Michigan Details

Michigan is an upper Midwestern state of the United States which is composed to two peninsulas thrusting into the Great Lakes. It borders with Ohio and Indiana on the south, Wisconsin on the west and the Canadian province of Ontario on the north and east.

Michigan ranks 8th among the other members of the state in terms of its population which is estimated to be 10.2 million as of 2008. This state has a large white population. German (20%), African American (14.2%), Irish (10.8%), English (9.9%) and Polish (8.6%) are among its five largest ancestries. These residents are called Michigander or Michiganian or Michiganite.

Indian tribes were considered to be the original residents of Michigan. These tribes were already living within the region before the first documented European settlement in the area led by Etienne Brule of France who arrived in 1618. The French established their first permanent settlement in Michigan sometime in 1668. They were later ousted from the territory by Great Britain in 1763. The US acquired most of Michigan after the Revolutionary War. It became the 26th state of the United States in January 26, 1837.

Michigan is a world-leader in the production of motor vehicles and vehicle parts. It is also a leader in many other manufacturing and processing lines such as airplane parts, refrigerators, hardware, and furniture. Michigan is also known in producing natural metals such as iron, copper, gypsum, bromine, gravel, and cement.

Michigan boasts of automobile plants in Dearborn, Detroit, Flint, Lansing, and Pontiac; Mackinac Island; Pictured Rocks and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshores; Greenfield Village in Dearborn; and the many summer resorts along both the inland lakes and Great Lakes.

The term Michigan is a derivation of mishigama which means “large water” or “large lake”.