Welcome to Wisconsin!
Wisconsin is a state in the Midwest of the United States of America. The name Wisconsin means "meeting of the waters" and is of Native American origin. Wisconsin borders Illinois, and Iowa to the south, Minnesota to the west, and Michigan to the north. To the east lies the long Lake Michigan shoreline and in the northwest a smaller Lake Superior shoreline. Wisconsin is known nationwide for its dairy heritage, or as "America's Dairyland". Being home to two Great Lakes, thousands of inland lakes, and waterways, the state could easily be called the nation's "Waterworld" instead. The southern portion of the state is mainly agricultural and urban while the northern half is mostly rural and forested and is more similar in appearance to Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The central region acts as a transition zone with forests, farmland, and small cities. The state's largest city and urban area are Milwaukee located in southeastern Wisconsin. In south-central Wisconsin lies the state capital Madison. Green Bay is listed as the state's third-largest city. Wisconsin is a popular Midwestern travel destination both in the summer and winter months. People from Wisconsin are called cheeseheads.
Wisconsin is a state in the upper Midwestern United States, bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous.
Three of its largest cities are situated on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan, these include the largest, Milwaukee, as well as Green Bay and Kenosha, the third and fourth most populated Wisconsin cities respectively. The state capital, Madison, is currently the second most populated and fastest-growing city in the state. Wisconsin is divided into 72 counties and as of the 2020 census had a population of nearly 5.9 million. Wisconsin's geography is diverse, having been greatly impacted by glaciers during the Ice Age with the exception of the Driftless Area. The Northern Highland and Western Upland along with a part of the Central Plain occupy the western part of the state, with lowlands stretching to the shore of Lake Michigan. Wisconsin is third to Ontario and Michigan in the length of its Great Lakes coastline. The northern portion of the state is home to the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.
At the time of European contact the area was inhabited by Algonquian and Siouan nations, and today is home to eleven federally recognized tribes. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, many European settlers entered the state, most of whom emigrated from Germany and Scandinavia. Wisconsin remains a center of German American and Scandinavian American culture, particularly with respect to its cuisine, with foods such as bratwurst and Kringle.
The state is one of the nation's leading dairy producers and is known as "America's Dairyland", it is particularly famous for its cheese. The state is also famous for its beer, particularly and historically in Milwaukee, most notably as the headquarters of the Miller Brewing Company. Wisconsin has some of the most permissive alcohol laws in the country and is well-known for its drinking culture. Its economy is dominated by manufacturing, healthcare, information technology, and agriculture, specifically dairy, cranberries, and ginseng. Tourism is also a major contributor to the state's economy. The gross domestic product in 2020 was $348 billion.