Michigan, the Wolverine State, joined the union in 1837. Located in the center of the Great Lakes, Michigan is divided into two land masses known as the Upper and Lower Peninsulas.
Connecting Michigan’s upper peninsula to the rest of the state, the Mackinac Bridge spans five miles and is one of the world’s longest suspension bridges.
Detroit, the state’s largest city, is home to the American automotive industry and is the birthplace of Motown Records.
Geography
Michigan is a great state located in the Midwest region of the United States. It is bordered by Lake Michigan to the west, Wisconsin and Illinois to the south, and Indiana to the east. Michigan is divided into two major sections, the Upper Peninsula (or UP) and the Lower Peninsula (or LP). The Upper Peninsula lies to the north of Lake Michigan, while the Lower Peninsula is located south of it.
The Upper Peninsula is known for its rugged terrain and forested landscape. It contains numerous national parks, including Isle Royale National Park and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. The UP has a total area of more than 16 thousand square miles, making it larger than some countries in Europe like Belgium or Switzerland! Its highest point is Mount Arvon in Baraga County at 1,979 feet above sea level.
The Lower Peninsula (LP) covers approximately 58 thousand square miles and has a much flatter terrain than its northern counterpart. It contains many large cities such as Detroit, Grand Rapids, Lansing and Ann Arbor as well as numerous smaller ones like Kalamazoo and Saginaw Bay City. The LP also includes many lakes including Lake Huron which forms its eastern border with Canada. Its highest point is Bald Mountain in Oakland County at 1,305 feet above sea level.
Michigan’s largest river is the Grand River which flows through both peninsulas before emptying into Lake Erie near Detroit. Other major rivers include Muskegon River, Saginaw River and Kalamazoo River which all flow through both peninsulas before emptying into Lake Michigan near Chicago or Milwaukee respectively.
Michigan has four distinct seasons with winter temperatures ranging from 0-30 degrees Fahrenheit (-17-34 Celsius) depending on location within the state; spring temperatures range from 45-65 degrees Fahrenheit (7-18 Celsius); summer temperatures range from 70-90 degrees Fahrenheit (21-32 Celsius); while fall temperatures range from 45-65 degrees Fahrenheit (7-18 Celsius).
Overall Michigan’s geography offers an array of features that make it unique among other states in America such as its two separate peninsulas, numerous forests and lakes as well as four distinct seasons that provide ample opportunities for recreation year round.
Cities in Michigan
Below are the top 15 cities by population in Michigan. For all cities and towns in the state, please see Michigan cities list.
| Rank | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Detroit | 645,658 |
| 2 | Grand Rapids | 197,858 |
| 3 | Warren city | 138,996 |
| 4 | Sterling Heights | 134,062 |
| 5 | Ann Arbor | 122,731 |
| 6 | Lansing | 113,592 |
| 7 | Dearborn | 107,985 |
| 8 | Clinton charter township | 100,328 |
| 9 | Canton charter township | 97,591 |
| 10 | Livonia | 95,294 |
| 11 | Macomb | 90,818 |
| 12 | Troy city | 86,912 |
| 13 | Westland | 84,961 |
| 14 | Farmington Hills | 83,749 |
| 15 | Flint | 83,312 |
Counties in Michigan
The State of Michigan consists of 83 counties. They are:
- Alcona County, Michigan
- Alger County, Michigan
- Allegan County, Michigan
- Alpena County, Michigan
- Antrim County, Michigan
- Arenac County, Michigan
- Baraga County, Michigan
- Barry County, Michigan
- Bay County, Michigan
- Benzie County, Michigan
- Berrien County, Michigan
- Branch County, Michigan
- Calhoun County, Michigan
- Cass County, Michigan
- Charlevoix County, Michigan
- Cheboygan County, Michigan
- Chippewa County, Michigan
- Clare County, Michigan
- Clinton County, Michigan
- Crawford County, Michigan
- Delta County, Michigan
- Dickinson County, Michigan
- Eaton County, Michigan
- Emmet County, Michigan
- Genesee County, Michigan
- Gladwin County, Michigan
- Gogebic County, Michigan
- Grand Traverse County, Michigan
- Gratiot County, Michigan
- Hillsdale County, Michigan
- Houghton County, Michigan
- Huron County, Michigan
- Ingham County, Michigan
- Ionia County, Michigan
- Iosco County, Michigan
- Iron County, Michigan
- Isabella County, Michigan
- Jackson County, Michigan
- Kalamazoo County, Michigan
- Kalkaska County, Michigan
- Kent County, Michigan
- Keweenaw County, Michigan
- Lake County, Michigan
- Lapeer County, Michigan
- Leelanau County, Michigan
- Lenawee County, Michigan
- Livingston County, Michigan
- Luce County, Michigan
- Mackinac County, Michigan
- Macomb County, Michigan
- Manistee County, Michigan
- Marquette County, Michigan
- Mason County, Michigan
- Mecosta County, Michigan
- Menominee County, Michigan
- Midland County, Michigan
- Missaukee County, Michigan
- Monroe County, Michigan
- Montcalm County, Michigan
- Montmorency County, Michigan
- Muskegon County, Michigan
- Newaygo County, Michigan
- Oakland County, Michigan
- Oceana County, Michigan
- Ogemaw County, Michigan
- Ontonagon County, Michigan
- Osceola County, Michigan
- Oscoda County, Michigan
- Otsego County, Michigan
- Ottawa County, Michigan
- Presque Isle County, Michigan
- Roscommon County, Michigan
- Saginaw County, Michigan
- Saint Clair County, Michigan
- Saint Joseph County, Michigan
- Sanilac County, Michigan
- Schoolcraft County, Michigan
- Shiawassee County, Michigan
- Tuscola County, Michigan
- Van Buren County, Michigan
- Washtenaw County, Michigan
- Wayne County, Michigan
- Wexford County, Michigan
