit of distance (or, in physics terminology, length) currently defined as 5,280 feet, 1,760 yards, or 63,360 inches. Today, one mile (often called "statute mile") is equal to about 1,609 m on land and one nautical mile to exactly 1,852 m at sea and in the air. The term has also been used to describe other lengths--see below for the details. Abbreviations for mile are "mi." in the U.S., and "ml" and "m" in the UK. The mile was first used by the Romans and originally denoted a distance of 1,000 (double) steps ("mille passuum" in Latin), which amounted, at approximately 0.75 m per (single) step, to 1,500 metres per mile. In modern usage, there are various miles:
- The statute mile, or more specifically
- The international mile is the one typically meant when the word mile is used without qualification. It is defined to be precisely 1,760 international yards (by definition, 0.9144 m each); it is therefore exactly 1,609.344 m. (1.609344 km) It is used in the United States and the United Kingdom as part of the Imperial system of units. The international mile is equivalent to 8 furlongs, or 80 chains, or 5,280 international feet.
- The U.S. survey mile is precisely equal to 5,280 U.S. survey feet or 6,336/3,937 km or, approximately 1,609.347 m. One international mile is precisely equal to 0.999 998 survey mile. The survey mile is used by the United States Public Land Survey System.
- The statute mile simply means "a mile of 5,280 feet", without specifying which foot is used. The term is therefore ambiguous.
- The obsolete Scottish and Irish miles, longer than the English (nautical mile) by about a half.
- The international nautical mile is defined to be exactly 1,852 m. It is used universally for aviation, naval and maritime purposes and originated from the geographical mile.
- In Norway and Sweden, a distance of 10 km is most commonly referred to as a mile or metric mile, see mil.
- In sports such as athletics and speedskating, the term metric mile is used to denote a distance of 1.5 km.
- The German mile was reckoned to be the 15th part of a degree (and thus about four nautical miles in length).
- The Danes, Swedes, and Hungarians had long miles, which were about a German mile and a half.
- The Dutch mile, was nearly the 19th part of a degree. The Polish mile was nearly equal to the Dutch mile.
- The Italian mile was a thousand paces of 5 Roman feet each (the Roman foot being one fifth of an inch less than the London foot). One mile is precisely 80 chains long. See Edmund Gunter.

Reference

[http://listserv.dartmouth.edu/scripts/wa.exe?A2=ind0108&L=nisus&T=0&F=&S=&P=42289 'Of Divers Measures'], in Laurence Echard, 1741, The Gazetteer's or Newsman's Interpreter, London: Ballard et al. (first published 1703)

External links

- [http://ts.nist.gov/ts/htdocs/230/235/appxc/appxc.htm NIST General Tables of Units of Measurement] Category:Ancient Rome Category:Units of length Category:Imperial units Category:Customary units in the United States ja:マイル simple:Mile

Kilometer

A kilometre (American spelling: kilometer), symbol: km is a unit of length in the metric system equal to 1000 metres (from the Greek words χίλια (khilia) = thousand and μέτρο (metro) = count/measure). It is approximately equal to 0.621 miles, 1094 yards or 3281 feet. Slang terms for kilometre include "klick" (sometimes spelt "click" or "klik") and "kay" (or "k"). All these slang terms can also refer to kilometres per hour.

Metric system

:Main articles: Metric system and Metre Like the kilometre, all units of length in the metric system are based on the metre, by adding an SI prefix that stands for a power of ten, such as hecto for one hundred to form hectometre (= 0.1 kilometre) or mega for one million to form megametre (= 1,000 kilometre). The metre is not only the basis for all units of length in the metric system, but also of units of area (the square metre) and volume (the cubic metre). This extends to the kilometre, so one can have square and cubic kilometres. Unicode has symbols for "km" (㎞), for square kilometre (㎢) and for cubic kilometre (&#