Capital: Helena

Governor: Judy Martz, R (to Jan. 2005)

Lieut. Governor: Karl Ohs, R (to Jan. 2005)

Senators: Max Baucus, D (to Jan. 2003); Conrad R. Burns, R (to Jan. 2007)

Secy. of State: Bob Brown, R (to Jan. 2005)

Auditor: John Morrison, D (to Jan. 2005)

Atty. General: Mike McGrath, D (to Jan. 2005)

Organized as territory: May 26, 1864

Entered Union (rank): Nov. 8, 1889 (41)

Present constitution adopted: 1972

Motto: Oro y plata (Gold and silver)

State Symbols:

First explored for France by François and Louis-Joseph Verendrye in the early 1740s, much of the region was acquired by the U.S. from France as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Before western Montana was obtained from Great Britain in the Oregon Treaty of 1846, American trading posts and forts had been established in the territory.

The major Indian Wars (1867-1877) included the famous 1876 Battle of the Little Big Horn, better known as "Custer's Last Stand," in which Cheyenne and Sioux defeated George A. Custer and more than 200 of his men in southeastern Montana.

Much of Montana's early history was concerned with mining, with copper, lead, zinc, silver, coal, and oil as principal products. Butte is the center of the area that once supplied half of the U.S. copper.

Fields of grain cover much of Montana's plains. It ranks high among the states in wheat and barley, with rye, oats, flaxseed, sugar beets, and potatoes as other important crops. Sheep and cattle raising make significant contributions to the economy.

Tourist attractions include hunting, fishing, skiing, and dude ranching. Glacier National Park, on the Continental Divide, is a scenic and vacation wonderland with 60 glaciers, 200 lakes, and many streams with good trout fishing.

Other major points of interest include the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, Virginia City, Yellowstone National Park, Museum of the Plains Indians at Browning, and the Fort Union Trading Post and Grant-Kohr's Ranch National Historic Sites.

Nickname: Treasure State

Origin of name: Chosen from Latin dictionary by J. M. Ashley. It is a Latinized Spanish word meaning "mountainous."

10 largest cities (1999 est.): Billings, 92,988; Missoula, 58,460; Great Falls, 56,340; Butte-Silver Bow1, 33,325; Bozeman, 30,723; Helena, 29,081; Kalispell, 17,149; Havre, 10,425; Anaconda-Deer Lodge County, 9,721; Miles City, 8,698

Land area: 145,556 sq mi. (376,991 sq km)

Geographic center: In Fergus Co., 12 mi. W of Lewistown

Number of counties: 56, plus small part of Yellowstone National Park

Largest county by population and area: Yellowstone, 127,258 (1999 est.); Beaverhead, 5,543 sq mi.

State forests: 7 (214,000 ac.)

State parks and recreation areas: 110 (18,273 ac.)

Residents: Montanan

1999 resident population est.: 882,779

1990 resident census population (rank): 799,065 (44). Male: 395,769; Female: 403,296. White: 741,111 (92.7%); Black: 2,381 (0.3%); American Indian: 47,679 (6.0%); Asian: 4,259 (0.5%); Other race: 3,635 (0.5%); Hispanic: 12,174 (1.5%). 1990 percent population under 18: 27.8; 65 and over: 13.3; median age: 33.8.