ABSTRACT
Dakota Territory was established March 2, 1861. Both North Dakota and South Dakota entered the U.S. jointly as the 39th and 40th states November 2, 1889.
North Dakota is divided into 53 counties. The counties are divided into townships which do not have governments. The municipalities had been classified as villages, towns, and cities until 1969, when a state statute declared all villages and towns as cities, eliminating any classification. See Introduction.
