National protected area

Protected area

Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...

s

• Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge
  Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge
  The Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge is located in the U.S. state of North Dakota and extends from the Canadian border to near the town of Kenmare, North Dakota along Des Lacs Lake. Des lacs is from the French wording Riviere des Lacs, or River of the lakes. The refuge was established in 1935 and...
  
   (part)
• Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge
  Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge
  The Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge is located in the U.S. state of North Dakota and extends from the Canadian border to the neighboring state of Montana. The refuge manages two other refuges and two wetland management districts. The refuge also includes the Lostwood Wilderness which comprises...
  
   (part)

Demographics

As of the 2000 United States Census, there were 2,242 people, 1,013 households, and 680 families residing in the county. The population density

Population density

Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

 was 2.0 people per square mile (0.8/km²). There were 1,412 housing units at an average density of 1.3 per square mile (0.5/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 99.24% White

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 0.13% Black

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 or African American

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 0.22% Native American

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 0.13% Asian

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 0.04% from other races

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, and 0.22% from two or more races. 0.36% of the population were Hispanic

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 or Latino

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 of any race. 52.4% were of Norwegian, 18.4% German and 7.4% Swedish ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 1,013 households out of which 23.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.20% were married couples

Marriage

Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...

 living together, 5.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.80% were non-families. 31.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.77.

The county's population was spread out with 20.80% under the age of 18, 3.50% from 18 to 24, 22.30% from 25 to 44, 28.30% from 45 to 64, and 25.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females there were 101.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $25,330, and the median income for a family was $31,384. Males had a median income of $28,164 versus $16,382 for females. The per capita income

Per capita income

Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...

 for the county was $14,026. About 11.70% of families and 15.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.20% of those under age 18 and 16.50% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

The main industries are farming and oil. Burke County is one of several western North Dakota counties with significant exposure to the Bakken Formation

Bakken Formation

The Bakken formation, initially described by geologist J.W. Nordquist in 1953,is a rock unit from the Late Devonian to Early Mississippian age occupying about of the subsurface of the Williston Basin, underlying parts of Montana, North Dakota, and Saskatchewan...

 in the Williston Basin

Williston Basin

The Williston Basin is a large intracratonic sedimentary basin in eastern Montana, western North and South Dakota, and southern Saskatchewan known for its rich deposits of petroleum and potash. The basin is a geologic structural basin but not a topographic depression; it is transected by the...

.

Cities

• Bowbells
  Bowbells, North Dakota
  As of the census of 2000, there were 406 people, 174 households, and 116 families residing in the town. The population density was 511.2 people per square mile . There were 214 housing units at an average density of 269.5 per square mile . The racial makeup of the town was 98.77% White, 0.74%...
  
  
• Columbus
  Columbus, North Dakota
  As of the census of 2000, there were 151 people, 83 households, and 44 families residing in the city. The population density was 548.5 people per square mile . There were 142 housing units at an average density of 515.8 per square mile...
  
  
• Flaxton
  Flaxton, North Dakota
  As of the census of 2000, there were 73 people, 40 households, and 19 families residing in the city. The population density was 258.8 people per square mile . There were 77 housing units at an average density of 273.0 per square mile...
  
  
• Lignite
  Lignite, North Dakota
  As of the census of 2000, there were 174 people, 85 households, and 57 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,244.4 people per square mile . There were 111 housing units at an average density of 793.8 per square mile...
  
  
• Portal
  Portal, North Dakota
  As of the census of 2000, there were 131 people, 63 households, and 43 families residing in the city. The population density was 232.8 people per square mile . There were 98 housing units at an average density of 174.1 per square mile...
  
  
• Powers Lake
  Powers Lake, North Dakota
  As of the census of 2000, there were 309 people, 148 households, and 84 families residing in the city. The population density was 312.1 people per square mile . There were 183 housing units at an average density of 184.8 per square mile...
  
  

Note: all incorporated communities in North Dakota are called "cities" regardless of their size.

Unincorporated communities

• Larson
  Larson, North Dakota
  As of the census of 2000, there were 17 people, 8 households, and 7 families residing in the city. The population density was 38.3 people per square mile . There were 13 housing units at an average density of 29.3/sq mi...
  
  
• Northgate
  Northgate, North Dakota
  Northgate is an unincorporated community in Burke County, North Dakota, USA. The community is adjacent to the U.S. border with Canada, and it shares its name with the neighboring Canadian settlement of Northgate, Saskatchewan. The community is served by North Dakota Highway 8....
  
  

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Burke County, North Dakota