Michigan is a distinctive Great Lakes state in the Upper Midwest, uniquely comprising two peninsulas separated by the Straits of Mackinac and linked by the 5-mile-long Mackinac Bridge, giving it the longest freshwater coastline in the U.S. With a population of over 10 million, it is the tenth-largest state by population, featuring Lansing as its capital and Detroit as its most populous city and a major economic hub. The region was originally inhabited by Indigenous peoples such as the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi, before being claimed by French explorers in the 17th century and eventually admitted as the 26th U.S. state on January 26, 1837.
Historically known as the center of the U.S. automotive industry since the early 20th century—still home to the "Big Three" automobile companies in Metro Detroit—Michigan now boasts a diversified economy. While its Lower Peninsula is a hub for manufacturing, agriculture, and high-tech industries, the heavily forested Upper Peninsula has transformed into an important tourism destination, valued for its abundant natural resources.