| State of Wisconsin | |
| Coordinates | 44°30’N, 89°30’W |
| General | |
| Surface | 169,790 km² (17.1% water) |
| Inhabitants | 5,711,767 (40.6 inhabitant/km²) |
| Capital city | Madison |
| Politics | |
| Governor | Tony Evers (D) |
| Other | |
| Time zone | Central Standard Time (UTC−6) |
| Joined | May 29, 1848 |
| Nickname | Badger State |
| ISO 3166-2 | US-WI |
| Website | wisconsin.gov |
Wisconsin is one of the states of the United States. The standard abbreviation for the “Badger State,” as its nickname goes, is WI. The capital is Madison and the largest city is Milwaukee. The state’s name is derived from the Wisconsin River , which flows through the state.
History
Before Europeans colonized present-day Wisconsin, it was inhabited by various Native American peoples. Until the 18th century, the area was in French hands, who lost it to the English. The name is derived via French from a Myamia word that would mean “this river meanders through red stone”, a reference to the red sandstone cliffs of the Wisconsin Dells.
Wisconsin also originally included an area that was added to Michigan in 1835 and is now known as the Upper Peninsula.
Wisconsin formally became the 30th state of the United States on May 29, 1848. It was part of the Union during the American Civil War . Later in the decade, Germans, Poles, Norwegians, Irish, Dutch, Belgians, Swiss, and other Europeans immigrated to Wisconsin. These immigrants were seeking better economic opportunities, and in some cases fleeing political oppression.
Dutch and Belgians
A group of Catholic Dutchmen, consisting mainly of poor smallholder farmers from North Brabant and Limburg, left for the state of Wisconsin, where they settled in Little Chute and Green Bay, among other places. A large group of Belgians and Dutchmen also settled in the state, including in Brown County and Kewaunee County. Some place names (such as Belgium and Namur) keep the memory of this alive.
Every year there is a Holland festival in Cedar Grove.
Geography
The state of Wisconsin covers 169,790 km², of which 140,787 km² is land. The state is located in the Central time zone. Wisconsin borders Michigan to the north, Minnesota and Iowa to the west, and Illinois to the south.
According to JIBIN123.COM, Wisconsin is located on two of the Great Lakes: Lake Upper and Lake Michigan. The western border is largely formed by the St. Croix River and the Mississippi. The Wisconsin flowing into the Mississippi flows through the state. Wisconsin also has many lakes, of which Lake Winnebago is the largest.
The state is quite flat; the highest point is the summit of Timms Hill (595 m).
Climate
The southernmost part of Wisconsin has a humid continental climate with hot summers and the colder north is classified as a humid continental climate with warm summers. The highest temperature ever recorded was in Wisconsin Dells, on July 13, 1936, where the temperature reached a maximum of 46°C (114°F). The lowest temperature was recorded in Couderay, Wisconsin. Temperatures there dropped to -48°C (-55°F) on both February 2 and 4, 1996.
| Average Minimum and Maximum Temperatures for Wisconsin Cities by Month [°F (°C)] | ||||||||||||
| City | Jan | Feb | mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Green Bay | 25/10(−4/−12) | 29/13(−2/−11) | 40/23(5/−5) | 55/35(13/1) | 67/45(19/7) | 76/55(25/13) | 81/59(27/15) | 79/58(26/14) | 71/49(22/10) | 58/38(14/4) | 43/28(6/−2) | 30/15(−1/−9) |
| Hurley | 19/0(−7/−18) | 26/4(-4/−16) | 36/16(2/+9) | 49/29(9/-2) | 65/41(18/5) | 73/50(23/10) | 76/56(25/15) | 75/54(24/12) | 65/46(18/8) | 53/35(12/2) | 36/22(2/-6) | 24/8(-5/−14) |
| La Crosse | 26/6(−3/−14) | 32/13(0/−11) | 45/24(7/−4) | 60/37(16/3) | 77/49(22/9) | 81/58(27/14) | 85/63(29/17) | 82/61(28/16) | 74/52(23/22) | 61/40(16/4) | 44/27(7/−3) | 30/14(−1/−10) |
| Madison | 27/11(−3/−12) | 32/15(0/−9) | 44/25(7/−4) | 58/36(14/2) | 69/46(21/8) | 79/56(26/13) | 82/61(28/16) | 80/59(27/15) | 73/50(23/10) | 60/39(15/3) | 45/28(7/−2) | 31/16(−1/−9) |
| Milwaukee | 29/16(−2/−9) | 33/19(0/−7) | 42/28(6/−2) | 54/37(12/3) | 65/47(18/8) | 75/57(24/14) | 80/64(27/18) | 79/63(26/17) | 17/88(22/13) | 59/43(15/6) | 46/32(8/0) | 33/20(0/−7) |
| Superior | 21/2(−6/−17) | 26/6(-3/−14) | 35/17(2/−8) | 46/29(8/-2) | 56/38(13/3) | 66/47(19/8) | 75/56(24/13) | 74/57(23/14) | 65/47(18/8) | 52/36(11/2) | 38/23(3/−5) | 25/9(−4/−13) |
Demography and Economics
Wisconsin had a population of 5,363,675 (32 per km²). More than 40% is of German descent.
The largest city in Wisconsin is Milwaukee. Other cities include the capital Madison, Green Bay, Kenosha, Racine, Appleton, Oshkosh, and Eau Claire.
The gross product of the state in 2001 was $177 billion.
Wisconsin is an agricultural state and the largest cheese producer in the United States. Due to the great importance of the cheese industry, the state is sometimes referred to as “America’s dairyland”
Administrative division
According to COUNTRYAAH, Wisconsin is divided into 72 counties.
| County | Inhabitants 1 July, 2007 |
County Seat | Inhabitants 1 July, 2007 |
| Adams | 20.675 | Friendship | 743 |
| Ashland | 16.296 | Ashland | 8064 |
| Barron | 45.606 | Barron | 3158 |
| Bayfield | 15.039 | Washburn | 2105 |
| Brown | 243.132 | Green Bay | 100.781 |
| Buffalo | 13.812 | Alma | 894 |
| Burnett | 16.321 | Siren | 831 |
| Calumet | 44.323 | Chilton | 3611 |
| Chippewa | 60.402 | Chippewa Falls | 13.319 |
| Clark | 33.490 | Neillsville | 2574 |
| Columbia | 55.280 | Portage | 9802 |
| Crawford | 16.998 | Prairie du Chien | 5768 |
| Dane | 476.785 | Madison | 228.775 |
| Dodge | 87.786 | Juneau | 2596 |
| Door | 27.811 | Sturgeon Bay | 8975 |
| Douglas | 43.721 | Superior | 26.625 |
| Dunn | 42.329 | Menomonie | 15.421 |
| Eau Claire | 97.406 | Eau Claire | 64.980 |
| Florence | 4768 | Florence | — |
| Fond du Lac | 99.124 | Fond du Lac | 42.063 |
| Forest | 9807 | Crandon | 1864 |
| Grant | 48.792 | Lancaster | 3869 |
| Green | 35.727 | Monroe | 10.512 |
| Green Lake | 18.735 | Green Lake | 1138 |
| Iowa | 23.561 | Dodgeville | 4502 |
| Iron | 6307 | Hurley | 1586 |
| Jackson | 19.856 | Black River Falls | 3457 |
| Jefferson | 80.213 | Jefferson | 7792 |
| Juneau | 26.548 | Mauston | 4264 |
| Kenosha | 162.921 | Kenosha | 96.265 |
| Kewaunee | 20.533 | Kewaunee | 2813 |
| La Crosse | 111.411 | La Crosse | 50.719 |
| Lafayette | 15.819 | Darlington | 2257 |
| Langlade | 20.302 | Antigo | 8088 |
| Lincoln | 29.659 | Merrill | 9649 |
| Manitowoc | 80.928 | Manitowoc | 33.033 |
| Marathon | 129.958 | Wausau | 38.054 |
| Marinette | 42.571 | Marinette | 10.759 |
| Marquette | 14.982 | Montello | 1445 |
| Menominee | 4616 | Keshena | 1394 |
| Milwaukee | 951.252 | Milwaukee | 602.191 |
| Monroe | 43.112 | Sparta | 8971 |
| Oconto | 37.466 | Oconto | 4610 |
| Oneida | 36.243 | Rhinelander | 7687 |
| Outagamie | 173.703 | Appleton | 70.017 |
| Ozaukee | 85.602 | Port Washington | 11.020 |
| Pepin | 7383 | Durand | 1879 |
| Pierce | 39.577 | Ellsworth | 3116 |
| Polk | 44.265 | Balsam Lake | 1041 |
| Portage | 68.272 | Stevens Point | 24.849 |
| Price | 14.465 | Phillips | 1483 |
| Racine | 195.099 | Racine | 78.805 |
| Richland | 18.142 | Richland Center | 5077 |
| Rock | 159.623 | Janesville | 63.012 |
| Rusk | 14.655 | Ladysmith | 3525 |
| Sauk | 58.477 | Baraboo | 11.049 |
| Sawyer | 17.088 | Hayward | 2285 |
| Shawano | 41.072 | Shawano | 8630 |
| Sheboygan | 114.504 | Sheboygan | 48.130 |
| St. Croix | 81.131 | Hudson | 12.049 |
| Taylor | 19.312 | Medford | 4050 |
| Trempealeau | 27.815 | Whitehall | 1608 |
| Vernon | 29.014 | Viroqua | 4327 |
| Vilas | 22.083 | Eagle River | 1542 |
| Walworth | 100.800 | Elkhorn | 9077 |
| Washburn | 16.682 | Shell Lake | 1308 |
| Washington | 128.211 | West Bend | 29.778 |
| Waukesha | 379.333 | Waukesha | 66.762 |
| Waupaca | 52.045 | Waupaca | 5849 |
| Waushara | 24.766 | Wautoma | 2068 |
| Winnebago | 162.154 | Oshkosh | 64.592 |
| Wood | 73.944 | Wisconsin Rapids | 17.493 |
Politics
The executive branch of the state is headed by a governor, who is directly elected by the voters in the state. The 2018 gubernatorial election was won by Tony Evers of the Democratic Party. He took office as governor of Wisconsin in January 2019.
The legislature consists of the Wisconsin State Assembly (lower house) with 99 members and the Wisconsin Senate (upper house) with 33 members.
Transport
The state of Wisconsin is served by several regional airports. The state also boasts an extensive highway network consisting of eight interstate highways.
Amtrak, the US national rail operator, serves the state with two different train services: Hiawatha (7 times a day between Milwaukee and Chicago) and the “empire builder” (1 time a day in each direction between Seattle/Portland – Chicago)
Born
- Jeffrey Dahmer (1960-1994), serial killer
- Joseph Detmer (1983), all-rounder
In popular media
The American TV series “That 70’s Show” is set in Wisconsin. The characters live in the fictional town “Point place”. The “Happy Days” series was also set in Wisconsin, Milwaukee, to be precise.
