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Michigan is a state in the United States. The name is derived from Lake Michigan, which in turn is believed to come from the Chippewa Indian word mishi-gami, meaning "great water." Bounded by four of the Great Lakes, Michigan has the longest freshwater shoreline in the continental United States, the longest total shoreline after Alaska (including island shorelines)[1], and more recreational boats than any other state in the union. A person in Michigan is never more than 85 miles (137 km) from a Great Lake.
Michigan is the only state composed of two separate peninsulas. The Lower Peninsula of Michigan is nicknamed "The Mitten" because it resembles the palm of a right-hand mitten. When asked where in Michigan they come from, residents of the Lower Peninsula often point to the corresponding part of their right hand. The Upper Peninsula (U.P.) is separated from the Lower Peninsula by a five-mile stretch of water known as the Straits of Mackinac, and is economically important in tourism and natural resources.
History
Michigan was home to various Native American tribes for centuries before the arrival of Europeans. When the first European explorers arrived, the most populous and influential tribes were the linguistically and ethnically related Ottawa, Chippewa, and Potawatomi. Within Michigan, the Chippewa were the most populous, estimated at between 25,000 and 35,000, and were predominant in the western Upper Peninsula and northern Wisconsin, though they were also present in other areas of the Upper Peninsula and Northern Michigan. The Ottawa primarily inhabited the area around the Straits of Mackinac and areas of Northern Michigan, while the Potawatomi resided primarily in southwest Michigan. The three tribes co-existed peacefully and formed a loose confederation known as the Council of Three Fires. Other tribes with a presence in Michigan were the Mascouten, Miami, and Wyandot (or Huron).
Michigan was explored and settled by French voyageurs in the 17th century. The first Europeans to reach what later became Michigan were Étienne Brûlé's group in 1622. The first European settlement was made in 1668 by Father Jacques Marquette, a Jesuit missionary who established a mission at Sault Ste. Marie. In 1679, Robert Cavelier Sieur de la Salle directed the construction of the Griffin--the first European sailing vessel on the upper Great Lakes. That same year, La Salle built Fort Miami at present-day St. Joseph.
In 1701, French explorer and army officer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac founded Detroit on the straits between Lakes St. Clair and Erie. Cadillac had convinced King Louis XIV's chief minister, Louis Phélypeaux, comte de Pontchartrain, that a permanent community at present-day Detroit would strengthen French control over the upper Great Lakes and repel British advances. The one hundred soldiers and workers that accompanied Cadillac built a 200-square-foot palisade and named it Fort Pontchartrain. Cadillac's wife, Marie Thérèse, soon moved to Detroit, becoming one of the first white women to settle in the Michigan wilderness. The town quickly became a major fur-trading and shipping post. At the same time, the French strengthened Fort Michilimackinac at the Straits of Mackinac in order to better control their lucrative fur-trading empire. By the mid-eighteenth century, the French had also occupied forts at present-day Niles and Sault Ste. Marie. However, most of the rest of the region remained unsettled by whites.
By 1760, the French would lose their North American empire to the British in the French and Indian War (1754–1763). Michigan passed to Great Britain in 1763 and then to the new United States two decades later.
During the war of 1812, Michigan Territory was captured by the British and remained nominally part of Upper Canada (present-day Ontario) until the congress of Vienna in 1815 re-established Michigan as a United States possession. The population grew slowly until the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825, which brought large numbers of settlers.
By the 1830s, Michigan had some 80,000 residents, which was more than enough to apply for statehood. A state government was formed in 1835, although Congressional recognition of the state languished due to a boundary dispute with Ohio, with both sides claiming a 468 square mile (1,210 km²) strip of land that included the important port city of Toledo on Lake Erie and an area to the west then known as the "Great Black Swamp." The dispute eventually culminated into what would be known as the Toledo War when Michigan and Ohio militia maneuvered in the area. Ultimately, Congress awarded the "Toledo Strip" to Ohio, and Michigan, having received the western part of the Upper Peninsula as a concession, formally entered the Union on January 26, 1837.
Thought to be useless at the time of its addition to Michigan, it was soon discovered that the Upper Peninsula was a rich and important source of lumber, iron, and copper, which would become the state's most sought-after natural resources. Geologist Douglass Houghton and land surveyor William Austin Burt were among the first to document and discover many of these resources, which led to a nation-wide increase of interest in the state.
Michigan's economy underwent a massive shift at the turn of the 20th century. The birth of the automotive industry, with Henry Ford's first plant in the Highland Park suburb of Detroit, marked the beginning of a new era in personal transportation. It was a development that not only transformed Detroit and Michigan, but permanently altered the socio-economic climate of the United States and much of the world. Grand Rapids, the second-largest city in Michigan, is also a center of automotive manufacturing. Since 1838, the city has also been noted for its thriving furniture industry.
Since World War II, Detroit's industrial base has eroded as auto companies abandoned some of the area's industrial parks in favor of less expensive labor found overseas and in southern U.S. states. Nevertheless, with more than 10 million residents, Michigan remains a large and influential state and ranks eighth in population among the 50 states.
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Geography
Michigan is made up of two peninsulas of land separated by the Straits of Mackinac. It is bordered on the south at 42º north latitude by the states of Ohio and Indiana. Its northernmost border, at 48º north latitude, lies in Lake Superior north of the shore of Isle Royale. Michigan lies between 82°30' to about 90º30' west longitude. It is bordered on the west by Lake Michigan and Wisconsin, and on the east by Ontario, Canada; Lake Huron and Lake Erie; and Detroit River and St. Clair River.
Michigan encompasses 56,809 square miles (147,135 km²) of land, 38,575 square miles (99,909 km²) of Great Lakes waters and 1,471 square miles (3,810 km²) of inland waters. At a total of 96,810 square miles (250,630 km²), it is the largest state east of the Mississippi River if territorial water is included. Georgia and Florida each have a slightly larger land area, however. The state is subdivided into 83 counties.
Further information: List of Michigan counties
Michigan borders Indiana and Ohio to the south, and Wisconsin to the southwest of the Upper Peninsula. The state also shares water boundaries with Minnesota , Illinois, the Canadian province of Ontario to the north and east, and the Canadian First Nation (Indian) reserve of Walpole Island.
The Straits of Mackinac divide Michigan into two peninsulas: the Upper Peninsula (often called simply "The U.P.") and the Lower Peninsula. They are connected only by the five-mile-long Mackinac Bridge—the third longest suspension bridge in the world. The Great Lakes that border Michigan are Lake Erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan and Lake Superior.
The heavily forested Upper Peninsula is mountainous in the west; the Porcupine Mountains, rising to an altitude of almost 2,000 feet above sea level, form the watershed between the streams flowing into Lake Superior and Lake Michigan. The surface on either side of this range is rugged. The state's highest point is Mount Arvon at 1,979 feet (603 m). The peninsula is as large as Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island combined, but has less than 330,000 inhabitants, who are sometimes called "Yoopers" (from "U.P.'ers") and whose speech (the "Yooper dialect") has been heavily influenced by the large number of Scandinavian and Canadian immigrants who settled the area during the mining boom of the late 1800's.
The Lower Peninsula, shaped like a mitten, is 277 miles (446 km) long from north to south and 195 miles (314 km) from east to west and occupies nearly two-thirds of the state's land area. The surface of the peninsula is generally level, broken by conical hills rising to an elevation difference not exceeding 200 feet. It is divided by a low water divide running north and south. The larger portion of the state is on the west of this and gradually slopes toward Lake Michigan. The highest point in the Lower Peninsula is not definitely established but is either Briar Hill at 1,705 feet (520 m), or one of several points nearby. The lowest point is the surface of Lake Erie at 571 feet (174 m).
The geographic orientation of Michigan's peninsulas make for long distances between the ends of the state. Ironwood, in the far western Upper Peninsula, lies 630 highway miles (1,015 km) from the Toledo, Ohio suburb of Lambertville in the Lower Peninsula's southeastern corner. This geographic isolation of the Western Upper Peninsula from Michigan's political and population centers makes it culturally and economically oriented more toward neighboring Wisconsin than to downstate Michigan, and has led to occasional calls for secession from the Lower Peninsula.
There are numerous lakes and marshes in both peninsulas, and the coast is much indented. Keweenaw, Whitefish, and the Big and Little Bays De Noc are the principal indentations on the Upper Peninsula, while the Grand and Little Traverse, Thunder, and Saginaw bays indent the Lower Peninsula. Other than Alaska, Michigan has the longest shoreline of any state—2,242 miles (3,607 km). An additional 879 miles (1,415 km) can be added if islands are included. This roughly equals the length of the Atlantic Coast from Maine to Florida. The state has numerous large islands, the principal ones being the Manitou, Beaver, and Fox groups in Lake Michigan; Isle Royale and Grande Isle in Lake Superior; Marquette, Bois Blanc, and Mackinac Islands in Lake Huron; and Nebish, Sugar, and Drummond Islands in St. Mary's River (see also Islands of Michigan).
The state's rivers are small, short and shallow, and few are navigable. The principal ones include the Au Sable, Thunder Bay, Cheboygan, and Saginaw, flowing into Lake Huron; Ontonagon, and Tahquamenon into Lake Superior, and the St. Joseph, Kalamazoo, Grand, and Escanaba into Lake Michigan. (See List of Michigan rivers). The state has more than 11,000 inland lakes and more than 36,000 miles (58,000 km) of rivers and streams and no point in Michigan is more than 6 miles (10 km) from an inland lake or more than 85 miles (137 km) from one of the Great Lakes.
Detroit is the only major city in the United States from which one must travel southward to cross the border into Canada.
The state is home to several national parks, including: Isle Royale National Park, Keweenaw National Historical Park, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, and Father Marquette National Memorial.
See also: Protected areas of Michigan and List of Michigan state parks
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Geology
The geological formation of the state is greatly varied. Primary boulders are found over the entire surface of the Upper Peninsula (being principally of primitive origin), while Secondary deposits cover the entire Lower Peninsula. The Upper Peninsula exhibits Lower Silurian sandstones, limestones, copper and iron bearing rocks, corresponding to the Huronian system of Canada. The central portion of the Lower Peninsula contains coal measures and rocks of the permo-Carboniferous period. Devonian and sub-Carboniferous deposits are scattered over the entire state.
The soil is of a varied composition and in large areas is very fertile, especially in the south. However, the Upper Peninsula for the most part is rocky and mountainous, and the soil is unsuitable for agriculture. The climate is tempered by the proximity of the lakes and is much milder than in other locales with the same latitude. The principal forest trees include basswood, maple, elm, sassafras, butternut, walnut, poplar, hickory, oak, willow, pine, birch, beech, hemlock, witchhazel, tamarack, cedar, locust, dogwood, and ash.
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Demographics
Historical populations
Census
year Population
1800 3,757
1810 4,762
1820 7,452
1830 28,004
1840 212,267
1850 397,654
1860 749,113
1870 1,184,059
1880 1,636,937
1890 2,093,890
1900 2,420,982
1910 2,810,173
1920 3,668,412
1930 4,842,325
1940 5,256,106
1950 6,371,766
1960 7,823,194
1970 8,875,083
1980 9,262,078
1990 9,295,297
2000 9,938,444
2005 est. 10,120,860
As of 2005, Michigan has an estimated population of 10,120,860, which is an increase of 16,654, or 0.2%, from the prior year and an increase of 182,380, or 1.8%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 235,760 people (that is 691,897 births minus 456,137 deaths) and a decrease due to net migration of 42,183 people out of the state. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 122,901 people, and migration within the country produced a net loss of 165,084 people. The state's population increased by 817,000 between 1990 and 2004, an 8.8% growth
As of 2004, the state had a foreign-born population of 594,700 (5.9% of the state population).
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Race and ancestry
The racial makeup of Michigan, according to the 2000 Census:
* 80.2% Caucasian
* 14.2% African American
* 1.8% Asian American
* 0.6% Native American
* 1.9% Mixed race
The five largest reported ancestries in Michigan are: German (20.4%), African American (14.2%), Irish (10.7%), English (9.9%), Polish (8.6%). 3.3% of the population is of Hispanic origin, a category that may include members of any race.
Americans of German ancestry are present throughout most of Michigan. Nordic (especially Finnish), British, and French ancestry have a notable presence in the Upper Peninsula. Western Michigan is well-known for the Dutch heritage of many residents (the highest concentration of any state), especially in the Grand Rapids-Holland area. Metro Detroit has many residents of Polish, Irish, and Arab ancestry, and African Americans are a majority in the city of Detroit, Benton Harbor, and several other cities.
Michigan Population Density Map
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Michigan Population Density Map
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Religion
The religious affiliations of the people of Michigan are:
* Christian – 82%
o Protestant – 58%
+ Baptist – 15%
+ Methodist – 10%
+ Pentecostal – 7%
+ Lutheran – 5%
+ Reformed – 4%
+ United Church of Christ – 3%
+ Church of Christ – 2%
+ Other Protestant – 12%
o Roman Catholic – 23%
o Other Christian – 1%
* Muslim – 2%
* Jewish – 1%
* Other Religions – <1%
* Non-Religious – 15%
Michigan has a higher percentage of Muslims (in the Detroit area) and a higher percentage of Reformed Christians (in Grand Rapids and the western part of the state) than any other American state.
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Important cities
Detroit's downtown viewed from the Detroit River
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Detroit's downtown viewed from the Detroit River
Further information: List of cities, villages, and townships in Michigan
The largest cities in Michigan are (according to the 2000 census):
* Detroit population 951,270 (also known as "Motor City" and Motown).
* Grand Rapids population 197,800 (The Furniture City).
* Warren population 138,247.
* Flint population 124,943 (The birthplace of General Motors, also known as "Buick City") .
* Sterling Heights population 124,471.
* Lansing population 119,128 (the state capital).
* Ann Arbor population 114,024 (the home of the University of Michigan)
* Livonia, population 100,545
* Dearborn, population 98,000 (headquarters of the Ford Motor Company; birthplace of Henry Ford)
Other important cities include:
* Battle Creek (Cereal City U.S.A.)
* Bay City (major port on the Saginaw River)
* East Lansing (home of Michigan State University)
* Frankenmuth (Michigan's Little Bavaria)
* Holland (home of the Michigan Dutch)
* Kalamazoo (the home of Western Michigan University)
* Marquette (largest city in the Upper Peninsula with 19,661 people).
* Midland (headquarters of the Dow Chemical Company)
* Saginaw (largest of the tri-cities)
* Sault Ste. Marie (home of the Soo Locks and Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge)
* Traverse City (the "Cherry Capital of the World")
As ranked by per capita income, the 20 wealthiest municipalities in Michigan according to the U.S. census2 of 2000 are:
1. Barton Hills, $110,683
2. Bloomfield Hills, $104,920
3. Lake Angelus, $83,792
4. Bingham Farms, $74,588
5. Franklin, $71,033
6. Grosse Pointe Shores, $69,639
7. Orchard Lake Village, $67,881
8. Michiana, $63,558
9. Bloomfield Township, $62,716
10. Birmingham, $59,314
11. Grosse Pointe Farms, $54,846
12. Grosse Pointe, $53,942
13. Grand Beach, $51,788
14. Sylvan Lake, $48,744
15. Huntington Woods, $45,264
16. South Gull Lake, $45,175
17. West Bloomfield Township, $44,885
18. Northville, $43,454
19. Beverly Hills, $43,452
20. Grosse Ile, $42,150
Of these 20 locations, half are located in Oakland County, just north of Detroit. Only three of these cities are located outside of Metro Detroit. Detroit, with a per capita income of $14,717, ranks 517th on the list of Michigan locations by per capita income. Benton Harbor is the poorest city in Michigan, with a per capita income of $8,965.
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Law and government
Michigan's state capital is Lansing, which is home to all three branches of state government. The chief executive is the governor, currently Jennifer Granholm. The legislative branch consists of the bicameral Michigan Legislature, with a House of Representatives and Senate. The state's constitution provides for voter initiative and referendum (Article II, § 9 [2], defined as "the power to propose laws and to enact and reject laws, called the initiative, and the power to approve or reject laws enacted by the legislature, called the referendum. The power of initiative extends only to laws which the legislature may enact under this constitution").
Michigan counties and townships are statutory units of government, meaning that they have only those powers expressly provided or fairly implied by state law. Cities and villages are vested with home rule powers, meaning that they can do almost anything not prohibited by law.
There are two types of townships in Michigan: general law and charter. Charter township status was created by the state legislature in 1947 and grants additional powers and stream-lined administration in order to provide greater protection against annexation by a city. As of April 2001, there were 127 charter townships in Michigan.
Like other northern states, the Republican Party dominated Michigan until the Great Depression. In 1912, Michigan was one of the few states to support progressive third party candidate Theodore Roosevelt for president. In recent years, the state's strong industrial and union heritage has made the state lean toward the Democratic Party, at least in national elections. Michigan has supported Democrats in the last four presidential elections. In 2004, John Kerry narrowly defeated George W. Bush, winning Michigan's 17 electoral votes by a margin of 3 percentage points with 51.2% of the vote. Republicans' greatest strength is in the western, northern, and rural parts of the state, especially in the Grand Rapids area. Democrats are strongest in the east, especially in Metro Detroit.
See also: List of Michigan Governors, List of United States Senators from Michigan, and List of United States Representatives from Michigan
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Economy
Greetings from Michigan
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Greetings from Michigan
Michigan is primarily known as the birthplace of the automobile industry. However, it is also home to a thriving tourist industry, with destinations such as Traverse City, Mackinac Island, Saugatuck and the entire Upper Peninsula drawing vacationers, hunters, and nature enthusiasts from across the United States and Canada. Although it has an urban image to non-visitors, Michigan is actually 50 percent forested, much of it quite remote. Both the forests and thousands of miles of beaches are top attractions. Tourists also flock to many of the museums, particularly those in the Detroit area.
Hunting is a major component of Michigan's economy. Michigan ranks first in the nation in licensed hunters (over one million) who contribute $2 billion annually to its economy. Over three-quarters of a million hunters participate in white-tailed deer season alone. Some K-12 school districts in rural areas of Michigan go so far as to cancel school on the opening day of rifle season, due to safety and attendance concerns.
Michigan's Department of Natural Resources manages the largest dedicated state forest system in the nation. The forest products industry and recreational users contribute $12 billion and 200,000 associated jobs annually to the state's economy. Michigan has more than 90 native species of trees, more than all of Europe combined.
The Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates that Michigan's total state product in 2003 was $359 billion.[3] Per capita personal income in 2003 was $31,178 and ranked twentieth in the nation.
Major industries/products include automobiles (General Motors, Ford, Daimler-Chrysler), Amway, cereal (Kellogg's), copper, furniture (Steelcase, Herman Miller, Haworth), and iron.
See also: List of companies based in Michigan
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Education
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Colleges and universities
* Adrian College
* Albion College
* Alma College
* Andrews University
* Aquinas College
* Ave Maria College
* Ave Maria School of Law
* Baker College
* Calvin College
* Calvin Theological Seminary
* Center for Humanistic Studies
* Central Bible College
* Central Michigan University
* Cleary University
* College for Creative Studies
* Concordia University
* Cornerstone University
* Cranbrook Academy of Art
* Davenport University
* Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary
* Eastern Michigan University
* Ecumenical Theological Seminary
* Ferris State University
* Finlandia University
* Grace Bible College
* Grand Rapids Baptist Seminary
* Grand Valley State University
* Great Lakes Christian College
* Hillsdale College
* Hope College
* Kalamazoo College
* Kendall College of Art and Design
* Kettering University
* Lake Superior State University
* Lawrence Technological University
* Lewis College of Business
* Madonna University
* Marygrove College
* Michigan Jewish Institute
* Michigan State University
* Michigan Technological University
* Michigan Theological Seminary
* Northern Michigan University
* Northwood University
* Oakland University
* Olivet College
* Reformed Bible College
* Rochester College
* Sacred Heart Major Seminary
* SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary
* Saginaw Valley State University
* Siena Heights University
* Spring Arbor University
* Suomi College
* Thomas M. Cooley Law School
* University of Detroit Mercy
* University of Michigan System
o University of Michigan (Ann Arbor)
o University of Michigan-Dearborn
o University of Michigan-Flint
* Walsh College of Accountancy and Business
* Wayne State University
* Western Michigan University
* Western Theological Seminary
* William Tyndale College
* Yeshiva Beth Yehudah Gedolah
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Community colleges and technical schools
* American College of Computer and Information Sciences
* Alpena Community College
* Bay de Noc Community College
* Bay Mills Community College
* Delta College
* Ellis College of NYIT
* Glen Oaks Community College
* Gogebic Community College
* Grand Rapids Community College
* Henry Ford Community College
* ITT Technical Institute - Canton, Grand Rapids, and Troy
* Jackson Community College
* Kalamazoo Valley Community College
* Kellogg Community College
* Kirtland Community College
* Lake Michigan College
* Lansing Community College
* Macomb Community College
* Mid-Michigan Community College
* Monroe County Community College
* Montcalm Community College
* Mott Community College
* Muskegon Community College
* National Institute of Technology - Southfield and Wyoming
* North Central Michigan College
* Northwestern Michigan College
* Oakland Community College
* Olympia Career Training Institute - Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo
* Saint Clair County Community College
* Schoolcraft College
* Southwestern Michigan College
* University of Phoenix - Detroit and Grand Rapids
* Washtenaw Community College
* Wayne County Community College
* West Shore Community College
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Sports
Most major league sports teams in Michigan are located in Metro Detroit, with the Detroit Tigers baseball team (MLB) and Detroit Red Wings ice hockey team (NHL) located within the city of Detroit. The Detroit Pistons men's basketball team of NBA and the Detroit Shock women's basketball team of the WNBA play at the Palace of Auburn Hills. The Detroit Lions football (NFL) once played at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac before moving to Detroit's Ford Field in 2002. 7-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams was born in Saginaw. Professional hockey got its start in Houghton, Michigan in the U.P., when the Portage Lakers were formed.
Other notable sports teams include:
* American Hockey League
o Grand Rapids Griffins,
* Arena Football League
o Detroit Fury (recently disbanded)
o Grand Rapids Rampage
* Continental Basketball Association
o Michigan Mayhem
* minor league baseball
o West Michigan Whitecaps
o Southwest Michigan Devil Rays
o Lansing Lugnuts
o Traverse City Beach Bums
* National Women's Football Association
o Detroit Demolition
* North American Hockey League
o Traverse City North Stars,
o Alpena IceDiggers
* Ontario Hockey League
o Plymouth Whalers,
o Saginaw Spirit
* United Hockey League
o Flint Generals
o Kalamazoo Wings
o Motor City Mechanics
o Muskegon Fury
o Port Huron Flags
See also: List of Michigan sport championships
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State symbols
* State nicknames: Wolverine State, Great Lakes State, Mitten State, Water Winter Wonderland
* State motto: Si quaeris peninsulam amoenam circumspice (Latin: If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you). This is a paraphrase of a statement made by British architect Sir Christopher Wren about his influence on London.
* State song: My Michigan (official since 1937, but disputed amongst Michiganders, see Michigan's State Songs)
* State bird: American Robin (since 1931)
* State mammal: White-tailed Deer (since 1997)
* State fish: Brook Trout (since 1965)
* State reptile: Painted Turtle (since 1995)
* State fossil: Mastodon (since 2000)
* State flower: Apple Blossom (adopted in 1897, official in 1997)
* State wildflower: Dwarf Lake Iris (since 1998). Known as Iris lacustris, it is a federally-listed threatened species.
* State tree: White Pine (since 1955)
* State stone: Petoskey stone (since 1965). It is composed of fossilized coral (Hexagonaria pericarnata) from long ago when the middle of the continent was covered with a shallow sea.
* State gem: Isle Royale greenstone (since 1973, also called chlorastrolite). Literally the green star stone, also known as the Isle Royale greenstone is found on Isle Royale and the Keweenaw peninsula.
* State soil: Kalkaska Sand (since 1990), ranges in color from black to yellowish brown, covers nearly a million acres (4,000 km²) in 29 counties.
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Miscellaneous information
Michigan is simultaneously known for its cities, supported by heavy industry, and its pristine wilderness, home to more than 11,000 lakes. The clang and clamor of Metro Detroit's crowded thoroughfares and busy factories stand in vivid counterpoint to the tranquility found in virtually every corner of the state.
An individual from Michigan is called a "Michiganian" or "Michigander".[4] A resident of Michigan's Upper Peninsula ("the U.P.") is often called a "Yooper" (or U.P.'er). In turn, residents of the lower peninsula may be jokingly referred to as "trolls" -- because they "live below the Mackinac Bridge." As the Lower Peninsula is famously shaped like a mitten, residents often use their left hand or right palm as a shorthand "map" to illustrate the part of the state from which they hail, or any other location to which they may be referring.
Its U.S. postal abbreviation is "MI" (traditional: "Mich."). The U.S. Navy's three ships called USS Michigan were named in honor of the state. Michigan is nicknamed the "Great Lakes State", and also the "Wolverine State", from a nickname earned during the Toledo War.
Michigan has over 130 lighthouses, the most of any U.S. state. The first lighthouses in Michigan were built between 1818 and 1822. They were built to project light at night and to serve as a landmark during the day to safely guide the passenger ships and freighters traveling the Great Lakes. See Lighthouses in the United States.
Michigan has the most registered boats (over 1 million) of any state in the Union.
Michigan is home to the Soo Locks, the world's busiest lock system, and the Mackinac and Ambassador Bridges, each formerly the world's longest suspension bridge.
Michigan's 2004 commemorative quarter featured the outline of the state and the surrounding lakes.
Michigan is home to more public golf courses than any other state.
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See also
* List of Michigan counties
* List of Michigan-related topics
* List of highways in Michigan
* List of people from Michigan
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References
1. ^ "Does Michigan have the longest coast line in the United States?" Michigan.gov
2. ^ Article II, § 9 of state constitution
3. ^ United States Bureau of Economic Analysis
4. ^ "Michiganian or Michigander?" Michigan.gov
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External links
Commons logo
Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
Michigan
Portal:Michigan
Michigan Portal
Government
* State Website
* Michigan Constitutions of 1835, 1850, 1908, and 1963
Tourism & recreation
* Travel Michigan
* Michigan Golf Magazine
* Michigan Lodging Directory
* UpNorth: The northern peninsula
* Travel guide to Michigan from Wikitravel
Culture & history
* Historic Bridges of Michigan and Elsewhere
* Michigan's Top 100 Artists & Entertainers
* CoolCities project
* Michigan Genealogy Files
* Michigan High School Alumni
* Michigan History Magazine
* InfoPlease Michigan Factsheet
Humor
* Michigan Accent Pronunciation Guide
Flag of Michigan State of Michigan
Capital Lansing
Regions Upper Peninsula: Copper Country | Keweenaw Peninsula
Lower Peninsula: Metro Detroit | Northern Michigan | The Thumb | Southern Michigan | Western Michigan
Counties Alcona | Alger | Allegan | Alpena | Antrim | Arenac | Baraga | Barry | Bay | Benzie | Berrien | Branch | Calhoun | Cass | Charlevoix | Cheboygan | Chippewa | Clare | Clinton | Crawford | Delta | Dickinson | Eaton | Emmet | Genesee | Gladwin | Gogebic | Grand Traverse | Gratiot | Hillsdale | Houghton | Huron | Ingham | Ionia | Iosco | Iron | Isabella | Jackson | Kalamazoo | Kalkaska | Kent | Keweenaw | Lake | Lapeer | Leelanau | Lenawee | Livingston | Luce | Mackinac | Macomb | Manistee | Marquette | Mason | Mecosta | Menominee | Midland | Missaukee | Monroe | Montcalm | Montmorency | Muskegon | Newaygo | Oakland | Oceana | Ogemaw | Ontonagon | Osceola | Oscoda | Otsego | Ottawa | Presque Isle | Roscommon | Saginaw | Sanilac | Schoolcraft | Shiawassee | St. Clair | St. Joseph | Tuscola | Van Buren | Washtenaw | Wayne | Wexford
Largest Urban Places
Ann Arbor | Battle Creek | Bay City | Canton | Clinton | Dearborn | Detroit | Flint | Grand Rapids | Kalamazoo | Lansing | Livonia | Midland | Pontiac | Rochester Hills | Saginaw | Shelby | Southfield | Sterling Heights | Taylor | Troy | Warren | West Bloomfield | Westland
Political divisions of the United States
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Federal district District of Columbia
Insular areas American Samoa | Guam | Northern Mariana Islands | Puerto Rico | Virgin Islands
COFA Republic of the Marshall Islands | Republic of Palau | Federated States of Micronesia
Minor outlying islands Baker Island | Howland Island | Jarvis Island | Johnston Atoll | Kingman Reef | Midway Atoll | Navassa Island | Palmyra Atoll | Wake Island
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