Minneapolis (/ˌmɪniˈæpəlɪs/ (listen)) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the principal city of the 16th-largest metropolitan area in the United States.[3] As of 2018, Minneapolis has an estimated population of 425,403, making it the 46th-largest city in the United States.[4] Minneapolis and its neighbor Saint Paul make up the Twin Cities, with Minneapolis being the larger of the two. The Twin Cities metro and their surrounding suburbs contain about 3.63 million people, making it the third-largest economic and population center in the Midwest.[6] Minneapolis is the county seat of Hennepin County.[7]
Minneapolis lies on both banks of the Mississippi River, just north of the river's confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Saint Paul, the state's capital. The city is abundantly rich in water, with 13 lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls; many connected by parkways in the Chain of Lakes and the Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway. It was once the world's flour milling capital and a hub for timber. The city and surrounding region is the primary business center between Chicago and Seattle. Minneapolis is home to five Fortune 500 companies, and the Twin Cities are the fifth-largest hub of major corporate headquarters in the United States.
Minneapolis has one of the largest LGBT populations in the U.S.[8] Noted for its strong music and performing arts scenes, Minneapolis is home to both the award-winning Guthrie Theater and the historic First Avenue nightclub. Reflecting the region's status as a center of folk, funk, and alternative rock music, the city served as the launching pad for several of the 20th century's most influential musicians, including Bob Dylan and Prince.[9][10] Minneapolis has also become noted for its underground and independent hip-hop and rap scenes, producing artists such as Lizzo, Brother Ali, Atmosphere, and Dessa.
The Dakota name for Minneapolis is Bdeóta Othúŋwe (Many Lakes City).[12] Several names were proposed for the new city after its incorporation, including Lowell, Adasville, and Albion, with the latter name suggested by Hennepin County itself.[13][14] Daniel Payne, John H. Stevens, and George Bowman contributed to replacing Albion.[14] While the name All Saints was facetiously suggested in the St. Paul Pioneer, implying the town would come to absorb its neighbors of Saint Paul and Saint Anthony, the name Minneapolis was ultimately chosen.[13] The present name is attributed to Charles Hoag, the city's first schoolmaster, who suggested Minnehapolis, derived from Minnehaha, and combined mni, a Dakota word for water, and polis, the Greek word for city.