Minnesota is at a crossroads of the nation; where east meets west and forest meets prairie. Those moving to Minnesota will discover thousand miles from either coast that is virtually a seaboard state thanks to its close proximity to Lake Superior. Glaciers that millions of years ago flattened all but its southeast corner gashed out more than 15,000 lakes and major rivers running along the eastern and western borders. Today, 95 percent of the population lives within 10 minutes of a body of water, and since becoming a state, Minnesota has been a leader in agriculture, industry and technology.

Origin of State's: The name Minnesota is based on the Dakota Sioux Indian word for sky-tinted water, which refers to the Minnesota River and the state's many lakes.

Capital City: Saint Paul is the capital city of Minnesota and second most populous city in the state. The city lies mostly on the north bank of the Mississippi River and adjoins with Minneapolis, the state's largest city. Known as the "Twin Cities," these two cities form the core of Minneapolis-Saint Paul, the 13th largest metropolitan area in the country, with nearly 3.5 million residents.

Population: The state has a population of approximately 5 million residents.

Driving: Driver's license information, applications, testing requirements, driver's manuals and testing locations can be found on the Minnesota Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) website.

Agriculture and Industry: Major agriculture includes dairy products, corn, cattle, soybeans, hogs, wheat and turkeys; Machinery, food processing, printing and publishing, fabricated metal products, electric equipment, mining, tourism are the state's leading industries.

State Bird: The common loon was adopted as the official state bird symbol of Minnesota in 1961. These are large black and white birds with red eyes. They have wingspans up to five feet and body lengths up to three feet.

Tree: The red or Norway pine became the official state tree in 1953. Red pines are tall, regal trees that reach heights of 60 to nearly 150 feet. Their trunks are straight and uniform and may grow to five feet in diameter.

State Flower: The pink and white lady's slipper was designated the official state flower of Minnesota in 1902. Lady's slippers can live up to 50 years but develop slowly, taking up to 16 years to produce their first flower.

State Song: "Hail Minnesota" is the official state song.