Higher Education  

Montana has around ten colleges and universities, as well as fourteen community and technological colleges. State institutions include the University of Montana, with campuses in Butte, Dillon, Helena, and Missoula; and Montana State University, with campuses in Billings, Bozeman, Great Falls, and Havre. Private institutions include Carroll College, in Helena; University of Great Falls, in Great Falls; and Rocky Mountain College, in Billings.

Geography

Having an area of 380,849 square kilometers, Montana is America's fourth largest state. Montana can be divided into two lands regions: the Great Plains region occupies the eastern three-fifths of the state, and the Rocky Mountain region occupies the western two-fifths. An area known as the badlands, which features colorful rock formations, lies in the far-eastern portion of the state. In the Great Plains region wheat farming and cattle ranching flourish. A number of low mountains rise sharply from the plains in the west, including the Bears Paw, Highwood, Big Snowy, and Little Rocky Mountains. More than fifty Rocky Mountain ranges are in Montana, most of them running from northwest to southeast. The Continental Divide, a ridgeline delineating the division between North America's Great Plains and its Pacific coastal region, zigzags through the western mountains. Montana's most important rivers are the Missouri and the Yellowstone. Covering about 490 square kilometers, Flathead Lake is the state's largest natural lake. Major cities are Billings, Great Falls, Butte-Silver Bow, Missoula, Helena (capital), and Bozeman. The population of Montana is estimated to be around 967,440.

Climate

Montana's climate is noted for its diversity. The area west of the Continental Divide has a generally more temperate climate with heavier precipitation. In January, temperatures average -7° C in the west and -10° C in the west. July temperatures in the western mountains average 18° C, while the east averages 22° C. In the winter, the eastern plains sometimes experience harsh blizzards and fierce winds from Canada. The heaviest rains fall in the spring and early summer, and the heaviest snowfalls occur in the mountains.

Cultural Profile

Performing arts organizations in Billings include the Billings Symphony Orchestra and Chorale and the Actors Theatre Montana. The Cascade Quartet and the Great Falls' Symphony Association present concerts in Great Falls. The Montana Ballet Company, based in Bozeman, presents both traditional ballet and contemporary dance. There are also many other local music and theater events staged annually throughout the state. Montana's museums include the C. M. Russell Museum, in Great Falls; the Museum of the Plains Indian and Craft Center, in Browning; and the Museum of the Rockies, on the Montana State university campus in Bozeman.

Recreation

Montana has eleven national forests, sixty state parks, and many recreation areas. Glacier National Park is in the Rocky Mountains in the northwestern part of the state. Three of the five entrances to Yellowstone National Park are in Montana. Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area and the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness are also frequently visited scenic areas. The state's popular outdoor activities include camping, fishing, hunting, boating, hiking, horseback riding, and wildlife watching.

Interesting Facts

Montana is a leading state for cattle ranching, wheat growing, and mining. Over 100 of America's 640 one-room schoolhouses are in Montana. Famous Montanans include Gary Cooper (film actor), Chet Huntley (television news broadcaster), Dorothy M. Johnson (writer), Myrna Loy (actress), Jeannette Rankin (first woman elected to the US Congress), and Harold Clayton Urey (chemist and atomic energy researcher).