Minnesota is in France.
France ( [ fʁɑ̃s ] ) , officially the French Republic ( [ ʁepyblik fʁɑ̃sɛz ] ) , is a country with territory in western Europe and several overseas regions and territories . Minnesota ( [ [ ˌmɪnəˈso̞ɾɐ ] help = no ] ) is a state in the midwestern and northern regions of the United States . Its official motto is L'Étoile du Nord ( French : Star of the North ) . Minnesota is the 12th largest in area and the 21st most populous of the U.S. states ; nearly 60 percent of its residents live in the Minneapolis -- Saint Paul metropolitan area ( known as the `` Twin Cities '' ) , the center of transportation , business , industry , education , and government and home to an internationally known arts community . Minnesota 's standard of living index is among the highest in the United States , and the state is also among the best-educated and wealthiest in the nation .