No. Wisconsin is not in Canada. Wisconsin is a state in the United States of America.
Wisconsin Is a State in the United States of America
In the United States of America, a state is a subnational political entity with jurisdiction over a particular geographical area. This jurisdiction is shared with the national government of the United State of America. There are 50 states in the United States of America.
Wisconsin was admitted as a state to the United States of America on May 29, 1848. It is the 30th state to have been admitted into the United States. Previous to being a state, Wisconsin was known as the “Wisconsin Territory.”
Not all lands that belong to the United States of America are states. According to the United States Geological Survey, the United States also has jurisdiction over other kinds of entities, including the District of Columbia, various types of territories, commonwealths, “miscellaneous insular or outlying areas,” and “freely associated states.” Under this terminology, a “freely associated state” is used in the international sense as an independent country, rather than in the sense that Wisconsin is a state.
Geographical Similarities to Canada
Even though Wisconsin is not in Canada, the State of Wisconsin has many geographical similarities to areas of Canada. Wisconsin is situated in the Great Lakes Region, and much of Canada is also situated on the Great Lakes. Both Wisconsin and Canada have shorelines along Lake Superior.
Canada is well known for being a northern part of North America, and Wisconsin shares this status. In fact, the southern border of Wisconsin is further north than the southernmost part of Canada. The southernmost part of Canada is Point Pelee. Point Pelee is at 41°58′N latitude, and the southernmost part of Wisconsin is at 42° 30’N latitude. This means that when you are standing at Point Pelee in Canada, you are standing further south than the entire State of Wisconsin.
Wisconsin and Canada share the geographical similarity of being relatively northerly locations.
Cultural Similarities to Canada
Wisconsin has cultural similarities to Canada, as well. Since Wisconsin is so far north, residents of Wisconsin enjoy many of the same recreational activities as residents of Canada. Such activities include ice skating, deer hunting, maple syrup collecting, and ice fishing.
Many people believe that Wisconsinites have a similar accent to parts of Canada as well. Sometimes, people in Wisconsin can be hard to distinguish from people from Canada based on how they talk.
International Port of Entry in Superior, Wisconsin
While Wisconsin does not share a land border with Canada, it does lie along an international body of water: Lake Superior. Because of this, U.S. Customs and Border Protection operates a Port of Entry in the area of Superior, Wisconsin. This means that people who enter the United States via ship or boat at Superior, Wisconsin, can obtain visas to enter the United States at this location.
Canadian Ships in Wisconsin
Many people often do not realize that international shipping occurs on the Great Lakes. Most international shipping on the Great Lakes consists of bulk cargo like wood pulp, iron ore, coal, grain, cement, and oil and gas. However, some limited international container shipping happens on the Great Lakes as well.
As part of this international shipping, Canadian ships often operate and are serviced at Wisconsin ports, even outside of the port at Superior. For example, Canada Steamship Lines ships are frequently serviced in the shipyard at Sturgeon Bay in Door County, Wisconsin. Canada Steamship Lines is a shipping company based in Montreal, Quebec.
Summary
- Wisconsin is not in Canada
- Wisconsin is a state in the United States of America
- Wisconsin has geographical similarities to areas of Canada
- Wisconsin has cultural similarities to areas of Canada
- Wisconsin has international ports of entry
- Canadian ships ply Wisconsin waters and enter Wisconsin ports
