Minnesota is one of the 50 United States. It shares borders with South Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Canada. The Mississippi River originates in this land of 10,000 lakes before winding through the country and emptying into the Gulf of Mexico. In addition to the rivers, Minnesota also has access to Lake Superior--the largest of the Great Lakes--through the port city of Duluth.

Southern Minnesota is dominated by agriculture, while the northern part of the state is known for its forests. Minnesotan's are known for their love of the outdoors and such activities as canoeing in the Boundary Waters or ice fishing on one of the many local lakes.

The climate of Minnesota has distinct seasons, which starkly contrast each other in temperature. In the coolest part of winter it is normal for the high temperatures to be below the freezing point of water, while the summer high temperatures can reach higher than 90 degrees.

The largest metropolitan area in Minnesota is known as the Twin Cities and it is located in the southeastern part of the state. Other cities of notable size include the aforementioned Duluth, Rochester--home of the world renowned Mayo Clinic, and St. Cloud.