Minnesota Facts

The name “Minnesota” comes from Dakota Indian words meaning “sky-blue waters.” The large number of lakes and rivers throughout the state is an important part of Minnesota’s unique identity. One of Minnesota’s nicknames is “Land of 10,000 Lakes,” but it really has closer to 11, 842 lakes. The state is on the shore of Lake Superior, which is the biggest of the Great Lakes. Minnesota is also the starting point of the world’s third largest river, the Mississippi.