Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos

Michigan: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

The Information Architects maintain a master list of the topics included in the corpus of  Encyclopædia Britannica, and create and manage the relationships between them.
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Last updated

News •

Ford throws open the doors to its new Vault, unveiling 125 rare historic vehicles • Nov. 13, 2026, 11:02 AM ET (AP)
Michigan surges to No. 2 in AP Top 25 women's poll after win over UConn; South Carolina still No. 1 • Nov. 9, 2026, 12:01 PM ET (AP)
Braylon Mullins scores 23 as No. 4 UConn beats No. 16 Michigan 85-77 in rematch of NCAA title game • Nov. 6, 2026, 11:03 PM ET (AP)
No. 5 Michigan tops No. 2 UConn and coach Kim Barnes Arico ends another Geno Auriemma winning streak • Nov. 5, 2026, 10:23 PM ET (AP)
'JD, habibi.' Arabs celebrate El-Sayed's use of a term of affection in his victory speech • Nov. 5, 2026, 9:02 PM ET (AP)

Facts

Also Known As Great Lakes State
Capital Lansing
Population1 (2020) 10,077,331; (2025 est.) 10,127,884
Governor Gretchen Whitmer (Democrat)
Date Of Admission Jan. 26, 1837
U.S. Senators Gary Peters (Democrat) • Debbie Stabenow (Democrat)
State Nickname Wolverine State • Great Lake State
State Motto "Si Quaeris Peninsulam Amoenam Circumspice (If You Seek a Pleasant Peninsula, Look About You)"
State Bird American robin
State Flower2 apple blossom • dwarf lake iris
State Song “My Michigan”
Seats In U.S. House Of Representatives 13 (of 435)
Time Zone Central (GMT − 6 hours) • Eastern (GMT − 5 hours)
Total Area (Sq Km) 250,487
Total Area (Sq Mi) 96,713
1Excluding military abroad.2The dwarf lake iris is the state wildflower.

Photos and Videos

Michigan: flag
The great seal of Michigan features a shield with a man holding a gun and raising his hand beside a lake and sunrise, flanked by an elk and a moose. An eagle sits above the shield with a red banner reading E Pluribus Unum. The shield bears the motto Tuebor, meaning I Will Defend, and a banner below reads Si Quaeris Peninsulam Amoenam Circumspice. The outer blue ring states The Great Seal of the State of Michigan A.D. MDCCCXXXV.
Michigan's state bird is the American robin.
The apple blossom is the state flower of Michigan.
Political map of Michigan showing state and county boundaries, major cities, and county seats. The map includes both the Upper and Lower Peninsulas, with neighboring states and Canadian provinces labeled. Insets highlight the Detroit metropolitan area and Michigan's location within the United States. Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, and Erie are shown surrounding the state.
Mackinac Bridge
Detroit, Michigan
Map of Michigan displaying major physical features, including the Upper and Lower Peninsulas, surrounding Great Lakes (Superior, Michigan, Huron, and Erie), major rivers, lakes, and islands. Notable sites such as Isle Royale National Park, Sleeping Bear Dunes, and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore are labeled. Insets show Michigan's location within the United States and detail the Detroit area border with Canada. State boundaries and adjacent states and provinces are marked.
Map of the Midwestern United States showing state boundaries, major cities, state capitals, rivers, lakes, and notable physical features such as the Black Hills, Badlands, Sand Hills, Ozark Plateau, and Flint Hills. The map covers states including North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio, with the Great Lakes and major rivers labeled. An inset in the upper right highlights the Midwest region on a map of the entire U
Grand Traverse Bay
Learn about Henry Ford and the Henry Ford Museum
Learn about the Union regiments and commanders Michigan contributed largely to the Western front of the American Civil War
See All Videos, Images and Interactives →

Related Topics and References

Topics
Gretchen Whitmer
Gretchen Whitmer
American politician
Pierce, John Davis
John Davis Pierce
American educator
Frank Murphy
Frank Murphy
United States jurist
Lewis Cass, engraving by W.G. Jackman after a photograph by Sutton & Bro.
Lewis Cass
American politician
default image
William Hull
American soldier

Related Places

United States
United States
country, North America
default image
River Rouge
Michigan, United States
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit
Michigan, United States
Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids
Michigan, United States
Flint
Flint
Michigan, United States
Sault Sainte Marie, Mich., located across the St. Marys River from its sister city, Sault Sainte Marie, Ont.
Sault Sainte Marie
Michigan, United States
Kellogg's Cereal City USA theme park
Battle Creek
Michigan, United States
default image
Bay City
Michigan, United States
State Capitol
Lansing
Michigan, United States
default image
Interlochen
Michigan, United States
Mackinac Bridge seen from Mackinaw City, Mich.
Mackinaw City
Michigan, United States
Map highlighting the location of Dearborn in southeastern Michigan, United States, near the border with Canada and close to Lake Erie. Surrounding states and the Great Lakes are labeled, with an inset globe showing the region's position in North America.
Dearborn
Michigan, United States
Eastern Michigan University
Ypsilanti
Michigan, United States
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor
Michigan, United States
Cheboygan County Historical Museum Complex
Cheboygan
Michigan, United States

Related Quizzes

State capitol building in Austin, Texas.
USA Capitals and Nicknames Quiz
Close-up of a weathered, old American flag of the United States of America, used as a patriotic decoration on Fourth of July (Independence Day), Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and other national holidays.
U.S. State Nicknames Quiz
Texas State Capitol building in Austin, Texas. United States
U.S. State Capitals Quiz
Extruded map of the United States of America with states borders on national flag background. (3-d rendering)
Guess the U.S. State by Its Neighbors
Illustration. Montage of Independence Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Constitution of the United States and headshots of Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington.
Historical USA
USA, United States watercolor map Illustration in rainbow colors
50 States, 50 Fun Facts Quiz