Indian Country is a term commonly used when talking about areas with American Indian populations.

The federal government defines Indian Country as all of the land within the limits of any Indian reservation, all dependent Indian communities within the borders of the United States, and all Indian land allotments.

Before the arrival of Europeans, "Indian Country" was everywhere. There were hundreds of Indian tribes in the U.S. and Canada that moved around the land freely and selected various areas of land to inhabit. However, after the Europeans arrived and began to establish the United States, Indians were moved to remote, harsh areas of land called reservations.

Today there are 314 reservations in the U.S., but more than 60 percent of Indians in the United States live off the reservations. The term Indian Country refers to reservations but it also refers to non-reservation areas where Indians live.

Up until a few years ago, Indian Country was often associated with poor health, education and economic conditions. But the gaming industry and other successful business ventures have started turning Indian Country around. The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe alone has spent millions of dollars to rebuild its reservation since the opening of its casinos.

Schools, elderly centers, and community centers have been built, businesses have opened with Band-assisted programs, and living conditions are being upgraded in countless ways. Hopefully, as Indians everywhere receive more opportunities, and tribally owned businesses continue to grow, Indian Country will shed its gloomy reputation and become associated with something better — success.

Indian reservations are areas of land set aside by the federal government as a permanent tribal home. The term "reservation" originates from the federal government’s act of reserving land for federal purposes. In the United States, there are two kinds of familiar reservations: military and Indian. The United States established its reservation policy for American Indians in 1787, although the land has not always been protected. From the 1880s to the 1930s, Congress opened up tribal lands for sale, and reservations lost two-thirds of their land base. Then in the 1950s, the Eisenhower administration terminated reservations in an attempt to do away with federal responsibility to tribal governments. This policy was a total failure. Today American Indians hold about 56 million acres in reservations and trust land. The Navajo Reservation is the largest, covering 16 million acres in parts of Arizona, Utah and New Mexico. Many smaller reservations are less than 1,000 acres. The boundaries of the Mille Lacs Reservation cover 61,000 square acres in Mille Lacs County. The Band also has lands in Morrison, Pine, Crow Wing, and Aitkin counties. Currently, 4,000 acres are held in trust by the United States, and 12,000 are owned by the Band. The land on each Indian reservation should be owned by the particular tribe. However, the Unites States holds the title to the land for the tribe, with the Department of Interior acting as trustee. Although reservation land belongs to Indian tribes, not all Indians live on reservations. According to the U.S. Census, more than 60 percent live away from reservations. But with the recent improvements in the quality of life on reservations such as Mille Lacs, that number is likely to change as more American Indians return to their reservation communities.

Trust lands

Trust land is land held by the United States for the use and benefit of American Indian tribes. Tribes can purchase land and petition the federal government to hold that land in trust, protecting it from being taken away or threatened. Actions affecting title to trust lands, including sales, are subject to approval of the U.S. Secretary of the Interior. The United States holds title to the land for the tribes, with the Department of Interior acting as trustee. The tribe or individual whose land is held in trust can use the land in ways authorized by the United States. The Department of Interior is legally obligated to ensure that American Indian resources and lands are properly managed, protected and conserved. As trustee for the tribes, the department has a duty to protect tribal health and safety and to fulfill all treaty and statutory obligations.

Currently, about 4,000 acres of land are held in trust for the Mille Lacs Band. The Band also owns an additional 12,000 acres that are not held in trust. Indian tribes do not pay state taxes on trust lands. Because the federal government owns the land, it can not be taxed by the state or counties. However, the Mille Lacs Band’s trust lands have very little impact on the local tax base. Grand Casino Mille Lacs is located on land that was in trust before the casino was built, so Mille Lacs County did not lose any tax base due to the casino. In Hinckley, only the casino is on trust land. All remaining Grand Casino property — including restaurants, the arcade, the hotel, the amphitheater, the park, and the golf course — lies on taxable land. The taxes generated by these properties are higher than the taxes that were generated when the land was still agricultural.