# Travel >> Destinations >> United States

Wisconsin's Location: America's Dairyland in the Upper Midwest

Wisconsin: Geography and Context

Wisconsin occupies a pivotal position in the Upper Midwest / Great Lakes region of the United States. Bordered by two Great Lakes and four states, it's a nexus of water, forest, and agricultural landscapes.

Coordinates & Boundaries

Latitude: 42°30'N to 47°3'N
Longitude: 86°49'W to 92°54'W
Borders:
- North: Lake Superior (water border with Michigan UP, Minnesota)
- East: Lake Michigan (water border with Michigan)
- South: Illinois (land border)
- Southwest: Iowa (Mississippi River border)
- West: Minnesota (St. Croix River, then land)

Regional Context

Great Lakes State: 1,000+ miles Great Lakes shoreline (2nd to Michigan).
Mississippi Headwaters: Lake Itasca (MN) → WI western border.
Driftless Area: SW WI unglaciated — rugged hills, cold streams, unique ecology.
Northwoods: Northern 1/3 — mixed forest, 15,000+ lakes, tourism, logging.

Major Cities

Madison (Capital): 270K. Isthmus between Lakes Mendota & Monona. UW-Madison. Government, tech, biotech.
Milwaukee: 570K (metro 1.6M). Lake Michigan port. Brewing heritage, manufacturing, finance, festivals.
Green Bay: 107K. Fox River mouth. Packers (NFL). Paper, food processing.
Kenosha/Racine: Chicago metro fringe. Manufacturing, commuting.
Appleton/Oshkosh/Eau Claire/La Crosse: Regional hubs.

Economic Geography

Dairy ($45B), manufacturing (machinery, paper, food processing), tourism (Door County, Dells, Northwoods), forestry, cranberries (1st US), ginseng (Marathon Co.), tech (Epic Systems, Madison).