NORTH DAKOTA

Agriculture and fur trading were the first major industries. Although it continues to be one of the most important businesses in the state, just 10% of the population of the state is currently employed in agriculture. In terms of the value of the crops it produces North Dakota is rated ninth in the nation. When it comes to the total worth of the agricultural products it produces and sells it is placed eighteenth. The majority of crops are grown on huge farms which operate on an industrial scale. In North Dakota which has the third largest cropland area in the nation with 27.5 million acres, around 90% of the land is used for farming. Barley production in North Dakota is among the highest in the nation for diverse cereals. 36% of the overall production of the nation is produced by the state. Additionally, the state contributes 15% or so of the total wheat production of the nation. It leads the nation in the production of a variety of oilseeds including 94% of flax seeds, 92% canola, 62% of mustard seeds, 53% of sunflower seeds, and 18% safflower seeds produced in the nation. One of the main economic movers in North Dakota is the energy sector. The state generates shale gas and has enormous coal and oil reserves. It is the largest producer in the nation and has significant lignite coal deposits. The material is located in the western portion of North Dakota and it is used to produce around 90% of the electricity used in the state. Even though the state is one of the least visited in the country, tourism is very important to the state’s economy. Major tourism destinations are scarce in North Dakota. However, tourism is the third largest industry in the state and brings in roughly $3 billion annually to the economy of the state. The Maah Daah Hey Trail which is 144 miles long and features popular pursuits like fishing and hunting is one of the tourist attractions of the state.