Wisconsin , upper midwestern state of the United States. It is bounded by Lake Superior and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, from which it is divided by the Menominee R. (N); Lake Michigan (E); Illinois (S); and Iowa and Minnesota (W), with the Mississippi R. forming much of that border. The rough isolation of Wisconsin's North Woods region is cut by part of the Gogebic range, from which much iron ore was extracted before 1965. Iron mining was resumed briefly in 1969 but has since stopped altogether. Sand and gravel, stone, and lime are other valuable mineral resources; zinc (as well as lead) is mined in the Driftless Area in the southwest. Important copper deposits were discovered in the north in the 1970s. The state's greatest natural resource since its earliest days has been lumber. Dense forests (white pines in the north, hardwoods elsewhere) once covered all except the southern prairie. While reckless exploitation in the late 19th cent. drastically reduced the magnificent stands, extensive conservation and reforestation measures have saved the valuable lumber industry, and today c.40% of Wisconsin's land area is forested. The pulp, paper, and paper-products industrial complex in Green Bay and Appleton is one of the largest in the nation. The Great Lakes offered an easy access from Canada to the region that is now Wisconsin, and the Frenchman Jean Nicolet arrived at the site of Green Bay in 1634 in search of fur pelts and the Northwest Passage. He was followed by other traders and missionaries, among them Radisson and Groseilliers; Marquette and Joliet, who discovered the upper Mississippi; and Aco and Hennepin, from the party of La Salle. Meanwhile the spread of settlers in the East was bringing the Ottawa, the Huron, and other Native American tribes into Wisconsin, where they in turn displaced the older inhabitants, the Winnebago, the Kickapoo, and others. Similarly, the Ojibwa drove their kinsmen the Sioux westward from Wisconsin. Only the Menominee remained relatively settled.

Originally the Wisconsin economy was based on dairy farming, mining and lumber. Today, tourism, manufacturing, agriculture and healthcare drive the economy. Wisconsin is a farming state. Wisconsin produces more dairy products than any other state except California and leads the nation in cheese production. The second largest brewer of beer in the nation is in Milwaukee. Milwaukee is also ranked first nationwide in the production of paper products. Madison is consistently ranked as one of the top places to live. Wisconsin is a wonderful place to call home with housing and apartment rentals below the national average.

Wisconsin is part of the Great Lakes region. The state has over 15,000 lakes, picturesque dairy farms, bustling cities, and quaint villages. It is considered the most German-American state and also has the highest percentage of residents of Polish ancestry of any state in the Union. It is a great place to work and live so look at the housing market and apartment rentals in Wisconsin.

The varied landscape makes the state a vacation destination popular for outdoor recreation. Skiing, ice fishing, snowmobile derbies, and swimming are popular outdoor activities. Wisconsin is very popular for hunting and fishing. One of the professional sports teams, The Green Bay Packers, has 12 National Football League titles. Apartment renters can find many year-round outdoor activities to keep them busy.

The University of Wisconsin system has 26 campuses and the Wisconsin Technical College System has 16 campuses. Some of the notable private colleges and universities are Marquette University, Beloit College and Lawrence University. There are plenty of Wisconsin apartment rentals for college students.