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The state of Wisconsin is located in the upper Midwest
region. Wisconsin is bordered by the states
 of Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan and
Illinois, as well as Lakes Michigan and Superior. Today 42.6% of the population
is of German ancestry, making Wisconsin one of the most German-American states
in the United States, although there are many other major ethnic groups,
including one of the larger Hmong populations in the nation.
Since its founding, Wisconsin has been ethnically
heterogeneous, with New Englanders being among the first to arrive; for many
years they dominated the state's industry, finance, politics and education.
Large numbers of European immigrants followed them, including Germans, mostly
between 1850 and 1900, Scandinavians and smaller groups of Belgians, Swiss,
Finns, Irish Catholics and others; in the twentieth century, large numbers of
Polish and African-Americans arrived in the state.
Wisconsin's rural economy was originally based on furs; in
the 19th century, emphasis shifted to mining, lumber, farming, dairy, and
tourism. Large-scale industrialization began in the late 19th century in the
southeast of the state, with the city of Milwaukee as its major center. In
recent decades, service industries, especially medicine and education, have
become dominant. Wisconsin's landscape, largely shaped by the Wisconsin
glaciation of the last Ice Age, makes the state popular for both tourism and
many forms of outdoor recreation.
The economy of Wisconsin is driven by agriculture,
healthcare and manufacturing. Although manufacturing accounts for a far greater
part of the state's income than farming, Wisconsin is usually recognized
primarily as a farming state. Wisconsin produces more dairy products than any
other state in the United States except California, and it leads the nation in
cheese production. Although California has overtaken Wisconsin in the production
of milk and butter, Wisconsin still produces more milk per capita than any other
state in the Union. In addition to dairying, Wisconsin ranks first in the
production of corn for silage, cranberries, ginseng, and snap beans for
processing. Wisconsin is also a leading producer of oats, potatoes, carrots,
tart cherries, maple syrup, and sweet corn for processing.
Given Wisconsin's strong agricultural tradition, it is not
surprising that a large part of the state's
 manufacturing sector deals with food
processing. Some well known food brands produced in Wisconsin include Oscar
Mayer, Tombstone and Jack's frozen pizza, and Johnsonville Bratwursts. Kraft
Foods alone employs over five thousand people in the state. Milwaukee is a major
producer of beer and the home of Miller Brewing Company's world headquarters,
the nation's second largest brewer.
Wisconsin is represented by major league teams in the three
most popular spectator sports in the United States: American football (Green Bay
Packers), baseball (Milwaukee Brewers), and basketball (Milwaukee Bucks). The
Green Bay Packers have been part of the National Football League since the
league's second season in 1921 and currently hold the record for the most NFL
titles, earning the city of Green Bay the nickname "Titletown".
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Fast Facts
Population (2005) - 5,536,201
Capital - Madison
Largest Cities - Milwaukee
Madison
Green Bay
Area - 65,498 sq mi (23rd)
Highest point - Timms Hill 1,951 ft
Lowest point - Lake Michigan 579 ft
Nickname - Badger State
Motto - Forward
Personal income - $32,157 in 2004
State sales tax - 5%
Time zone - Central
Daylight Savings - Yes
Web site - www.wisconsin.gov
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