Minnesota is a state in the Upper Midwest, Great Lakes, and northern region of the United States. It shares a Lake Superior water border with Michigan and a land and water border with Wisconsin to the east. Iowa is to the south, North Dakota and South Dakota are to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Manitoba are to the north. With 86,943 square miles (225,180 km2), or approximately 2.25% of the United States, Minnesota is the 12th-largest state.

New York is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the Northeastern United States. New York was one of the original thirteen colonies that formed the United States. To distinguish it from New York City, which is the largest city in the state, it is sometimes referred to as New York State. The 27th largest U.S. state in land area, New York has a diverse geography. The state is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south and Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont to the east. The state has a maritime border with Rhode Island, east of Long Island, as well as an international border with the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the north and Ontario to the northwest.