Michigan
Great Lakes State · Capital: Lansing · Midwest (Midwest Rust)
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Bordering states: Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio.
About Michigan
Michigan, in the Midwest, consists of two large peninsulas that do not touch, separated by the five-mile Straits of Mackinac and joined by road only since the Mackinac Bridge opened in 1957. It touches four Great Lakes, Superior, Michigan, Huron and Erie, with 3,288 miles of Great Lakes shoreline and roughly 11,000 inland lakes; its land borders are with Wisconsin, Indiana and Ohio. The highest point, Mount Arvon in the western Upper Peninsula, reaches 1,979 feet. The lakes shape the weather, loading lake-effect snow onto the western Lower Peninsula and the Keweenaw and shielding the cherry orchards of the Leelanau and Old Mission peninsulas from late frosts.
The Odawa, Ojibwe and Potawatomi, allied as the Council of Three Fires, held the peninsulas before Europeans arrived. Jacques Marquette founded a mission at Sault Sainte Marie in 1668, and Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac built Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit in 1701. France lost the interior in 1763, and Britain kept Detroit until 1796. After the Toledo War with Ohio in 1835 and 1836, Congress gave the Toledo Strip to Ohio and the western Upper Peninsula to Michigan, which was admitted on January 26, 1837 as the 26th state. Copper from the Keweenaw and iron from the Marquette Range soon made the trade look like a bargain.
The 2020 census counted 10,077,331 residents, up 2.0% since 2010, the 10th largest population, though the state lost a House seat and now has 13. Lansing is the capital and Detroit the largest city. General Motors was formed at Flint in 1908, Henry Ford ran a moving assembly line at Highland Park from 1913, and the Flint sit-down strike of 1936 and 1937 forced GM to recognize the United Auto Workers. Berry Gordy founded Motown in Detroit in 1959. Michigan's claim to a president rests on Gerald Ford, born in Nebraska and raised in Grand Rapids.
4 fun facts about Michigan
- Detroit gave the world Motown and the moving assembly line, and Ford and General Motors are both headquartered in Michigan.
- You're never more than 6 miles from a lake or stream anywhere in the state. Over 11, 000 inland lakes.
- The Mackinac Bridge connecting Michigan's two peninsulas is 5 miles long, one of the longest suspension bridges in the world.
- Battle Creek is the "Cereal Capital of the World", Kellogg's and Post Cereals both started here.
More about Michigan
Michigan geography and climate
Frequently asked questions about Michigan
Is Michigan a US state?
Yes, Michigan is one of the 50 US states. It was admitted to the Union in 1837, making it the 26th state. Its capital is Lansing and its largest city is Detroit.
What is the capital of Michigan?
The capital of Michigan is Lansing. Note that the largest city in Michigan is Detroit, not the capital, a common point of confusion.
When did Michigan become a state?
Michigan became a US state in 1837. It is the 26th state admitted to the Union.
What is the abbreviation for Michigan?
The 2-letter USPS abbreviation for Michigan is MI.
How big is Michigan?
Michigan ranks #11 of 50 US states by area. With 178.0 residents per square mile in 2020, it was the 18th most densely populated state.
What is the population of Michigan?
Michigan had 10,077,331 residents at the 2020 census, the 10th largest population of the 50 states, up 2.0% since 2010. That count gives it 13 seats in the US House of Representatives.
What region is Michigan in?
Michigan is in the Midwest region of the United States, per the US Census Bureau.
What time zone is Michigan in?
Michigan observes Eastern Time (the state spans multiple time zones).
Learn more
How to learn the 50 states (full guide)
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