Minot ( , ) is a city located in north central North Dakota in the United States. With 36,567 people, Minot is the fourth largest city in the state. The city is the county seat of Ward County and is a trading center for a large portion of northern North Dakota, southwestern Manitoba, and southeastern Saskatchewan. Minot is also known as the "Magic City", and was founded in 1886 during the construction of the Great Northern Railroad.