From Wikipedia:

Minnesota is the 32nd state of the United States, having joined the Union on May 11, 1858.  Its name is from the Dakota people's name for the Minnesota River, mini sota, variously translated "smoky-white water" or "sky-tinted water."  The state's name is abbreviated MN or Minn.

Minnesota is the largest state by land area in the Midwestern United States and is in the sub-region known as the Upper Midwest.   The most significant metropolitan area is known as the Twin Cities, which contains more than half the state's population.  The Twin Cities refer to the state's most populous cities: Minneapolis and Saint Paul, along with multiple "rings" of suburbs.

The state is a major food producer for the country, and has a number of natural resources that have been greatly utilized in the last two centuries.

The USS Minnesota was named in honor of our state, as was the SS Gopher State.  Other nicknames for the state include The Land of 10,000 Lakes, North Star State, and The State of Hockey.

You can find an indepth history of our state, as well as information on culture, economics, education, demographics and more by clicking here.