The Minneapolis-Saint Paul region in the US state Minnesota is the poster child for economic growth, diverse business sectors, and strong trade ties in America.

Despite major cities, such as Detroit, tumbling into bankruptcy, the 16-county Minneapolis-Saint Paul region's GDP is slightly larger than that of Ireland and Portugal and has reported economic growth that is 56% times faster than the US as a whole.

GDP is at $220bn and is home to 3.4 million residents which enjoy the lowest unemployment rate of all major economies in the US at 4.9%.

Meanwhile, around 90 British companies operate in the state, investing more than $1 billion in the economy, employing more than 14,000 Minnesotans, largely in the greater Minneapolis-Saint Paul metro region.

Worldwide, Britain is the second largest investor in Minnesota, second only to Canada.

Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, Saint Paul Mayor Chris Coleman and Michael Langley, CEO, Greater Minneapolis-Saint Paul Regional Economic Development Partnership all caught up with IBTimes TV to tell the secrets behind the region's success.

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