Northwest Angle, Minnesota Map showing the Northwest Angle in Minnesota. (more) Why Does Minnesota Have the Northwest Angle? Written by Scott Spires Scott Spires is Associate Editor for Geography at Encyclopædia Britannica. Scott Spires Fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated Mar. 19, 2026 •History If you consult a map of Minnesota, you will see a tiny northern notch of land that borders the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario and is separated from the rest of the state by a lake. The only land route connecting it to Minnesota goes through Canada. This is the Northwest Angle, which is the northernmost point of the contiguous Lower 48 states of the United States. The question arises: Why does this tiny...

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