"Greater Grand Forks" is the name used by some people to designate the twin cities of Grand Forks, North Dakota and East Grand Forks, Minnesota. The two towns lie directly across from each other on both sides of the Red River of the North. The metropolitan area also includes residents of the nearby Grand Forks Air Force Base. The communities are also sometimes called "The Forks". An effort was made several years ago to "brand" the metropolitan area as "The Grand Cities". This name has not found widespread use in the area, although several buildings and organizations in town now bear the "Grand Cities" title. Twin cities are either: two towns or cities that are geographically close to each other, and often referred to collectively; or two distant cities which, perhaps because of similar circumstances, such as industrial decline, or demographics, agree to partner each other and share expertise (e. ... Downtown area of Grand Forks. ... East Grand Forks City Hall East Grand Forks is a city located in Polk County, Minnesota. ... See also the Red River disambiguation page. ... In the United States, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has produced a formal definition of metropolitan areas, which are organized around county boundaries. ... Grand Forks Air Force Base (Grand Forks AFB) is a base of the United States Air Force located in Grand Forks County, North Dakota. ...