Land Size
- Total area: 86,938 sq. mi. (12 largest State in the U.S.A.)
- State Length: 406 miles
- State Width: 348 miles
Terrain
- Highest Point: Eagle Mountain, Cook County, 2297 ft.
NOTE: There are actually three “Eagle Mountains” in Minnesota. One is located by Lutsen, MN (elev. 1657 ft); a second is located 20 mi NW of Grand Marais, MN (elev. 2297 ft), and the third is located 40 miles NW of St. Cloud (elev. 1460 ft). The one that’s NW of Grand Marais is the Highest Point in Minnesota.
(Source: U.S. Geological Survey – USGS.gov) - Lowest Point: Lake Superior shore, 602 ft.
Water
- Total area covered by water: 7,328 sq. mi. (8.4% of total area)
- Number of lakes over 10 acres in size: 11,842
- Number of lakes over 2.5 acres in size: 21,871
- NOTE: see The Ten Largest Lakes in Minnesota for more detail
- Number of natural rivers and streams: 6,564 (69,200 miles)
- Wetlands acreage present in 1850: 18.6 million acres
- Wetlands acreage present in 2003: 9.3 million acres
Land
- Total area covered by land: 79,610 sq mi. (91.6% of total area)
- Total Forest Land: 54,687 sq mi. (35 million acres – 69% of total land area)
- Total Prairie Land: 24,923 sq mi. (16 million acres – 31% of total land area)
- Number of Counties: 87
- National Forests: 2 (Chippewa, Superior)
- National Monuments: 2 (Grand Portage, Pipestone)
- National Parks: 1 (Voyageurs National Park – largest water-based park in the National Park System)
- National Rivers: 1 (Mississippi National River and Recreation Area)
- National Scenic Riverways: 1 (Saint Croix)
- State Forests: 58 (nearly 4 million acres)
- State Parks: 72
- Geographic Center: Located in Crow Wing County approx. 10 miles southwest of Brainerd
Additional Minnesota Facts and Stats:
U.S. Geological Survey