Montana Local Business Directory

The fourth largest state by land mass, Montana is ranked as number 44 in population in the U.S. The name Montana comes from the Spanish word for mountain. Montana is split into two distinct sections by the Continental Divide and features 77 named mountain ranges in its 147,040ish-square-mile territory. Ranching and agriculture constitute the primary economic factors for Montana, but much of the land mass of this state remains relatively uninhabited.

Yellowstone National Park is perhaps the most iconic attraction in Montana. Glacier National Park, Flathead Lake, the National Bison Range and the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument are also located in the state. The latter site commemorates the battle between U.S. forces led by General George Armstrong Custer against the combined strength of the Lakota, Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho Indian tribes led by Crazy Horse and other American Indian leaders. Custer's loss is generally attributed to poor planning on his part and a drastic miscalculation by the U.S. about the numbers of Native American warriors who would participate in the battle.

Today, Montana ranks third in microbrewery production in the U.S. and continues to focus on mining and lumber production to boost its economic growth. Seven Indian reservations are located within the state and provide homes to more than 20,000 Native Americans of various tribes in Montana. Much of the population, however, resides in the three metropolitan areas that surround Great Falls, Billings and Missoula.