Michigan is located in the northern part of the Midwest region of the United States. Its name comes from a French form of a Native American word meaning "large water" or "large lake," as it borders four Great Lakes, as well as Lake St. Clair, and has 64,980 inland lakes and ponds. Michigan is known as "The Wolverine State," which derives from the trade of wolverine furs in Sault Ste. Marie in the 18th century, though wolverines are very rare in Michigan. The state is the tenth most populated state in the U.S. and is eleventh in total area. It is the only state to consist of two peninsulas, the Upper and Lower Peninsulas, which are only connected by a bridge across the Straits of Mackinac, which joins Lake Huron and Lake Michigan. It borders Lake Erie, Lake Huron, and Lake St. Clair to the east, Lake Michigan to the west, and Lake Superior to the north. The Upper Peninsula borders Wisconsin and Minnesota, with the land boundary defined by the Menominee River and Montreal River; it also shares water boundaries in Lake Superior with Wisconsin and Minnesota to the west, and shares a water boundary in Lake Michigan with Illinois. The Lower Peninsula borders Indiana and Ohio to the south and east, sharing land and water boundaries, and a small part of Canada to the east. The largest city by population is Detroit, with Grand Rapids being the next largest; Lansing is the capital.

Michigan has the longest freshwater coastline of any political subdivision in the world, and is one of the leading states for recreational boating. It has more public golf courses, registered boats, and lighthouses than any other U.S. state. The Upper Peninsula is sparsely populated, but is economically important as a tourist destination as well as its natural resources. The state is widely known as a center of the U.S. automotive industry, as it is home to three major automobile companies headquartered in the Detroit area, though it has developed a diverse economy. Other products and services include food products, information technology, military equipment, furniture, and mining of copper and iron ore; Michigan is the third leading grower of Christmas trees. Detroit Metropolitan Airport was recently expanded and modernized with six major runways and large aircraft maintenance facilities. Michigan has 38 deep water ports, which give its infrastructure a competitive edge. Michigan's schools and colleges rank highly in the United States. Michigan State University has the eighth largest campus population of any college of university in the U.S. Other state universities include Central Michigan University, University of Michigan, Michigan Technological University, Oakland University, Wayne State University, and Western Michigan University.

Agriculture is also a major industry, with a variety of commodity crops, fruits, and vegetables grown in the state, making it second only to California in the diversity of its agriculture. The most valuable agricultural product is milk. Primary crops produced include corn, soybeans, flowers, wheat, sugar beets, and potatoes. There are some livestock products, but crops account for the majority of agricultural products. The state is a leading grower of fruit in the county, which includes blueberries, tart cherries, apples, grapes, peaches, plums, pears, and strawberries. These are primarily grown in West Michigan due to the climate. Cherries, grapes, and apples are also grown in Northwest Michigan along the lake. The Saginaw Valley grows corn, sugar beets, navy beans, and soybeans; the fourth largest sugar refiner is located in Michigan, and it is the largest east of the Mississippi River.