About Michigan

Michigan was the 26th state in the USA; it became a state on January 26, 1837. State Abbreviation - MI State Capital - Lansing Largest City - Detroit Area - 96,810 square miles [Michigan is the 11th biggest state in the USA] Population - 9,938,444 (as of 2000) [Michigan is the eighth most populous state in the USA, after California, New York, Texas,Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Ohio] Name for Residents - Michiganders, Michiganians or Michiganites Major Industries - car manufacturing, farming (corn, soybeans, wheat), timber, fishing Major Rivers - Detroit River, Grand River, Kalamazoo River, St. Clair River, St. Marys River Major Lakes - Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, Lake St. Clair Highest Point - Mt. Arvon - 1,978 feet (604 m) above sea level Bordering States - Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana, Minnesota (across Lake Superior) Bordering Country - Canada Origin of the Name Michigan - Michigan is from an Algonquian Chippewa Indian word "meicigama" that means "big sea wate" (referring to the Great Lakes). State Nickname - Wolverine State State Motto - "Si quaeris peninsulam amoenam, circum spice" [If you are seeking a amenable (pleasant) peninsula, look around you] State Song - Michigan, My Michigan

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