Hannah Montana is an American television series, which debuted on March 24, 2006 on the Disney Channel. The series focuses on a girl who lives a double life as an average teenage school girl named Miley Stewart (played by Miley Cyrus) by day and a famous pop singer named Hannah Montana by night, concealing her real identity from the public, other than her close friends and family.

The series has been nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Program from 2007 through 2010.^[1][2] Hannah Montana: The Movie was released in theaters on April 10, 2009. The third season of the series premiered on November 2, 2008 and ended on March 14, 2010. The show was renewed for the fourth and final^[3] season, which started production on January 18, 2010, and ended production on May 14, 2010.^[4] The final season premiered on July 11, 2010,^[5][6] and became the last Disney Channel sitcom to transition from standard definition to high definition in the process. The fourth season of Hannah Montana was promoted as Hannah Montana Forever.^[7] The one-hour series finale aired on January 16, 2011.^[8]

Production[link]

Conception[link]

Michael Poryes, who is credited as co-creator, also co-created the hit Disney Channel Original Series That's So Raven. The show is produced by It's a Laugh Productions, Inc. and Michael Poryes Productions, in association with Disney Channel Original Productions. It is filmed at Sunset Bronson Studios in Hollywood, California.

The original idea for this show was based on the That's So Raven episode "Goin' Hollywood", which served as the backdoor pilot for a sitcom tentatively called Better Days to star Alyson Stoner, in which a child star of a popular TV show of the same name was to try her hand at going to a normal school. The episode "New Kid in School" has the basic premise as that aforementioned episode. Former American Juniors finalist Jordan McCoy, future Gossip Girl actress Taylor Momsen and pop and R&B singer JoJo (who rejected the role)^[9] were considered for the role of Chloe Stewart. Miley Cyrus originally auditioned for the role of the "best friend"^[10] Lilly Romero,^{[citation needed]} later changed to Lilly Truscott, but they thought she would be better for the main character, so she tried out for Chloe Stewart/Hannah Montana. Chloe Stewart was later changed to Miley Stewart when Cyrus got the part.^[11] The names of Hannah Montana were changed a few times. Three of the previous names were Anna Cabana, Samantha York, and Alexis Texas.^{[citation needed]}

In December 2006, Disney announced plans to release Hannah Montana products, including clothing, jewelry, apparel, and dolls, at selected stores.^[12] Play Along Toys released the Hannah Montana fashion dolls, singing dolls, Miley Stewart doll, and other merchandise in August 2007. More Hannah dolls were released in November, along with Oliver, Lilly, and later Jake Ryan dolls. They became one of the most popular Christmas toys in 2007.^[13]

According to the Daily Dispatch, the TV series held a global audience of 200 million viewers in 2008. "If Miley’s viewers were a country, they would be the fifth largest population in the world – just ahead of Brazil."^[14] By February 2008, the Hannah Montana franchise had become so important that Disney convened an "80-person, all-platform international meeting to discuss Hannah Montana's future."^[15] All Disney business segments were represented at the meeting.

Opening sequence[link]

The theme song for Hannah Montana is "The Best of Both Worlds" written by Matthew Gerrard and Robbie Nevil, produced by Gerrard and performed by Miley Cyrus (as Hannah Montana). John Carta, who also composed the music cues to signify scene changes and commercial breaks for the first season, composed the music for the song. The song's lyrics describe the basic premise of the television series.

The full-length version of the song, which is 2 minutes, 54 seconds in length, was included on the show's soundtrack, released in October 2006. For the TV version of the theme, which lasts only 50 seconds, only the first two stanzas and the last two were used. "Just Like You" and "The Other Side of Me" were originally tested for the opening theme song, before "Best of Both Worlds" was chosen as the theme.

The opening sequence for the first two seasons features episode clips of each cast member when their name appears. Each cast member's name is "wiped" on the screen in a marquee-light-style. The sequence then switches to full-screen episode clips (most of the clips used in the Season One version of the sequence were of the early produced episodes) with the creator's names appearing in the second-to-last clip. The show's title logo design appears at the beginning and end of the sequence (the latter portion on the "concert stage" features Cyrus as her character Hannah Montana). The only change to the sequence for season two were the replacement of episode clips and the addition of the Disney logo above the show's title logo.

For season three, a new version of the opening credits was used. It features Miley as herself and Hannah Montana in a Times Square-like setting. The names of the actors and actresses and clips from the show appear in a sort-of marquee board and it features Hannah Montana with her new wig and clothes style. The song playing is a remixed version of "The Best of Both Worlds", that was originally recorded for (and heard in) Hannah Montana: The Movie. This marked the first time that a Disney Channel series has completely revamped its opening title sequence. The sequence was reformatted for high definition and slightly altered for season four, with the credit typing changed, the addition of the "Forever" wording in the main title logo, the removal of Mitchel Musso from the credit sequence and the inclusion of clips from season four episodes.

Lawsuits[link]

On August 23, 2007, Buddy Sheffield sued Disney over Hannah Montana, alleging that he originally came up with the idea for Hannah Montana, but was never compensated by Disney. In the lawsuit, Sheffield claims that he pitched an idea for a TV series with the name of "Rock and Roland" to Disney Channel in 2001 with the plot of a junior high student who lived a secret double life as a rock star. The lawsuit claims that Disney Channel executives at first liked the idea, but passed on the series.^[16]

On April 9, 2010, Hannah Montana co-creators Rich Correll and Barry O'Brien filed a lawsuit against Disney for $5 million over profits from the show. Correll and O'Brien claim they were denied their fair share of profits and pre-negotiated percentage-based bonuses based on their backend deals and WGA requirements for writers who receive "created by" credits. Correll, who also directed a number of episodes of series, also claims that he was unfairly terminated and blackballed by Disney after testifying in connection with a WGA arbitration. A spokesperson says Disney is declining to comment on the suit. Michael Poryes, the third Hannah Montana creator, sued Disney on similar grounds in October 2008.^[17]

Cast[link]

Episodes[link]

Films[link]

[edit] Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert

Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert is a concert film from Walt Disney Pictures presented in Disney Digital 3-D. The limited release was intended to be for one week, February 1–7, 2008 in the US and Canada with release in other countries later on, but was extended for viewing as long as theaters wanted. Disney announced the concert was filmed in several cities to be theatrically released in the US in February and internationally that month. The film uses 3-D glasses.

The opening weekend, February 1–3, 2008, the movie had gross revenue of $31.1 million. It was the number one movie of the weekend. Opening in only 638 theaters, it set a record of over $42,000 per theater. It set a record for the highest revenue for a 3-D movie for one weekend.

[edit] Hannah Montana: The Movie

Hannah Montana: The Movie is the musical film adaptation of the American teen sitcom Hannah Montana. Filming began in April 2008,^[18] much of it occurring in Columbia, Tennessee,^[19] and Los Angeles, California,^[20][21][22] and was completed in July 2008.^[23] The film was released on April 10, 2009 in the United States and Canada.^[24]

Discography[link]

Awards and nominations[link]

DVD releases[link]

Series novelizations[link]

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

This section requires expansion with: introductory and explanatory prose.

1. Keeping Secrets – "Miley Get Your Gum" & "It's My Party and I'll Lie if I Want To"
2. Face-Off – "You're So Vain, You Probably Think This Zit Is About You" & "Oooh, Oooh, Itchy Woman"
3. Super Sneak – "She's a Super Sneak" & "I Can't Make You Love Hannah If You Don't"
4. Truth or Dare – "Oops! I Meddled Again" & "It's a Mannequin's World"
5. Hold on Tight – "O Say, Can You Remember The Words?" & "On the Road Again"
6. Crush-Tastic! – "Good Golly, Miss Dolly" & "Mascot Love"
7. Nightmare on Hannah Street – Torn Between Two Hannahs" & "Grandma Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Favorites
8. Seeing Green – "More Than a Zombie to Me" & "People Who Use People"
9. Face the Music – "Smells Like Teen Sellout" & "We Are Family: Now Get Me Some Water!"
10. Don't Bet On It – "Bad Moose Rising" & "My Boyfriend's Jackson and There's Gonna Be Trouble"
11. Sweet Revenge – The Idol Side of Me" & "Schooly Bully"
12. Win or Lose – "Money for Nothing, Guilt for Free" & "Debt It Be"
13. True Blue – "Cuffs Will Keep Us Together" & "Me and Rico Down by the School Yard"
14. On the Road – "Get Down and Study-udy-udy" & "I Want You to Want Me...To Go to Florida"
15. Game of Hearts – "My Best Friend's Boyfriend" & "You Are So Sue-able to Me"
16. Wishful Thinking – "When You Wish You Were the Star" & "Take This Job and Love It!"
17. One of a Kind – "I Am Hannah, Hear Me Croak" & "You Gotta Not Fight for Your Right to Party"
18. Feeling Alright – "He Aint A Hottie, Hes My Brother" & "Ready Set Dont Drive"
19. Sweet Not Niblets – Killing Me Softly With His Height" & "Dont Go Breaking My Tooth"
20. Lier Pants On Fire – You Never Give Me My Money" & "Would I Lie To You Lilly?"
21. Pay Back – Cheat It & Knock Knock Knocking on Jacksons Head"
22. Prom and Promise – Promma Mia" & "Jake...Another Little Piece Of My Heart"
23. Could He Be The One? – He Could Be The One Part 1 & He Could Be The One Part 2"
24. Judging Me – Judge Me Tender & Cant Get Home To You Girl"
25. Miley Says Goodbye? – Should I Neigh Or Should I Go? Part 1 & Should I Neigh Or Should I Go? Part 2"
26. Our New Home! – Moving To Malibu Again" & "About Her Now" from Season 4

Other novelizations[link]

1. Hannah Montana: The Movie
2. Rock the Waves
3. In the Loop
4. Hannah Montana My Memories Will Last Forever

International release[link]

Hannah Montana is broadcast on the following stations around the world:

Region	Network(s)	Series premiere
Arab World	Disney Channel Middle East	March 24, 2006 (original premiere)
	MBC3	November 10, 2007
Argentina	Disney Channel Latin America	2006
Asia Brunei Hong Kong Indonesia Korea Malaysia Philippines Singapore Thailand Vietnam	Disney Channel Asia	September 23, 2006
South Asia Bangladesh India Pakistan Sri Lanka	Disney Channel India	September 23, 2006
Australia	Disney Channel Australia	August 7, 2006
	Seven Network	April 7, 2007
Latvia Lithuania Estonia	Disney Channel Scandinavia	September 29, 2006
Belgium	VT4 Disney Channel (Netherlands & Belgium)	September 3, 2007 November 1, 2009
Brazil	Disney Channel	November 26, 2006
	Rede Globo	April 5, 2008
Bulgaria	Jetix	August 15, 2008 (initially English only)
	BNT 1	March 28, 2009[32]
	Disney Channel Bulgaria	September 18, 2009
Cyprus	Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation	October,1 2009
Canada	Family	August 4, 2006
Chile	Disney Channel Latin America	November 11, 2006
	Canal 13	April 20, 2007
Mainland China	SMG International Channel Shanghai[33]	June 30, 2008
Colombia	Disney Channel Latin America	November 12, 2006
Czech Republic	Jetix	2008
	TV Nova	September 3, 2011
Denmark	Disney Channel Denmark	September 29, 2006
	DR 1	January 2007
Dominican Republic	Disney Channel Latin America	November 12, 2006
Finland	Finnish version of Disney Channel Scandinavia	February 29, 2008
France	Disney Channel France	October 3, 2006
Germany	Disney Channel Germany	September 23, 2006
	Super RTL	September 24, 2007
Greece	Disney Channel Greece	October 31, 2009
Iceland	Sjónvarpið	2007
Ireland	TRTÉ, Disney Channel	May 6, 2006
Israel	Arutz HaYeladim	June 6, 2007
	Jetix/Disteny Channel Israel	2009
Italy	Disney Channel	September 21, 2006
	Italia 1	September 24, 2007
Japan	Disney Channel Japan[34]	October 14, 2006
	TV Tokyo	October 5, 2007
Lebanon	Future Television	January 2009
Macedonia	A1 television	September 29, 2008
Mexico	Disney Channel Latin America	November 12, 2006
	Azteca 7 TV Azteca	July 6, 2007
Moldova	Disney Channel Romania	September 18, 2009
Netherlands	Jetix	May 17, 2008
	Disney Channel (Netherlands & Belgium) First season dubbed in Dutch, as of season two subtitled.	October 9, 2009
New Zealand	Disney Channel New Zealand Four Sticky TV	August 7, 2006
Norway	Disney Channel Scandinavia	September 29, 2006
Pakistan	Disney Channel (US Premiere)	March 24, 2006
	Disney Channel Arabia	March 24, 2006
	Disney Channel India	September 23, 2006
	Jetix Pakistan	January 5, 2008
	GEO Kids (Airing the show with Urdu subtitles)	November 2008
	WikKid Plus (Dubbed in Urdu)	January 12, 2009
Panama	Disney Channel Latin America	November 12, 2006
	Tele 7	January 2, 2008
Peru	Disney Channel Latin America	November 11, 2006
Poland	Disney Channel Poland	December 2, 2006
Portugal	Disney Channel Portugal	2006
Quebec	VRAK.TV	June 18, 2007
Romania	TVR 1	July 3, 2007
	Jetix	August 15, 2008
	Disney Channel Romania	September 18, 2009
Russia	STS	September 1, 2008
	Disney Channel Russia	August 10, 2010
South Africa	Disney Channel South Africa	September 29, 2006
Serbia	Jetix/Disney XD	2008
	RTS	December, 2010
Slovenia	Kanal A	October 2008
Slovak Republic	STV 1	May 2007
	Jetix	July 2007
Spain	Disney Channel Spain	January 2007
Sweden	Disney Channel Scandinavia SVT	September 29, 2006
Trinidad and Tobago	CNC3 Television	November 2008
	Disney Channel (US Premiere)	March 24, 2006
Taiwan	Disney Channel Taiwan	November 4, 2006
Turkey	Digiturk	April 29, 2007
	Disney Channel Turkey	April 29, 2007
Ukraine	Novyi Kanal	February 23, 2010
United Kingdom	Disney Channel UK, Five	May 6, 2006
	CITV[35]
United States	Disney Channel	March 24, 2006
	ABC Kids
Vietnam	Disney Channel Asia	September 23, 2006
	VTC9 (season 2&3 dubbed in vietnamese)	April 19, 2010

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Hannah Montana

• Official website
• Hannah Montana at the Internet Movie Database
• Hannah Montana at TV.com
• Hannah Montana at TV Guide

State of Montana
Flag Seal
Nickname(s): Big Sky Country, The Treasure State
Motto(s): Oro y Plata (Spanish: Gold and Silver)
Official language(s)	English
Demonym	Montanan
Capital	Helena
Largest city	Billings
Largest metro area	Billings Metropolitan Area
Area	Ranked 4th in the U.S.
- Total	147,042 sq mi (381,154 km2)
- Width	630 miles (1,015 km)
- Length	255 miles (410 km)
- % water	1
- Latitude	44° 21′ N to 49° N
- Longitude	104° 2′ W to 116° 3′ W
Population	Ranked 44th in the U.S.
- Total	998,199
- Density	6.86/sq mi  (2.65/km2) Ranked 48th in the U.S.
Elevation
- Highest point	Granite Peak[1][2][3] 12,807 ft (3903.5 m)
- Mean	3,400 ft  (1040 m)
- Lowest point	Kootenai River at Idaho border[2][3] 1,804 ft (550 m)
Before statehood	Montana Territory
Admission to Union	November 8, 1889 (41st)
Governor	Brian Schweitzer (D)
Lieutenant Governor	John Bohlinger (R)
Legislature	Montana Legislature
- Upper house	Senate
- Lower house	House of Representatives
U.S. Senators	Max Baucus (D) Jon Tester (D)
U.S. House delegation	Denny Rehberg (R) (list)
Time zone	Mountain: UTC -7/-6
Abbreviations	MT Mont. US-MT
Website	www.mt.gov

Montana (ⁱ/mɒnˈtænə/) is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges that are part of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name, derived from the Spanish word montaña (mountain). Montana has several nicknames, none official,^[4] including: "Big Sky Country" and "The Treasure State", and slogans that include "Land of the Shining Mountains" and more recently, "The Last Best Place".^[5][6] Montana is the 4th-most extensive, but the 7th-least populous and the 3rd-least densely populated of the 50 United States. The economy is primarily based on services, with ranching, wheat farming, oil and coal mining in the east, and lumber, tourism, and hard rock mining in the west.^[7] Millions of tourists annually visit Glacier National Park, the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, and three of the five entrances to Yellowstone National Park.^[8]

Etymology and naming history[link]

The name Montana comes from the Spanish word Montaña meaning "mountain" or more broadly, "mountainous country".^[9] Montaña del Norte was the name given by early Spanish explorers to describe the entire mountainous region of the west.^[9] Historians believe General and former Kansas Territory Governor James W. Denver was aware of this when asked by Senate chairman of the Committee on Territories Stephen A. Douglas for a name of one of the several territories he was planning on proposing.^[9] Though Douglas never did introduce a bill with the name Montana, he is credited with at least introducing the name.^[9] The name was eventually added to a bill by the United States House Committee on Territories, which was chaired at the time by Rep. James Ashley of Ohio, for the territory that would become Idaho Territory.^[9] The name was successfully changed by Representatives Henry Wilson (Massachusetts) and Benjamin F. Harding (Oregon) both complained that Montana had "no meaning".^[9] When Ashley presented a bill to establish a temporary government in 1864, for a new territory to be carved out of Idaho, he again chose Montana Territory.^[10] This time Rep. Samuel Cox, also of Ohio, objected to the name.^[10] He complained that the name was a misnomer given that most of the territory was not at all mountainous and that an Indian name would be more appropriate than a Spanish one.^[10] To this Rep. Elihu Washburne of Illinois jokingly suggested Abyssinia.^[10] Cox suggested Shoshone, but its translated meaning of "snake" elicited laughter and a remark that the bill had progressed too far to have the territory's name changed without unanimous consent.^[10] Cox then suggested that the new territory be called 'Jefferson', to which Ashley responded, "Oh, well, we are opposed to that."^[10] This astounded Cox, "Opposed to Jefferson! I propose that we name the new territory, by unanimous consent, 'Douglas Territory.' I think the gentleman opposite will agree to that," to which Ashley replied, "Oh, no, we cannot do that."^[10] Rep. John Pruyn then commented that the Governor Lyon of Idaho Territory said he thought the names for the two territories should be reversed given Idaho was more mountainous than Montana.^[10] Finally, Rep. Edwin Webster of Maryland stepped in and suggested that every father has the right to name his own child, and since the bill was the progeny of the Committee on Territories, the committee could name it whatever they wanted.^[10] After more laughter the name was settled.^[10]

Geography[link]

Map of Montana

With a land area of 147,046 square miles (380,850 km²), Montana is slightly larger than Japan and slightly smaller than Paraguay. It is the fourth largest state in the United States (after Alaska, Texas, and California), the largest landlocked U.S. state, and the 56th largest national state/province subdivision in the world. To the north, Montana shares a 545-mile (877 km) border with three Canadian provinces: British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. To the east, the state borders North Dakota and South Dakota. To the south lies Wyoming and to the west and southwest is Idaho.

Topography[link]

The topography of the state is diverse and roughly defined by the Continental Divide, which runs on an approximate diagonal line through the state from northwest to south-central, splitting it into two distinct eastern and western regions. Montana is well known for its mountainous western region, most of which is geologically and geographically part of the Northern Rocky Mountains. The Absaroka and Beartooth ranges in the south are technically part of the Central Rocky Mountains. About 60% of the state is prairie, part of the northern Great Plains. Nonetheless, even east of the Continental Divide and the Rocky Mountain Front, there are a number of isolated "island ranges" that dot the prairie landscape. This island range region covers most of the central third of the state.

The Bitterroot Mountains—one of the longest continuous ranges in the entire Rocky Mountain chain from Alaska to Mexico—divide the state from Idaho to the west, with the southern third of the range blending into the Continental Divide. Mountain ranges between the Bitterroots and the top of the Continental Divide include the Cabinet Mountains, the Anaconda Range (informally called the "Pintlars"), the [Mission Range|Missions], the Garnet Range, Sapphire Mountains, and Flint Creek Range.

Montana terrain

The northern section of the Divide, where the mountains give way rapidly to prairie, is known collectively as the Rocky Mountain Front. The front is most pronounced in the Lewis Range, located primarily in Glacier National Park. Due to the configuration of mountain ranges in Glacier National Park, the Northern Divide (which begins in Alaska's Seward Peninsula) crosses this region and turns east in Montana at Triple Divide Peak. It causes the Waterton River, Belly, and Saint Mary rivers to flow north into Alberta, Canada. There they join the Saskatchewan River, which ultimately empties into Hudson Bay.

East of the divide, several parallel ranges march across the southern half of the state, including the Gravelly Range, the Tobacco Roots, the Madison Range, Gallatin Range, Big Belt Mountains, Bridger Mountains, Absaroka Mountains, and the Beartooth Mountains. The Beartooth Plateau is the largest continuous land mass over 10,000 feet (3,000 m) high in the continental United States. It contains the highest point in the state, Granite Peak, 12,799 feet (3,901 m) high.

St. Mary Lake in Glacier National Park

Between the mountain ranges are many scenic valleys, rich in agricultural resources and rivers, and possessing multiple opportunities for tourism and recreation. Among the best-known areas are the Big Hole Valley, Bitterroot Valley, Gallatin Valley, Flathead Valley, and Paradise Valley.

East and north of this transition zone are expansive, sparsely populated Northern Plains, with rolling tableland prairies, "island" mountain ranges, and scenic badlands extending into the Dakotas and Wyoming, as well as Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada. The isolated island ranges east of the Divide include the Bear Paw Mountains, Castle Mountains, Crazy Mountains, Highwood Mountains, Judith Mountains, Little Belt Mountains, Little Rocky Mountains, Snowy Mountains, Sweet Grass Hills, Bull Mountains, the Pryor Mountains south of Billings, and—in the southeastern corner of the state near Ekalaka—the Long Pines.

The area east of the divide in the north-central portion of the state is known for the Missouri Breaks and other significant rock formations. Three stately buttes south of Great Falls are familiar landmarks. The three: Square, Shaw, and Crown buttes, are made of igneous rock, which is dense and has withstood weathering for many years. The underlying surface consists of shale. Many areas around these buttes are covered with clay surface soils, which have been derived from the weathering of the Colorado Formation. Farther east, areas such as Makoshika State Park near Glendive and Medicine Rocks State Park near Ekalaka also highlight some of the most scenic badlands regions in the state.

The Hell Creek Formation is a major source of dinosaur fossils. Paleontologist Jack Horner, of the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, brought this formation to the world's attention with several major finds.

Rivers[link]

Montana also contains numerous rivers, many of which are known for "blue-ribbon" trout fishing, while also providing most of the water needed by residents of the state, and hydropower. Montana is one of few geographic areas in the world whose rivers form parts of three major watersheds (i.e. where two continental divides intersect). Its rivers feed the Pacific Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and Hudson Bay, and the watershed areas are divided atop Triple Divide Peak in Glacier National Park.

Missouri Breaks region in central Montana

West of the divide, the Clark Fork of the Columbia (not to be confused with the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River) rises in the Rocky Mountains near Butte and flows northwest to Missoula, where it is joined by the Blackfoot River and Bitterroot River, and further downstream by the Flathead River, before entering Idaho near Lake Pend Oreille, exiting it by the Pend Oreille River which flows west, then north through Washington into Canada. Just over the border, it meets the Columbia River, which flows to the Pacific Ocean. The Clark Fork discharges the greatest volume of water of any river exiting the state. The Flathead and Kootenai rivers also drain major portions of the western half of the state.

East of the divide, the Missouri River—formed by the confluence of the Jefferson, Madison, and Gallatin rivers—crosses the central part of the state, flows through the Missouri breaks and enters North Dakota. The Yellowstone River rises in Yellowstone Park in Wyoming, flows north to Livingston, Montana, where it then turns east and flows through Billings, continuing across the state until it joins the Missouri River a few miles east of the North Dakota boundary. The Yellowstone River is the longest undammed, free-flowing river in the contiguous United States. Other major Montana tributaries of the Missouri include the Milk, Marias, Tongue, and Musselshell rivers. Montana claims the disputed title of possessing the "world's shortest river," the Roe River, just outside Great Falls, Montana. Through the Missouri, these rivers ultimately join the Mississippi River and flow into the Gulf of Mexico.

The Northern Divide turns east in Montana at Triple Divide Peak. It causes the Waterton River, Belly, and Saint Mary rivers to flow north into Alberta, Canada. There they join the Saskatchewan River, which ultimately empties into Hudson Bay.

In addition to its rivers, the state is home to Flathead Lake, the largest natural fresh-water lake in the western United States. Man-made reservoirs dot Montana's rivers, the largest of which is Fort Peck Reservoir, on the Missouri river, contained by the largest earthen dam in the world.

Pompey's Pillar National Monument

Flora and fauna[link]

Vegetation of the state includes lodgepole pine, ponderosa pine; douglas fir, larch, spruce; aspen, birch, red cedar, hemlock, ash, alder; rocky mountain maple and cottonwood trees. Forests cover approximately 25 percent of the state. Flowers native to Montana include asters, bitterroots, daisies, lupins, poppies, primroses, columbine, lilies, orchids, and dryads. Several species of sagebrush and cactus and many species of grasses are common. Many species of mushrooms and lichens are also found in the state.

Montana is home to a diverse array of fauna that includes 15 amphibian, 85 fish, 110 mammal, 17 reptile and 420 bird species.^[11] Additionally, there are over 10,000 invertebrate species, including 180 mollusks and 30 crustaceans. Montana has the largest grizzly bear population in the lower 48 states.^{[citation needed]}

Parks[link]

Montana contains Glacier National Park, "The Crown of the Continent"; and portions of Yellowstone National Park, including three of the Park's five entrances. Other federally recognized sites include the Little Bighorn National Monument, Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, Big Hole National Battlefield, Lewis and Clark Caverns, and the National Bison Range. Montana has ten National Forests and more than 20 National Wildlife Refuges. The Federal government administers 36,000,000 acres (150,000 km²). 275,000 acres (1,110 km²) are administered as state parks and forests.

Quake Lake was created by a landslide during the 1959 Yellowstone Earthquake

Areas managed by the National Park Service include:^[12]

• Big Hole National Battlefield near Wisdom
• Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area near Fort Smith
• Glacier National Park
• Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site at Deer Lodge, Montana
• Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail
• Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument near Crow Agency
• Nez Perce National Historical Park
• Yellowstone National Park

Climate[link]

Montana is a large state with considerable variation in geography, and the climate is, therefore, equally varied. The state spans from 'below' the 45th parallel (the halfway line between the equator and the north pole) to the 49th parallel, and elevations range from under 2,000 feet (610 m) to nearly 13,000 feet (4,000 m) above sea level. The western half is mountainous, interrupted by numerous large valleys. Eastern Montana comprises plains and badlands, broken by hills and isolated mountain ranges, and has a semi-arid, continental climate (Köppen climate classification BSk). The Continental Divide runs north-south through the western mountainous half, and has a great effect on the climate. It restricts the flow of warmer air from the Pacific from moving east, and cooler, drier continental moving west. West of the divide, the climate is described as modified northern Pacific coast climate, with milder winters, cooler summers, less wind, and a longer growing season.^[13] In the winter, valley fog and low clouds often form in the valleys west of the divide, but this is rarely seen in the east.^[14]

Average daytime temperatures vary from 28 °F (−2 °C) in January to 84.5 °F (29.2 °C) in July.^[15] The variation in geography leads to great variation in temperature. Hot weather occurs in the eastern plains on occasion, the highest observed being 117 °F (47 °C) at Glendive on July 20, 1893, and Medicine Lake on July 5, 1937. Throughout the state, summer nights are generally cool and pleasant. Temperatures decrease as altitude increases, and hot weather is unknown above 4,000 ft (1,200 m). Snowfall is not unknown in any month of the year in the central part of Montana, but is rare in July and August.^[13]

The Big Drift covering the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park as photographed on March 23, 2006.

The coldest temperature on record for Montana is also the coldest temperature for the entire contiguous U.S. On January 20, 1954, −70 °F (−57 °C) was recorded at a gold mining camp near Rogers Pass. Temperatures vary greatly on such cold nights, and Helena, 40 miles (64 km) to the southeast had a low of only −36 °F (−38 °C).^[13] Winter cold spells last a week or so, and are usually the result of cold continental air coming south from Canada. The front is often well defined, causing a large temperature drop in a 24-hour period. Conversely, air flow from the southwest results in "Chinooks". These steady 25–50 mph (or more) winds can suddenly warm parts of Montana, especially areas just to the east of the mountains, where temperatures sometimes rise up to 50 °F (10 °C) – 60 °F (15 °C).^[13]

Loma, Montana is the location of the most extreme recorded temperature change in a 24-hour period in the United States. On January 15, 1972, the temperature rose from −54 °F (−48 °C) to 49 °F (9 °C).^[16]

The Grinnell Glacier receives 105 inches (2,700 mm) of precipitation per year.

Average annual precipitation is 15 inches (380 mm), but great variations are seen. The mountain ranges block the moist Pacific air, holding moisture in the western valleys, and creating rain shadows to the east. Heron, in the west, receives the most precipitation, 34.70 inches (881 mm). On the eastern (leeward) side of a mountain range, the valleys are much drier; Lonepine averages 11.45 inches (291 mm), and Deer Lodge 11.00 inches (279 mm) of precipitation. The mountains themselves can receive over 100 inches (2,500 mm), for example the Grinnell Glacier in Glacier National Park gets 105 inches (2,700 mm).^[14] Perhaps the driest is an area southwest of Belfry that averaged only 6.59 inches (167 mm) over a sixteen-year period. Most of the larger cities get 30 to 50 inches (760 to 1,300 mm) of snow each year. Mountain ranges themselves can accumulate 300 inches (7,600 mm) of snow during a winter. Heavy snowstorms may occur as early as September or as late as May, though most snow falls from November to March.^[13]

The climate has become warmer in Montana and continues to do so.^[17] The glaciers in Glacier National Park have receded and are predicted to melt away completely in a few decades.^[18] Many Montana cities set heat records during July 2007, the hottest month ever recorded in Montana.^[17][19] Winters are warmer, too, and have fewer cold spells. Previously these cold spells had killed off bark beetles which are now attacking the forests of western Montana.^[20][21] The combination of warmer weather, attack by beetles, and mismanagement during past years has led to a substantial increase in the severity of forest fires in Montana.^[17][21] According to a study done for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency‎ by the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Science, portions of Montana will experience a 200% increase in area burned by wildland fires, and an 80% increase in air pollution from those fires.^[22][23]

History[link]

Assiniboine family, Montana, 1890–91

The headwaters of the Sun River, just below Gibson Reservoir

Various indigenous peoples lived in the territory of the present-day state of Montana for thousands of years. Historic tribes encountered by Europeans and settlers from the United States included the Crow in the south-central area; the Cheyenne in the southeast; the Blackfeet, Assiniboine and Gros Ventres in the central and north-central area; and the Kootenai and Salish in the west. The smaller Pend d'Oreille and Kalispel tribes lived near Flathead Lake and the western mountains, respectively.

The land in Montana east of the continental divide was part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Subsequent to the Lewis and Clark Expedition and after the finding of gold and copper (see the Copper Kings) in the area in the late 1850s, Montana became a United States territory (Montana Territory) on May 26, 1864. Prior to the creation of Montana Territory (1864–1889), various parts of what is now Montana were parts of Oregon Territory (1848–1859), Washington Territory (1853–1863), Idaho Territory (1863–1864), and Dakota Territory (1861–1864).

The Army established a series of posts in the late 1860s, including Fort Shaw, Camp Cooke on the Judith River and Fort C.F. Smith on the Bozeman Trail.

Montana was the scene of warfare as the Native Americans struggled to maintain control of their land. The Battle of the Little Bighorn was fought near the present-day town of Hardin. Montana was also the location of the final battles of the Nez Perce Wars.

A series of major mining discoveries in the western third of the state starting in 1862 found gold, silver, copper lead, coal (and later oil) that attracted tens of thousands of miners to the area. The richest of all gold placer diggings was discovered at Alder Gulch, where the town of Virginia City was established. Other rich placer deposits were found at Last Chance Gulch, where the city of Helena now stands, Confederate Gulch, Silver Bow, Emigrant Gulch, and Cooke City. Gold output from 1862 through 1876 reached $144 million; silver then became even more important. The largest mining operations were in the city of Butte, which had important silver deposits and gigantic copper deposits.

Cattle ranching has been central to Montana's history and economy since the late-19th century. The Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site in Deer Lodge Valley is maintained as a link to the ranching style of the late 19th century. Operated by the National Park Service, it is a 1,900 acres (7.7 km²) working ranch.

The railroads arrived in the 1880s, including the Great Northern Railroad (1889) and its rival, the Northern Pacific Railroad (1883) from Minneapolis, and the Union Pacific Railroad (1881) from Denver. Montana railroading, with two transcontinentals to the Pacific coast and extensive operations to the mines, became a major industry, with centers in Billings and Havre. Montana became a state in 1889 in an omnibus package together with North Dakota, South Dakota and Washington. In 1888, Helena (the current state capital) had more millionaires per capita than any other city in the world.^{[citation needed]}

The revised Homestead Act of 1909 greatly affected the settlement of Montana. This act expanded the amount of free land from 160 acres (0.6 km²) to 320 acres (1.3 km²) per family. Tens of thousands of inexperienced homesteaders arrived, lured by free land and high wheat prices, but they were unprepared for the climate, which usually had little rainfall and required special dry farming techniques. The droughts of 1917–1919 proved devastating, as many left, and half the banks in the state went bankrupt after providing mortgages that could not be repaid. The Great Depression caused further hardship for farmers and ranchers and miners, but the economy bounced back in the 1940s. The wheat farms in eastern Montana make the state a major producer; the wheat has a relatively high protein content and thus commands premium prices. After 1940 tourism became the state's third largest industry with Yellowstone and Glacier national parks as the largest tourist attractions.

The planned battleship USS Montana was named in honor of the state. However, the battleship was never completed, making Montana the only one of the 48 states during World War II not to have a battleship named after it. Additionally, Alaska and Hawaii have both had nuclear submarines named after them. As such Montana is the only state in the union without a modern naval ship named in its honor. However, in August 2007 Senator Jon Tester made a request to the Navy that a submarine be christened USS Montana.^[24]

Politics in the state has been competitive, with the Democrats usually holding an edge, thanks to the support among unionized miners and railroad workers. Large scale battles revolved around the giant Anaconda Copper company, based in Butte and controlled by Rockefeller interests, until it closed in the 1970s. Until 1959, the company owned five of the state's six largest newspapers.

American Indian reservations[link]

Seven Indian reservations in Montana (borders are not exact).

Seven American Indian reservations are located in Montana: Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, Crow Indian Reservation, Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation, Blackfeet Indian Reservation, and the Flathead Indian Reservation.

Cities and towns[link]

Montana has 56 counties with the United States Census Bureau stating Montana's contains 364 "places", broken down into 129 incorporated places and 235 census-designated places. Incorporated places consist of 52 cities, 75 towns, and two consolidated city-counties.^[25] Montana has one city, Billings, with a population over 100,000; and two cities with populations over 50,000, Missoula and Great Falls. These three communities are considered the centers of Montana's three Metropolitan Statistical Areas. The state also has five Micropolitan Statistical Areas centered on Bozeman, Butte, Helena, Kalispell and Havre*.^[26] These communities, excluding Havre, are colloquially known as the "big 7" Montana cities, as they are consistently the seven largest communities in Montana, with a significant population difference when these communities are compared to those that are 8th and lower on the list,^[27] and the only communities to host major airports.^[28] Based on 2000 census numbers, they collectively contain 34 percent of Montana's population.^[29] and the counties containing these communities hold more than 60 percent of the state's population.^[30]

Demographics[link]

Montana population density map

The United States Census Bureau estimates that the population of Montana was 998,199 on July 1, 2011, a 0.89% increase since the 2010 United States Census.^[32] On January 3, 2012, Governor Schweitzer announced that the Census and Economic Information Center (CEIC) at the Montana Department of Commerce estimated Montana had hit the one million mark sometime between November and December, 2011.^[33]

The 2010 census put Montana's population at 989,415 which is an increase of 87,220 people, or 9.7 percent, since the year 2000. Growth is mainly concentrated in Montana's seven largest counties, with the heaviest percentile growth in Gallatin County, which saw a 32%^[34] increase in its population since 2000. The city seeing the largest percentile growth was Kalispell with 40.1%.^[35] The city with the largest actual growth was Billings with an increase in population of 14,323 since 2000.^[35]

According to the 2010 Census, 89.4% of the population was White (87.8% Non-Hispanic White Alone), 0.4% Black or African American, 6.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, 0.6% from Some Other Race, and 2.5% from Two or More Races. Hispanics and Latinos of any race made up 2.9% of the population.^[36]

The largest European ancestry groups in Montana are: German (29.3%), Irish (16.4%), English (13.1%), and Norwegian (10%). In addition, 5.9% of the people identified their ancestry as "American".^[37]

According to 2010 U.S. Census the population of Montana's seven most populous areas are Billings, Missoula, Great Falls, Bozeman, Butte, Helena and Kalispell.^[26][35]

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 94.8 percent of the population aged 5 and older speak English at home.^[38]

The center of population of Montana is located in Meagher County, in the city of White Sulphur Springs.^[39]

Ancestry[link]

Apart from the sizable American Indian population, nearly 90% of its residents are of European descent, with a large numbers of German, Irish, British, Slavic, Italian, and Scandinavian immigrants arriving 1890–1910. About 2000–3000 Chinese miners were in Montana by 1870, and 2500 in 1890. They were strongly opposed by labor unions, and public opinion grew increasingly negative in the 1890s and nearly half left the state by 1900.^[40]

While German ancestry is the largest reported European-American ancestry in Montana as a whole, residents of Scandinavian ancestry are prevalent in some of the farming-dominated northern and eastern prairie regions, parallel to nearby regions of North Dakota and Minnesota. Irish and English are the second and third largest European ancestral groups in the state. There are also several predominantly Native American counties, mainly around each of the seven Indian reservations. The state has a larger Native American population (and percentage) than most US states. The seven reservations are actually made of more than twelve distinct Native American ethnolinguistic groups. The historically mining-oriented communities of western Montana such as Butte have a wider range of ethnic groups, and are particularly rich in European-American ethnicity; Finns, Eastern Europeans and especially Irish settlers left an indelible mark on the city, as well as people originally from British mining regions such as Cornwall, Devon and Wales. The nearby city of Helena, also founded as a mining camp, had a similar mix in addition to a small Chinatown, and the Chinese in Montana, while a low percentage today, have historically been an important presence. Montanans who claim Filipino ancestry amount to almost 3,000, making them the largest Asian American group in the state.^[41] Throughout the nineteenth century, many farmers of German, Scandinavian, Irish, Scots, and English roots settled in Montana. In addition, the Hutterites, originally from Central Europe, settled here, and today Montana is second only to South Dakota in U.S. Hutterite population with several colonies spread across the state. Many of Montana's historic logging communities originally attracted people of Scottish, Scandinavian, Slavic, English and Scots-Irish descent. Montana's Hispanic population is concentrated around the Billings area in south-central Montana, where many of Montana's Mexican-Americans have been in the state for generations. The highest density of African-Americans is located in Great Falls.

Religion[link]

The religious affiliations of the people of Montana include:

• Christian: 82%
  • Protestant: 55%
    • Lutheran: 15%
    • Methodist: 8%
    • Baptist: 5%
    • Presbyterian: 4%
    • United Church of Christ: 2%
    • Other Protestant or general Protestant: 21%
  • Roman Catholic: 24%
  • The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon): 5%
• Other Religions: <1%
• Non-Religious: 18%

As of the year 2000^[update], the RCMS^[42] reported that the three largest denominational groups in Montana are Catholic, Evangelical Protestant, and Mainline Protestant.

Larg denominations (measured by numbers of adherents) include the Roman Catholic Church with 169,250 as of 2000^[update]; the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America with 50,287 as of 2000^[update];^[42] and (as of 31 December 2008 (2008 -12-31)^[update]) The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with 45,517.^[43]

LGBT[link]

A November 2011 Public Policy Polling survey found that 37% of Montana voters supported the legalization of same-sex marriage, while 51% opposed it and 12% were not sure. A separate question on the same survey found that 62% of respondents supported legal recognition for same-sex couples, with 32% supporting same-sex marriage, 30% supporting civil unions, 35% opposing all legal recognition and 3% not sure.^[44]

Economy[link]

Montana ranks 2nd nationally in craft breweries per capita.

First Interstate Center in downtown Billings, the tallest building in Montana

The Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates that Montana's total state product in 2003 was $26 billion. Per capita personal income in 2003 was $25,406, 47th in the nation. However, this number is rapidly increasing.

Montana is a relative hub of beer microbrewing, ranking second in the nation in number of craft breweries per capita.^[45] There are significant industries for lumber and mineral extraction; the state's resources include gold, coal, silver, talc, and vermiculite. Ecotaxes on resource extraction are numerous. A 1974 state severance tax on coal (which varied from 20 to 30 percent) was upheld by the Supreme Court of the United States in Commonwealth Edison Co. v. Montana, 453 U.S. 609 (1981).

Tourism is also important to the economy with millions of visitors a year to Glacier National Park, Flathead Lake, the Missouri River headwaters, the site of the Battle of Little Bighorn and three of the five entrances to Yellowstone National Park.

Montana's personal income tax contains 7 brackets, with rates ranging from 1% to 6.9%. Montana has no sales tax. In Montana, household goods are exempt from property taxes. However, property taxes are assessed on livestock, farm machinery, heavy equipment, automobiles, trucks, and business equipment. The amount of property tax owed is not determined solely by the property's value. The property's value is multiplied by a tax rate, set by the Montana Legislature, to determine its taxable value. The taxable value is then multiplied by the mill levy established by various taxing jurisdictions—city and county government, school districts and others.

As of January 2010, the state's unemployment rate is 6.8%.^[46]

Culture[link]

Montana has variety of arts and culture as well as festivals and events.

Sports[link]

Professional sports[link]

There are no major league sports franchises in Montana due to the state's relatively small and dispersed population, but a number of minor league teams play in the state. Baseball is the minor-league sport with the longest heritage in the state, and Montana is currently home to four Minor League baseball teams, all members of the Pioneer Baseball League:

• Billings Mustangs
• Great Falls Voyagers
• Helena Brewers
• Missoula Osprey

The Missoula Phoenix, Bitterroot Blaze, Gallatin Valley Snowdevils, Helena Bearcats and the Great Falls Gladiators are semi-pro football teams in the Rocky Mountain Football League (RMFL).

Collegiate and amateur sports[link]

All of Montana's four-year colleges and universities field a variety of intercollegiate sports teams. The two largest schools, the University of Montana and Montana State University, are members of the Big Sky Conference and have enjoyed a strong athletic rivalry since the early twentieth century. Most of the smaller four-year schools in the state belong to the Frontier Conference.

Football and basketball are the two most popular sports at the high school level. Montana is one of the few states where the smallest high schools participate in six-man football leagues.

Numerous other sports are played at the club and amateur level, including softball, rugby, and soccer. In 2011, Big Sky Little League won the Northwest Region, advancing to the Little League World Series in South Williamsport, PA for the first time in state history.

From 1988–2010, the Montana High School All Class Wrestling Tournament was held in Billings at MetraPark. This event remains one of the most popular high school events each year in Montana. The 2011 event was relocated to three different cities due to a freak tornado that tore the roof of the MetraPark building on June 20, 2011.^[47] The MetraPark has been repaired and expects to host the all class tournament again.

There are six junior hockey teams in Montana, all affiliated with the American West Hockey League:

• Billings Bulls
• Bozeman Icedogs
• Butte Roughriders
• Great Falls Americans
• Helena Bighorns
• Missoula Maulers

Ft. Shaw[link]

In 1904 a group of young Native American women, after playing undefeated during their last season, went to the Louisiana Purchase Exposition held in St. Louis and defeated all challenging teams and were declared to be world champions. For this they received a large silver trophy with the inscription "World's Fair – St. Louis, 1904 – Basket Ball – Won by Fort Shaw Team".^[48]

Recreation[link]

Ski areas[link]

The Big Sky Resort

The Palisades area on the north end of the ski area at Red Lodge Mountain Resort

Montana has several ski areas including:

• Bear Paw Ski Bowl near Havre, Montana
• Big Sky Resort near Big Sky, Montana
• Blacktail near Lakeside
• Bridger Bowl Ski Area near Bozeman
• Discovery Basin near Philipsburg
• Great Divide near Helena, Montana
• Lookout Pass near St. Regis, Montana
• Lost Trail near Darby, Montana
• Maverick Mountain near Dillon, Montana
• Moonlight Basin near Big Sky, Montana
• Red Lodge Mountain near Red Lodge
• Showdown Ski Area near White Sulphur Springs, Montana
• Snowbowl Ski Area near Missoula
• Teton Pass Ski Area near Choteau
• Turner Mountain Ski Resort near Libby
• Whitefish Mountain Resort near Whitefish

Law and government[link]

The current Governor is Brian Schweitzer (Democrat) who was sworn in on January 3, 2005. Montana's two U.S. senators are Max Baucus (Democrat) and Jon Tester (Democrat). The state's congressional representative is Denny Rehberg (Republican).

Montana in 1916 became the first state to elect a woman to Congress (Jeannette Rankin) (Republican) and was one of the first states to give women voting rights (see suffrage).

Politics[link]

Historically, Montana is a swing state of cross-ticket voters who tend to fill elected offices with individuals from both parties. Through the mid-20th century, the state had a tradition of "sending the liberals to Washington and the conservatives to Helena." However, beginning in the 1980s, the pattern flipped, with voters more likely to elect conservatives to federal offices. There have also been long-term shifts of party control. During the 1970s, the state was dominated by the Democratic Party, with Democratic governors for a 20-year period, and a Democratic majority of both the national congressional delegation and during many sessions of the state legislature. This pattern shifted, beginning with the 1988 election, when Montana elected a Republican governor and sent a Republican to the U.S. Senate for the first time since the 1940s. This shift continued with the reapportionment of the state's legislative districts that took effect in 1994, when the Republican Party took control of both chambers of the state legislature, consolidating a Republican party dominance that lasted until 2004.

In presidential elections, Montana was long classified as a swing state, though in recent years, Montana has been classified as a Republican-leaning state, as the state supported Republican presidential candidates in every election from 1996 to the present. The state last supported a Democrat for president in 1992, when Bill Clinton won a plurality victory. Overall, since 1889 the state has voted for Democratic governors 60 percent of the time and Democratic presidents 40 percent of the time, with these numbers being 40/60 for Republican candidates. In the 2008 presidential election, Montana was considered a swing state and was ultimately won by Republican John McCain, albeit by a narrow margin of two percent.^[49]

However, at the state level, the pattern of split ticket voting and divided government holds. Democrats currently hold both U.S. Senate seats, as well as four of the five statewide offices (Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State and State Auditor). The Legislative branch had split party control between the house and senate most years between 2004 and 2010, when the mid-term elections returned both branches to Republican control. The state Senate is, as of 2010, controlled by the Republicans 28 to 22, and the State House of Representatives at 68 to 32.

Montana is an Alcoholic beverage control state.

Education[link]

Colleges and universities[link]

Media[link]

Montana's largest circulating daily newspapers are the Billings Gazette, Great Falls Tribune, and Missoulian.^[50]

Health[link]

Montana does not have a Trauma I hospital, but does have Trauma II hospitals in Billings, Missoula, and Great Falls.^[51]

Transportation[link]

Yellowstone Airport, West Yellowstone, Montana^[52]

Railroads have been an important method of transportation in Montana since the 1880s. Historically, the state was traversed by the main lines of three east-west transcontinental routes: the Milwaukee Road, the Great Northern, and the Northern Pacific. Today, the BNSF Railway is the state's largest railroad, its main transcontinental route incorporating the former Great Northern main line across the state. Montana RailLink, a privately-held Class II railroad, operates former Northern Pacific trackage in western Montana.

In addition, Amtrak's Empire Builder train runs through the north of the state, stopping in the following towns: Libby, Whitefish, West Glacier, Essex, East Glacier Park, Browning, Cut Bank, Shelby, Havre, Malta, Glasgow, and Wolf Point.

Billings Logan International Airport is the largest and busiest airport within a four state region (Montana, Wyoming, North and South Dakota) both in passenger boardings and air cargo.^[53] Montana's other major Airports include Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport, Missoula International Airport, Great Falls International Airport, Glacier Park International Airport, Helena Regional Airport, Bert Mooney Airport and Yellowstone Airport. Eight smaller communities have airports designated for commercial service under the Essential Air Service program.

Historically, the primary east-west highway route across Montana was U.S. Route 10, which connected the major cities in the southern half of the state. Still the state's most important east-west travel corridor, the route is today served by Interstate 90 and Interstate 94. U.S. Routes 2 and 12 and Montana Highway 200 also traverse the entire state from east to west.

Montana's only north-south Interstate Highway is Interstate 15. Other major north-south highways include U.S. Routes 87, 89, 93 and 191. Interstate 25 terminates into I-90 just south of the Montana border in Wyoming.

Montana and South Dakota are the only states to share a land border which is not traversed by a paved road.^[54]

State symbols[link]

Montana's state quarter, released in 2007.

• State flower: Bitterroot (Lewisia rediviva), since 1895
• State tree: Ponderosa Pine, since 1949
• State animal: Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos horribilis), since 1862
• State bird: Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta), since 1931
• State fish: Cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarkii, since 1977^[55]
• State Song: "Montana", since 1945
• State Ballad: "Montana Melody", since 1983
• State Gemstones: Yogo sapphire & Agate, since 1969
• State Fossil: Maiasaur ("Duck-billed Dinosaur") (Maiasaura peeblesorum), since 1985
• State Butterfly: Mourning cloak (Nymphalis antiopa), since 2001
• State Grass: Bluebunch wheatgrass, since 1973
• State Motto: "Oro y Plata" (Spanish: Gold and Silver)

See also[link]

	Book: United States
Wikipedia books are collections of articles that can be downloaded or ordered in print.

• Outline of history
• Outline of geography
  • Outline of North America
    • Outline of the United States
      • Outline of Montana
        • Index of Montana-related articles
• List of National Register of Historic Places in Montana
• List of people from Montana
• List of places in Montana
• Missouri River
• Music of Montana
• Rocky Mountains

Further reading[link]

• Axline, Jon, et al. Still Speaking Ill of the Dead: More Jerks in Montana History. Falcon Press, 2005. ISBN 1-58592-032-0
• Bennion, Jon. Big Sky Politics. Five Valleys Publishing, April 2004. ISBN 1-888550-13-9
• Doig, Ivan, Dancing at the Rascal Fair. Scribner: 1987. ISBN 0-689-11764-7.
• Doig, Ivan, English Creek. Peter Smith Publisher Inc: 1992. ISBN 0-8446-6608-4.
• Howard, Joseph Kinsey. Montana: High, Wide, and Handsome. Bison Books: 2003. ISBN 0-8032-7339-8.
• Howard, Joseph Kinsey. Montana Margins: A State Anthology. Yale University Press,: 1946. ISBN 0-8369-2652-8.
• Kittredge, William. The Last Best Place: A Montana Anthology. (From the back cover: "...over 230 stories, poems, reminiscences, and reports written by 140 men and women. The book is divided into eight sections with introductory essays by William Bevis, Mary Clearman Blew, William Kittredge, William Lang, Richard Roeder, Annick Smith, and James Welch.") University of Washington Press: 1990. 1158 pages. ISBN 0-295-96974-1.
• Lopach, James. We the People of Montana: The Workings of a Popular Government. Falcon Press, 1983 ISBN 0-87842-159-9
• MacLean, Norman, A River Runs Through It. University of Chicago Press: 1976. ISBN 0-226-50060-8.
• MacLean, Norman, Young Men and Fire. University of Chicago Press: 1992. ISBN 0-226-50061-6.
• Malone, Michael P., Richard B. Roeder and William L. Lang. Montana: A History of Two Centuries. University of Washington: 1991. ISBN 0-295-97129-0.
• Toole, K. Ross. Montana: An Uncommon Land. University of Oklahoma Press: 1984. ISBN 0-8061-1890-3.
• Walter, Dave, et al. Speaking Ill of the Dead: Jerks in Montana History. Falcon Press, 2000. ISBN 1-58592-032-0
• Walker, Mildred. Winter Wheat. Harcourt: 1967. ISBN 0-15-197223-0.

External links[link]

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