The People

People of German and Scandinavian descent make up the largest ethnic groups in Minnesota. Blacks and American Indians (Chippewa and Sioux) form small minorities. Together, they accounted for slightly less than 5 per cent of the population in 2000.

In 2000 Minnesota had a population of 4,919,479—an increase of 544,380, or 12.4 per cent, over the 1990 total. It ranked 21st among the states in population. Minnesota's population density was 61.8 persons per square mile (23.9 per km2), about one-fifth less than the national average.