Bismarck, North Dakota the capital of the Dakota Territory, and in 1889 as the state capital of the new state of North Dakota. Bismarck is at (46.813343, −100.779004). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of , of which, is land and is water. The city has developed around downtown Bismarck, the center of historic development. It is distinctive because the city's major shopping center, Kirkwood Mall, is in the center city rather than in the suburbs. Several other major retail stores are in the vicinity of Kirkwood Mall, which was developed near the Bismarck Civic Center. The
North Dakota States, political power in North Dakota state government is divided into three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. The Constitution of North Dakota and the North Dakota Century Code form the formal law of the state; the "North Dakota Administrative Code" incorporates additional rules and policies of state agencies. The executive branch is headed by the elected governor. The current governor is Doug Burgum, a Republican who took office December 15, 2016, after his predecessor, Jack Dalrymple did not seek reelection. The current Lieutenant Governor of North Dakota is Brent Sanford, who is also the President of the Senate. The offices