Northwest Angle: The Minnesota territory created by a mapping error

The Northwest Angle, a small piece of land in northern Minnesota, exists as a geographical anomaly due to a mapping error during the drafting of the 1783 Treaty of Paris. Because surveys at the time were rudimentary, this territory became part of the United States despite being physically separated from the rest of the country by Canadian land.

As of the 2020 census, the area has a population of 54, centered in the town of Angle Inlet. Accessing the rest of the United States requires either traveling by boat or crossing two international borders. Life in the community is shaped by its isolation; there are no traffic lights, hospitals, or full-scale grocery stores. Residents rely on a local convenience store for basics and must travel to Canada or other parts of Minnesota for most supplies.

The local economy is primarily driven by tourism, hunting, and fishing on Lake of the Woods. Education is also limited, with local students attending a one-room schoolhouse for grades K-6, after which they must transition to homeschooling or travel to Warroad, Minnesota.