Geography of Minnesota "The Cities"), and "Outstate" or "Greater Minnesota". The Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area comprises eleven Minnesota counties centered around Minneapolis, the state's largest city, and adjoining Saint Paul, the capital; plus two Wisconsin counties. About three out of every five residents of the state live in this conurbation. Greater Minnesota is less urbanized than the Twin Cities. It is also geographically more diverse, with farmlands to the south and west, lake country in central Minnesota, and forests in the northern part of the state. Approximately 40% of Minnesotans live in Greater Minnesota. Its major population centers include Duluth, Rochester, Moorhead, St.
Minnesota State Highway 40 was completely paved by 1958. In 2009, its eastern terminus was moved from US 12 in Willmar to CR 5 (30th Street SW). Minnesota State Highway 40 Minnesota State Highway 40 (MN 40) is a state highway in west-central Minnesota, which travels from South Dakota Highway 20 (SD 20) at the South Dakota state line near Marietta and continues east to its eastern terminus at its intersection with U.S. Highway 12 (US 12) in Willmar. MN 40 is in length. MN 40 serves as an east–west route between Madison and Willmar in west-central Minnesota. The route is also known as: