Location, size, and extent. Situated in the western north-central US, Minnesota is the largest of the midwestern states and ranks 12th in size among the 50 states. The total area of Minnesota is 84,402 sq mi (218,601 sq km), of which land accounts for 79,548 sq mi (206,029 sq km) and inland water 4,854 sq mi (12,572 sq km).