North Dakota (; locally ) is a state in the midwestern and northern regions of the United States. It is the 19th most extensive, but the 4th least populous, and the 4th most sparsely populated of the 50 U.S. states. North Dakota was admitted as the 39th state to the Union on November 2, 1889. The state capital is Bismarck, and the largest city is Fargo. 

North Dakota weathered the Great Recession of the early 21st century with a boom in natural resources, particularly a boom in oil extraction from the Bakken formation, which lies beneath the northwestern part of the state. The development drove strong job and population growth, and low unemployment. However, falling oil prices have put pressure on state finances, leading to questions about the lack of diversity in the North Dakota economy and its vulnerability to commodity price swings. 

North Dakota is in the U.S. region known as the Great Plains. The state shares the Red River of the North with Minnesota to the east. South Dakota is to the south, Montana is to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba are to the north. North Dakota is situated near the middle of North America with a stone marker in Rugby, North Dakota marking the "Geographic Center of the North American Continent". With an area of , North Dakota is the 19th largest state.
What region is this state in? What river does it have? What state is below it? What country is to the north? And what provinces? What American region is North Dakota in? How does it rank in terms of size? What about in terms of population? What is the capital city? Is this the biggest city? When did North Dakota become a state in the Union? What number state was it to be added? Did the state suffer in natural resources in the recession? What happened? What type of boom was there? What did dropping oil prices do? Where is the Bakken formation? Where is the rock marker for the middle of the continent? In what state? What century was the Great Recession in?
midwestern Red River South Dakota Canada Saskatchewan and Manitoba middle of North America 19 4th most sparsely populated Bismarck Fargo 1889 39th No Weathered the Great Recession in oil extraction put pressure on state finance beneath the northwestern part of the state. Rugby North Dakota 21st