Information Michigan
Michigan, nicknamed The Great Lake State, is located in the northern United States of America. The state is special because it consists of two large peninsulas, the Lower and Upper Peninsula. The Lower Peninsula, which is known for its beautiful nature, has many recreational areas. The capital of Michigan is not the large city of Detroit but the smaller Lansing. See all cities in Michigan.Michigan is best known for the many car brands that originate here, Ford, Chrysler and General Motors.
Geography
Michigan is located in the Great Lakes region and borders the province of Ontario (Canada) and the states of Minnesota, Illinois (both water border), Wisconsin Indiana and Ohio. Michigan is 550 kilometers from west to east and 730 kilometers from north to south. The state consists of two major peninsulas, Lower Penisula (south) and Lower Peninsula (north). In contrast to the Upper Peninsula, the Lower Peninsula peninsula has the most inhabitants and larger cities.
Around Michigan are many large lakes such as Lake Superior to the north, Lake Michigan to the west, Lake Huron to the east and Lake Erie to the southeast. Lake Michigan and Huron are considered two separate lakes despite being one lake hydrologically. Lake Michigan and Lake Huron are separated by the 6-kilometer strait of The Straits of Mackinac. Michigan is a fairly flat state and densely forested with only a few small hills in the Upper Peninsula. Michigan’s major rivers are the Detroit River and the St, Clair River.
History
Michigan was first discovered in 1620 by the Frenchman Étienne Brûlé. Present-day Michigan was under French rule before it came to the British in 1763. This is still reflected in French place names such as Detroit and Bois Blanc Island.
In 1805, Michigan became a separate territory from what was then the Northwest Territory. After the Toledo war with Ohio, Michigan received the Upper Pensinsula (belonged to Wisconsin) in 1835 as compensation and Ohio received the city of Toledo and the Toledo strip.
On January 26, 1837, Michigan became the 26th state to join the United States of America.
Economy
Michigan has historically been the state of the American auto industry, which began production of the Ford T in 1908. In addition to the auto industry, the state is also known for its furniture industry, especially in Grand Rapids. Transportation also plays an important role in Michigan’s economy. Every day, the three border crossings with Canada process more than a billion dollars worth of merchandise.
Forestry also plays a major role in the economy in Michigan, especially in the north where many Christmas trees come from. The long sandy beaches at the Great Lakes are an important weekend destination for Americans.
| Abbreviation: | MI |
| Nickname: | The Great Lakes State |
| Joined the US as the 26th state on: | January 26, 1837 |
| Capital city: | Lansing |
| Census: | 9.876.187 |
| Surface: | 250,941 km² |
| Geography: | Bordering Canada, Ohio, Indiana and Wisconsin |
| Governor: | Gretchen Whitmer |
| state motto: | If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you |
| California official website: | michigan.gov |
