The United States acquired most of the area of North Dakota from France in 1803 as part of the Louisiana Purchase. It obtained the area in the north and northeast part of the present-day state by a convention, signed with Great Britain in 1818 that extended the northern boundary along the 49^th parallel. Dakota Territory was organized on March 2, 1861, from unorganized area formerly within Minnesota Territory and part of Nebraska Territory. Dakota Territory included all of the present-day states of North Dakota and South Dakota, most of Montana, the northern half of Wyoming, and a small part of Nebraska. The territory was reduced in 1863 with the organization of Idaho Territory, enlarged in 1864 with the addition of most of the remainder of present-day Wyoming, and again reduced with the organization of Wyoming Territory in 1868. In 1882, the state of Nebraska acquired an area north of the Keya Paha River and Niobrara River. North Dakota was admitted to the Union simultaneously with South Dakota on November 2, 1889, as the 39^th and 40^th states, with generally the same boundaries as the present states.

Census data for the combined area in present-day North Dakota and South Dakota are available in the 1860 census (and listed in national tables with South Dakota). The 1860 census population is for territory reported as "unorganized Dakota" and includes population in areas now in Montana. The 1860 population excludes some population enumerated in Nebraska Territory. Although the state had not yet been legally established, the 1870 and 1880 populations generally are for the area of the present state. The population of Dakota Territory as legally established was 135,177 in 1880 and 14,181 in 1870.

Data for the legally established state of North Dakota are available beginning with the 1890 census.

AMERICAN INDIAN AREAS

North Dakota has five federally recognized American Indian area reservations, two with off-reservation trust land.

METROPOLITAN AND MICROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREAS AND RELATED STATISTICAL AREAS

North Dakota has three metropolitan statistical areas, five micropolitan statistical areas, and one combined statistical area.

COUNTIES

There are 53 counties in North Dakota.  All counties are functioning governmental units, each governed by a board of county commissioners.

COUNTY SUBDIVISIONS

North Dakota has 1,765 county subdivisions which are minor civil divisions (MCDs). There are 1,317 townships which are functioning, but not necessarily active, governmental entities.  Townships are governed by a board of township supervisors.  Rushville township, Ward County is inactive.  There are 357 incorporated places which are independent of MCDs and serve as 364 county subdivisions.  There are also 84 unorganized territories.  Billings, Dunn, Mercer, Oliver, and Stark Counties have no townships and are covered entirely by unorganized territories or cities independent of any MCDs.

PLACES

North Dakota has 401 places; 357 incorporated places and 44 census designated places (CDPs).  The incorporated places are all cities.  There is no minimum population for incorporation in North Dakota.  All incorporated places are independent of county subdivisions.

CENSUS TRACTS/BLOCK GROUPS/BLOCKS

North Dakota has 205 census tracts, 572 block groups, and 133,769 census blocks.

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS

For the 111^th Congress (January 2009-January 2011), North Dakota had one congressional district.  For the 113^th Congress (January 2013-January 2015), North Dakota continues to have one congressional district as a result of reapportionment based on the 2010 Census.

SCHOOL DISTRICTS

North Dakota has 29 elementary school districts and 155 unified school districts.

STATE LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS

There are 47 state senate districts and 47 state house districts in North Dakota.

URBAN AREAS

North Dakota has 16 urban areas; 3 urbanized areas and 13 urban clusters.

ZIP CODE TABULATION AREAS

There are 393 ZIP Code tabulation areas (ZCTAs) in North Dakota.

OTHER INFORMATION OF GENERAL GEOGRAPHIC INTEREST

The town of Rugby is the geographical center of North America.

¹  Source:  U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1923
²  Source:  U.S. Census Bureau, recomputation for historical county level data which relied upon aggregate county level population data with an estimated county centroid resulting in a possible error of up to one mile.
³  Source:  U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Centers of Population for States and Counties, 1974
⁴  Source:  U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division, recomputation from archived national block group/enumeration area data resulting in a possible error of up to 1,000 feet.
⁵  Source:  U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division, recomputation from archived national block group data resulting in a possible error of up to 1,000 feet.
⁶  Source:  U.S. Census Bureau, computation from national block-level data